At present, the dark realm is different than any other realm. There's no sun in the sky since Eshyal has closed off his borders. The moons are also missing because Mirinae and Sion won't let them out of the household. The flora and fauna are in a weak state since Cina is gone. The dark ehr is tumbling since Dark God is not present in the realm.

Arens sighs.

At a time like this, what they need is unity.

If all gods act like a douche, people will suffer the most, especially the dark realm.

Aren makes his way to the dark castle. Standing tall and proud on the other side of the lake, the majestic castle is built from black stones from the mountain that surrounded the dark realm. He reaches the castle gates that are opened to everyone. Dark beasts are here and there as if it's their home. Nobody stops him as he enters the corridor that is leading to the throne room.

He's been in the dark castle once before Renasir came back to this world. The purpose of that visit was simply paying respect to the dark god who didn't even give him a glance. After removing his title, Aren has gone to see all the gods of Iravan once.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Aren hears a woman's loud voice. "I don't know how to manage them. I only need to keep them alive until that god returns, right?"

What's going on here? Aren leans closer to the wall and listens.

"Kresi Mirin, the unrest is growing in the kingdom." Mogrok, the spirit beast tells her, "Do you know how bad it's been? They don't want you to rule the kingdom. Because of you, they were thrown in Qeshaya."

"Hey!" Kresi, who has grown taller, points at the spirit beast. "I didn't do it. Amara did it."

"You are Amara's reincarnation," Mogrok snaps at her.

Aren peeks at the girl with vivid golden eyes and long black hair. She's not a girl anymore. Dressed in a long cerulean blue robe, her dark hair is tied into a high ponytail. Her face is oval, pale-skinned without a single freckle, smooth, and her lips are a vermillion red. He notices that her right sleeve is longer than her left one, hiding her right hand from his view.

"Those old geezers need work." Kresi sits down on the steps below the throne and exhales, "I am trying to handle this. They keep making troubles with neighbouring realms. So I closed off the border to keep them inside. Now, they have started a rebellion. What are they rebelling against? I was appointed by their damned god."

"That's why they are rebelling." Mogrok points his arm at her. "You keep calling him a damned god."

"He's a damned god, beast." She sneers at him, "Damndest god of Iravan… who told him to appoint me? I might be his ex-wife, but that was another life. I don't remember all the details of that life. Besides, Amara had never run a kingdom. She was busy conspiring for his heart. Literally."

"Shameless," Mogrok grumbles. "If you had paid attention to the dark god, we wouldn't be having this problem right now."

"At that time, getting his core was more important than learning how to run a kingdom." She retorts, "Tell me, Mogrok. You have been with him for a longer time than Amara ever was. How does he run this damned kingdom?"

"Don't curse this damned kingdom." Mogrok purses his lips when he realizes that he has cursed it too. "What I mean is… we must stop the rebellion. I heard that some retired knights are flaming the beasts. They might attack the castle soon."

Are they talking about the holy knights who disbanded after the world was resettled?

"Damn them!" Kresi stands up abruptly. Her eyes widen in rage as her eyebrows knit together. "We need to uproot the rebellion."

"That's what I am talking about." Mogrok nods his giant head.

"I am going to kill them all," Kresi rages.

"That's what --" Mogrok narrows his thousand-eyes on the woman. "We can't kill them. That will make things worse."

Aren lets out an exasperated sigh. Did the Dark God think of no other person who could have been better than this cripple who thinks that violence is the only way? Why hasn't she changed in all these years? He steps into the throne room and watches her face turn paler. Her eyes nearly bulge out when recognition spreads in her eyes.

"You!" She points at him as she takes a step back. "How did you get inside the castle?"

"Aren't you the chosen one?" Mogrok blinks his few eyes. "What are you doing here? You are the second most-hated person in the realm."

"Remember, you told me the way to the castle that day," He answers Kresi first, and then, he turns to Mogrok. "Why am I the second-hated person in the realm?"

"You kidnapped Renasir once." Mogrok eyes him darkly, quite literally. "You were supposed to be the Dark God's enemy."

"I am no one's enemy." He peers at Kresi who seems to have calmed down. Her eyes are unreadable. "God Noras is already friendly to the Dark God. Besides that, I did nothing to Renasir -- forget about the old matters. Tell me who is the most hated person in this kingdom."

"Who else?" Mogrok glares at Kresi. "The woman who sent all the creatures of the dark realm to Qeshaya including me and caused the great war."

"I also freed you." Kresi scowls at the spirit beast. "You were the first one to make a contract with the dark god's heart. That's why you are enjoying your high position right now."

"You left me in Qeshaya." Mogrok folds his arms. "And, I had no place to sleep because I couldn't enter my prison cell again. In addition to that, I didn't ask you to release me."

Kresi rolls her eyes. Nobody takes her side. Everyone thinks of her as a villainess. She's trying to be good, okay? Maybe she should just become bad again. All she has to do what the rebels are fearing -- take the control of this realm.

"Mogrok, I will help you deal with the rebellion," Aren tells Mogrok with a smile. "I was a 'Crown Prince' once. I have learned a thing or two from my father. You can have trust in me."

Mogrok squints his eyes. Kresi has made a mess of the kingdom. He can only watch and cry in the corner. Even when the Dark God was in another world for Renasir's recuperation, things weren't this bad.

Back then, nobody knew that Amara was alive.

If it's this person, maybe it's possible. Surely, the prince had dealt with rebellion before. Besides, the former crown prince studied in Ilucia.

"Can you give me some time alone with Kresi Mirin?" Aren requests the spirit beast who is still wondering whether he should take Aren's help or not. Mogrok leaves the throne without any question.

The smile on the former prince's face is gone. He stares at Kresi who avoids his gaze nervously. "I thought that you were going to have a battle with me in the underground city."

"I was busy," Kresi mutters, turning toward the window.

"If you can't handle this, you should have asked for help." He walks to her side. "Why did you refuse meeting me? Did I do something that offended you? If it's about that day, I wanted to help you -- but I wasn't capable, Kresi. Cina sent me to the realm of God Noras. I asked for the Light God's help, but he arrived late. I heard what happened with the Dark God and Cina. Are you alright? Did you get hurt that day?"