Sevidon stood in the well-lit corridor. His mind raced with the urgency of his decision. He knew he had to return to the Sulinhawi Kingdom, and he needed to do it quickly. The weight of responsibility pressed on him as he considered the consequences of his absence.

As he strode forward, his thoughts focused on who would assume command in his absence. Aderon’s approval was crucial, and he had already made up his mind on who should take his place. It had to be someone who would satisfy Aderon’s expectations and allow him to depart without delay.

His resolve hardened as he considered the conversation he needed to have with Aderon. It centered on Tamiron and Everess, and the deeply troubling dynamic between them. The thinly veiled secrecy surrounding their actions gnawed at him, feeding his suspicion and unease.

His suspicions and wariness about Everess had been growing since the beginning of the war. Her recent actions, particularly her defiance of their agreement to besiege Oroz’Kram, were the final straw. Her silence on important matters, her hidden motives, and her exemption from the chain of command, all sanctioned by Tamiron, troubled him deeply.

He struggled to reconcile these odd behaviors with the Everess he had known five years ago. Something had changed, something significant, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a change for the worse.

Lost in thought, Glaivel’s sudden appearance from another corridor surprised him.

“There you are,” Glaivel called out, his voice breaking through his focus.

He turned to face him, noting the urgency in Glaivel’s expression. “What makes you say that?” he asked, curious. He hadn’t shared his plans with anyone, and his decision to leave had been sudden, born from the urgency of the situation.

Glaivel pulled him to the side, his voice barely audible, barely more than a whisper. “The tomb was attacked,” he said, his words landing heavily in the quiet corridor.

His heart plummeted. He didn’t need Glaivel to elaborate; he knew immediately which tomb had been desecrated. The news hit him like a physical blow, stealing his breath and leaving him reeling.

“How did—”

“My men in the kingdom, the ones I entrusted with guarding and patrolling the hidden tomb’s outskirts, reported it to me via owl,” Glaivel explained, his own voice tight with tension. “These men are my most loyal. They share the secret of the tomb. That they contacted me about it is what surprised me.”

“You said the tomb was well-hidden,” he managed, his voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

“Well, yes, it is. I made sure it’s hard to find—”

His anger surged suddenly, a red haze clouding his vision. Without thinking, he grabbed Glaivel by the collar, slamming him against the wall with a force that echoed through the corridor.

It was news to him that his brother, Glaivel, had taken care to ensure Azaria and Azarel’s bodies were buried and treated with respect. The mere thought of their resting place being defiled filled him with a white-hot rage, burning bright and fierce.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m as worried and pissed as you are,” Glaivel protested, struggling against his grip.

For a moment, his rage threatened to consume him. But then, with a great effort, he released Glaivel, stepping back and taking a deep, steadying breath.

He didn’t meet Glaivel’s eyes as he turned and made his way swiftly to the Grand Commander’s office.

As he entered, he was surprised to find Ravaen already there.

“Ravaen, I’m glad you’re back,” he said, his voice slow and calm despite the storm of emotions raging inside him. “Any news for us?”

“Yes,” Ravaen said, then glanced back at Aderon, his frustration evident in his tone. “The news is, I’m trying to take my army back. But for some odd reason, I can’t — despite being the King of said army.”

Aderon, already exasperated, threw himself into his chair, gently rubbing his forehead in a gesture of weariness.

“Ravaen, look—” Aderon began to explain, his frustration apparent. It seemed as though he was going to repeat himself once again. “We are finally this close to winning this war and ending this Xerxecian threat that threatens all our kingdoms combined. And this is not because of the Trasidar Empire, no!” he emphasized, trying to make his case clear.

“This is because of the combined effort of the Free Kingdoms. I’m already offering you command of the entire sieging army, which should be there by tomorrow’s sunset. You’ll have the best generals under your command if you accept this.”

Then Aderon turned his gaze to Ravaen and Glaivel. “You can add these two to your command.”

“Why would you gain by giving it to me, then?” Ravaen asked calmly. “It just doesn’t make sense, you know? The Grand Commander was not leading the charge and all. After all, I’m sure you need this prestige more than I do if we succeed tomorrow.”

Aderon took a deep breath, clearly annoyed. Ravaen chuckled. “Or maybe it’s because, if this siege fails, the blame will be on me.”

“That is not what I intend, Ravaen,” Aderon tried to explain once more. “You are battle-hardened like I am, and the Mystic Army patrolled mostly that quadrant under your leadership. You secured it faster than the rest of us in our quadrants of Shardon.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

But it was clear Ravaen was having none of it.

“Come now, Ravaen. Work with me here,” Aderon pleaded. “I’m trying to make it right with you when it’s not even my fault to begin with. Can you at least consider it?”

Ravaen only shook his head. He couldn’t help but think that Ravaen still felt insulted at that point. But as he heard it, it looked like Aderon was trying to make amends with him, on behalf of the United Forces.

“Tell the army to halt their march for now,” Ravaen said as he headed for the door.

Aderon, confused, asked, “Why?”

With his signature sly smile, Ravaen said, “Because I want to arrive there with them, to see the look on Everess’ face,” and then he left.

Aderon breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, it looked as though his worries were gone, but then he looked at both of them again.

“What can I do for you?” Aderon asked them.

He looked at Glaivel, who immediately cleared his throat and told Aderon what had happened.

Aderon, with his hands together, fingers pointed, rested on his nose as he listened to the situation.

“Because of this, I request to leave immediately for the Sulinhawi Kingdom,” he asked, seeking Aderon’s permission. “The command of the Karinhawi Army will be given to Prince Wraponreth.”

“Why the Sulinhawi Kingdom? Will you even be welcome there?” Aderon asked, clearly confused.

“The tomb predates the existence of the Karinhawis. But it was a significant event, really, that affects both kingdoms, so I’ll be going instead,” he said.

Aderon then looked at Glaivel. “And you are fine with this?”

“You need all the help you can get. I’ll keep an eye out on Ravaen for you. At least you won’t worry about him losing control,” Glaivel said as he assured Aderon.

Aderon clearly didn’t want another headache. “Fine, go,” he relented, then turned his attention to Glaivel once more. “You should go now too. During the siege, you will be under Ravaen’s command,” Aderon said as he began to draw up the paperwork.

“What, you were serious about that?” Glaivel protested.

“I cannot have this kind of drama with all of us anymore. It’s just too much. You lot are a handful of people,” Aderon said as Glaivel groaned and left.

Sevidon, however, stayed behind.

“Since you are still here, am I correct to assume there’s more?” Aderon asked, his tone weary.

“It’s about Tamiron and Everess. Especially how she’s acting,” Sevidon said.

Aderon was visibly annoyed. He stood up and immediately grabbed some wine, handing Sevidon a cup.

“I will go to Tamara for now to speak to Queen Tamara directly,” Sevidon added, taking a sip of his wine.

“I’m guessing you tried to speak to her already?” Aderon asked, his frustration evident.

“Yes, but I only managed to reach Tamiron. It feels like they are hiding something. Tamiron is also defending her too much as of late,” Sevidon expressed his concerns, and by the looks of it, Aderon shared the same sentiment.

“You know, the day the command was given to me, I tried to ask them about it. All Everess told me was that it is what is needed,” Aderon said, frustration evident in his voice. He drained his entire cup and poured himself another. “Who talks like that? The absurdity of the secrecy. Out of respect for Tamiron, I just let it go. But this is getting out of hand. You will actually do me a favor if you talk to the Queen Empress."

“I’ll make sure to speak for the both of us then,” he replied, finishing his own cup and preparing to leave.

“Keep me posted,” Aderon said as he returned to his work as he drank his wine.

As he left the office, he felt somewhat relieved. At least it wasn’t just him who shared the same concern. With Aderon’s support, he felt more confident about addressing the issue with the Queen Empress herself, Queen Tamara.

He made his way down the corridor, his mind already racing with plans for his meeting with the Queen Empress. But as he stepped out into the bustling courtyard, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this mystery than met the eye. And he was determined to uncover it, no matter the cost.

In the middle of the southern seas, far from the shores of the Empire and the mainland, Everess emerged from her teleport orb, hovering above the calm waters. She turned to her right, then to her left, and saw islands in the distance. Slowly, she spun, taking in her surroundings, confirming that she was where she wanted to be.

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and her hair slowly turned dark pink, her face darkening to a deep purple, reminiscent of the day her parents were murdered. The dark hue crept down her body until she was entirely enveloped, and then, as she opened her eyes, she released the most excruciating scream, echoing in all directions.

Waves of immense size grew as she unleashed the power and anger she had kept bottled up for so long. The frustration in her chest, the uneasiness in her mind, the restlessness of her soul—all of it poured out in one explosive release.

As the fury subsided, she began to calm herself, the dark purple shedding from her body, her hair returning to its normal color. She hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes still glowing pink, tears streaming quietly down her face as she contemplated everything that had happened so far and the possible outcomes it might lead to.

Slowly, she began to piece together the final plan that would guarantee what she had promised: a Unibeltrasian Victory. It would be a victory that gambled everything.All of her careful planning and long agony to overturn the plans of the Gods and Animos have already crumbled in front of her. She had no choice but to be what she was against to be in the first place, to be a herald.

All she had to do now is to lay down the final foundations of their plan to secure a victory.

At first, she was confused, hesitant about the plans the Gods and Animos had for this world. They entrusted her with the task of securing their precious world, a task she had resented from the moment it was laid upon her during Tamiron’s rage five years ago, up until now. She resented it. She hated it with all her heart.

But as she realized that her efforts were futile, she surrendered everything. Everything she had stood for, everything she had been taught growing up—she threw it all away. She grew to hate the world she was taught to love. She was taught to love life itself.

And use life, she shall.

In Orderian legend, all their spells came from one superior book of forbidden spells. One spell, in particular, caught her eye and piqued her interest. A spell so forbidden that it would require what she was taught of love to be forgotten.

She could sense the coming battle looming ever closer. She felt it in the air, in the waves, and in the earth. She felt the impending event unfold. If Yor’Jod was the great Conductor of the Orchestra of the Heavens, she was given an opportunity to lead the entirety of it. And waste it she would not. Not anymore. Not ever.

She had accepted her destiny.

She promised herself that she would find a way. She could already see it fleeting beyond the sunset. But darkness sometimes brings new light, a new hope. And out of this hope, she slowly realized what needed to be done. In this darkness, she remembered the promise of a Unibeltrasian victory—at all costs.

She made up her mind that she would have to be prepared to do what must be done. She would utilize the lessons she was taught to love unconditionally in order to make use of life. However, she would use it as she saw fit. To secure a promise to a person who would help her usher it in and ensure that it happened.

Whether he liked it or not.

End of Chapter XXIII