Ardyn woke up in the middle of the night, his body weak and his head still pounding. He found himself lying on damp grass in the forest, far from the village. Memories of the battle with Urzok, the orc general, came flooding back to him. He had overexerted himself, especially when tapping into the blood element. His body hadn't fully recovered, and every movement reminded him of the limitations of his human form.
"I need to return to the village… I must warn them about the orcs," he thought, forcing himself to stand.
Although his body felt heavy, he began trudging slowly toward Bria Village. The faint moonlight illuminated his path as the sounds of the forest at night became his only company.
When he reached the edge of the village, a shocking scene greeted him. Flames raged everywhere, lighting up the night with a terrifying red glow. Bria Village was in ruins. Buildings that once stood strong were now reduced to rubble. The air was thick with the stench of smoke, blood, and death. Ardyn froze, his body trembling at the destruction before him.
"No… This can't be… I'm too late," he whispered, his breath hitching as guilt weighed heavily on his chest. Before he could react further, a sharp sound whizzed through the air from his right.
Swish!
An arrow shot toward him, but Ardyn caught it reflexively. Turning toward its source, he spotted an orc wielding a bow, its eyes filled with hatred. Before he could counterattack, another orc charged at him from the shadows with a sword aimed at his neck.
With swift movements, Ardyn twisted his body and deflected the attack using wind magic, sending the orc flying several meters back. However, exhaustion and low mana made it difficult for him to continue the fight. He had no choice but to retreat.
Despite the pain, Ardyn ran away from the village. His feet carried him to the outskirts, where the Nightshade family's forces were locked in fierce combat with the orc army. Corpses littered the ground, and the screams of battle created a harrowing scene. Ardyn watched them fight valiantly, but the overwhelming number of orcs had pushed them to the brink.
"I need to help them… but not in my condition," he thought, gritting his teeth in frustration. He knew the best help he could offer was to find the surviving villagers and lead them to safety.
Rushing through the destruction, Ardyn finally found a group of villagers huddled near the ruins of an old house, hidden among the trees. They all looked terrified and confused, many of them injured. Among them, Ardyn spotted the most important people in his life: Uncle Darius, Aunt Eladra, Kael, Nolan, Rian, his twin younger brothers, and Elysia.
His eyes widened as he saw the familiar faces. His body weakened further, but he forced himself to move faster, almost collapsing as he approached them. "Uncle! Aunt!" he called out, his voice hoarse with worry.
Uncle Darius, who was trying to calm the villagers, turned at the sound of Ardyn's voice. His usually composed face showed a mix of relief and despair. "Ardyn! You're alive!" he exclaimed, struggling to stand despite his own injuries. But his steps faltered when he saw the state Ardyn was in—far worse than his own. "By the gods, what happened to you?"
Ardyn gave a weak smile, suppressing the pain spreading throughout his body. "I'm fine. How about you and Kael? Shouldn't you both still be recovering after that incident?" Ardyn asked, his voice filled with concern, while the villagers around them trembled with fear.
"They drank healing potions given by Nolan's father," answered Lyron, Ardyn's younger brother.
"That's good… I'm glad you're all safe," Ardyn replied.
Before he could say more, Aunt Eladra rushed to him and embraced him tightly, despite her own weak and injured state. "Ardyn, where have you been? I was so worried," she said, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her face, and Ardyn felt a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time.
Ardyn weakly returned her embrace. "I'm sorry, Aunt. I should've been faster… I should've been able to protect you."
Aunt Eladra shook her head, tears still flowing. "You don't need to apologize, Ardyn."
Nolan, sitting while clutching his wounded abdomen, looked at Ardyn with concern. "Those orcs attacked us so suddenly that we didn't have time to prepare, Ardyn. Many are injured... and if we stay here, they'll find us."
Elysia, standing close to Aunt Eladra, looked at Ardyn with eyes full of worry and pain. "Ardyn, where have you been?" Her voice quivered, revealing how deeply she cared for him.
Ardyn met Elysia's gaze, sensing her deep concern. "I have no other choice. I'll distract them, and you all must run to Capitalis Lux," he said with firm determination.
"And how do you plan to do that when your body is already on the brink of collapse?" Kael, now standing, approached with a look of regret. Despite his bloodied and injured face, his eyes remained resolute. "We can't let you fight alone, Ardyn. We're family; we have to protect each other."
Ardyn felt a warmth in his heart at Kael's words. "I don't have a choice, Kael. You're hurt because of me. This is the only way I can make amends."
Before more could be said, several Nightshade soldiers arrived with a horse-drawn carriage. "Quick, get on! This carriage can fit everyone here!" one of the soldiers urged.
Uncle Darius ordered everyone, including Ardyn, to board the carriage. "Hurry up, everyone!"
The survivors began climbing into the carriage, their hands trembling and faces filled with fear. Just as they were about to leave, a sudden shout echoed from a distance.
"Incoming attack!" a soldier cried.
The remaining Nightshade forces were forced to defend themselves again. An enormous blast from an orc's attack struck the soldiers and part of the villagers already on the carriage. Ardyn, Kael, Nolan, Rian, and Uncle Darius were caught in the explosion. Fortunately, Aunt Eladra, Lyron, Eldric, and Elysia were unharmed. Uncle Darius quickly ordered the driver to take them to Capitalis Lux. "Go now!" he shouted.
Elsewhere, the orcs advanced toward them. Ardyn tried to fight back, but his severely injured body couldn't even support him. The few remaining soldiers held off the orcs to buy time. One last carriage, untouched by the attack, remained. Uncle Darius immediately ordered Kael to help Ardyn into the carriage, along with Nolan and Rian.
"Take them, soldier," Uncle Darius said to the driver, who quickly set off for Capitalis Lux without him.
"No! You forgot my uncle! My uncle isn't on the carriage!" Ardyn cried out in despair.
Uncle Darius stayed behind, joining the remaining soldiers to hold back the orcs.
"Uncle!" Ardyn screamed, tears streaming down his face as the carriage sped toward Capitalis Lux. Ardyn, Kael, Nolan, and Rian left Bria Village, their hearts heavy with sorrow.