In the dark and foggy forest, Azkusai could see where they were going. The current situation was bad in his eyes, both him and this Adelaide girl were surrounded by two men who could move faster than their eyes could see, though he could somewhat keep track of them due to his training.

After months of searching, he finally reached the Heniochi grounds, a city on the cliffside of the Endura Mountain. It looked far too advanced for a tribal settlement. He heard that the Mountain Nations were in some ways superior than other countries. It would seem like the rumors were true to a degree.

"Be careful." One of the men with mask spoke. "You will have to go a narrow path."

He noticed that the man spoke much more fluent than they were before. Both him and Adelaide saw a narrow ridge fit for one person towards the settlement. From what he could tell from them, they were other ways to get to the city but they picked the most precarious one.

Once they reached the narrow path, they could see the Forest of Red surrounding the base of the mountain. Azkusai marvelled at the beautiful scenery even at dark. It brought him a sense of nostalgia of how the fresh winds would often blow his face.

"We are almost near." One of them said.

They arrived at a small hut. He found it weird that their would be a hut at a cliff.

"You will spend your time here until you meet our king. We will be back once we notified you."

"Hey! Wait!" He tried to call them out but they were already gone in a gust of wind. His mind wondered to the possibility that they were now their prisoners.

Adelaide went inside the hut and found two beds on each side. A small table most likely crafted by a master and a small cage for the ravens.

She went a laid her body to one of the beds. "You should get some rest."

Azkusai grew irritated at her nonchalance. "What's wrong with you can't you see that—"

"Enough! We are not being treated as prisoners. The leader is expeting us from the beginning. Why do you think that we are being accomodated? Or why did they ecorted us here wordlessly?" Adelaide closed her eyes and puts her arm over her them. "You have business with the Heniochi no? Then sleep. Trying to escape will only make them hostile."

"Tsk, you and that freak are the same." He sat down the righ bed. "So what'cha here for? For a descendant of the Twelve Champions to meet with an ancient tribe is no short of unusual."

"If we're gonna play that game," Adelaide began. "You better start first. It's not everyday for a rival tribe of the Heniochi to be on friendly terms."

"If you're as well-versed with the mountain folks then you should know that our tribes congregated an alliance."

"And yet, you're here. No less too happy about them." Adelaide stood up and leaned her back at the wall. "Tell me, is this about what happened at the Iron Isle war a year ago?"

Azkusai lept at Adelaide but she managed to jumped in time. He was fast, almost as fast as the Heniochi. "Speak of it again, and I will rip your head off and deliver it to your father."

She remained guarded but she still spoke, "My father was powerless to do something about it and for that, I will apologize to you for his incompetence." She said. "However, threatening my life is not something I can let slip."

She lundge forward at him and punched his guts as hard as she could. Azkusai blocked the hit, thinking to himself that she wouldn't have enough power to overwhelm him physically. Unfortunately he was wrong.

Despite blocking it, the punch cost him to vomit hard. He didn't expect her to have that much strength in her strikes. He heard her footsteps nearing him and he stood up.

"Did you have enough?" Adelaide had a cold yet refined gaze. "If it is, then as a sign of good will, I will let your comment slide."

Her gaze never left him. Her guarded posture still stood strong. "You bitch." Azkusai spat at her.

With that, Adelaide kicked him the face with a greater intensity than her punches and knocked him out cold. "Not me."

Adelaide lifted his body and placed him on his bed while she went to sleep. They only had a couple of hours until sunrise.

While she decided to sleep, the truth was she couldn't. In a couple of hours, she would meet the ruler of the Heniochi, a powerful mountain nation amongst others. Relations between them and the empire weren't good, if it were, they wouldn't be secluded from society. That said, it was amazing how mighty their nation has become.

After hours of waiting, she heard a small knock on the window. It was a small raven. She let the raven come in and inside the cage. Its eyes glowed and its beak open.

"Welcome princess Adelaide. I hope you had a spendid evening. Meet me in an hour or two, we have much to discuss." A voice came out the beak.

She decided to make herself look presentable as possible with the limited resources. She used her hands to straighten her hair and fixed the ruffles of her clothes. She went over to Azkusai to wake him up, since he too had business with the Heniochi.

"Wake up." Adelaide shook him. "We're gonna meet up with—" She felt a sharp knife aimed at her neck.

"...With the leader."

Azkusai's glare was intense. "Don't you think I'll forgive you for that punch."

Adelaide glared back with cold intensity. "Then don't be childish about it. Fix yourself up, we're about to meet him."

"...Yeah, him."

He brought down his knife and got ready too, while his guard was still up.

She shook her head in annoyance at the man's hostile nature. She knew what happened a year ago was their fault or at least, that was what the report said. It was reported that the empire was invaded by a coalition of tribal nations near the territory of House Njord, which the empire won but barely. Rumors said that the Heniochi proposed the coalition but nothing came up. Her father couldn't do anything about the sudden attack and so, a revolt against her father with eight noble houses happened. The Vanir Faction as her father once called them. It seemed like Azkusai's family were murdered during the war.

They both heard a knock on their door. It was definitely the men last night. Adelaide opened the door to confirm it. She saw two large figures standing at the doorway.

"Are you two ready?" One of them asked.

"Yes." Adelaide said.

"Then come with us."

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One of them noticed Azkusai's bruise on his face. "You. What happened to you?"

"Nothing for you to be concerned about." He said as he walked passed them.

The journey was quite uneventful, aside from the refreshing air that the trees give, the calm atmosphere of their path and the small noises of birds and other critters hiding in the bushes. It reminded her of the royal garden where she would play with all her siblings, laughing at each other and enjoying their time.

The fun times she wish she could have again.

"We're here."

Adelaide was brought put of her thoughts only to find herself at a giant door with gold intricate designs. She didn't even noticed the large staircase that they had been on. She needed to get rid of any distractions or else her plans would be in jeopardy.

They entered the throne room, and walked along the red carpet, far too fancy for mountain folks but this was what she was expecting from a powerful nation. She saw a person with a black and tattered poncho, underneath it was a sword. The person had a mask of a monster with horns. Beside him was two elderly people with hunched backs and with a two bird masks.

"Welcome to His Majesty's throne room." One of the elderly said.

All the men surrounding each side of the room bowed their head to their visitors. Adelaide looked around the room to observe her surroundings. Like the entrance, it was surprisingly fancy for a supposed mountain folks.

"Quit this farce already. We're here for you, Yuna." Azkusai said, with a glare as heated as the sun.

Just as he said that, the men surrounding the room pointed their spears towards them. Adelaide sighed at her companion's rudeness.

"Watch you're tongue you damned—?!" The elderly to the right was hit in the head by their tribe leader.

"Mind your tongue Keh. He may be a half-blood but he's still my brother."

That caught Adelaide's attention. She didn't know Azkusai was related to the Heniochi. Him and his sister, Sakae we're from the Lohar tribe.

"I shall deal with you later." The king named Yuna turned his attention towards Adelaide. "What brings you here princess of Valhalla?"

Both the elder immediately ordered her arrest when they found out about her origins. Adelaide didn't know what to do with so many soldiers, without her weapon, she had to rely on her brute strength alone.

"Hold you imbecile. Let the princess speak." All of them felt a surge of killing intent directed towards the elders, Keh and Kah. They were the advisors of the current king.

"I've come to ask for your help." She removed herself from the ocean of spears. "I need your strength to retake Valhalla from the clutches of Bolsung."

There was silence. No one uttered a word nor a peep. For a royal of an enemy nation to ask for help, was unthinkable. They were dumbfounded by the princess's decision to come and meet the leader of the Heniochi.

For the king, he still sat at his throne, unmoving. Unfazed at what tge imperial princess declared with complete seriousness. 

"What do we gain from this?" The king asked.

"Yes, that's right!" The Kah said.

"I do not hold power as of this moment. But once I reclaim my title of empress, I will let all mountain tribes live in my new world."

"And what world would that be?" The leader was curious about what she was talking about. 

"A Unified Eddan."

All eyes were on her once more. The way she said those words were filled with steel and confidence. It resouded to the minds of those who were present even the volatile Azkusai was looking at her with saucer-like eyes.

"And if we refuse?" The king asked. "For what your ancestors did to our people. His direct descendant here at my carpet. Her life would be too much to pass up, don't you agree princess?"

"That's right! After what you've done to our people."

"Then let us put our ancestors feud behind us." She said to them with her eyes glued to their leader. "This new world I speak of will not only benefit your people but also ours. I will create a new order so that reigning peace shall be achieved."

"Do not believe her Your Majesty! This is simply a trick! She will just bury us alive just like the emperor Hanshaugen III did!"

The king remained silent. Adelaide's gaze was an intense blaze. The way she spoke of Eddan does not have the same shallow meaning. Her words of a new world order was not just some childish dream, but a reality she must face head-on. And despite his assessment of her, that was the only thing he could see. No lies. No deceit. Just the cold vision of a new world.

The king stood up and ordered his men to stand down and resume their positions. She ordered the two elderly to stand back while she approached the unfazed and determined princess.

"Do you truly mean that?"

"I do." Her words were absolute.

"Then," He said as he removed his mask as his voice change softly. "I'll take this gamble and trust you. Princess of Valhalla."

Once the masked was completely off, Adelaide's eyes widened to the sight of... A very beautiful woman with black hair. Her eyes were sharp with many years of experience. She also noticed that she was almost as tall as Kriemhild.

"You're majesty!" Keh asked in outrage. "Why would you put your trust in her?! To have shown your face to that wench! Unthinkable!"

"Silence!" The king ordered. "Are you saying that I'm incompetent at my role? Do you remember who are you dealing with? I'm the mighty Grim Reaper of the Heniochi! I brought you fools victory after victory against othe mighty tribes just to achieve what we have today!" Her eyes turnes as cold as the coldest of glaciers.

One of them drew a dagger underneath her poncho, "You disgrace our ancestors long enough! I will rid that girl my self."

Despite being old, the Keh was still quite fast at her ability to throw her knife at Adelaide. The events happened so fast that she didn't notice a blade was right in front of her, deflecting the knife.

When she finally gathered her thoughts, she noticed a messy black hair in gront of her. He turned his attention to her with impassive eyes.

"Allendis?!"

"...Yes it's me."

Yuna lept towards the two elderly with blinding speed that Adelaide couldn't keep up with her movements as the two elderly's head were on her hands each, making quick work of them.

"...You were faster last time, Yuna." Allendis remarked.

Yuna remained silent at his comment and ordered her trusted guard, Flitch, to clean up the bodies. Yuna herself cleaned her hands up as to remove its stench. She never really liked the smell of blood.

"What are you doing here, Allendis?" Adelaide asked him. Her attention was now on him after the quick 'exchange' that had happened.

"...I followed you two."

"You got caught didn't you?" She placed her lands on her hips with an accusatory look.

"I asked his majesty to stay here until you arrived. She's surprisingly compliant." Allendis said as he sheathes his sword.

He gave Azkusai a look. "Your sister is safe with Kriemhild. They're probably waiting for our return."

"Good, if she wasn't, there would be hell if I see a single scratch at her."

Azkusai walked past the both of them to confront Yuna, who finished cleaning herself up. "Oh, hello little brother. May we discuss our affairs another time."

"No, so let's cut to the chase." He said. "At the Iron Isle war, your army attacked Valhalla's borders guarded by some noblemen, along with my tribe and our father, correct?"

"...Yes."

"Why did you do it?" Azkusai asked. "Why would you suddenly kill all of them? Didn't we promised with each other that our tribes would someday coexist? I just needed some answers."

Yuna remained silent. What happened a year ago was fue to her own failures as a leader. Despite being the most powerful mountain tribe, she couldn't do anything towards that man. All she could do was to bide her time and strike him back just as hard.

"I'm sorry. I did what I had to do." She said solemnly. "But trust me, as your older sister, I will right my wrongs. Please believe me. In time, I will tell you what happened."

"...Sister, we've known each other since we were kids. Sakae always wanted to be someone like you. You would always come to our little meeting spot where no one would find us." He said softly to her. "I know whether you're in pain or not. And right now, you're doing all you can just to carry that burden."

Yuna smiled at her brother. "Well, you've certainly grown to be a fine young man to know that."

"Father was the only one who told me that." He smiled back. "Us half-bloods were far too ugly for our people."

"Blind fools they were."

Both of them laughed loudly. It was the first time anyone of them laughed. "...In due time brother, I will tell you what happened. All I could do right now is to give you the location of their graves. That is what you came here for yes?"

"For Sakae. I wouldn't give two shits about them if it weren't for her constant request."

"I wish I could see my darling little sister once more."

"Oh she's fine. I left her with those two," He pointed to Allendis and Adelaide. "He may not look like it but that guy is strong. And that girl had some swing to her fist. They also had this swordswoman, she had an air of a warrior."

"The infamous Black Demon, the warrior princess and the imperial imperial princess." She said. "Quite the odd group destiny has put together."

"Black Demon? The one at the Raven Port incident?"

She nodded, "Yes. He might be a mercenary but he has some shed of nobility once you get to know him."

"...You fought him?"

"Once, it was nothing personal. In fact, I respect his strengths. That undying will to survive." She said with a hungry smirk on her face. "Her unwinnable situation might turn around if he's with her."

Azkusai watched her sister's face turn into dangerous smirk. To him, Yuna was someone who shone brightly in every aspect of humanity. Her dreams of leading a unified mountian world was the one thing she had in common with Adelaide. So for even her sister to respect a common mercenary was something he wasn't expecting.

"Come you two," Yuna called the pair out. "Let's dine tonight for our newly forge alliance!"