Leo lay motionless on the cracked, scorched ground, his body utterly spent. The cost of wielding his newfound power, pushing his Qi beyond its limits, had left him in a state of complete exhaustion. Even a child could take his life now, yet fate had spared him when Dons chose surrender over victory.
As his mind wandered, a flashback of Edward and his loyal horse, Midnight, surfaced. The image of Edward's easy smile and Midnight's gallant stride played vividly in his thoughts. "Edward…" Leo murmured to himself, recalling how Dons denied receiving any letter or mention of Edward. He must still be traveling, Leo thought, a pang of worry and hope flickering in his heart.
The sky above was a bittersweet beauty—bright and sunny, yet rain fell steadily, accompanied by the rumble of distant thunder. The duality of the moment wasn't lost on him, the heavens reflecting the hard-won peace of the battlefield.
From the corner of his eye, Leo spotted a figure running toward him in golden armor. It was Charlotte, the Prime Minister, his face lined with worry.
"Your Majesty!" Charlotte called, his voice trembling as he dropped to his knees beside Leo.
"I'm okay, Charlotte. Just... exhausted," Leo replied weakly, forcing a small smile. "Might take me ten years to feel normal again, though." He chuckled faintly, but even that seemed to drain him.
"Let me help you," Charlotte insisted, attempting to lift him gently.
"Thank you, Charlotte," Leo said, leaning into the support.
Charlotte's voice trembled with emotion as he spoke, "Your Majesty, you've done it again. You ended the human civil wars, united the empires under the Ausha banner, and now you've ended the 2000-year demon war, turning the tide when humanity was on the brink of annihilation. History will remember this day, and I... I am honored to have stood by your side."
Leo smiled faintly, his words soft but resolute. "I didn't do this alone. It was all of you—my knights, my people—working together that made this possible. In my 27 years as Emperor, I've been nothing without those who believed in me."
As they continued toward the camp, their path was blocked by an intimidating group. The First Demon Lord, Abyzou, stood tall with her long white hair and piercing yellow eyes, her presence commanding respect. Flanking her were the Eighth Demon Lord, Lilith, and the Fourth Demon Lord, Morzan Greenblade, accompanied by Muka renowned for his battlefield ferocity.
Abyzou stepped forward, her tone calm yet authoritative. "I am Abyzou, the First Demon Lord. We are not here to fight. We know we cannot win against you. We have come to claim the body of our king."
Leo, still leaning on Charlotte for support, nodded. "I have no quarrel with that. Take him."
With quiet reverence, the demon lords retrieved Dons' body, offering no hostility. The atmosphere was heavy with respect and the lingering echoes of war.
By the time Leo and Charlotte reached the camp, the war horns sounded in the distance, signaling the end of the conflict. The long war was finally over.
Makima, the strongest healer in the empire, approached Leo with a calm yet resolute demeanor. Using her expertise, she stabilized him, allowing him to move slightly and regain some strength. Though far from his prime, Leo could at least stand, a small victory amidst his overwhelming exhaustion.
Later, Leo issued his first order following the battle: "No one is to kill any Red Moon soldiers or enemies unless they attempt to attack. Spare them." His knights, though bruised and battle-weary, obeyed without hesitation, their respect for him unwavering.
As Leo rested in the central tent of the camp, Abuld Pegasus entered, his expression a mix of pride and concern.
"Your Majesty, congratulations on your victory," Abuld said, bowing.
Leo corrected him immediately. "It's not my victory, Abuld. It's our victory. Humanity's victory. Now, tell me—are we able to teleport back to the Ausha Empire?"
Abuld hesitated. "My apologies, Your Majesty. During your clash with the Demon King, the teleportation device lost its signal power. However, we can travel to Floorda. There's an emergency teleportation device there, capable of transporting you and a few others back to the empire."
Leo frowned. "What about my knights?"
"The device can only handle a limited number of people—approximately 2,300. Unfortunately, we brought 14,000 knights here, but we now have only 5,000 remaining. The rest..." Abuld hesitated, his voice heavy with grief. "The rest have fallen in battle."
Leo raised his hand to stop him, sparing Abuld from further painful details. "And the status of the elf kingdom border? The south side of our empire?"
Abuld reported with precision. "We sent 7,800 elite knights to the elf kingdom border and 19,000 to the south alongside council knights and holy knights. Unfortunately, no word has come from either region. As for the capital's security, there are only 200 knights left, Your Majesty. Our defenses are critically low."
Leo took a deep breath, his gaze distant as he processed the dire state of his forces. "How long would it take for the knights to return to the capital by foot?"
"By foot, it would take approximately nine months. However, if they reach the Mao region, there's a massive teleportation device that can be used. If we send crystals to power it, they could arrive in two months," Abuld explained.
Leo nodded slowly. "And the elf kingdom border? The south?"
"They should return within a week, assuming no complications," Abuld replied.
Leo sighed. "You've done well, Abuld. This attack came too quickly for proper preparation, but you managed to deploy so many soldiers in such little time. Prepare a list of those who gave their lives in this war, especially this battle. We will honor them."
Abuld bowed deeply. "It shall be done, Your Majesty."
"We'll begin our journey this afternoon," Leo added firmly.
With that, Abuld exited the tent, leaving Leo to gather his strength for the long road ahead.
Leo and his trusted group—Abuld Pegasus, Divent Charlotte, William Gray, Andro, Min Joon, and Aristide Stain—began their journey to the Floorda region. Normally, with Leo's ability to infuse Qi into their horses to enhance their speed, the journey would have taken only two days. But without his power, it stretched to nine grueling days of slow travel.
By the afternoon of the ninth day, they finally arrived in the Floorda region, weary from the road but relieved to have reached their destination. The group prepared to rest and recover, planning to depart for the capital in the evening.
However, their brief reprieve was shattered when a messenger arrived with a letter. The seal was urgent, and as Leo broke it open, his eyes narrowed as he read the message aloud:
"The Royal Castle of Ausha has been attacked. Urgent assistance is required immediately."
The weight of the words was heavy, and tension filled the air. The knights and companions exchanged worried glances.
"We were going to rest..." William Gray began, but Leo cut him off.
"There's no time," Leo said, his voice steely despite his exhaustion. "Prepare the teleportation device immediately."
Abuld nodded sharply. "Understood, Your Majesty."
Without hesitation, the group gathered their strength and stepped into the teleportation circle. Despite their weariness, the gravity of the situation demanded their immediate response. The glow of the device enveloped them, and with a flash, they disappeared—heading directly into the unknown chaos awaiting them in the capital.
The capital of the Ausha Empire was eerily silent as Leo and his group stepped off the teleportation device. The midnight air carried an unnatural stillness, the city devoid of its usual life. Not a single knight or patrol was visible, and even the faint hum of distant activity was absent.
"Something's wrong," Leo muttered, his voice barely audible. His golden eyes scanned the empty streets, and his heart sank. This wasn't the bustling capital he had left. "Stay alert," he ordered, gripping his sword tighter.
Without delay, the group hurried toward the royal castle.
As they approached, their unease grew. The castle's once-formidable gate was shattered, its iron doors bent and hanging from their hinges. Flames licked at distant ruins, and the top floor of the castle was in ruins, large sections collapsed into rubble.
Leo's heart raced as he remembered Miasha, his childhood friend and the closest thing he had to a sister. She had stayed behind in the castle to tend to her duties. The thought of her in the midst of this destruction drove him forward with reckless urgency.
"Miasha," he whispered under his breath as he stormed through the shattered gate.
"Your Majesty, wait!" Divent Charlotte called out, but Leo didn't slow down. The others followed quickly, weapons at the ready.
The grand halls were desolate, the air thick with the smell of smoke and something faintly metallic—blood. The once-vibrant corridors were now hollow, filled only with echoes of their footsteps.
"Where is everyone?" Divent Charlotte whispered, unease evident in his voice.
Leo said nothing, his sharp senses already aware of something off. As they ventured deeper, the eerie silence pressed down on them. When they reached the throne room, the grand doors were ajar, creaking faintly in the still air.
"Be ready," Leo said, his voice low but commanding.
Inside, the room was dark, the throne looming ominously at the far end. No one was there. The emptiness only amplified the tension in the air.
Charlotte sniffed, his face tightening. "Your Majesty, I smell blood."
"So do I," Leo replied, his voice steady, though his eyes betrayed his concern. His Qi flared faintly as he scanned the room with his senses. Suddenly, he stiffened.
"We're not alone," Leo said, his grip tightening on his sword. "Forty-five… no, forty-seven presences surrounding us."
Abuld Pegasus stepped forward, his voice grim. "An ambush. And if they're confident enough to face us, they must be strong."
Leo nodded. "Exactly. Prepare yourselves. This isn't an ordinary fight."
Weapons were drawn, their metallic gleam catching the faint light of the distant flames. The group stood in a defensive formation, ready for the inevitable clash. Yet, the attackers didn't strike immediately, leaving the tension to coil tighter with every passing second.
"They're waiting for something," Andro murmured, his eyes scanning the shadows.
Leo's mind raced. Whoever orchestrated this wasn't underestimating them—they knew Leo's group's strength and had prepared accordingly. But what was their endgame?
Then, from the shadows, a faint sound echoed—a slow, deliberate clap.
"Welcome home, Emperor Leo," a voice said, low and mocking, reverberating through the dark room. The tension snapped, and every muscle in Leo's body tensed. The battle was about to begin.