“Are you hurt?” Aria asked.

Neven opened his hand to reveal a red, swollen burn on his palm. “Alexander's burn ointment works well, so…” He continued searching and then, with a sudden change in expression, smiled as he picked up a bottle from the shelf. “He misplaced it. Alexander loves arranging these bottles by size and color. Every time you use one, you should put it back exactly where it was. Otherwise, he’ll go nuts.”

Aria pulled Neven outside the herbary and cautiously closed the door, making sure Sable couldn’t hear their conversation. She examined Neven's hand seriously, lifting it to inspect the burn again. “On our way back, we found a corpse in the royal capital, just inside. The body was burned.” Aria said gravely.

“When I came back, I saw Alpha. So, there was a body there.” Neven bit off the stopper and poured powder onto the wound. He squinted and blew on his painful palm.

“I won’t beat around the bush,” Aria said. “I need to know, how did you get that burn on your hand?”

“You think I burned the body?” he asked, surprised.

“But you have a burn. If Alpha sees it, he’ll assume you did it.” Aria said, worried.

“Sage Solon can vouch for me. I was with him all day. As for the burn, my horse burned me.”

“Your horse burned you?” Aria repeated in disbelief.

“His fire horse, how did it burn you? It’s been so gentle all these years.” Alexander said, walking over from the corridor. His handsome face was clouded with anger as if someone had provoked him.

Neven gently cradled his injured hand and said, “It was an accident. It tends to have little tantrums. Why aren't you in the herbary?”

“I was woken up by Damian Blackwood, who dragged me out in the middle of the night to inspect a body,” Alexander said, annoyed. “Oak told me Sable got bitten by a venomous snake, so I came back. The venom needs to be dealt with quickly.”

“Who was burned?” Neven asked.

“It was Damian Blackwood’s cousin, Daphne. She was burned beyond recognition, and someone deliberately desecrated her body.”

“Desecrated?” Aria said, uneasily. She had touched the body.

“Yes, someone even vomited on the corpse. Can you believe it? I still need to examine it,” Alexander said darkly.

“You’re sure it’s Daphne Blackwood? Wasn’t she missing?” Neven asked thoughtfully.

“Yes, it’s definitely Daphne. She was missing an ear when she was alive, and she had her soul stone. Damian also identified her. He’s sure it’s his cousin,” Alexander said, firmly.

Neven frowned. “I was investigating her, and now she’s dead.”

“Why were you investigating Daphne?” Aria asked.

“Remember the person who took the Celestial Deer’s heart in the forest?” Neven said.

Aria nodded.

“I suspect she was involved,” he said.

“How is that possible? I thought it was a demigod. And that person was strong enough to lift me with one hand.”

Neven squeezed his injured hand, looking serious. “That person was a Lunar Essence. We can sense Essence Power when we’re near a Soul Stone. So, it couldn’t have been a demigod. Also, I once saw Daphne use her essence. It was unique; she could control wild beasts that couldn't be tamed. It was the first time I saw someone manipulate Essence Power that way, so it left a strong impression.”

“Daphne was burned and thrown there, and coins were placed over her eyes,” Alexander said. “Alpha always meddles with the bodies. I couldn’t even get a good look at the coins.”

“Here, I have one,” Aria said, suddenly remembering. She had been holding onto the coin. “I took it from the body. I forgot to give it to Alpha.”

“You were there too?” Alexander asked.

“Yes, Sable, Oak, and I found the body when we returned.”

“Let me guess, Sable puked. He got bitten by a red fang snake,” Alexander said angrily.

“He didn’t do it on purpose. He was trying to vomit on Alpha but missed,” Aria explained.

“Let him suffer a bit longer, that idiot,” Alexander said, angrily.

In the dimly lit corridor, they examined the coin closely by the firelight.

“It’s the same as the one Alpha took,” Alexander said, handing it to Neven.

“Why place it over her eyes?” Aria asked.

“It’s an old tradition, meant to allow the dead to see in the afterlife,” Neven explained. “I’ll keep this one. Don’t tell anyone.”

At that moment, a cry for help echoed from the herbary. "Help, someone, I've been poisoned, Alexander..."

Stolen story; please report.

"Good, let me handle him." Alexander rolled up his sleeves and pushed open the door to the herbary.

Aria stood outside the door, straining to catch the sounds from the herbary. All she could hear were snippets of conversation and some indistinct noises.

“Oh God, hurry, Alexander! I can feel the poison spreading…” Sable’s voice was a mix of pain and exaggerated drama, like a tragic play unfolding.

“Stay still. I need to see the wound clearly.” Alexander’s voice was calm and authoritative, brimming with professional confidence.

This was followed by a faint clinking of metal, like a small knife slicing through fabric. Sable gasped sharply, clearly in agony.

A hissing sound emerged next, reminiscent of liquid hitting a red-hot iron, followed by Sable's stifled groan.

“This is just temporary relief. I need to use herbs to fully detoxify you.” Alexander’s voice remained steady, as if everything was under his control.

Suddenly, there was a loud, unexpected crack, like something being crushed.

“Ow! Damn it, Alexander, you stepped on my foot!” Sable yelled, his tone a mix of pain and exasperation.

“Sorry, I thought it was a vial.” Alexander’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

Aria couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as she listened. Shaking her head, she turned back to Neven, trying to refocus.

“How was the night watch?” Neven asked.

“Other than Sable being bitten by a snake, it went smoothly.” Aria yawned, clearly exhausted from the night. “Who do you think killed Damian Blackwood’s cousin?” she asked.

“No idea. It might be a vendetta. Otherwise, why didn’t Daphne return to the capital after she disappeared? She might have been hiding from someone or had secrets we don’t know about.” Neven stretched lazily.

He walked Aria to her door, giving her a fond goodnight. Aria wanted to remind him it was already morning, but Neven moved quickly, and she heard his door close down the hall.

At dusk, Aria woke from a nightmare.

She sat up in bed, her heart pounding, her dress clinging to her sweat-soaked body. The fire in the hearth was burning, and a shaft of dim light peeked through the curtains. Covering her face with her hands, she recalled the terrifying dream.

In the dream, she lay rigid in the snow as Thanatos placed coin after coin on her eyes. She was trapped in her frozen body, unable to move. Soon, her body was set ablaze, the flames consuming her, jolting her awake in terror.

Aria took a deep breath, her trembling hands sliding down her face. Her heartbeat still raced. She slowly got out of bed, her feet meeting the cold floor, the chill easing her inner turmoil slightly. She walked to the window and drew back the heavy curtains, letting more light flood the room. The twilight glow was warm but couldn’t dispel the chill in her heart.

She moved to the table, poured a large glass of water, and drank it in one go. The cool water slid down her throat, calming her somewhat. Yet, her heart still pounded, unable to shake off the nightmare’s lingering shadow. She set the glass down, leaned against the table, and closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing.

“It was just a dream,” she whispered to herself, attempting to find reassurance. “Just a dream.”

However, the feeling of being trapped in a frozen body, and the agony of being consumed by fire, remained vivid in her mind. She couldn’t shake the sensation, as if reality and the nightmare had intertwined, leaving her unsure of what was real.

Time passed quickly, and a few days had gone by. Today, Sovereign Bastion was blessed with rare good weather in this otherwise frigid place. Neven led Aria to an abandoned stable.

Leaning against the fence, Aria gazed at the wide-open paddock before her. When her eyes fell on the horse ablaze with roaring flames, she was utterly stunned. Its mane seemed to be woven from strands of fire, like serpents of flame winding and coiling, reflecting the shifting light across its body. In the snow-covered landscape, the horse appeared as a vivid drop of red blood, hot and striking.

With every step the horse took, the snow beneath hissed faintly. The flames cast an unusual glow on the white snow, creating an almost surreal scene. Aria could even feel the waves of heat emanating from the creature, brushing against her cheeks, bringing a sense of warmth that was both unfamiliar and comforting.

"Come on, Spark, be gentle with the lady," Neven said cautiously, holding the reins with his bandaged hand still marked by burns. Spark seemed unruly, constantly resisting. "Shh, calm down," he whispered, gently stroking Spark’s long nose until the flames softened.

"Go ahead, pet him, just be gentle," Neven coaxed, carefully bringing the horse closer.

Aria reached out and lightly stroked Spark’s long nose. His fur was warm and soft, like silky fabric. Near his mane, though, it was distinctly hot, as if touching a live ember. The warmth enveloped her fingers, spreading like a soothing wave from her fingertips to her core, driving away the biting northern cold.

As her hand moved along Spark’s nose, she felt the strong, powerful muscles beneath his coat twitch slightly. The flames danced under her touch, casting an ethereal glow, making her feel as if she were in a surreal dream. Every time her hand neared the mane, the heat intensified, and she could hear the faint sizzle as if the very air was melting under the fiery heat.

In this cold northern land, Spark was like a beacon of light. Aria felt warmth flooding through her, a smile spreading across her face.

"It’s so warm," Aria said softly.

Spark blinked his large eyes, filled with intelligence. He seemed to sense Aria’s delight, snorting out a wave of heat laced with sparks. Aria jerked her hand back in surprise, then giggled, her laughter full of joy.

Neven tightened the reins, bringing Spark to a halt. "I found him deep in the Voidmarsh," he recalled with a hint of pride in his voice. "When I first saw him, he was entirely engulfed in flames, like a wild, uncontrollable fire. It took me seven whole days and nights to tame him."

He paused, gently stroking Spark's neck, as if trying to soothe its memories. "In those days, every time I thought I had tamed it, it would resist with even fiercer flames. But eventually, it accepted my control." Neven's hand was gentle yet firm, the flames gradually calming under his touch.

"Where is Voidmarsh?" Aria asked, feeling unfamiliar with the name, as she had never heard of such a place in her time.

"It's Sage Solon's domain. The situation there is dire; death has engulfed large swathes of the region," Neven replied. "That day, I intended to ride Spark to Voidmarsh, but it was in a foul mood." He waved his bandaged hand, a look of helplessness on his face.

Spark flaunted its flames, its mane blazing fiercely. Neven let go of the reins, wincing as he leaned against the fence.

Freed, Spark raced around the enclosure wildly, its entire body ablaze, letting out joyous whinnies.

"You've already tamed it, so why does it still burn you?" Aria asked.

"Remember when I told you I lost my Essence Power?"

"I remember."

"Without Essence Power, I can't control Spark. Essence Power is our means of communication." Neven spoke with resignation. "Although Spark isn't as powerful as the Sky Deer, it is still sentient. With Essence Power, it can sense my thoughts."

"What happened three years ago?" Aria asked cautiously.

Neven's gaze turned somber. Slowly, he said, "I was following the Grand Mentor's orders to kill a Mara. But I didn't expect it to be such a brutal fight. The Mara we were supposed to kill was far more formidable than we anticipated."

"What is a Mara?"

"A Mara is an evil entity, a being of pure malevolence. They serve the demons, wielding dark powers far beyond our Essence Power. We faced a particularly powerful Mara that time. I suspect someone betrayed our location, but that’s irrelevant now."

"Did you kill it?"

"Yes." He exhaled, his breath visible in the cold air, his eyes lifting to the sky as thin snowflakes fell onto his face. "Three thousand lives, and as their Executive Commander, I led them to their deaths."