The grand hall of the Sovereign Bastion stood tall and majestic as always, its brilliance shining through, bathed in the sunlight that filtered through stained glass onto the carpet stretching ahead. A stone-carved dragon loomed over the throne on the dais, its head held high, claws gripping the armrests, its gemstone eyes glinting red as it surveyed the hall.

It was here that Aria met the person who had persuaded King Magnus to bring her back to the royal city. She had expected it to be someone familiar, perhaps a noble she had met during her childhood. But she was wrong on all counts.

The one who wished to see her was a wise counselor she had never met before.

At this moment, he stood in the center of the hall, awaiting Aria's arrival. His bright eyes showed a gentle smile as the doors opened. The counselor was elderly, with gray hair and a tall, slender figure draped in a glossy fox fur cloak. Behind him stood his attendant, a young man with a mop of tousled hair, his head bowed.

"Your Majesty, I heard you went to Shadowvale. Forgive my intrusion," the wise counselor spoke humbly.

King Magnus ascended the throne, his gaze piercing. "Wise Counselor Hawk, I brought Aria back. It's time for you to fulfill your promise."

"As you wish."

Aria looked at the wise counselor in astonishment. This was their first meeting, and the first time she had heard Hawk's name.

"It was I who requested King Magnus to bring you back to the royal city, Your Highness. Look how our Aria has grown into a beautiful princess," Hawk said with a smile.

"Hello, esteemed Hawk. Have we met before?" Aria asked with a wry smile and a nod.

"We have, on the day of your birth," Hawk replied with a smile. "But today, I have something very important to discuss with you."

King Magnus glanced coldly at Aria, as if she were a foul odor that had just passed. Then, the disgust vanished, and he produced a message he had retrieved earlier that morning. "This is a report we received this morning. Things are more dire than we anticipated."

Upon seeing the message, the usually stoic counselor grew grave. "We've been keeping an eye on him. How did he vanish?" he exclaimed unexpectedly.

"You believe he's disappeared too?"

"Given his reputation, he wouldn't vanish without reason. I fear he has chosen a new target."

"An outlaw who strikes fear into every king?" King Magnus said darkly.

"The Harbinger of Death would be more apt. Like his namesake, Thanatos."

"And you think his next target is us?"

"We."

"Thanatos coming after us? He sounds dangerous," Aria gasped, her first time hearing about Thanatos, though it was enough to make her father worry.

"Much more terrifying than you can imagine. We don't have enough forces to defend against his million-strong army," Hawk said.

"Then we must seek aid from allies," Aria suggested softly.

"That's a good suggestion, little princess," Hawk smiled. "But no allies are willing to help us. They can't break their oaths as allies, yet they don't wish to march to their deaths. We've sent hundreds of requests, but they only delay. No one will come."

"Don't they have blood ties?"

"Aria, you don't know who we're dealing with."

"Hawk, about what we discussed earlier," King Magnus spoke slowly, thoughtfully seated on his throne. "I've made up my mind. As my emissary, you shall request aid from the demigods. If they're as legendary as they say, they won't stand idly by."

"Demigods?" Aria looked puzzled, glancing at Hawk.

"Yes, demigods," Hawk replied. "I've been fortunate to encounter the immensely powerful demigods and have even visited their sanctum, the Celestial Sanctum. Mortals rarely see demigods, for without permission, the entrance to the Celestial Sanctum remains hidden."

"How did you obtain permission then?"

"I have demigod blood in my veins," Hawk blinked as he spoke.

"You're a demigod? And you have powers too?"

"No, I only have a small amount of blood ties.being a half-breed grants no powers."

"Hawk, how long will it take?" King Magnus asked.

"Forgive my bluntness. It will take a month to reach there and another month to return. If there's a threat from Thanatos, you may not last until the demigods arrive. Or perhaps, the demigods won't interfere in mortal affairs."

"Time is of the essence, as is the Iron Guard."

"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to convince the demigods to intervene," Hawk bowed. "However, before I depart, I have a favor to ask of Princess Aria. It requires someone with delicate sensibilities, and I believe Aria is the best fit." Hawk turned to the shadows. "Aria, please take care of a 'little plant' for me. If you don't mind my humble abode, you can stay there and water it every day."

"But I have a lot of work to do. Surely you can find someone else?" Aria immediately refused. She didn't want to stay in Sovereign Bastion, where King Magnus disliked her presence.

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"I'm afraid not. It's a secret that must remain undisclosed," Hawk stepped forward, facing King Magnus. "Your Majesty, please grant my request."

"Wise Counselor Hawk, your request shall be honored by Aria," King Magnus decreed.

"Thank you," Hawk said humbly. "I'd like to take Aria away now. The other counselors have been waiting outside the hall for quite some time."

It was then that Aria noticed the crowd outside the hall. Their clamor seeped through the thick iron doors. The counselors seemed to have received news from somewhere and had flocked like flies the moment King Magnus entered the hall. This left Aria deeply unsettled. Had something happened?

King Magnus's face bore a calm expression tinged with annoyance. "These counselors. None of them offer valuable insights; it's all flattery and falsehood."

"Your Majesty, perhaps you should listen to their advice. Someone might come up with a better solution," Hawk suggested.

As the counselors gathered outside like King Magnus's annoyance, they swarmed in as soon as the doors opened, their chatter filling the hall. They hurriedly greeted Hawk and headed straight for the throne, completely ignoring Aria's presence.

Soon, Aria followed Hawk away from the noisy crowd. They left through the north gate of the royal city, heading uphill.

"Wise Counselor Hawk, do you live up here?" Aria asked.

"Call me Hawk; I don't like being called old. I'm taking you somewhere first, then back to my little abode," Hawk said mysteriously, winking.

"I don't understand why you wanted to see me," Aria confessed.

"Princess, you know too little about Sovereign Bastion. When we get up there, I'll tell you why," Hawk replied.

"I certainly don't," Aria murmured.

Quietly, Aria followed behind Hawk, utterly confused. Walking along the shaded path, she walked side by side with Hawk's attendant. Every time their eyes met, the attendant would shyly smile, but he never spoke a word.

"Hello, I'm Aria," Aria reached out to introduce herself.

The young attendant shook her hand, offering another smile.

"He's mute, born that way," Hawk turned and helped translate the mute language. "He says he's glad to meet you and thinks you're as beautiful as the starry sky."

"Thank you, regardless," Aria chuckled.

The attendant spoke in his mute language again.

"He swears he never lies," Hawk translated.

Aria blushed shyly.

The attendant blushed and lowered his head again.

With the autumn wind rustling and a hint of gray sunlight on the treetops, Aria couldn't help but notice the mountain, with the Sovereign Bastion nestled on its slopes. However, she had never thought of climbing it, and now she found her feet growing numb from exhaustion, the stagnant air making it difficult to breathe. The attendant seemed even more breathless, almost suffocating.

"How much longer until we arrive?" Aria asked breathlessly. Below them was the shrinking royal city, and above, the road grew steeper.

"We're almost there," Hawk said cheerfully.

The attendant gestured to the sky, speaking in his mute language.

"Don't worry, we'll reach the summit before the downpour. I assure you, everyone will stay dry," Hawk promised.

Aria looked up at the sky, where no clouds marred the grayness, let alone a hint of pale white. How could it possibly rain? She felt sure they must be mistaken.

After climbing another stretch of the mountain, until the attendant pulled Aria onto a ledge and onto the summit above the royal city, Aria felt as if she were waking from a dream.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Hawk at that moment, Aria was shocked by the sight before her.

It was not a breathtaking view, but one of ominous dread. In the distance, the crimson sky seemed like a blood-red ribbon woven into the ridge. The once lush forest had withered, the gorge below filled with charred dead trees. A heavy wind blew, carrying with it a nauseating stench of decay.

"I remember it being green there before. How did it all burn?" Aria asked in astonishment.

"Death is spreading. It used to be peaceful. But in the past two years, the trees of the Northern Forest have started to die, with no life willing to approach," Hawk said gravely. "It's a sign of weakening seals, much like the seals of Phoenix City before they disappeared."

"You mentioned seals there? What's sealed inside?"

"Demons and death, sealed for over ten thousand years. And the purpose of Sovereign Bastion is to guard those seals; your father is the guardian."

"What happened to Phoenix City afterwards?"

"A calamity. It wasn't until the seals were broken that they realized their revered sanctuary was a den of demons."

Aria looked towards the blood-red sky, feeling the aura of death, a strong sense of fear rising within her. While she had toiled day after day at Echo Tower, she hadn't noticed death creeping closer.

"Almost forgot something very important," Hawk pulled out a small pouch. "I made a deal with your father, and now I'm handing this treasure over to you. I hope it will bless you and Xander when the end times come."

Opening it, Aria found three black candles.

"I must personally give them to you. They're the last three demon-repelling candles in existence. I think it's time you had them, to fulfill my promise to your father. But you mustn't give them to anyone, including your father."

"Why give them to me? Wouldn't it be more fitting for Father or you to have them?"

"Aria, you don't yet know the immense secret you carry," Hawk's bright eyes gleamed. "For us, it's worthless. Only the blood flowing beneath your scales can light these candles; it's a divine gift. And remember, there are only three, only three chances. Choose each opportunity wisely." His gaze intensified, his words sincere. "I know why your father sent you away. What I want to tell you is, you shouldn't feel ashamed because of your scales. With them, you are unique in this world."

Clutching the scales in her hand, Aria felt repulsion beneath her gloves, the most abhorrent thing to her father. And to the nobles of Sovereign Bastion, these cold scales were even more abominable.

A distant thunder rolled through the sky, confirming Hawk's premonition. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, a storm was imminent.

Amidst the continuous rumble of thunder, they quickened their pace back to Sovereign Bastion.

King Magnus's orders were exceedingly urgent.

After handing the key to Aira, Hawk braved the rain and boarded the carriage. He didn't even take his luggage, only accompanied by a servant.

Nestled deep within the royal city, Hawk's wooden cabin seemed unremarkable compared to the towering citadel.

The room was filled with an array of peculiar objects, intriguing any who entered. One wall was adorned with ancient books, each in various languages. The opposite wall displayed large colorful paintings, with a centerpiece depicting a sea dragon surrounded by a map of continents. Despite considerable effort, Aira couldn't decipher the locations marked on the maps.

The room housed two bedrooms, one neat and clean, with a faint scent of plants, while the other was cluttered beyond belief. Beneath the bed lay a pair of large leather boots, obviously belonging to a mute servant.

Aira searched the entire room, finally noticing a white ceramic basin.

Inside, a wilted green leaf struggled in soil cracked from dehydration. Without proper care, the poor plant would surely perish. Beneath the pot lay a letter.

The note read:

"Only water with the crystal compass, no other. Remember. - Hawk."

Following the basin, Aira found the crystal compass mentioned in the note. The compass's pointer spun rapidly, with a dewdrop at its center. Carefully, Aira dripped water onto the leaf, causing it to tremble and stand upright miraculously, its leaves shimmering with a faint light.

Aira breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for her timely discovery.

If this mysterious plant were to wither, Hawk would surely be furious.

But the marvels in Hawk's room didn't end there.

At the center of the table below the window sat a glass bottle. Initially appearing empty, when Aira picked it up, a fluorescent green caterpillar appeared inside, wriggling. Upon setting it down, the creature vanished. Aira repeated the action several times, each time the caterpillar disappearing and reappearing. As Aira wandered around the room, she had never encountered such wonders before. She believed it must be Hawk's demigod bloodline that allowed him to gather such an array of peculiar objects.