Caligo let out a deep sigh as he sat in bed.

The boys were all pouring life energy into him and so I had to sit on a chair in the corner alongside Astír.

I had since learnt that the blood was coming from people who were being killed above the prince’s chamber.

These were priests and monks who were all willing to give their lives for Caligo. Their blood ran down a series of sacred golden lines that fed into the tub within which the boys sat.

I felt nothing but dread when l learnt this but Caligo assured me that the priests all knew that it was all necessary to aid in his recovery.

I arrived to the same conclusion. After all, he battled and defeated the entire dragon royal family.

I turned my gaze to Adia who clasped his hands and sent up life force into Caligo.

Adia had adjusted to life in the palace quite well, although he often brought up how he wanted to go back home.

He so dearly missed his father and I hadn’t forgotten my promise to him.

I would find a way to get us back.

I’d even spoken to Caligo and the Helma about it and although they showed their support, they said the only way we could ever get back to earth was by waiting for the next collision but those only happened every five hundred years.

This wasn’t a problem for me since I had a near immortal body and we could always just heal Adia but five hundred years… just thinking about it made my heart ache.

Caligo must have noticed my distressed expression because his let his eyes flash twice, attracting my attention.

I looked at him with a questioning glance but he simply smiled in response.

I smiled back before turning my attention to the books that sat on the table next to me.

We had just returned from the Expanse and I had spent a few hours reading on Lanceberg's situation.

Things were bad.

The economy was in shambles with Agna being the largest producer of crops and soldiers. But the relationship between Agna and the other provinces was so bad that they sent the worst of everything to the mainland.

The army had been culled and reduced to a fraction of its normal size.

One good thing I read was that people were still generally faithful to Summus and riots or uprisings were unheard of.

Unfortunately, Aurenia and Southern Medelona were suffering from a bandit problem which was exacerbated by the war since countless knights and soldiers had been sent to the expanse.

“Umm… your highness?”

One of the boys called.

“Yes?” Caligo asked with a gentle smile.

“Why is it taking so long to heal you?”

“Ah, the answer is simple. I lost much of my strength during my battle with the dragons. Strength that will take time to recover.”

“Oh? How strong were you when you fought them?”

Caligo winced before looking up in thought.

“Lets just say that I had the strength of a million men.” Caligo said with a grin.

The children all gasped in awe.

“Wow!”

Even Adia joined in gasping, but the time came for the ceremony to end and the boys all stepped out of the… pit of blood. It was routinely cleaned but my stomach ached every time I looked at it for too long.

I accompanied the boys to the bathroom where they all washed up.

I took great care in washing Adia’s hair but for some reason, he seemed displeased.

“I can bath by myself, ya know!” Adia cried but I washed his hair regardless.

The other boys all watched and they had the strangest expressions on their faces.

Some of them even seemed sad.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Are… are you really Adia’s mom?”

Penari, a little boy with a head full of red hair, asked.

“Yes, why?” I asked.

“It’s just… how come you got to come with Adia?” He asked with trembling lips.

The other boys all lowered their heads and I thought back to what I’d learnt about them.

Most of them were orphans who were picked from the streets by a Legion called the Black Scribes, the very same legion which took in Adia and I.

Those who weren’t orphans were taken from their parents.

I looked at each of the boys and felt my heart ache since I didn’t know what to say to them.

The only reason I was taken was because the Black Scribes wanted to see if I was capable of becoming a Hand.

The fact that I would get to work so close to where Adia would end up being was just a bonus.

Then there’s the fact that Adia and I were from earth.

“Mmm… come here.” I said prompting the boy to climb out of the large marble tub.

He then walked up to me with teary eyes and I gently wrapped my arms around his wet self.

“I may not know of the circumstances that brought you here but just know that your duty here is extremely important. I hope you’ll be able to find comfort in that. Now that Caligo is awake, he’ll be able to restore the kingdom and prevent countless others from losing their parents.” I said knowing that at least fifty thousand people had lost their fathers, brothers and sons in the war.

I slowly let go of Penari and wiped away his tears.

“So raise your chin and continue to work hard for the prince, ok?”

“OK.” Penari said with a sniffle.

“Alright. Finish bathing so that we can join Caligo for lunch.” I said as Penari returned to his tub.

The boys eventually finished up and got changed into a new set of silky gowns and we made our way to the dining room where Caligo awaited us.

I sat next to him and we all promptly ate.

“So… what now?” I asked as I ate a spoonful of rice which was topped with a rich soup.

“I… actually do not know. Uncle is probably waiting for me anxiously as we speak, but the way forward remains… shrouded by fog. Uncertainty, I mean.”

I nodded in understanding before lightly tapping his foot with mine.

“Eat up. I’m sure you’ll figure everything out, given time.”

Caligo smiled in response before eating.

We all eventually finished up, but just as the servants collected our plates, Caligo’s eyes widened and the air was filled with the sound of his beating heart.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“N-nothing is wrong, strictly speaking. I… Astír, could you take us to Dahlia?” Caligo asked, prompting the Helma to walk up to us.

Caligo and I held hands before being teleported to a vast stretch of grassy land.

Dotted across the field of drying grass were strange dark plants, but I shifted my attention to Caligo who stared out into the afternoon sky with glowing eyes.

“Stay there.” He instructed before walking out into the field.

He then spread his arms freely and I think it was a hallucination on my part, but it seemed as though the sky grew a little brighter.

Caligo turned to me and gestured that I approach.

I did so and watched in confusion as he lightly chuckled.

“All these years… to think that I would begin to forget my mother’s face.” Caligo said, his eyes bright.

“Ah… this is the centre of Dahlia. A forest on the eastern side of Aurenia. It is also the place where I grew up. This particular patch of grass is where my parents and I would have many picnics but that was a long, long time ago.” He said before taking a deep breath.

“I suddenly remembered my mothers warm smile and her deep seated kindness. I think… the age of the Sun and Moon ended quite some time ago. Maybe I should become a prince that my mother would have been proud of.” Caligo said with a big smile.

I nodded before once again offering him my hand.

He accepted it and we looked out into the sky.

“Ah, Tis a shame. I also wanted to show you the Foxpaws but they only bloom in the middle of winter. They are beautiful and bizarre plants that can control the aspect of heat. They use it to stay alive even in the harshest of winters.”

“Don’t worry. You can always show them to me next time.” I said.

Caligo nodded before reaching down to sit, but we all shook upon seeing a knight standing next to Astír.

He was a few heads shorter than her and wore glorious silver armour.

He had his helmet in his hands revealing his shaking eyes.

“Your majesty… the king’s chamber has suddenly appeared.” The knight said.

“WHAT?” Caligo yelled as he squeezed my hand painfully.

“Yes, Sir. Although the barrier still stands-“

“TAKE ME THERE!” Caligo yelled and the knight promptly nodded.

We were then teleported to the Lunar Seat only instead of a view into the afternoon sky, the gigantic circular window now peered into a short, but grand walkway that led to a set of gigantic silver doors which were gloriously embellished with the crest of the moon.

Caligo let my hand go before dashing towards the window as such an incredible speed it tore the air apart.

Standing by the window were all the Helma and a Legion known as the Yilon, the King’s Guard.

Caligo placed his hand on the window and it’s here, as I cautiously approached, that I realized that it wasn’t a window.

It was a barrier.

Caligo slammed the barrier with his fist while making an expression I’d never seen.

He seemed both incredibly furious and sad.

“TEAR IT OPEN!” He barked as flares of light flew from his body.

“But sir-“

“DO IT!” He snapped prompting one of the Yilon to walk up to the barrier.

“Mmm… it’s definitely weaker than the one before-“

“I don’t care, just open it!”

The knight nodded before pressing his open hand on the barrier.

Several, extremely loud pops and cracks then filled the air and I watched in awe as the barrier shattered.

Caligo wasted no time in rushing forward even as the barrier fell apart. He then stepped into the walkway and to my surprise, none of the knights followed him.

We all watched as he walked up to the door.

He then stopped and raised his hand to knock, but he stopped.

He then glanced back at me and I weakly smiled, before gesturing that he move forward.

He nodded before knocking on the gigantic door.

Silence then filled the royal palace.

“Father?” He called weakly, but he received no response.

The seconds painfully ticked by as we all watched Caligo stand in the walkway.

He then knocked again.

“Father!” He yelled. His voice laden with fear and desperation.

Everyone then gasped as the door slowly opened and even Caligo himself took several steps backwards.

My eyes then fell to a spot near the floor to find a small man dressed in a silky blue gown. Although it would be accurate to calm him a dwarf.

He had a head full of grey hair and he had bright white eyes.

“Caligo?” The old man wheezed.

I then realized that half of his face was covered in skin that was dry, grey and looked like it would fly away with the wind if someone blew hard enough.

Caligo fell to his knees and we all watched as the old man wrapped his thin arms around him.

“Oh… it has been such a long time, my son.”

“It has-“

“Where is she?” The old man asked suddenly.

“Where is Death?”