"Hold on. You said the time has come, but here–" Oscar tapped a part of the letter. "It says the Four Lords Gathering is in one year." Oscar looked questioningly at Sevon and Adam and told Erden to bring his tired body toward them. "Yet, you speak of taking the Burning Valley now?"

Sevon glanced purposely at the others in the room. Understanding his intention, Oscar ordered everyone to clear the room except for him, Adam, Sevon, Erden, and Avril. Once the room was cleared, Sevon redid his pipe and said, "We have a great opportunity here to spread the seeds of rebellion all over the outer region. The Four Lords have spent a long time in their arrogance, allying themselves with the New Dawn to fuel their sickening experiments."

"Other Reis cores are being created?" Distraught by the news, Oscar lifted his head. "What is the purpose of the New Dawn? Why did they ally with Kais and kill the Voltens?"

"Their leader is shrouded in mystery even after all my long years of investigation. I only know he fought my master and killed him. The New Dawn he leads seeks to find a new path for humanity. To find new ways of power, to rise to newer heights. Reis cores are only a part of their many attempts to create new beings." Sevon exhaled in a gasp before coughing, spraying the embers from his pipe. "Follow me."

Oscar followed Sevon down a series of stairs deep into the basement. After some Ein was inputted into a certain brick, patterns swirled and glowed, locking into place with a loud click. The bricks parted and revealed a new stretch of stairs leading further down. But the sight wasn't what Oscar was focused on. It was the smell of rot and blood flooding the air.

"What is down there?" A sudden chill choked his heart. He felt he shouldn't be here. Sevon and Adam stepped slowly down the stairs, and Oscar struggled momentarily before nodding to Avril and Erden. They delved deep into the secret basement. Oscar went green and nearly threw up from the horrors within. Avril, oddly, looked better, still squeamish, but better than him.

The terrible things down here surpassed what he witnessed in the Abyss Prison. Many cages were opened, but the blood on its grids and floor revealed enough about the state of their prisoners. Large hooks swung like pendulums, some still piercing scraps of flesh. Several tables were scattered, with bounds and chains for their unfortunate occupants.

"This is how they do their research. Through the horrific blood and sacrifice of many innocents. They kidnap children and train them all to harvest as the next materials." Adam said gravely, a dark shadow along his eyes. "I used to be one of them." He spoke plainly. "Until the Elder found me and gave me a choice. To follow him or to live a peaceful life. I chose this."

"You were in one of these?" Oscar saw Adam in a new light. Little wonder the person seemed so maniacal at times. He knew many would lose their minds completely after experiencing this horror.

"Almost. This is our battle, our war against the New Dawn. This Burning Valley is only a piece of their influence. There are other battles and wars to be fought." Adam took Oscar and Avril back up the stairs. "This place will be destroyed. We wanted to show you before it's gone."

The palace shook tremendously and fell quiet. Sevon emerged from the dark passageway with a cough and closed the hidden entrance. "It's done. Now, we must discuss our plan for the other three Lords. The gathering is in a year, a year for us to improve the army and recruit more. No doubt, the others will be doing the same, but they are greedy and will certainly skimp on their resources, opting to force others to fight for mere pittances."

"We sway more to our cause. Cause civil wars in the outer regions while implying we have nothing to do with it." Oscar guessed to Sevon's satisfied smile.

"Exactly. Adam will act as you in the gathering, and the other Lords will think the butcher is the true lord and that you are a puppet." Sevon laughed heartily. "In one fell swoop, take over the three cities, secure the palaces, and rendezvous with us at the gathering spot in the Summit of Flames in the center of the Burning Valley. It will be spectacular."

"The Four Lords are sure to suspect a trap. But they wouldn't expect us to launch an all-out attack on the other three cities while they bring their elites with them to the gathering." Adam laughed as well. "You have a year. That should be enough time to prepare everything."

"So, another toast?" Sevon took out some wine.

Oscar and Avril quickly refused and escaped from the main hall, retreating into the library. Oscar turned to Avril, and she turned to him. He sighed and sat down. "Are you alright?"

"About earlier? She feels sick, but she can keep going." Avril rushed out a breath, nearly a gag. She quickly changed the topic. "So, another year here."

"Another year. Like you said…there's lots of time to read these books." Oscar took a book from the shelf, not wanting to think about the long year. He needed to distract himself with books and training to let it pass faster. Avril suddenly leaned on him, resting on his left side. He slowly looked at her in confusion.

"Oh…is this not good? She feels embarrassed but thinks it is appropriate. Unable to bear his strange gaze, she scratches her cheek." Avril scratched her cheek.

Oscar laughed and shook his head. "It's fine. Do you want to start?"

"You do it." Avril pouted, shaking his arm. "You're supposed to teach me."

"Fine. Fine." Oscar took one look at the title and immediately froze solid. There should be no reason for such a book to be here. His eyes never left the bold letters on the thick cover. This was not appropriate to read together. 'The Duke and Duchess's Steamy Marriage.'

"Why did you stop? What does this say? The Duke and Duchess's Steamy Marriage….Oscar, you never taught me what Steamy means in this context. See! You do have to teach me. What does it mean?" Avril appeared so innocent while asking this. A former slave who never learned proper reading and writing, and was kept ignorant by others, would never know.

Oscar put the book away and said, "We're not reading this."

"Why not?" Avril pleaded, grabbing his shoulder to stop him from moving away. "What does it mean?"

"If you really, really want to know what it means. Read the book yourself." Oscar took out another book and relaxed at its normal title, a book on creatures of the Burning Valley. Next to him, Avril grabbed the inappropriate book out of curiosity and started to read. Noticing this, Oscar inched away slowly, seeing her face turn redder and her eyes widen more from the revelation.

She closed the book shut and slammed it back into the shelf. Her eyes met his, and she looked away with a red face of shame. However, Avril slowly moved beside him and meekly said, "Let's read this one. It's on creatures of the Burning Valley. That one should be safe."

After finishing this proper book, Oscar helped Avril to her feet and was about to leave when he noticed an open space on the shelf where a certain book was supposed to be. His eyes glanced suspiciously at Avril, who was whistling in joy. After a brief moment, Oscar gave up and decided not to ask. Some topics were better left unsaid or pursued.

…….

"A year…." Oscar sat on his bed. Rows of grade-three Ein Cleansing elixirs, grade-three beast cores, and spell manuscripts were before him. His progress speed was boosted thanks to his digestive ability to absorb a beast core and the sharing Erden can do with him. While he shouldn't be able to progress to the peak of Middle Knight Exalt in a year, his progress should far eclipse what he could do in the past.

"Come to think of it. This is the first time in a while that I had an elixir to progress my core." Oscar gulped the vial and licked his lips, tasting the amazing Ein. His grade four core started absorbing the Ein at its usual not-too-slow and not-too-fast pace. But he then swallowed a grade-three beast core, which was digested, entering his core through what he liked to call a back channel, separate from how the elixir was being absorbed. Finally, Erden ate a mouthful of them and shared half of what he absorbed through a third channel.

None of these channels interfered with each other, and Oscar relished in the feeling of all this Ein at once, which he never had unless in times of advancement. "A year…let's see what I become in a year."