We reached the plaza in record time, though I remained careful not to push myself too hard. My lungs were already straining as my heart pounded in my chest. Breathing slowly and deeply to keep myself oxygenated, I took in the hastily erected tent with several people around a table. Nailah and I broke away from the knight and quickly raced towards the tent. The poor knight called out to us, chasing after us, saying he needed to report to his superior.

“There is no need, Ryne. You’ve done well to get them here.” Valeri replied as she approached us, her intense gaze falling on the flagging knight. The boy came to a sudden stop, standing at attention. “Report to Welton. He arrived only a few hours after we did. He’ll have your next set of orders.”

“Understood.” He answered, his tone perfectly even despite looking winded. He did an about face, then took off towards a regiment of knights.

Valeri turned to us and motioned for Nailah to enter. She didn’t look too worse for wear, only a little flushed through her dark skin. “Go on ahead. The others are waiting. I need to speak with Joseph first.” She looked to the knight with a frown, then turned to me.

“I’ll be fine.” I gasped, eyes closed as I tried to catch my breath. “Just have to catch my breath.” If anything, her frown deepened. “Go. I’ll catch up.” I repeated, making myself sound stronger than I felt at the moment.

Nailah appeared about to protest, but upon meeting my eyes, she paused. She hesitated for a little longer before she slumped. “Don’t take too long.” My friend then made her way into the tent.

“I finally understand.” Valeri stared at me, both in confusion and realization. An odd combination, to be frank. “You’ve become their leader. Your class.” She elaborated, eyes widening.

“I figured it would be Mr. Lethe. He is our teacher.” I didn’t fully commit to that statement. Two months had passed, and we hadn’t had a single class in that sense: only combat training and physical conditioning.

She shook her head, red hair slowing from the movement. “No. Your educator is a good man. Well read and focused, but not leader-material.” Valeri paused, pursing her lips. “It’s…difficult to put into words. A leader, a commander, has a charisma about them. A willingness to act and commit that most lack.” Her eyes honed in on me, studying me intently. “Amongst a group, whether they be knights, adventurers, bandits, or any group that comes together for a reason, there will always be at least one person with that spark.” She paused, a small frown appearing on her face. “To call it a spark, though, isn’t the best comparison, though. It’s something that can and can’t, be trained. Strategy and tactics can be learned, be taught. But there’s something special about those who can act without thought and succeed. An instinct to move forward and act in concert with others. To adapt and react to the most dangerous of circumstances. All while coming out of it victorious, or as close to it as possible.” Valeri narrowed her eyes at me.

“And you think I have that?” I asked her. An odd feeling bubbled within my stomach, unsure of how to react to her words. Me? A natural leader? I doubt it. I just did what I felt necessary.

“I believe you can be a highly effective leader.”

“It was only one battle,” I stared blankly. My heart rate had calmed, and my lungs no longer felt tightened to all hell. I could now breathe freely as the tension in my chest had lightened.

Valeri’s expression softened. “The first battle is often the one that makes or brakes most people. It’s a crucible.” She studied me with a proud smile growing on her face. “Despite what happened, you lead them to victory. You prevailed over your foes and aided your comrades in helping them do the same.” She paused as she appraised me, her gaze warm. “Were you a knight under my command, I’d have you lauded with medals and recommend you join my direct retinue.”

As my face heated, I couldn’t help but wonder why I had said nothing about Jeanne. Why? Why have I kept her appearance here to myself? She could be the one to blame for this entire situation. Is it…

Will you be our King?

I shook my head and met Valeri’s gaze, seeing a hint of pride in them. “What did you wanted to say to me?” I asked her.

Her smile faltered, eyes narrowing, before closing with remorse. “I wish for you to sit this out.”

“What?” My voice came out as a growl, a heat rising in my chest. Indignation. Affronted pride.

“Your body isn’t built for endurance combat. While your Affinity makes you very effective in combat, your…asthma cripples you in most circumstances.” She paused, giving me remorseful regard. “War is about endurance, not overwhelming skill.”

She’s only telling me this because she cares. I kept myself calm, thinking this. It didn’t help very much as my hand clenched at my side. “Are you saying this as a Knight of Veritas or as the one who trained me?”

“Both.” She stated matter-of-factly.

“You’re benching me,” I stated in a manner exactly like hers.

Valeri frowned. “I don’t understand the reference.”

“I’m fighting, Valeri,” I said defiantly, glaring at her. A burn in my chest grew.

She didn’t respond, merely nodding her head as if she expected my answer, but she did not look happy. “I understand. However, I have one request of you, Joseph, before we join the war council.” I motioned for her to make. “Should we run into Jeanne once more, I ask that you retreat.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, ignoring the panic that fluttered in my stomach. Did she know? How? When? Why the hell haven’t I said anything, yet? “Why me specifically?”

Valeri’s downturn of her lips gave the only tell of her mood. “For some reason, Jeanne has a great interest in you.” Her eyes focused intently on me, concern warring with curiosity. “While being a Hero is worthy of praise, it does not explain an avaricious dragon’s interest.”

Will you be our King?

“I wish I could tell you,” I stated dryly, giving her a deadpan look. Valeri snorted in amusement as she turned and motioned me to follow her as we continued towards the tent. Upon entering, I saw that seven poles that were stabbed into the earth, holding up the roof of the tent. A white sheet elevated above us, with the entrance flap held open by rope. The inside of the tent had a stifling humidity that nearly choked me for a few seconds before the air evened out and became almost inviting as it seemingly revitalized my body.

A large, round table sat in the center of the sparse interior of the tent. A colored map of the Nyrill, primarily colored in a green surrounding a brown depiction of the village covered the stand. Around the table stood Emelina, Abigail, Kara, Mr. Lethe and a few other members of my class, Kacee being a vocal member of the group as she spoke directly with Kara. Everyone else stood scattered along the interior of the tent, talking with other knights. Off to the side, I couldn’t help but notice Vincent and Luke discussing a rather severe topic if the nods Luke gave were any indication.

As Valeri and I walked inside, the people around the map turned to us at our entrance. “Valeri, Joseph. Good, you’ve returned.” Emelina stated with a stern nod. “Join us. We need to converse on the upcoming assault.” We approached the map and took our places. Valeri placed herself on Emelina’s side, the opposite side from Kara. While I stopped next to Kacee, studying the map more closely. Around the green that no doubt represented the dense forest surrounding Nyrill rested a very bright red, probably the encroaching horde.

“What are we looking at?” I asked the group as a whole, causing a deafening silence to settle upon the entire structure. Everyone looked to me with questioning eyes, as if expecting the secrets of the universe. It reminded me of Valeri’s words not a few seconds ago. I fought back the exasperation in my stomach at her faint, knowing smile.

“A large group of beasts has surrounded the village.” Rudy explained as he stared intently at the map. He held a handkerchief to his nose, a faint grimace on his face. He caught my look and pulled it away from his nose, showing a smattering of red. “I caught sight of them through my Nature sight and asked Emelina to send a scout to make sure.” He shook his head. “I should’ve caught it earlier.”

The princess shook her head. “This close to the capital; it’s something we shouldn’t have missed.”

“What happened?” I asked. “How’d they get so close?”

“No doubt due to Jeanne’s intervention,” Vincent answered, his critical gaze studying the map. “Her arcane tricks are varied enough to mask the approach of a mindless throng of monsters.”

“You call them ‘tricks,’ Vincent?” Valeri said to the man, not even bothering to hide her dislike of the man with her tone. “You know the tales. The stories of her reign of terror from the eastern lands on Verum.”

“Tales. Stories.” He said with as much scorn as he could push into the words. “All unsubstantiated rumors brought on by the fanciful fears of superstitious scribes and parents curbing the defiance of children through fiction.” He leveled a steady stare to Valeri, his lips curling into a sneer.

“Doesn’t feel fake.” Luke murmured, his eyes focusing on the map, but not seeing it. “Not after the events in the Merchant quarter…”

“Parlor tricks of a skilled illusionist playing on the human fear of the unknown,” Vincent answered confidently, looking to Luke. He didn’t seem convinced but didn’t reply regardless.

“The Court Mage of Veritas would have your head for words like that.” Valeri demurred, eyes alight with contained fury.

“Tis a shame that she is on a personal sojourn, then,” Vincent said with a smirk.

Valeri’s hackles rose, her jaw becoming set.

“Enough.” Emelina hissed out in frustration; eyes narrowed as she glared at both Valeri and Vincent. She straightened her posture from studying the map to facing her two subjects. “Nyrill is under threat from mad beasts, and the two feel it necessary to argue like children?” Smooth like silk, her voice gave off a restrained fury. Silver eyes were like chips of ice as she looked from Knight to Inquisitor. “At this moment, both of you will push aside any personal grievances and work together to protect this place and those who live here. Immediately afterward, I will bring you both before my Father, your King, and demand a review of your competencies.”

The two of them were as stiff as statues as Emelina scolded them, their eyes focused right on her as they remained stoic.

“Are we clear?” Her voice came out as an icy hiss, a faint silvery aura drifting from the corners of her eyes as the air seemed to become heavy.

Even as the two of them nodded, I couldn’t help but wonder why it reminded me of Jeanne’s anger. This weight, though negligible as it didn’t target me, settled on my shoulders and tried to force me to my knees. I felt a desire, outwardly expressed and driven, to command and conquer. I felt that intent, that intrinsic need, to shackle my will to her whims. I chafed under that weight but ignored it, wanting nothing more than to discard any attempts to cage me.

Will you be our King?

“Why haven’t we received any missives from the capital?” Kacee asked, clearly shifting the subject to a ‘safer’ area. “With something like this, wouldn’t mobilizing your army to be the logical thing to do?”

“We’ve been cut off,” Abigail explained, focusing on her simmering sister. Emelina seemed to be visibly trying to calm herself if her closed eyes and slow breaths were any indications. “Something is preventing us from sending messages to Father and Reinhardt. In situations like this, the Court Mage of Veritas would have recognized a shift in the air, the excess of arcane energies within our borders, but…it’s as Inquisitor Vincent said, she is on a personal sojourn.”

“Doing what?” Kacee asked. “Isn’t her duty to support your family with…” She looked at me as if trying to find the right words.

“Expanding mystical knowledge and experimenting with arcane trials.” I supplied a word salad off the top of my head, trying to sound as pretentious as possible while remaining as severe as the situation required.

It seemed it worked because while the residents of Verum nodded to my words, those of us from Earth seemed to be holding back laughter and glaring at me because of it.

“Precisely,” Emelina spoke up, having gathered herself successfully. “I had asked Lillian to look into a few ruins from the first between the Hero King and the Demon Lord, in the hopes they held hidden secrets about the prophecy.” She shook her head. “I’ve yet to hear from her, so she’s likely found nothing or so little that it wouldn’t make a difference.”

“Then let’s focus on what we can do right now,” Kacee said swiftly, jabbing a finger onto the map. Everyone looked at her. “If the horde around us keeps us isolated, then we don’t think about the outside world. We focus on the here and now.” She then looked directly at me, dark brown eyes resolute and determined. “Right?”

I inclined my head towards her. “Exactly. Ifs and buts will only serve to keep us from acting effectively.”

“Well-spoken,” Kara said with a resolute nod. She motioned to the map. “We don’t have the time to waste on these arguments. It’s time we give out the necessary duties for each person to best contribute to protecting not only Nyrill, but it’s citizens.” She then looked to each of us. “Pay attention, because this is what I have in mind…”

---

“Still not done with your sword, but you should have this one to keep your attention.” Amber handed me a proper hand and a half long sword. I grasped the sheath and attached it to my hip. “Try not to break this one.”

“I’ll try.” I let out a small laugh as I adjusted my armor. Looking down, I committed my defenses to mind.

Amber rolled her eyes and pointed to the sword. “Don’t pull it out, but grab the hilt. Test out the grip.” I arched a brow at her almost giddy smile but did as she asked. I grasped the hilt with my right hand as if to unsheathe it. It fit my palm perfectly; every contour, every hint of contact, every space that my skin touched the sword felt like it fit as if forged specifically for me. I looked to her in surprise, catching her wide grin. “I wasn’t able to start the blade of the sword, but I managed to finish the hilt.” She motioned to it with an open hand. “The mold I had you use guided production perfectly, but that is still only a prototype. When I finish the proper weapon, blade, hilt and all, it’ll be as if you were born to wield it.”

“Fantastic work, Amber…” I said breathlessly, pulling my hand away from the hilt.

She nodded to me, smiling tightly. “I’m glad you think so, because since I’m ‘just a blacksmith,’ I need to evacuate with the rest of the villagers.” Amber’s shoulders hunched as she glared to the side. After a few seconds of angry silence, she released a calming breath and looked back to me, concern in her expression. “Be careful. We’re all split apart, so we can’t look out for one another.” She hesitated, before lunging forward and pulling me into a hug.

I returned the hug, holding her close. After a few moments, we split apart, and I tried not to focus on the tears building in her eyes. “Hold down the fort. Those people need you more than you know.” I said to her, my voice thick. She didn’t say anything, simply offering me a nod. Turning my head, I looked over to the troupe of five knights that were waiting for me, each wearing the left arm covering shoulder cape. “I need to go, Amber.” Patting the hilt of my new sword, I gave her a cocky grin. “Just wait. I’ll come back, and we’ll all celebrate as the Returning Heroes. We’ll earn those titles.”

“Y-yeah.” With that, Amber turned and took off towards an evacuating group.

A shaky breath escaped me as I turned and walked over to the knights who waited on me. “Sir Blaine, are you ready to go?”

“Let’s go.” I adjusted my armor, the same I had worn to meet Frederick, and strode ahead, leading the company. “We’re going to hold our line. No monsters will get past us. No beasts shall harm our charges.” I couldn’t hold back my grin as my heart began to pounding and excitement raced through me. “Shall we go, gentlemen? Shall we show these rabid creatures the might that Veritas brings to bear?”

My escorts replied heartily, slamming their gauntleted fists against their shields and crying out in agreement.

“Forward, we march. Let us compose the dirge of their defeat.” As we moved, though, I couldn’t help the foreboding chill that raced down my spine.

As we moved through the thick brush of the forest, one of the knights pulled my attention to him, a tinny bass to his voice from the lowered helm. “Sir Blaine, Knight-Captain Valeri asked me to give this to you.” I held out my hand, and he dropped a bright silver, luminescent oval stone into my palm. “This is a communication stone. It will connect to any other stone within a certain radius. Each of your fellow Heroes also has one. Simply speak their name, and you will be able to speak with them. So long as it is on your person, you can speak through it.”

“What’s the range?”

“The entirety of Nyrill’s surrounding forest. It should connect to everyone, barring magical interference.” He explained succinctly.

“Thank you,” I said to him as I slid into a hidden pocket beneath my belt. We continued through the thicket, maneuvering through the trees with only a margin of difficulty — the clank of steel and whistle of heavy breathing through metal visors. A part of me couldn’t help but feel exasperated at the fact that the knights wore full steel armor into a forest as thick as this, but I trusted that they were still capable despite that.

Still, it didn’t take long until we reached our destination. When we stepped into the clearing, I couldn’t help but notice that we entered the same clearing I fled to yesterday, where Jeanne had found me. “Tell me again how this clearing is a choke point?”

Another knight responded, pushing the front of his helmet up, revealing stern, weathered features with a thick goatee and light brown eyes. “Blessed during the age of the first Hero King, Nyrill became his perfect getaway, a place to relax. As such, his will, and that of his bloodline can exercise general control over the area. Princess’s Emelina and Abigail may not have the same level of control as His Majesty, but they willed certain parts of the forest to be nigh-impenetrable.”

“Which means that they’ve limited the routes the beasts can take to reach Nyrill.” I finished for him, getting a nod from the knight. “I see. Makes sense.” I looked back to the group I had been given command of, despite my lack of experience. “Do what you have to get prepared. I want this place to be the last thing they see.”

“Sir!” They saluted with their swords and went to work. Some had begun verbalizing spells, while others were stationing themselves in specific places. As they moved through, the knight who had offered the earlier explanation approached me as I began to start my preparations. “May ask you something, Sir Blaine?”

“You already did,” I said with a playful grin but got a confused look. Shaking my head, I waved a hand at him. “Go ahead.”

“Have you done this before?” At my surprised look, he elaborated. “You speak as if this is something in which you have familiarity.” He frowned, crossing his arms and clinking his armor in the process. “Were you not a common-born civilian in your world, with no military experience?”

I took in his question, looking to him with a stoic mien. After a few moments, I rolled my shoulders. “Back on Earth, there are those who have crafted their own stories. Stories that depict conflict, struggle and other such ideas like what we’re going through.” I offered a small smile. “I’ve always enjoyed reading things like that. It became an escape, a way to feel free despite my…circumstances.” I paused, looking to the sky. “As of right now, I probably don’t have a definitive idea of what I should be doing, but…if it’s anything like the tales I’ve read, then I can offer something, if only a small bit of help.”

One of the other knights snorted. “A small bit? You faced down the Black Dragon herself. If stories could help me face that monster and stand proud, then I’d learn to read.” He sounded like an older man, his voice gruff and rumbly as he pushed his steel facemask upwards.

Feeling my face get hot, I shrugged as I turned and looked along the trees. As I started forward, I felt a faint heat that came from the pocket where I stored the gem. “I’ve got a message. I’ll be speaking with them, so keep an eye out.” I got a round of affirmatives and turned my attention to the ‘call.’ “Yeah?”

“Joey, Valeri mentioned something about you being short of breath when you reached the tent.” Luke’s voice broke into my thoughts as the stone seemed to vibrate, if only barely.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, and as I told her, I am fine enough to help. I don’t need any of you wasting your energy worrying about me.”

“That’s not-” Luke groaned as I could visualize him palming his face at my words. “Look, I’m not saying you’re not, but I can’t just not worry. Your asthma is a pain in the ass at the worst time.”

“You’re telling me something I already know.”

“I know.” Luke drawled then paused. He didn’t reply for a few moments, then continued. “This…all of this is too much.” I furrowed my brow at his shaky voice. “I mean…we’re what? 17, 18 between us? We started in school, in a modern world where all the conveniences we had are things we took for granted.” He paused.

“You’re thinking this now?” I asked him, playful disbelief in my tone. “I had all this mind after the fight in the village. Facing death, causing it, and failing to save…” I shook my head, trying ward off the self-directed anger. “All of that compounded into a single-minded wish to…be free.”

“Free? Why not go back home?” His tone pitched ever so lightly as I caught a hint of…anger?

“I don’t know if that’s possible anymore. If it is? Sure. But I’d rather not pine for an impossibility.” I paused and released a breath. “Right now? I want to see Verum for the type of world it is beneath the surface. I want to know if I’ll hate it, or love it, but I can’t say unless I see Verum for myself.”

Luke didn’t reply for a while, leaving me to scan my surroundings, eyes tracking for movements in the thick forestry. “Hey…” He finally spoke up, his tone shaky through the connection. “Mind if I join you? I think an adventure would do me good.”

I let out a laugh. “Sure, Luke. We can even start it off in a tavern. Play the cliché almost to the letter.”

“Yea-”

“They’re he-” A third voice, Rudy, cried into the connection but an explosion interrupted him, both echoing in my ear and the far distance on my left. I jerked to the side as I ripped the gem out of my pocket and tossed it away from me.

A curse escaped me as my ears began to ring, grimacing as I held my hands over my ears. I stumbled off to the side until my body hit one of the boulders on the right of the lake, allowing me to gather myself. Ozone flooded the air as I felt the hairs on my arms stand on end.

Behind you.

A feminine voice tickled my ear, and my body reacted instantly. Leaping to the side, I dodged just in time to hear a loud crack, followed by a flash of blinding light. Tumbling along the ground, I rolled to my feet and drew my sword as I stood and turned. Four of my escorting knights were splayed out along the land, scorched, burnt and smoking. Formerly gleaming armor showed sundered into a broken, charred mess, with blackened blood pouring from the crushed recesses. Their weapons were broken, rendered useless and wrecked, with a damaged shield being the most intact tool lying nearby. The bodies and twitched and jerked, surrounding a single man who held a naked sword in his left hand with his right held off to the side, a sparking static and a swirling, almost invisible willow wisp encompassing it. I narrowed my eyes at the man, noticing that the one had given me the communication stone stood before me. In the flutter of the breeze, I caught sight of his shoulder cape. On the underside, I managed to see the stitching of a downward facing sheathed sword.

“A member of the Inquisitorial force, I presume?” I more told, than asked, but it held the same meaning. I stayed on the balls of my feet, ready to move at any moment.

The man didn’t react physically, and his covered face simply stared at me. “You’re as clever as Brother Vincent said you were.” His voice seemed both sarcastic and amused. He then moved his head, looking to the bodies that surrounded him. “Still, it is a shame that these men had to die. They had not inconsiderable loyalty to the great nation of Veritas.”

“Then why?”

The man turned his head to look directly at me. The intensity to his stare made me adjust how I held my sword, readying myself. “Because they would have died to protect you.” I gave him a confused look. “Thirteen Heroes for Veritas. For some, that could be considered a boon. A great advantage for humanity as we fight against the tide of madness and chaos.” He moved his open, sparking hand to point at me. The tip of his finger sparked and flickered. “However, a good number of you are corrupted by your sympathy for the beasts that taint our great country.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Control,” I stated as I began to pace to the side, keeping my gaze on his hand as it followed me. “That’s what you, and your group, want. You wish to control who can cause change within the Royal Family.” I kept a consistent distance from him as I circled him. “It also doesn’t help that I share similar beliefs with Princess Emelina, which no doubt makes you want to do this even more.” I cocked my head to the side, putting my back to a grouping of trees, too thick for a person to slip through. “How close am I?”

“Hmph. It seems we underestimated you.” He paused, cocking his head to the side. “How many of your ‘stories’ have moments like this, I wonder?”

“More than a fair share. Want to know how it ends?” I tensed my legs as I tightened my grip on my sword.

“No.” The smell of ozone became almost unbearable as his hand gained almost blinding brightness. A sudden discharge exploded next to my head as I jumped to the side, rolling across the ground and getting back to my feet. Another surge of lightning tore into the earth at my feet, but I dodged it by racing in a parabolic arc around the knight. Lightning danced at my heels, literally inches from tearing into my Achilles tendon, but I managed to keep ahead. Keeping my breath even, I raced along the scorched earth until I finally managed to reach the Inquisitor.

The moment I came within arm’s reach, I swung my sword for his extended limb. He pulled back and blocked my sword with his. Stepping inwards, I threw my hand forward and grabbed at his helm. Ripping it off, I stared at his shocked expression with a playful grin. Pale brown eyes were wide with disbelief and a flicker of fear and a cleanshaven and paled face stared at me as I were the devil himself. “It always ends poorly for the one in your position.”

The man collected himself and glared heatedly at me. “As weak as you are, how can you dodge lightning?”

“I’m not dodging lightning; I’m dodging you.” Throwing his helm at his face, I caused him to flinch and step back. We entered into a dance of steel and skill as I made sure to remain away from the front of his right hand. The hiss and clang of steel echoed throughout the clearing as we clashed. I ducked and dodged more often to avoid his direct strikes if only to better conserve my stamina by avoiding direct clashes.

A tickle at my cheek caused me to flinch and grimace, before narrowing my eyes and slipping into his guard and sliding the edge of my sword along his inner thigh. Red painted the grass as he leaped back, his left leg buckling beneath his weight as he fell to a knee. “What are you?!” He pressed a hand to his bleeding thigh, his pale face pinched. He leaned against one of the tall trees, the trunk keeping him upright as he glared hatefully at me.

“That’s a lot of blood.” I mused as my heart pounded deep in my chest, my breaths coming in deep and slow. “I must have hit the artery.” I held the advantage, despite his Affinity’s destructive capability. No games, no playing around. I finished decisively. If he tried any his tricks again, then I’d have him cornered.

Still. I had no illusions of this being an easy win with these circumstances. The knight appeared desperate and cornered, no doubt. A combination of those factors probably made him more dangerous than he previously showed himself.

“You treacherous knave! What makes you think that it’s over with this?” He snarled at me, and I felt a breeze send my bangs flapping in the wind. I didn’t focus on him, though. My eyes stared past him, at the tree he used for support. A faint glow encompassed the tree, a green radiance that seemed to frame him. “You’re foolish for giving me time to gather my strength. Now, I shall-” A wrinkled hand, of weathered and worn tanned skin, had reached out of the trunk and interrupted him. The bark parting as if it were water, and the hand wrapped around his throat and pulled him against the tree. The man jerked and gagged in surprised, dropping his sword and grabbing the wrist with both of his hands. He struggled and strained, but it did not budge. A twisting sound reverberated in the clearing as his neck strained under pressure. Then, with a twist of its wrist, the hand snapped the man’s neck, causing him to fall limp. The hand then tossed the body to the side with surprising strength, sending the corpse flying to the side, colliding with a crunch against another tree a few feet to the left.

Another hand followed it outwards as the first pulled itself back inside until the two were in a position to push the base of the tree open. A bright green aura encompassed the entirety of the tree, and an ethereal gateway formed in the center of the thick trunk. Ovular-shaped, a glowing green portal came into existence before my very eyes. Once the gateway opened fully, I backpedaled a few steps but froze when I glanced over my shoulder to see another entry in another tree. Cursing under my breath, I noticed that the path I had taken into the meadow had remained unobstructed, so I made sure to put my back to it and waited.

The hands that pulled open the portal receded inside, vanishing again into the gateway. A deafening silence settled into the clearing, to the point where I could only hear my heartbeat.

Then it happened. As if from out of nowhere, there stood a woman, clad in broken, black plate mail and a flowing, ragged red cloak, standing in the center of the clearing, facing me. Her long black hair easily reached passed her waist, lazily waving in the gentle breeze that encircled the clearing. Her eyes were blue, a beautiful blue that reminded me so starkly of the empty, cloudless sky. Gaunt, her cheekbones stood out against her skin, even as her chin-length side bangs framed her face. She looked tired, exhausted, as she stood in front of me, shoulders hunched and hanging forward.

“It is…nice to see you finally.” Despite her fatigued demeanor, her voice sounded resolved and unbent, husky and soothing to the ear. She studied me with an almost fervent, restrained, excitement.

“Who…who are you?”

She offered me a smile. Despite the apparent strain in her expression, the exhaustion in her features, she had a beautiful smile. “I…” She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow as if trying to hold herself back. “You may call me Penemue.”

That name told me nothing. Nothing that Emelina or her father or anyone else had told me had said anything of the name ‘Penemue.’ Why did it feel so important? “Why are you here?” I tightened my grip on my sword, though I kept my expression masked.

“To ask you one last time.”

I froze at her words.

I knew what she meant.

I knew what her next words were.

I knew her question.

And if that sad smile on her face indicated anything, she knew that I knew.

“Will you be our King?”