The following day, the events of the previous night quickly spread throughout the capital.
Everyone who had attended the banquet spoke of the sa shocking mont, about the Dark King's mythical dragon confronting Blackfire Balthazar and even managing to wound him.
At first, the story spread as little more than gossip among the nobles and Magi of Acryon. But as people began digging deeper into the matter, the truth behind the clash slowly surfaced.
It was soon revealed that toward the end of the Battle of Ravenfell, Balthazar nearly killed both Adam and Valerian.
That revelation made the entire situation quite... complicated.
Following the new information that had co to light during the Dark King's public hearing, many people found it difficult to place the bla squarely on either side.
At the ti, Balthazar had believed Adam to be the true culprit behind the Battle of Ravenfell. In his mind, attacking the youth had been an act of justice.
And Valerian, for his part, had every reason to strike back at the man who had nearly taken his life, as well as his brother's.
It was an awkward and uncomfortable truth.
In the end, most people simply accepted that neither of them had truly been
wrong.
***
In the palace courtyard, Old Ani and Anna walked side by side along a stone path that cut through the vibrant greenery.
Flowering bushes and carefully trimd hedges lined the garden, while the soft rustling of leaves filled the serene morning air.
Cradled in Anna's arms, Valerian lay comfortably against her, his small body relaxed but clearly unwilling to leave her side.
The Head Diviner of the Empire glanced at the little cat and fondly smiled. "He likes you a lot," she said.
Anna smiled warmly as she gazed at Valerian.
"Of course," she said softly. "I'm his big sister."
"Myu!" Valerian affird.
Old Ani's expression gradually turned solemn. She asked in a slightly cautious tone, "Have you received any word from your family?"
Anna's expression turned grim.
"Yes," she said with a nod. "My elder brother, he... he inford about the Haynam Empire's assault."
Old Ani nodded.
"You should already know this by now, but the Haynam Empire is but a proxy of the Cult. It's Emperor, Leland Haynam, is one of the Elders of the Inner Circle."
She paused for a mont, then said in a serious tone, "The Stone Lord, they call him..."
Anna was unaware of the latter remark.
Old Ani continued, "The Ignisra Kingdom is still safe from the ravages of war. And in my opinion, it will remain so for quite so ti. Its geographical position protects it from any direct assault by the Cult."
The crimson-haired princess nodded with a grim look, her ruby eyes flashing with concern.
She knew that the main war was unfolding along the northern borders of the Sovereign Union, while Ignisra lay far to the south, near the edge of the Europa continent.
Still, that did not an the kingdom would remain untouched.
Ignisra and the neighboring nations carried an important responsibility to maintain naval logistics and supply routes that supported the Union's armies fighting north. Ships carrying soldiers, provisions, and arcane supplies constantly traveled those waters.
Because of that, the seas surrounding Ignisra were expected to beco a battleground of their own.
The Cult would undoubtedly attempt to disrupt those supply lines, and when that happened, the kingdoms along the south coast would find themselves facing attacks from the sea.
"What do you plan to do?" Old Ani asked in a gentle voice.
"I would like to..." Anna began. "If possible, I would like to reunite with my family."
She paused for a mont, her voice softening. "I still don't know how Adam plans to wage this war. I don't even know if he plans to visit Ignisra..."
Old Ani chuckled. "I'm afraid not even I am privy to the finer details of his campaign. Only the Emperor and Magus Constantine know them."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"And it is best that it remains that way."
No matter how much Adam and Lucian trusted those around them, so matters were too important to be widely known. The fewer people who knew about the full scope of the plan, the smaller the chance of it being discovered
by the enemy.
In a war against an organization as ancient and cunning as the Cult of Bones, secrecy was not rely a precaution. It was a necessity.
Anna remained silent for a long ti. In the end, she murmured with a hopeful
smile.
"I have faith in Adam. Everything will work out just fine. I'm sure of it..."
***
Another day passed.
Among the warriors of the Dark King's army, a subtle restlessness began to slowly spread. It was mingled with curiosity and anxiety.
Adam had left two days ago. No one knew where he had gone. And he had still
not returned.
The Emperor, of course, knew the destination of his journey. But no matter
how many subtle attempts were made to pry the answer from him, Lucian
Acadia revealed nothing.
The anxiety among the soldiers began to grow with each passing hour.
War was already on the horizon, and yet thier commander - the very man who had gathered them beneath his banner was nowhere to be seen.
So of the warriors tried to remain calm, telling themselves that the Dark
King must have been handling sothing truly important. But the uncertainty still gnawed at their minds.
What troubled them even more was the calm deanor of the Emperor and the other high-ranking figures of the palace. Lucian Acadia and a few others carried on with their duties as if nothing were wrong.
Their nonchalance did little to ease the soldiers' concerns. If anything, it only deepened the uneasy feeling spreading through the ranks.
And then it happened...
Toward the end of the second day, just as the sun was about to dip below the horizon, alarm bells suddenly began ringing throughout the city.
Their sharp clangs echoed across the streets and alleys of Acryon, instantly putting the guards and soldiers on high alert. Even the citizens ca out to the
streets in sheer panic.
And then...
From the clouds above, a colossal behemoth descended toward them!
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