"Mate!" Immediately, Alandar turned to flee, not wanting to be seen.
Alandar's heart ached, his soul longing for the connection he shared with his mate. He pushed aside the feeling, focusing on the impending war.
"Mate, Aaron growled loudly... Why didn't you wait to see our mate? I have been feeling distress since earlier today... Our mate is here; let's go back."
"We can't protect our mate if we're dead," Alandar said, his voice laced with determination.
"No, we aren't going," Alandar said while running through the woods. "There are a lot of things more important than our mate; the war is in three days' time, and that's what will decide the fate of Avalor."
Aaron's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with concerns. "Is our mate's safety worth risking our kingdom's future?" he wondered.
"So you're telling me that our mate is not important? She is our other half; without her, we are nothing."
I didn't say that, Alandar thought, his conscience pricking him.
"I didn't say that. When it's time, we would go get her. Do you think I would want to put her in danger with everything going around Avalor? She is delicate, for goodness' sake."
Alandar's thoughts drifted to his mate's gentle touch, her soothing presence.
"So I don't want her to know me now. Do you think I don't feel pains too, leaving her there too, huh!"
"Okay, okay," Aaron said.
Alandar suddenly recalled something and stopped.
"Why did you stop?" Alan and Aaron asked in unison.
"I'm not yet used to this," Alandar said, and he transformed back into his human form, wearing his clothes, looking at his wrist.
Suddenly, the familiar surroundings of his chambers enveloped him.
"You could have told us you know," Alan said. Alandar scoffed.
A knock was heard on the door.
"Come in!"
"My king, apparently, the war will be held tomorrow. I have just gotten the news that the latter already knows."
"What!?"
[7 HOURS AGO]
"All hail the king of Raven, hail the king of Raven... Silent! I called this urgent meeting because, in the next three days, there will be war between Avalor and Raven."
King Maros's gaze drifted to a scar above his left eyebrow, a reminder of his brutal rise to power.
"What we failed to achieve thousands of years ago, we have the chance to achieve it now... Raven is the ruler of all kingdoms."
Maros's eyes gleamed with ambition, his voice dripping with malice.
"The weapons should be set before tomorrow; it's going to be a long day ahead. We must come back victorious; Avalor should be under our feet."
King Maros laughed devilishly, recalling what Ariiyah said an hour ago.
Ariiyah teleported into King Maros's chambers, immediately falling back onto her knee.
"My king, I have urgent news."
"What's that, Maros said, coming out of the bathroom in his robe, his chest widely exposed, his silk black hair dripping with water, his lip red like a plum cherry, his demeanor hot."
"My king, I'm afraid Avalor is planning a war against Raven, and it will happen in the next three days."
"What!?"
Maros's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Why are you just telling me this?"
"My king, the news just got to me."
"Okay, you can go."
Maros's face became dangerous, his eyes turned completely black, his fangs out, and horns could be seen.
Alandar, I see it's time to settle it.
KINGDOM OF AVALOR
"What!?"
"My Lord, I've been having this feeling for a while now," Eden said.
"What do you mean? Explain better."
"My Lord, the day you went missing, I was passing through your chambers, and I saw someone in there. I was curious, but it skipped my mind."
"So what you're saying is that there's a spy in the palace."
"I'm afraid there is, my king," Eden said, bowing.
"Okay, he or she will crawl out of their hiding place."
Eden's eyes narrowed, determined to uncover the spy's identity.
"Place an urgent meeting with the minister of war, Julius, right now."
"Yes, my king."
"The palace has been noisy; the atmosphere is getting worse."
Alandar's anxiety grew as the moon dipped below the horizon, signaling the impending battle.
"Alandar, leave the spy to me," Alan said.
"What can you do?" Alandar asked.
"I'm a demon, I'm part of you," Alan said, his voice low and mysterious.
Alan took control of Alandar's eyes, which turned red as he read every soul in Avalor. His pulse quickened while scanning the depth of a woman's soul.
Found her!
He smiled, satisfied.
"My king, you called for me?" Julius asked, entering the throne room.
Alandar turned his back to Julius, walking back to his throne.
"As you've heard, Raven knows about the war. It's happening tomorrow. What's been done?" King Alandar asked, his tone commanding.
"All weapons are prepared," Julius replied.
"Total army count?" Alandar inquired.
"My Lord, 500,000 armies in total," Julius answered.
"Alright, we move at sunrise. Follow my lead. It's been too long since I've seen blood gush; I've been too lenient." Alandar's gaze pierced Julius.
"Am I?" he asked, his voice laced with menace.
Julius trembled. "No, my king."
"You may leave."
"Alan, the spy will face punishment after the war. This is just the beginning."
SOMEWHERE UNKNOWN
Alandar longed to change Avalor's fate, lift the centuries-old curse.
The Moon Goddess blessed him with a mate, his other half.
"After him, another king will rule," Arachne said, smiling. "A new kingdom will rise with the birth of his son. That's Avalor's future."
"The curse lifts after Alandar's death, and the sun rises again."
Arachne cast a spell, breaking the curse and casting another, one that would only break after Alandar's demise.