Lucas remained with the group for a short while longer after Henrietta fell silent.
The weight of the truth had settled on all of them now. No one tried to argue against it anymore, because deep down they all knew Lucas would never say such a thing unless it had already been confird beyond doubt.
Lucas glanced once more at Nyx.
She had grown quiet again, standing beside Lira and Selene, her arms folded tightly as though she were holding herself together.
He had already made her a promise.
Now he needed to act like a man who intended to keep it.
Lucas turned away from them.
"I need to speak with the King," he said.
No one stopped him.
They all understood that the next steps depended on what the King would decide.
Lucas walked across the camp toward the command tent.
Two guards stood outside, both of them looking far more tense than usual. They straightened when they saw him approaching.
Lucas did not slow down.
"I need to see His Majesty."
The guards hesitated for only a mont before stepping aside.
Lucas pushed the tent flap aside and stepped inside.
The large table at the center of the tent was still covered with maps of the valley and surrounding regions, though many of them had been pushed aside carelessly.
The King sat alone at the table.
A large cup of wine rested in his hand.
Several empty bottles had already been pushed to one side.
Lucas stopped a few steps away.
For a mont he simply observed the man.
King Highmoor looked nothing like the commanding ruler who had stood in the middle of the battlefield earlier that day.
His shoulders were slumped.
His gaze was fixed sowhere on the table, though it did not seem like he was truly looking at anything.
Lucas spoke carefully.
"Your Majesty."
The King lifted the cup and took another long drink before answering.
"Yes."
His voice sounded tired.
Lucas stepped closer.
"We need to discuss tomorrow."
The King gave a small, bitter chuckle.
"Tomorrow."
He set the cup down heavily on the table.
"What is there to discuss?"
Lucas remained calm.
"The duel."
The King waved a hand lazily.
"You already arranged it."
His eyes drifted toward the wine bottle again.
"Handle it however you wish."
Lucas frowned slightly.
"That is not how this works."
The King reached for the bottle and refilled his cup without looking up.
"Valerion is gone, Xavier."
The wine sloshed slightly as he lifted the cup again.
"Our capital is in enemy hands. My own queen betrayed the throne."
He drank again.
"My son was nearly murdered because of her sches."
His voice lowered.
"And I stood here thinking I was protecting my kingdom."
Lucas watched him quietly.
The King leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You want to make decisions?"
He let out a hollow laugh.
"There is nothing left to decide."
Lucas stepped forward until he stood directly across the table.
"There is still an army."
The King did not respond.
"There are still thousands of soldiers outside this tent who believe they are fighting for sothing."
The King stared into his cup.
Lucas continued.
"They are waiting for orders."
Still no response.
The King simply drank again.
Lucas studied him for another mont before realizing sothing important.
The King was not refusing to make decisions out of stubbornness.
He simply no longer believed any decision mattered.
Lucas exhaled quietly.
There was no point forcing the conversation right now.
Not like this.
The King needed ti to process the truth that had shattered his world.
Lucas stepped back.
"Get so rest, Your Majesty."
The King did not even look up.
Lucas turned and walked toward the entrance of the tent.
As he pushed the flap aside, the cool night air greeted him again.
He paused briefly outside.
The situation had beco far more fragile than he had anticipated.
A broken king could not lead an army.
And if the king could not lead them, soone else had to keep things from falling apart before morning arrived.
Lucas pulled the tent flap closed behind him.
Then he began scanning the camp.
He needed two n who were still thinking clearly.
Captain Varran.
Commander Alexander.
If there was anyone left in this army who could still hold things together through the night, it would be those two.
Lucas adjusted the mask on his face and began walking through the rows of tents to find them.
When Lucas found their tent, he entered and approached the table slowly, the lantern light casting long shadows across the map spread before Commander Alexander and Captain Varran.
Both n studied him carefully. Lucas told them straight away what he had co for.
Alexander straightened slightly.
"The duel terms were already agreed upon in front of both armies."
"Yes," Lucas replied calmly, "but those terms were made before we understood everything."
Alexander leaned his weight on the table, his hands pressing against the wood.
"And what exactly has changed?"
Lucas looked at both n.
"Everything."
The word hung between them for a mont.
Varran crossed his arms.
"Explain."
Lucas glanced briefly around the camp before lowering his voice slightly.
"Ken revealed the crown because he wanted us to lose hope. He wants the duel tomorrow to feel aningless to us."
Alexander nodded slowly.
"That much is obvious."
"But that revelation also changes the entire purpose of the duel," Lucas continued. "Before tonight, we believed we were fighting to protect Valerion. Now we know Valerion has already fallen."
Varran’s jaw tightened slightly.
"Yes."
Lucas tapped a finger lightly on the edge of the table.
"So the duel is no longer about defending the kingdom."
Alexander watched him closely.
"It is about what happens after tomorrow."
The commander narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What are you planning?"
Lucas lifted his gaze.
"I need to renegotiate the terms of the duel."
Varran shook his head.
"You think Ken will simply agree to that?"
"He might," Lucas replied quietly.
Both n stared at him.
Lucas continued.
"If we win the duel tomorrow, the terms must change."
Alexander’s voice was firm.
"What terms?"
Lucas spoke without hesitation.
"First. If Valerion wins the duel, the Emperor of Rus must be released to us."
Both officers stiffened slightly at that.
Varran spoke first.
"You believe he is still alive?"
Lucas nodded.
"If Ken is using him as leverage, then he is alive."
Alexander folded his arms slowly.
"And you want him handed over to us."
"Yes."
Lucas’ voice remained calm but firm.
"He is the rightful ruler of Rus, and more importantly, he is one of the few figures powerful enough to challenge the Usurpers across the continent."
Varran exhaled slowly.
"That is a dangerous demand."
Lucas shrugged slightly.
"Ken believes he already holds every advantage. He might agree simply because he does not think we can win."
Alexander’s gaze hardened slightly.
"And the second term?"
Lucas looked toward the dark horizon where the enemy army rested on the other side of the valley.
"If Valerion wins the duel, our soldiers will be allowed to leave the battlefield without being attacked."
Varran raised a brow.
"You an a full withdrawal."
"Yes."
Lucas turned back toward them.
"Our army is exhausted. Many of the n are wounded, and the kingdom they believed they were protecting has already been captured."
Alexander nodded slightly.
"That much is true."
Lucas continued.
"We would retreat, regroup, and recover. Only after that would we begin planning how to take Valerion back."
Varran studied him carefully.
"You are thinking beyond tomorrow’s battle."
Lucas gave a faint nod.
"I have to."
Alexander rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"And if we lose the duel?"
Lucas did not hesitate.
"Then the original condition stands."
Both officers already knew what that ant.
Varran said it aloud anyway.
"We would withdraw from this war entirely."
Lucas nodded.
"Valerion’s army would leave and never return to fight for the kingdom again."
Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"That was Ken’s condition."
"Yes."
Lucas’s voice remained steady.
"And if we lose, we would have no strength left to continue fighting him anyway."
The commander studied Lucas for several seconds.
"You are asking Ken to gamble sothing he values."
Lucas nodded once.
"The Emperor of Rus."
Varran gave a low whistle under his breath.
"You truly believe he will accept this?"
Lucas looked toward the valley again.
"He will."
Alexander frowned slightly.
"And why are you so sure?"
Lucas’s voice ca quietly.
"Because Ken believes we have already lost."
Alexander looked down at the map again, then back at Lucas.
"And you want to go negotiate this yourself."
"Yes."
Varran looked toward the dark valley.
"At this hour?"
Lucas adjusted the mask on his face slightly.
"Yes."
Then he added calmly,
"Before Ken decides the duel tomorrow is no longer worth honoring."
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