In a cold, brick-layered room in the sewers under Cosmopolis, an air of tension rises between two individuals. Lieutenant Elias Markus, the right-hand man of Commander Rufus Adelard, is tasked with finding information about Aria Nightbloom. Now, he faces the leader of the Thieves Guild, Rodney the Iron Fist, in a duel to the death.

Both men ready their stances. Elias points his sword towards Rodney, while Rodney, without any weapon, plans to fight barehanded. Elias knows not to underestimate this man. He has seen him fight countless times in the past. Rodney is a very strong warrior, a former member of the "King's Five", an elite force tasked with protecting the King and destroying his enemies. They are known to be the greatest warriors in the land.

"You could have stayed out of this place. Yet you deliberately sought it out just to get information, but I know it's revenge you truly want," Rodney says, his hands in a grappling stance. "I killed your coward father, and now you want to kill me" he continues, taunting Elias. "Shut up!" Elias goes for a wide vertical slash, aiming at Rodney's neck. "You think becoming a soldier makes you a better fighter?" Rodney dodges the attack and counters with two jabs aimed at Elias' head. Elias narrowly dodges the jabs and then proceeds to slash multiple times in different directions in a rapid motion. Rodney dodges them with ease, all the while smirking. He's toying with his prey. Elias realizes that he is being toyed with and gets riled up. As he tries to slash Rodney in a horizontal motion, he quickly turns around and takes knives out of his pocket, throwing them at Rodney, aiming for his head. Rodney, despite his size, is surprisingly fast. He shields his face with his arm, where the knives stick. He then gives a wide, terrifying smile and says, "Amateur." Suddenly, Elias finds Rodney in front of him in the blink of an eye. Rodney's fist revs to strike Elias' solar plexus, and then it happens - Bam! Elias is sent flying, breaking through the door and rolling outside. He tries to recover but coughs up blood, lying face down with his hands trying to push himself upward. "You're absurdly weak, weaker than your father," Rodney proclaims, standing in front of him. With one hand, he pulls Elias up by his hair. Elias writhes in pain as he desperately grips Rodney's large hand. And with one swift punch landing on Elias' face, he flies even farther into the sewers. As Rodney walks closer, Elias frantically takes something from his back pocket - a small vial. Aria had given it to him just before they parted ways. He shakes the vial, and suddenly it glows. With all his might, he throws it hard on the ground just as Rodney is about to reach him. A blinding flash envelops the whole sewer. A few moments later, Rodney finds that Elias is gone.

Elias, with all his might, tries to escape while limping. He knows that at any minute, someone may catch up to him, so he readies another vial. He needs to report to the commander, whatever it takes. The exit is getting near, and he can see a small light escaping through the door cracks. But then, a reflected light shines in his eyes. He tries to cover the brightness and notices a woman's figure by the door, her silver hair causing the light from the door cracks to be reflected. The woman walks towards him. As she gets closer, he suddenly stops. Shivers run down his spine as he recognizes this woman.

Meanwhile, the commander had just left the Royal Castle and was now making his way to the capital's square. He spotted a shop in the distance and decided to head there. As he entered the shop, the sound of a bell chime filled the air. The shop was old but well-maintained, with faded paint here and there. The air was filled with the scent of herbs and powder mixtures, and dried flowers and leaves hung from the ceiling.

The commander noticed an old man rummaging through some old boxes. "Ahem... Good day, sir!" the commander greeted the old man. Startled, the old man looked up from behind the counter and saw the commander smiling at him. "Good day to you, sir! Welcome to the Moonflower Potions shop!" he greeted in return. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

The commander observed the frail old man, a human with gray hair and glasses. His beard was shaven, but some stubble was growing back. He wore a green robe that complemented the shop. The commander recollected his knowledge about this man. He knew that this man was once the greatest apothecary who traveled with the Hero's Party predecessor and had created the most potent and rare healing potion known to man, the "Lunaria's Grace." Intrigued, the commander engaged the shopkeeper in conversation.

"I am Commander Rufus Adelard of Fort Bastion, and I have come to deliver news about your apprentice, Aria Nightbloom," the commander said with a hint of gloom. The old man froze for a moment, then slowly took a seat on the other side of the shop desk. "What has become of my Aria?" he spoke in a sad and solemn voice. He was clearly very worried but trying to steel himself for any bad news. "I heard the news of her alleged betrayal. Guards came here the day it was announced. If it were not for my former title, I would have been sent to prison," he remarked. "But I do not care about such things. Please tell me she is alright?" the old man begged the commander for information.

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"Master Eredin, I traveled with your apprentice for a short while," the commander began, recounting the accounts of their journey until they parted ways. The shopkeeper had mixed emotions, his mind racing as he heard the news. "So she's here, that little troublemaker girl of mine. What is she thinking? She never should have come back here," the shopkeeper muttered, feeling uneasy and troubled.

"What do you mean, Master Eredin?" the commander asked, confused. The old man looked him straight in the eye and said, "I cannot say for certain, but I noticed it when 'he' came here." His voice now wrapped in urgency, he continued, "Other people may not notice, but because I spent so many years as an apothecary, my sense of smell is keener than most. He couldn't hide that scent from me!" he boldly proclaimed.

Curiosity piqued, the commander inquired, "What scent do you mean?" The shopkeeper locked eyes with him and replied, "Demons."

Deep in the sewers under the capital of Cosmopolis, the Thieves Guild Master Rodney oversees a massive operation in a vast area. His men are hard at work on a large rune circle drawn with human blood. At the center, a hexagram is etched, with short column pillars at each point, designed to hold something. As Rodney marvels at this work, a woman kneels behind him.

The woman is a drow, a few years older than Aria. Her skin has a light violet hue, and her long hair is silver. Her cold eyes have yellow irises, and she wears black, skintight clothing that complements her slender figure. Rodney turns slightly to see who it is.

"Father, I have returned. How goes the preparation?" the woman asks.

"There was a rat here not long ago, a rat that you may be familiar with. It went scurrying back to the surface," Rodney says to the woman.

"Do not worry, Father. I have dealt with it," the woman replies. Rodney looks at her and gazes back at the ritual preparation.

"Witness, my dear Thalia. Have you ever seen such beauty?" Rodney marvels at the sight. "With this, I will become the King of Cosmopolis, no, the King of Solandis!" He proclaims. "I will be the first man to conquer all the Kingdoms. Everyone will bow to my magnificence and strength!" Rodney shouts, excited by the power within his grasp.

"But all this wouldn't be possible without you, my daughter." He looks at Thalia with warmth. "When I ascend to become the King of the world, I want you to be by my side, my dear child." He asks Thalia kindly.

"Nothing would make me happier, Father," Thalia responds with great happiness and admiration.

"Tomorrow, the ritual will begin, a new age will usher in, and we will be at the top!" Rodney proclaims, gesturing towards the heavens with his arms. Thalia smiles, her face filled with adoration and admiration for her father.

Night fell over Cosmopolis, casting a dark veil over the bustling capital. The magic-powered lamp posts illuminated the streets, providing a faint glow in the darkness. Despite the late hour, the city remained alive with activity.

In the depths of the castle dungeon, Aria remained shackled and chained, her spirit unbroken. She gazed longingly through the single barred window, her thoughts consumed by concern for her Master's well-being. She wondered if the commander and his men were safe as well.

Her mind drifted back to her peaceful life in Resilis village, where she could have stayed if circumstances had been different. She imagined herself engaged in simple tasks like gathering herbs, tending to the fields, and caring for the sick. The image of playing with the village children brought a smile to her face. It was a life filled with tranquility and contentment.

However, her reverie was abruptly interrupted as she heard footsteps approaching. The sound snapped her back to reality, reminding her of the dire situation she was in.

The footsteps revealed the presence of the King's Advisor, Archmage Zephyr. He cast a careful gaze upon Aria, who looked back at him with a mix of emotions, trying to suppress her fear. Aria mustered the courage to speak, her voice trembling, "Wh-what do you want? Why are you doing this?"

The advisor responded in a soft and caring manner, "Did they hurt you, dear? Come closer, I want to get a better look at you." Aria was confused but also curious to see the face of the Archmage, which was hidden in the darkness. She gripped the cold steel bar of the cell and as she looked at him, she noticed his yellow gleaming eyes.

"I want to confirm something, that's the only reason I'm here," he snickered. Suddenly, he gripped Aria's arm and forcefully pulled her. Aria was shocked and terrified, on the verge of crying out. But before she could, a burst of light illuminated the area. When the light faded, Zephyr, the advisor, was knocked out and sitting on the floor. Aria couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She stood back, examining herself for any clues.

Suddenly, the advisor regained consciousness. Aria recognized the familiar purple kind eyes, the eyes that had always provided sound advice during their travels together in the Hero's Party. "Aria, dear girl... It's you, isn't it?" he said, still dazed. As he regained his senses, he quickly stood up and gripped the cold steel bar of the cell with worried eyes. "Aria, you have to listen to me. I have been compromised for a long time now. You have to escape this place. He... he's going to come back, and I can't stop it." He abruptly stopped talking, holding his head as if experiencing a headache, writhing in pain.

Aria, on the other side of the cell, was confused and unable to make sense of what was happening. The advisor continued with great effort, "Find... Luna... the sword... She..." And then he stopped talking, his breathing returning to normal. "I see," Zephyr's eyes glowed yellow again. "As I thought, you have it. You will be the perfect sacrifice. He will rise again," the advisor's words echoed through the prison walls as he made his exit, his laughter filled with a sinister tone.

Aria, still bewildered by the events, took a step back. Her knees gave way, and she fell onto the prison bed. "What does it all mean?" she thought, her mind filled with confusion and uncertainty.