"Leif Village is under attack, Sire!" One of the knights stood before King Elwood of Medea, delivering the dreadful news. King Elwood’s fiery red hair and electric pale blue eyes were renowned throughout the kingdom. "We cannot hold Sienna’s men back any longer!"

King Elwood ruffled the cape hanging off his shoulder as he hastily led the way to a stone balcony overlooking the village. The skies were thick with dark clouds, and the two moons hid beyond the horizon, casting a veil of trepidation over Elwood’s kingdom. Fires spread rapidly throughout the village, and the screams of his people echoed menacingly in Elwood’s ears. From a distance, he could see an army parading toward the village, swords at the ready. Thousands of men carried torches, lighting their way through the forest path, their feet pounding the ground in perfect unison.

"Sound the warning bells and gather as many men as you can. Where is my son? Where is Lug?" King Elwood exchanged a doomed look with his most loyal knight and friend.

"He’s already at the gate, Sire, with a small company of men."

"No!" Elwood’s voice rang out. "I do not wish for him to engage in this battle. Go find Eilah. Tell her that I require her help and ask for her forgiveness. I need her to protect Lug the best way she knows how. When the time is right, I hope Lug will return as king of Medea. Go find her… go now!"

"Sire, may I speak freely?" the knight asked resolutely.

King Elwood nodded absentmindedly.

"My lord, it is my duty to remind you that you banished her from these lands. Surely, you haven’t forgotten the murder of King Chaulekai of Basil?"

"I see now that I misjudged Eilah and wrongly accused her of that crime. I remember watching Sienna as she grew up—she is just like her father. Chaulekai and Sienna alike were greedy. They craved power, a power that only brings chaos and bloodshed. Sienna framed Eilah, after all. She murdered her own father, the king, to get her hands on my kingdom—and my son…" Elwood paused momentarily, his eyes clouded with regret. "Go find Eilah now and take Lug with you. Eilah will know how to keep my beloved son safe. If I never see him again, tell him that I love him. I may have done things in his lifetime that seemed cruel, but they were always for him. May my legacy live on through my son."

"Do you fear the battle will end with your death, Sire?" the knight asked, concern lacing his words.

Elwood didn’t answer directly. Instead, his voice lowered. "I only remember the promise I made Eilah swear many years ago when we first met. I made her swear to protect Lug in any way she saw fit. I can only hope she keeps that promise, despite the way I treated her."

The knight let the question remain unanswered, accepting the king’s words with a solemn nod. Bowing deeply, he turned to fulfill Elwood’s bidding.

"Rahm," the king said abruptly, stopping him just before he departed, "please be careful. I hear she may be in the Andorra Ruins. Just get Lug to Eilah—no matter what."

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The king swung his sword from its sheath, pointing it down at his side, ready to fight until his last breath. As Rahm departed, he called back one final reassurance.

"I will defend him, even with my last breath, Sire—as I would for you."

Without another moment’s hesitation, Rahm set out to fulfill the king’s will.

……

In a barren land of ruins, Rahm and Prince Lug traversed a dirt path littered with debris and the remnants of ancient stone walls. The soil was lifeless, a wasteland devoid of any growth. Above them, the two moons were full, their silvery glow casting an eerie light upon the desolate surroundings. Though crumbling and overtaken by time, the ruins still exuded an elegance of a civilization lost over a millennium ago.

"What is this all about? Why does my father want us to find Eilah? What can she do that I cannot accomplish with our knights? We have the finest soldiers in all of Gaia, yet here we are in no-man’s land. What happens if we return and everything is engulfed in flames? I thought Father banished Eilah! Can he make up his mind?" Lug rambled, his frustration bubbling over.

Rahm’s calm voice cut through his complaints. "I am only following the king’s orders, my Prince. I do not presume to understand his reasons."

Rahm marched alongside the prince with measured strides. One hand rested firmly on the hilt of his sword, while the other held his horse’s reins. Both men wore their finest battle tunics—black with gold inlays that gleamed under the moonlight. Prince Lug’s flame-red hair stood in stark contrast against the dark attire, his green cape draping elegantly over his shoulders. The clinking of chainmail echoed through the ruins, a lone sound in the oppressive silence.

The horses, though familiar in appearance, were otherworldly. They had the bodies of Earthly steeds but bore tough, reptilian skin and snake-like tails that flicked ominously. The beasts moved expertly over the rugged terrain, leaving the ruins behind as fog began to roll in. The clouds thickened, obscuring the moonlight and turning the path ahead into a shadowy blur.

Suddenly, Lug tensed. His hand instinctively fell to his sword. "Did you hear that, Rahm?" he asked sharply, his voice a hushed whisper.

Rahm halted. From up ahead came the faint sound of movement—a disturbance emanating from a small wooden shack nestled among the ruins. The structure looked out of place, its walls riddled with holes and its roof patched with hay and twigs. It leaned precariously, as though it might collapse at any moment. A gaping entrance yawned darkly, half-covered by a crooked wooden board.

The two men stopped at the base of the steps, their hands on their swords.

"Who among the knights of Medea dares to roam the Andorra Ruins?" A girl’s voice floated out from the darkness, ethereal and sharp.

Rahm stepped forward, sword drawn. "’Tis I, Sir Rahm of Medea, with Prince Lug Elwood. We have important business in these parts—we seek an immortal named Eilah. By whose authority do you question us?"

The voice responded, laced with suspicion. "By whose authority do you seek Eilah?"

"King Elwood himself sent us," Rahm proclaimed, his voice steady. "Do you know where she resides?"

A silence followed, deep and unnerving, before Lug spoke. "Are you Eilah, milady? You certainly sound like her."

From within the shadows, there was movement. Slowly, a figure emerged into the doorway. Lug’s breath caught in his throat. A woman stood there, her head tilted down, her silhouette both commanding and graceful. When she lifted her gaze, teal-colored eyes like diamonds gleamed from the darkness. The very air seemed to shift around her, her presence more precious than gold or rubies.

"I am whom you seek," she said softly, her voice carrying with it an unspoken power.