In the domains of Felwave, the family and their vassals worked ardently to rebuild their lands. Located somewhat distant from Alnuum, their domains had been completely devastated by Morfrey during the war of greed. Anna Felwave, the matriarch and now leader of the house, was in command of this monumental task, coordinating the efforts of her loyal vassals to raise the city from the ashes.
The Felwave castle, strategically located at the bifurcation of the largest tributary of the Nuumea River, had once been a jewel of wealth and power. From time immemorial, the family had benefited from gold panning in the waters of the Nuumea, becoming the second most powerful house of the old Empire of Nannu, second only to the royal house. However, the corruption brought by Morfrey had transformed the once sacred Nuumea River into a dead waterway, devoid of life and its precious gold.
Even after learning the demon that aided Morfrey was not Sebastian, the Felwaves still carried the weight of guilt for the tragic events that befell the empire. However, the loyalty and perseverance of the Felwave vassals were unshakable. Under Anna's determined leadership, they were rebuilding a new city upon the ruins of the old.
The Felwaves were holders of blood magic, a rare and formidable power that any evil mage would desire to possess. Fearful that her other children might follow the same path as Sebastian, Anna dedicated long hours to training them, teaching them about the importance and responsibility of carrying the Felwave name.
"This was a task of your fathers, but now it is mine. I do not have the same knowledge as Silvus about blood magic, but I will teach you all that I can!" Anna told her children.
Shiera, the eldest, was an exemplary warrior. Like Sebastian, she used blood magic for close combat, but also possessed skills in long-range magic. Leon, the second son, had a natural aptitude for long-range magic, reminiscent of Silvus in many regards, though also competent in combat. And lastly, Zion, the youngest, had yet to awaken his powers but showed great potential.
Every day, Anna guided Shiera and Leon in rigorous training sessions. She taught the importance of discipline, strategy, and above all, the responsibility that came with using their powers. "Blood magic is not just a tool for power. It is part of who we are, an extension of our will and our responsibility as Felwaves," she would say.
Shiera, with her combative spirit, trained relentlessly, refining her combat abilities and techniques. Leon, meanwhile, spent hours studying ancient tomes and practicing spells, seeking to further master blood magic. Zion, still awaiting the awakening of his powers, watched his siblings with admiration and a little anxiety.
Rebuilding the Felwave domains was an arduous task full of challenges. The land was marked by devastation, and the loss of gold from the Nuumea River was a hard blow to the family's economy. But Anna's perseverance and the loyalty of her vassals kept hope alive.
In each brick laid, in each spell cast, there was a renewed sense of purpose. The Felwave family, led by Anna, was determined to not only rebuild their city but also redeem their name and restore the honor they once held. And with blood magic flowing in their veins, they knew they had the strength and will to achieve this goal.
Rebuilding the Felwave domains was a symbol of resilience and determination. Under Anna's leadership, the family and their vassals were ready to face any challenge, united by the power and legacy of blood magic.
In Zoarlath, Adonis, Yorin and Aura were immersed in their search for clues, studying the names of slavers in the records they had stolen. After careful analysis, they singled out the names of Zoarlath's five most powerful slavers: Amon, the leader of the assassins' guild; Zigga, leader of the Black Daggers; Krekk, the werewolf; Lark, the lord of lust; and Hwin, the golden one. They decided to return to Catoni's house to show the documents to the others.
In Zoarlath's east end, Kal, Sahara and Markel were having no better luck. Finding information on Lark was proving an arduous task, so difficult that they decided to return to Catoni's house, hoping the others had had more success. Arphaxad, meanwhile, was distraught and determined to try one last time to free the slaves, returning to where he had been previously.
That same evening, all except Arphaxad met at Catoni's house to share information and decide their next steps. In Catoni's living room, Aura revealed that their group had found a book with detailed records of all registered slavers, including locations of their headquarters and other important data. Kal then mentioned they had found clues leading to a man named Lark. Hearing this name, Catoni interrupted them, explaining that Lark was, after Hwin, the most powerful and influential slaver and mercenary in the whole duchy, and reaching him would be nearly impossible.
Sahara, still affected by the situation, avoided telling everyone about the puppy Nia, fearing causing undue suffering. Yorin, meanwhile, pointed out that having the names and information of the slavers wouldn't help much if they all knew the girls were with Hwin. He asserted that if the girls were valuable, Hwin wouldn't lose them to others in the city. But Aura reminded them that Hwin had nearly been killed by her weapon and left the place very injured, possibly unable to resist.
Catoni then mentioned a commonality between all these mercenaries: they loved frequenting Hwin's underground fighting arena. He explained that those worms took sadistic pleasure in watching the suffering and pain of the humble, and suggested it could be a starting point to find more information or even an opportunity to rescue the girls.
The meeting at Catoni's house brought crucial information to light and outlined the group's next steps. With the knowledge gained, they began devising a plan to face the challenges ahead and rescue the girls from Hwin's and the other powerful Zoarlath slavers' clutches.
Kal stood up, determined. "The best thing would be for us to enter the underground arena ourselves and see with our own eyes." Adonis, who had heard of the place before, responded quickly: "To enter there requires advance registration. Only those the mercenaries already know can go in. After all, with all the dangerous ones in the same place, it would be easy for a disgruntled or aggrieved person to commit a terrorist act against them."
Sahara, determined to save the girls and puppy, suggested: "What if we let ourselves be captured as slaves? Perhaps we could be put in the fighting arena."
Adonis exploded at the idea, harshly reprimanding Sahara: "That's a crazy idea!" However, everyone else fell silent, as if agreeing with Sahara. Adonis, still irritated, said: "You all must be crazy. Hadon's house is not the building itself, but the people who live in it. Even with our skills, it's impossible to fight against an entire city of mercenaries and assassins."
Catoni stood up and showed his wrists and ankles, revealing marks and scars. "I didn't tell the whole story the first time you were here, Master Adonis!" said Catoni, sitting back down. "I said I'd left the army and come to Zoarlath because of my wife, but that wasn't why. I was a soldier in the White Castle of Arkon, responsible for 'discarding' sons who failed to meet the king's criteria..."
When Catoni said this, everyone's expressions changed. Apparently, Catoni didn't know who these people were, but they all knew that if not for Hadon, the man before them would have killed them in the king of Tenai's name.
Even with the tension, Catoni continued: "Whenever an Arkon child was discarded, I would take them to a place and leave them to starve or freeze to death. But I never felt good about it. Every year that passed, I had a huge knot in my heart. One day I went crazy and tried to save a baby. He was so small and fragile and had none of the Arkon characteristics. He was the son of a dalliance the old king Oberon had when he was only 14 with a commoner."
"I saved the child, but it cost me dearly. Luckily, I handed the baby over to my wife, gave her all my savings and sent her to this city, which at the time was just a fortress town. As a loyal servant of many years, I wasn't condemned to death, but I was banished from Tenai and wandered other countries for a time until I was captured and enslaved by Lark. I lived as a slave for six years until I escaped and returned to Zoarlath, where my wife was caring for the Arkon baby I had saved. We lived as a family until she became pregnant, this time with a legitimate son." Catoni lowered his head and concluded: "I know what it's like to be a slave, and so I can help you infiltrate the underground arena!"
Catoni's revelation deeply impacted everyone. His past, full of pain and regret, gave the group a new perspective. With the plan to infiltrate the underground arena beginning to take shape, they knew the journey ahead would be dangerous, but they were more determined than ever to rescue the girls and Nia.
Aura, perplexed by Catoni's story, asked: "Why did you stay helping the Arkon kings with this insanity of eugenics for so long?"
Catoni sighed deeply, looking at the group with tired eyes. "When young, I was impulsive and wanted to do some good for my country. Despite the Arkons' strange acts, the people lived very well. They had food and medicine, schools, and didn't pay abusive taxes. I realized the cruelty the Arkon kings showed their children, but that was the price the innocents paid for Tenai to prosper."
Yorin, still irritated, asked: "Would you do everything again if you had the chance?"
Catoni, with a serious expression, replied: "Life is made of choices, each with its own consequences. The price I paid was years of slavery and the deaths of my children and wife, and the Arkons' price was the fall of an empire. Would I do it all again? Yes, I would."
Yorin and Adonis frowned in anger, but Catoni continued: "Everyday, people live and people die. Yesterday I saw a poor mother crying in the city alleys because her three daughters, one seven and the twins five years old, were assaulted and killed. What fault did those children have?"
He looked fixedly at them all. "They were just poor, innocent children! I know the Arkon babies paid a high price for being born into that family, but it's still better not to have seen the light of day than to wither under it."
Catoni's words struck deeply into everyone's hearts. The old man stood up and hugged his granddaughters tightly. "I know this may be their fate, for I believe I still have more accounts to settle, but for me it was worth it knowing that while I was cursed, ridding those babies, the suffering people of this country were happy."
Adonis, moved by Catoni's story, stood up and, placing his hand on the old man's shoulder, said: "You once told me that we could change this place, and I responded that we would try. But now I can say: we will change this place. We will make a new story where people no longer need to live in this madness."
Catoni, with tears in his eyes, nodded and said: "And I, I will help you infiltrate the underground arena!"