Henry's Pov.
FIREL FORTRESS
The morning sky hung heavy, cloaked in a mournful gray, as if mourning the devastation below. The fires that had raged within the Dragon Hall had finally subsided, leaving behind smoldering ruins and the acrid stench of smoke. Healers ran back and forth, their hands glowing with magic as they mended wounds and eased suffering.
Who could have foreseen this treachery? The queen—our queen—turning against her own kingdom. But was it truly betrayal? Or was there more to her actions than we could yet understand? The whispers were everywhere, but the truth lay shrouded, as elusive as the light piercing through the stormy skies.
Ever since Prince Felix awakened his power, he had been confined to his chambers—isolated, unreachable. No contact was permitted. Whispers spread like wildfire through the fortress: this Felix was not the same. His demeanor had shifted, his once gentle voice now cold and menacing. The Felix we knew would never utter such madness, never speak of murdering his own mother.
Something darker was at play here. But what troubled me most was the queen's actions. Why had she taken Vesper's body when she fled?
"Quite a rare sight—catching you frowning like that," Ivy said, tilting her head as she studied my face with a curious glint in her eyes.
"Haaa! It doesn't make sense," I muttered , rising to my feet and pacing the room. The pieces refused to fall into place, a chaotic jumble in my mind.
"Hmm.. you were thinking about that? I've sent a few people to dig into the royal family," Ivy whispered, her voice low but deliberate.
"What?" I turned to her, shocked. "You know the consequences of such an act—it's unredeemable!"
"What choice do I have?" she shot back, her tone laced with frustration. "Nothing here makes sense. We need to figure out who the enemy really is. I don't trust the royal family—or anyone else in this fortress. And let's not forget your secret. Did you not notice how your body rejected the authority bestowed by the king?"
I froze at her words, but she pressed on, relentless. "Abel hasn't been the same ever since. You should tread carefully, Henry—keep quiet and play along. For now, at least."
Her words hung in the air, heavy and foreboding. She wasn't wrong, and that terrified me more than I cared to admit.
"I don't have answers," I admitted finally, my voice low. "Not about myself, not about the queen, and certainly not about Felix. But if you're wrong—if you've miscalculated—this could destroy us both."
"I don't miscalculate, my family have been trading information everywhere for years." Ivy said coolly, folding her arms.
"I knew you were crazy but this? This is beyond me." my voice laced with skepticism. "We're surrounded by enemies, and if we move too soon—"
"We won't move too soon," she interrupted. "But we will prepare. Felix is no longer the prince we knew, and the queen… whatever her reasons, she took Vesper for a purpose. If we don't figure out what that purpose is, this kingdom will fall—and us along with it."
I nodded reluctantly, my mind racing.
Ivy extended her hand toward me, her eyes sharp and unwavering. "Allies?" she asked, her tone carrying a quiet challenge.
I hesitated, staring at her outstretched hand. Trust was a dangerous currency at the moment, especially now. Ivy's proposal could be a lifeline—or a noose. But if she was right, if everything truly hinged on uncovering the truth, then I couldn't afford to stand alone.
"On one condition," I said, my voice steady. "We don't act recklessly. We gather every piece of the puzzle before making a move. If we fail, we'll not only lose our lives—we'll lose whatever chance we have of saving this kingdom."
Her lips curved into a faint smirk, though her eyes betrayed no amusement. "Careful as ever, Henry. Fine. No recklessness."
I reached out and grasped her hand firmly. "Allies," I said, though the word felt heavy in my mouth.
"Good," she said, releasing my hand. Her smirk deepened into something almost conspiratorial.
Her words sent a chill through me. Ivy wasn't just cunning—she was dangerous. But as I watched her turn away, her cloak billowing behind her, I couldn't deny it. For now, she was the only ally I had.
"Dragon Knights, gather!" one of the knights called out, their voice commanding and firm. We assembled quickly, the tension in the air as thick as the lingering smoke from the Dragon Hall's fires.
"The Quadrilateral Squads will be formed today," the knight continued, their expression grave.
"These four squads will be deployed to four separate regions in Astafell to prepare for the coming war against the dark creatures you witness yesterday. Annihilates all demons. This is your task. The rest of the Dragon Knights will head to Haven Castle, the main stronghold of Astafell, to fortify the city and ensure its defense. Those assigned to the Quadrilateral Squads will travel from village to village, warning the people to evacuate to Haven Castle before it's too late. These are the orders given under Prince Felix and Crown Prince Firel command."
The knight paused, unrolling a parchment to read the assignments.
Quad 1 : Burning sea
Captain blackwood, abel, vesper,seraphina and bailee
Quad 2 : Fiery gale border
Captain freya, henry, ivy, flemi, gunther
Quad 3 : Neverflaw
Captain Knox, killian, bastila,joan, ying
Quad 4: fireland
Captain Rasha, leon, nars, trion, gloria
"You have your orders," the knight concluded. "Prepare yourselves. The survival of Astafell rests on your shoulders. Move out!"
Ivy turned her head to me, one brow arched in suspicion. Her sharp gaze seemed to pierce through the thin veil of order this mission was supposed to represent.
"Strange," I muttered, my voice barely audible over the bustle of knights preparing to depart. "Something is definitely off. Why send us—new knights—on such a dangerous mission? And why pair us with the best captains in Astafell?"
Ivy crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "It's deliberate. Felix knows what he's doing. He doesn't trust us, but he also doesn't want us close to Haven Castle. Sending us to the most treacherous regions? It's a way to keep us distracted—or dead."
Her words struck a chord, the truth of them unsettling. She wasn't wrong. The captains chosen for these missions weren't just competent—they were legends. Freya, Blackwood, Knox, and Rasha had led the most difficult campaigns and emerged victorious. Pairing them with squads of inexperienced knights wasn't strategy; it was desperation—or a calculated gamble.
"You think this is about thinning out the ranks?" I asked, my voice low.
Ivy's smirk was cold. "If it is, we're the ones on the chopping block. But I don't plan to make it easy for anyone. Neither should you."
Before I could respond, Captain Freya's voice rang out again, crisp and commanding. "Fiery Gale Squad, to the eastern gate! Time waits for no one!"
Ivy gave me a sidelong glance, her smirk fading into something more serious. "We're walking into the unknown, and I doubt anyone will save us if we fall."
I nodded, gripping the hilt of my blade tightly as we joined the others. The path ahead was treacherous, but the unease coiling in my gut warned me the abyssal creatures weren't the only danger we'd face.
The courtyard buzzed with movement as knights exchanged brief farewells and prepared to join their squads. The weight of the mission settled heavily on my shoulders, and as I glanced toward Ivy, her expression mirrored my unease. There were others who had given up becoming a knight, realizing the danger ahead.
"Henry," she said, stepping closer, her voice low. "Fiery Gale I heard is a volatile region. The abyssal creatures reported there to be stronger and organized. This won't be a simple clearing mission. One whole village was annihilated by this demon in one night."
I nodded grimly. "I heard.."
"I think he's orchestrating our death." I continued.
Before Ivy could respond, Captain Freya's sharp voice cut through the noise. "Fiery Gale Squad, assemble!"
I exchanged a quick look with Ivy before joining the others. Freya stood tall, her golden armor catching the dim light of the overcast sky. She radiated authority, her piercing gaze enough to silence any doubt.
"This mission it will not be easy," Freya began, her tone as sharp as a blade. "Fiery Gale has reported the highest concentration of abyssal creatures in one night. We'll be cutting through their territory to reach there, to make sure the border is still strong and hasn't been breach by Delaire. Stay sharp, stay together, and trust your squad. If you falter, you jeopardize more than your own life. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Captain!" we replied in unison.
Freya nodded, satisfied. "Good. We ride within the hour along with Captain Blackwood."
As the squad dispersed to prepare, I found myself standing alone for a moment, staring toward Dragon Castle in the distance. The towering spires seemed to pierce the sky, a reminder of what we were protecting—or what we thought we were protecting.
"Henry." Flemi's voice broke my thoughts.
I turned to her, finding her gaze steady and unreadable. "Focus," she said softly..
I gave a curt nod, her words lingering in my mind as I turned away. There was no room for trust anymore, not even among allies. I must trust my instincts.
Meanwhile in whitestone old wizard castle..
Vesper had endured countless tortures, his body broken and mended again and again, the cycle unending. Each time, he revived—his curse and his strength intertwined in cruel irony. The queen found twisted amusement in his hidden gifts, her laughter echoing through the dim chamber as she waited.
She called it a test of his oddity an anomaly in this world, a spectacle to pass the time until her firstborn arrived. But beneath her cold demeanor lay impatience, a gnawing hunger for power that seemed to grow with every hour.
Yet, there was one thing she hadn't anticipated: Felix was still alive.
The thought hadn't crossed her mind, so certain was she that her actions had secured his death. But Felix's survival was a thread unraveling her carefully woven plans, a threat she couldn't yet see but would soon feel.