{I want to let everyone know that I have a p-a-t-r-e-o-n with two new exclusive stories on it. One is The Aeternus Universe, and the other is a new story with a basketball system. I hope you guys will give it a chance. The link is https://www.p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/easyread. Remove the dashes. Webnovel censors the word.}

{My mom is back home and she's recovering really great. I'm happy that she doesn't need to go to a care facility because the last time that happened. Let's just say it didn't go so well. A fully grown person doesn't like being cared for as if they're a helpless child. Believe me, they don't. Thanks for all the support! It's nice to see there are some people out there who can actually care how others are doing!}

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Sally and Hailey help me get the rest of the dirt off the coffin. I pick it up and lift it out of the grave. We set it on the ground right next to the grave. "let's open it up and see what's inside." They both nod their heads, and I rip the opening of the coffin off. What's inside is a single box. We all look at each other, and I reach out to pick it up. I take it out of the coffin, and I open it. There is a little crystal ball sitting on a cushion in the center of the small box. I pick it up and toss it up and down in my hand. I use inspect on it to see its information.

[Storage Crystal]

[Description: This crystal ball is magically enchanted to record information and store it. Be it magical recordings or words. To activate the crystal ball, you need one of two things. Blood from a family member or an override command.]

A blood sample or an override command... There is no way we can know the override command and the person that knew it is long dead. So that leaves only one thing, we have to go back to Kelly. "You guys should inspect it too." I hold it out for them, and both Sally and Hailey use inspect to see the information on it. I can see Sally's displeasure grow the longer she stares at it. I put the crystal ball in my inventory, and I turn m attention back to the empty coffin. "Should we rebury the coffin?" Sally instantly turns to the empty grave and coffin and spits on them.

That's a clear and emphatic no if I've ever seen one. Hailey gently jabs Sally in the ribs with her elbow. Sally doesn't acknowledge her, and she turns around and starts walking out of the graveyard. I look at Hailey, and she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "She hates them. You can't blame her for that. They brought it on themselves." She turns around without responding and follows Sally out of the graveyard. I look towards the coffin one last time. "Your son really fucked things up here." This is the grave of the father who spawned the evil in the family.

I turn and leave the graveyard too. I'm betting that Kelly has already returned to her property. We should head there next. It's going to be awkward since I told her we'd likely never see each other again, and here we are coming back. I quickly catch up with Sally and Hailey, and they're silently talking about what happened in the graveyard. "I'm not going to lecture you, Sally. I'm not that type of person in your life. I'm sorry for trying to make you the bigger person when it came to reburying a James." Sally doesn't respond, but the way she worded that could've been better.

Sally stops, and so does Hailey. They stare into each other's eyes, and I see Sally clench and unclench her fist. "You don't have any right to say anything about my situation and feelings towards the James family. As far as I'm concerned, that empty coffin and grave should be pissed on by the entire city and all the slaves that the James family has been involved with." I watch a couple of feet away from the two. It's best not to get involved unless it gets violent. I don't think it's going to get to that level. Sally is smart enough to know that Hailey is too powerful.

As the group of three continue walking back towards the city and subsequently to Kelly's estate. There is a lot of commotion going on in the capital of Zenith. Zenith City is undergoing a huge military operation. Basically, there going to war with Bellvia. King Jackson is gathering all the troops in the capital to move out as one unit. The Dryads are joining them in their war since they share the same enemy. Bellvia messed up in sending thieves and assassins after Queen Tessa. Jackson and his wife are going to move with the army together. Jackson is with his wife in a private carriage as they leave the city with their armies around them.

I hold my wife's hand as she sleeps on my shoulder. I find it infuriating that the only way my wife can sleep is when we are out of our palace. Bellvia has no idea what kind of mistakes it made. Yes, we are going to war. However, this war is going to be bloody and brutal. For Bellvia, that is. The Dryads want to get to them just as badly as we do. "My King, there is a message for you." One of my escort commanders peaks his head in the carriage window. I nod my head, and he leaves. I turn to the magical holoprojector in the carriage.

It lights up, and Queen Elenore of the Dryads is looking at my wife and me. "I'm grateful you gave us time to prepare for the coming war. It's nice to know we have a full-fledged ally in our war against Bellvia. It's a blight and parasite on this world, and it'll be an honor to destroy it." Queen Elenore begins thanking me for the chance to prepare. It was only fair. This wasn't our war, to begin with. We were going to help The Dryads, but now. They've made a full enemy out of us, and we are taking an active role in this war.

Tessa fidgets in her sleep and pushes against me. Likely having another nightmare. "I see that the feather Slayer Zern gave her has fully merged with hair. She used to have such beautiful black hair. Now it's snow white." She looks at my wife, and I nod my head in confirmation. "Our forces will be meeting up with yours in 3 days' time. It'll be nice to meet you in person finally. Once our forces merge, we'll march into the country of Bellvia." I nod my head and look at her confidently. I inform her of all the supplies and soldier levels.

She does the same, and with our combined forces, Bellvia doesn't stand a chance in ground warfare. They might have advantages in magical weapons, though. They're one of the leading kingdoms in this subject. We speak for the next hour relaying information and coordinating troops. I must say that I'm impressed with Queen Elenore's leadership. While her people are still adapting to the new world, they are doing it extremely fast. "I have a way to minimize casualties the closer we get to the capital." She grabs my full attention as she says that.

The next thing I see is her pulling out The Horn of The Forest. The legendary item I gave back to them in a show of good faith. The requirements to use that item are insane. "Did you really find someone who can use it?" She nods her head up and down and explains that Dryad royalty, such as herself and foregoes the requirements. The royal family is descended from the creator of the item. They have special circumstances when using it. That's what she's explained. It's amazing to know that when the fighting gets really bad, we don't have to use our own troops.

My wife begins to move around violently in her sleep. "I won't keep your time." Queen Elenore understands instantly, and the magical hologram shuts off. I gently wake my wife up, and she jolts up with a little scream. I'm not sure bringing her with me to this war is a good idea. I tried to convince her to stay in Zenith, but she's too afraid too. She also insisted she was strong enough to endure the harshness and cruelty of war. I'm going to have to do my best she doesn't actually see conflict. I don't want my wife to see the horrors of war and be changed by them.

I hold her in my arms as she silently weeps from her nightmare. Having so many thieves and assassins attack you over and over again will leave a mark like this, especially on someone who isn't used to conflict and danger. It'll end up permanently hurting someone if they can't cope right. I'm going my best to help her, but she isn't willing to talk too much about it. "Why won't the nightmares go away... I'm so scared to sleep..." My anger and rage are reinforced as she says those words. Bellvia and its king are going to burn for the things it's done to my wife.