Before dawn, the main camp mobilized an army and laid siege to the north side of the south camp. Their attempt at driving the Aphitonians back was a futile effort as the enemy worked fast fortifying the camp. Before the fire in the camp died out, mages raised thick walls made of earth and reinforced the shabby wooden fence around the camp.

Bones watched from afar the flashing display of spells going back and forth between the two armies as they lit up the night. The battle lasted merely an hour before the momentum was abruptly stopped when auras of ascendants swept over the battlefield.

Both armies stopped their assault in cognition of the overwhelming power. Without having certainty that the ascendants wouldn't get directly involved, the main army retreated, admitting defeat. Losing the south camp was a significant blow as it opened new opportunities for the Aphitonians to approach and attack from the south now.

Somewhere in the mountain range behind the fortress, ascendants Asim of the Forsaken Garde and Kidllams eyed each other. Each waiting for the other to try and make a move. As weaker of the two, Kidllams had two third tier rankers with him, but even then the two ascendants weren't equal in power. Their role in this war was to keep one another from getting involved and while Asim was more powerful, Kidllams was a heartless and conniving person.

Every now and then he would try to get past Asim and strike at the Wezar Kingdom's main army. When he failed, he would direct third tiers by his side to attack the fortress by pincer attacks. Ascendant Asim wouldn't let them have it their way and for a while now, they were in a stalemate without any side being able to afford to move without taking risk.

I guess the show is over. Still, I've seen enough. Bones got up and started walking in the direction of the forest but had to quickly hide again after sensing multiple groups in the forest moving toward the south camp.

They were Aphitonian soldiers, the reinforcement sent to solidify the defences around the south camp. Bones waited for a good while until the last of the soldiers passed. The sun was already up when Bones continued toward his hiding place.

Things are about to get interesting for the next few days. While the enemy managed to benefit from the situation I doubt the Wezar's army will remain quiet. No, quite the contrary. After the attack in the capital, and now losing the south camp, their already low morale will be greatly affected. Crushed even, but I suspect suffering a defeat here might just have the opposite effect.

Bones spent the next few days watching both armies utilizing various tactics to gain the upper hand in the war. Portion of the main army was used to encircle the south camp from northeast to northwest and block any attempts of the enemy entering further into the kingdom.

Over the next few days, more Aphitonians soldiers crossed the border and joined the army stationed at the south camp, putting more pressure on Wezar's army than ever before. And Bones? He lurked and picked off the solitary soldiers that had gotten too close to the swamps, earning him another level in Bonemancer Adept class.

With the war brewing in intensity within the Kingdom, the capital Hagos was still recovering from the aftermath of the destruction.

Just two days after the festival while the whole central area was under repair, in the Underground city below, a grotesque figure of what used to be a gold ranker was wreaking havoc. The figure had deformed bulging muscles, that caused his skin to tear, and a barely recognizable face. The face was of the gold ranker Arndell who overloaded his mana core channeling mana barrier while shielding from the explosion. He gave his all but depleted his mana reserves and in the end, only he survived, mortally injured and suffering from heavy mana poisoning. He fell down into the Underground City after the tunnels collapsed but wasn't found until he emerged as an abomination.

His appearance and violent, destructive and deranged behavior, uncontrollable rage and unending bloodlust left dead bodies in his wake until the screams and cries of people reached third tier gold ranker Velasquez who put a stop to the abomination's rampage and reported everything back to the Adventurer's Guild.

Fluvis Frose after the death of Rayne buried himself in work. Thorough investigation within the guild revealed discrepancies in the guild's documents and three guild members with ties to the Defiant Hounds. Gustav from the bureau and two people from the administration office were promptly interrogated. While the clerks knew nothing of importance, Gustav had a lot to say. After the whole ordeal, Fluvis disbanded the bureau, becoming the sole figure in the position of authority. Other bureau members didn't take kindly to his decision and warned him about the consequences of his action but ultimately, didn't argue and accepted their new administrative positions within the guild.

The guild leader didn't just interrogate guild members. He swept through numerous local gangs in search for information and connections to the Hounds. The local riff-raff had never been in the presence of an ascendant and told him everything, related and unrelated before he even started asking questions. The branch guild leader Roselyn of the Westbrook branch wasn't spared of interrogation either. She was questioned in regard to her involvement with Gustav and connections with the Hounds, but it turned out she was just a raging bitch and a major asshole.

With all the information gathered over the last few days, Fluvis decided it was time to visit the royal palace and report everything to the prince.

Prince Tristan sat on the sofa as the warm sun rays bore through the large windows of the guest room. In his hand he held a folder with multiple reports in it, each a stack of papers thick. He would usually be in his office but at the moment it was dusty and a mess. He has been busy for the last few days and finally he managed to accomplish some form of order in all the chaos that awaited him after the festival. Next to the sofa a butler stood, straight as an arrow and quiet as a mouse. Tristan turned to him: "Robert, could you bring me two cups of tea please. My guess should be arriving shortly."

"Certainly sir." The butler replied and headed out of the guest room. Just as he reached for the doorknob, the doors opened and an old man stood at the entrance to the room. The butler stepped aside and let the old man enter. "Mr. Frose." Butler greeted. Fluvis greeted and thanked the butler before entering and approaching Tristan who already got up from the sofa and approached him.

"Master Frose! Thank you for coming! This way please."

"Stop with the formalities Tristan. Just call me by my name."

Tristan nodded and motioned to Fluvis to take a seat. The two waited until the butler returned with two teacups and a freshly made tea in a teapot. Once he served them, the butler said if they needed anything else to ring a bell, excused himself and left.

"I heard the guild's been busy the last few days. Did you learn anything new about the attack and everyone involved?" Tristan asked.

"Mmm likewise. I heard the same about yourself." Fluvis replied, slightly curving his lips into a smile.

"Do you remember when I first came here and why?" Fluvis asked instead of replying.

Tristan took a sip while thinking back to seventeen years ago, then replied. "I believe it was seventeen years ago. After the former guild leader retired. You asked for the position of the guild leader…because of your injuries I believe?"

"Quite so. The bureau was handling things and I was supposed to be just a face of the guild." Fluvis paused and Tristan wondered what brought this topic up when Fluvis suddenly said he disbanded the bureau and took complete control over the guild. Tristan was taken aback and gazed at Fluvis in surprise. He didn't expect the old man to be so…decisive.

"Can you…do that?" He wondered.

Fluvis scoffed and asked who was going to stop him. The old man's face was cold and the anger was still evident in his eyes.

"I'm injured, not disabled Tristan. And that makes me a little bit dangerous in the eyes of others. They prefer I stay away from Prusha and slowly wither away."

"I thought you were getting treatments? That you were healing!"

Fluvis didn't reply, just gave him The look. Tristan exhaled, realizing how serious Fluvis' actual condition was.

"Thank you. Truly, for saving the lives of so many people! I flex my strength and brag about my accomplishments fighting against an ascendant but I couldn't do what you did. My skills. My everything, isn't suited to protect the many…" Tristan stated, ashamed.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Tristan. You're the prince of this kingdom, not the king. If anyone should be ashamed it should be your father for not being here when he was needed. That brat…I'm going to have to have a word with him when he gets back." Fluvis chuckled.

"Speaking of my father, he never mentioned how you sustained your injuries. He always said to ask you, so…can I ask what happened back then?"

"Of course you can. It's not really a secret just…When you speak of the undead, the Skeleton King is who everyone has on their mind but I would rather take on the King any day of the week, than Vyrus, the Plaguemaster. The King we know off, but Vyrus was and still is an unknown entity of unmeasurable power."

"Fifty-seven years ago heralds of the Plaguemaster, the reapers, came to our world. They were emotionless, heartless entities that reaped thousands of lives in the name of their master. Their goal was to send a message and when they were stopped, they announced that the lives they reaped were for the coming of their master, Vyrus the Plaguemaster."

At this point, Tristan was engrossed in the story and forgot about the pleasant fragrance of the tea. Fluvis took a sip and watched as Tristan snapped out of it before he continued.

"Vyrus himself appeared shortly after. His figure was tall, very tall, slim and shrouded in darkness. Chaos oozed from his body, decaying everything he touched. Forests and livestock died wherever he passed. He didn't care about the villages, towns or the cities. He moved with purpose and only stopped when a team of ascendants appeared before him."

"I could swear he grinned ear to ear, if he had any behind that shroud of darkness. We expected a swarm of undead to attack us but it was just him. He took the initiative and attacked us first! He wasn't really strong. Not like the Skeleton King was. When you fight the King, Tristan, you expect to be swept with power. Fighting against Vyrus was just…wrong. He wasn't hard to deal with and at the same time, deemed elusive and impossible. Every action we took was ineffective. Even light magic had a minimal effect."

"I knew my Ice Magic would slow him down and possibly even hurt him. I prepared well and in the right moment, I striked! I froze him whole and exhausted, I breathed an air of relief until a shadowy hand reached out to me and grabbed me by the head."

*clang*

"Ah, my apologies. Please continue!" Tristan said after he dropped the teacup and spilled tea on the tray."

Fluvis pointed at the spilled tea and asked him he was going to clean that up but Tristan motioned to continue.

"Alright…Now where was I?" Fluvis stroked his beard.

"You were grabbed by the head!" Tristan replied, a bit too cheerfully.

"Mhm, a shadowy hand grabbed me and then Vyrus' supposed frozen body manifested in front of me, unscathed. I couldn't get free of his grasp. He leaned closer and I could see through the shroud his disfigured skull and two green, haunting eyes blaring deep into my soul. I blacked out afterwards and woke up three days later in the hospital, receiving treatment."

Fluvis paused and put down his cup. "Our encounter with Vyrus resulted in the death of an ascendant and we still haven't gotten a fucking clue what he wanted. You see, it's not really a secret what happened back then. It's the humiliation we suffered that kept us from speaking about it. Now then…" Fluvis finished, wanting to change the subject.

Tristan nodded and thanked him for the history lesson, but still felt unsure about something which didn't escape the ascendant's witty eyes. "I suppose you want to ask about my injury." Fluvis asked and Tristan apologetically smiled. He couldn't help but ask as that was on his mind for a while now.

"I don't know exactly what but Vyrus placed something inside me. I don't know if it was a skill or something else but I call it The Chaos Seed. And, just like a real seed, it sprouted and spread throughout my body, slowly corrupting my mana pathways and killing me." Fluvis turned serious and looked Tristan directly in the eyes before continuing.