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Nelson stood on the battlements, the cool night breeze tugging at his cloak as the kingdom of Evaria slowly quieted after the battle.
The fires had been extinguished, and the wounded were being tended to, but his mind was far from at ease.
Felicia and Eira had disappeared into the darkness, riding south to secure alliances that could mean the difference between victory and utter defeat.
He trusted them both, but the weight of their absence gnawed at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ryker was watching from somewhere, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike again.
The man had an uncanny ability to slip away just when it seemed all hope was lost. Nelson had seen it too many times before. Ryker's cunning was matched only by his ruthlessness, and Nelson knew that his rival's escape tonight was only the beginning of a much larger game.
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Your Majesty?" Nelson turned to see Arion, his most trusted general, approaching. The man's face was etched with exhaustion, but his eyes were still sharp. "We've secured the prisoners, and the battlements are being reinforced. The soldiers are preparing for another assault, should it come."
Nelson nodded, his jaw clenched. "Ryker won't attack again tonight. He's regrouping. But he won't be gone for long." Arion's gaze flickered to the horizon, where the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn. "I fear you're right, my king. He'll return when we least expect it." The weight of Arion's words settled heavily in Nelson's chest. He knew Ryker all too well. The man thrived on chaos, on striking at the heart of his enemies when they were at their most vulnerable.
And now, with Eira and Felicia gone, Nelson couldn't help but feel as though a crucial part of him was missing. The bond he shared with Felicia, once a mere formality, had grown into something unbreakable.
She had proven herself on the battlefield, not just as his queen, but as a warrior in her own right. "Have the scouts reported anything?" Nelson asked, his voice low. Arion shook his head. "Nothing yet. We've sent out riders to track Ryker, but it's as if he's vanished. His soldiers are either dead or captured. None of them will talk."
Nelson's hands clenched into fists. "He's out there. And we need to find him before he strikes again." As Arion departed to continue his duties, Nelson remained on the battlements, his mind racing. His thoughts were consumed by the precarious state of the kingdom, but his heart was fixed on Felicia.
He couldn't help but replay the image of her wielding a sword, her face set with grim determination as she fought alongside him. She had become more than just his queen-she was his partner, his equal, and the thought of her riding into danger without him left him feeling unsettled.
The silence of the night was broken by the sound of footsteps behind him. Nelson turned, half-expecting another report from his generals, but it was someone else entirely. A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in a dark hood, moving with an unnatural grace that set Nelson on edge. "Who goes there?" Nelson demanded, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword.
The figure stepped into the moonlight, lowering the hood to reveal a face that was both familiar and unsettling. It was Lucian, a former ally who had disappeared years ago, presumed dead.
His sharp, angular features were as cold as ever, but there was something different about him now-a darkness that clung to him like a shadow. "Nelson," Lucian said, his voice smooth and calculating. "It's been a long time." Nelson's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "Lucian. I thought you were dead." Lucian's lips curled into a sly smile. "Dead? No, my old friend. I've been... elsewhere. Biding my time." Nelson didn't trust the man for a second. Lucian had always been a master of manipulation, a skilled diplomat with a penchant for betrayal.
His sudden reappearance now, just as Ryker had vanished, set off every alarm in Nelson's mind. "What do you want?" Nelson asked, his voice cold. Lucian took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "I've come to offer my assistance. Ryker is a common enemy, and I believe we share a mutual interest in seeing him brought to justice."
Nelson's gaze hardened. "Why should I trust you? You disappeared without a trace when I needed you most. Now you show up, conveniently, when Ryker escapes?" Lucian shrugged, unbothered by the accusation. "I've been watching, Nelson.
From the shadows, yes, but watching nonetheless. Ryker's ambitions threaten more than just your kingdom. He's a danger to us all. I have resources, information-things you'll need if you hope to defeat him once and for all."
Nelson's instincts screamed at him to turn Lucian away, but something in the man's eyes told him that this was no coincidence.
Lucian always had a way of appearing when the stakes were highest, and while Nelson couldn't trust him, he also couldn't afford to ignore any advantage, no matter how dangerous. "And what do you expect in return?" Nelson asked warily.
Lucian's smile widened, a hint of malice in his expression. "All I ask is a seat at the table when this is over. Power, Nelson. I want a share of what's left when Ryker is gone." Nelson's jaw tightened. He had no intention of giving Lucian anything, but for now, he needed whatever information the man had. He could deal with Lucian's ambitions later, once Ryker was no longer a threat. "Fine,"
Nelson said, his voice clipped. "But betray me, Lucian, and you'll regret it." Lucian's smile never wavered. "I wouldn't dream of it." As Lucian turned and disappeared back into the shadows, Nelson's mind raced. He didn't trust Lucian, but his reappearance only confirmed what Nelson already feared-Ryker's plans ran deeper than just a siege.
Something much darker was at play, and now, with Felicia and Eira riding into the unknown, Nelson knew the kingdom was more vulnerable than ever. He stood alone on the battlements, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him like never before.
The dawn was beginning to break, casting a pale light over the kingdom, but the darkness that loomed on the horizon was far from gone.
Somewhere out there, Ryker was regrouping, plotting his next move. And somewhere in the south, Felicia and Eira rode toward an uncertain future, unaware of the danger that lurked in the shadows. Nelson's heart clenched with a mix of fear and resolve. The battle for Evaria was far from over, and the true war was only just beginning...