The first white thread of dawn drew outward, Momo’s eyes followed the horizon closely, as he made the preparations to summon the royal court forth for the arrival of Raúl to Poclinton.

Walking out onto the steps of the palace with her brother, Amirah, the soon to be Crown Princess of Northumbria harboured feelings of enmity over this royal affair.

“I don’t need to read your mind to know you are angry my young sister, what troubles you?” Momo asked warmly.

“Why did we have to end up here? I don’t want to be a princess, I just want to go back to the way things were, but now we are monarchs.” Amirah responded, irritated by the low royals walking up the steps.

“If we did not come here, what of Edward, the men in service, and the innocents who fled from Raúl’s corrupt nobles? We have a duty, as those with power to protect the powerless my young sister. You have only been a teenage woman for a short time, so the world is an enigma to you and the nuances of protecting the weak are new to you, but this is the best way, and the way we can minimise the rising powers of England and the Adaerian Kingdom.” Momo explained.

“You just feel so distant, so hyper-fixated on your goals but negligent of your family, who is really just me.” Amirah interjected.

“Amirah I-” Momo sighed. “You know it isn’t like that, it’s just… I enabled him, this wicked man, the moment I felt our souls begin to separate I felt the true malice of him be lifted off me, that man, or thing, that monster. I cannot allow him to roam freely, he will bring ruin to all, and if I die, who will rise to take my place?” Momo orated, the fear, anger, and pleading within his voice apparent.

“I didn’t know he still haunted you, I’m so sorry.” Amirah apologised, hugging at Momo.

“You have no need to apologise Amirah, but try to understand what this is for, it is to end him, and all his cruel schemes and plans.” Momo rejoined, welcoming Amirah’s hug.

“I’ll try my best Momo.” Amirah affirmed, as the two stood atop the place steps, awaiting the noblemen.

Momo sat in his throne, presiding over the nobles raising his hand to silence their muttering and conversations.

“As you all know, with the visit of Raúl drawing into its final waiting hours, I must now discuss the proceedings for what will happen after I am crowned Archduke of Haevaria, the newest addition to the royal affairs of Brittania. The most pressing matter is the fall of Scotland to King Alard of Adaeria. With this victory, he shall have all the spoils of war and shall be able to split the provinces of his expanded kingdom, allowing him to prepare for a war with us. Our goals, as of late have been to destabilise the southern portions of his kingdom, which have been decently successful, but it will only last a month, maybe two. In the period of him quelling the rebels, we will need to build an army able to challenge his and come to their rescue, by the time of the latter stages of the rebellion, I would assume they could build a force of at least a thousand, meaning we require an army at least ten thousand strong. Any questions?” Momo explained.

“How will we be able to double our army’s size to face him when our army only numbers at five thousand over the year you have ruled?” A young Baron yelled from the crowd.

“With the money accrued from the sweeping tax reforms I have implemented, we may introduce higher pay rates for our standing soldiers, alongside guarantors of land deeds after the wars.” Momo answered.

A few more hours dragged on, questions being satisfied as the court broke into discussions as Momo awaited the arrival of Raúl. Momo arose from his throne, flash-stepping to the door and opening it, walking to the top of its steps. Momo appreciated the beauty of the city walls, towering and extremely well armoured. As he looked out to the sun reaching its zenith, he heard the distant rumbling of horses and trumpets. Momo peered out a few miles to the west, to see the Royal Entourage. Amirah exited the hall, joining her brother in overlooking the closing caravan.

As the gates to Poclinton opened, Raúl exited his carriage. Momo and Raúl shared a handshake as Momo silently gestured to the palace, walking pace by pace with the King of England.

“How has the last month faired for you?” Momo asked.

“It has been uneventful, I have studied our mutual fiend to the north, I has concluded that at any point, he could destroy the entirety of Britannia with a singular Ethereal Flame. His power has become far too much for us to handle alone, which is why, through this visit, I would hasten to give suggestions regarding preparations for the war. For my part, I have tightened the discipline around my soldiers and put out the last sparks of rebellion, what have you been doing to uphold what you have proposed?” Raúl posed.

“I have doubled the size of my army and expanded the economy far further than I had expected, I shall have a whole army ready soon.” Momo responded as they began to walk up the steps of the palace.

“Today, you will become my official ally and Archduke of the north, this shall be to bring an end to Alard, then, you shall unite with my kingdom and rule as the Prince of Northumbria and Scotland.” Raúl stated.

“I will agree as such, do you plan to write this into the treaty?” Momo asked.

“I will signal to a union within the treaty, but we cannot openly declare you ruler of Scotland until he begins open war, my scouts have confirmed Alard is sending envoys to Berlin and Paris, we must tread carefully so he plays into our hands, lest we fall into his.” Raúl replied as the door to the Royal Hall were opened by the guards.

Momo and Raúl separated, moving on both sides of the elongated table to the top of its beautifully carved inscriptions.

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“Noble families of England and Northumbria, we meet here today to crown a new legitimate ruler upon Britannia, as of today, at the turn of 1202, Momo Elric, with my blessing, is the Archduke of Haevaria. With this, we shall sign the treaty of Poclinton, expanding trade and relations to these nations.” Raúl declared, as applause followed. Raúl placed a crown upon Momo’s head, to signify his blessing to the new Archduchy of Haevaria.

Before anything else could be done, Momo sensed an aura of unimaginable strength, peering into the Spectral World, he saw a tall knight standing in the middle of his city.

“Do you see him?” Momo whispered to Raúl

“I see him.” Raúl affirmed.

Both began walking outside the doors, followed by Takahiro and Hjalmarr.

“Get inside, bring the guards and secure the royals.” Momo ordered to Amirah who nodded, slamming and locking the doors with the guards.

Momo headed the four, descending the steps and removing his royal dress in place of his wartime attire with the flick of a finger.

“Who are you?” Momo yelled at the masked man, his glowing red eyes observing Momo.

“I am Lord Vallum, and I am here to kill you, Momo Elric.” Vallum replied.

“Why?” Momo posed.

“You hold a treasure of my masters, an illusion of free will, but this a deception, you are a pawn in a game you have yet to realise you are being played in.” Vallum commented.

“Whatever treasure I have, it is not yours to take.” Momo threatened.

“I will make things simple for you, you shall face me upon that mountain within a minute of my departure, falling at my hands so I may reclaim my master’s prize, or I shall destroy this city, its inhabitants and all you care for.” Vallum stated, pointing at a mountain a couple hundred miles away, as he awaited Momo’s answer.

“Alone?” Momo asked.

“I would prefer you bring your pets, otherwise this would be a waste of both our time, since you are no challenge to me.” Vallum responded.

“I accept your terms.” Momo remarked, watching as the knight dashed away.

“Will you join us?” Momo asked Raúl.

“I will. Wouldn’t be fitting not to aid my ally.” Raúl responded.

Momo nodded as all four sprinted to the mountain, arriving at its peak to see Vallum awaiting, his entire being changed, covered in pitch black armour head to toe with metallic horn-like spikes protruding from his head, his eyes were now a light blue, glowing in their beauty as a light purple aura surrounded him.

“You look different.” Momo commented.

“You look as pathetic as before.” Vallum noted, summoning a sword of the same make as his armour as it burst into flames of the same colour as the ones used by Takahiro.

“No time for pleasantries I assume?” Momo posited.

“I have no desire to engage in them with you. You are a chore, not an opponent.” Vallum responded.

“Very well.” Momo sighed, unsheathing his scimitar as the other three summoned their weapons.

Vallum raised his finger, the terrain breaking and being restricted into an intricate arena. All four dashed at Vallum, being slowed by the raw power emanating from him. Two large slashes lacerated Takahiro, throwing him into a portion of the terrain and leaving him unconscious. Momo dashed back to him, sealing the wounds and beginning the regeneration process as he returned to Vallum, launching an array of slashes at him, which dissipated before they could make contact.

Morphing his sword into a spear, Vallum instantly appeared behind Raúl, impaling him and launching him into Momo, as both fell backward. Seeing this, Hjalmarr charged his axe to totality, swinging with all his might, sending Vallum pummelling away, with a slight crack forming in his armour.

“You are admirable, Thunder-Guard, your stories hold some weight.” Lord Vallum commented, wiping blood from his masked mouth as the damage repaired itself.

Hjalmarr suddenly felt weary, a weakness spreading into his very atoms.

“What is this?” Hjalmarr asked, his bright expression leaving his face.

“Poison, more advanced than any you’ll ever encounter, it latches onto you the more you harm me, the perfect counter, no?” Vallum explained, as Hjalmarr fell to his knees, the poison crippling him.

Momo launched himself toward Vallum, blocking the killing swing aimed toward Hjalmarr. Pushing Vallum up, he slashed at him twice, being blocked as he spun into the air, kicking Vallum outward as he created a pillar to stop his momentum. Pushing himself off of the pillar, Vallum clashed with Momo, the two trading strikes as Vallum broke Momo’s guard for a split-second, shattering his ribs with a punch. Enraged, Momo engaged his own aura, his eyes glowing and turning a deep black, his hair and attire following. Momo clashed with Vallum again, both trading sword strikes as they failed to break one another’s guard. Vallum teleported behind Momo, punching Momo as he turned around, breaking his new form. As he stabbed him in his abdomen.

Momo kicked Vallum away, his senses becoming weary.

“O underworld, I, Momo Elric, son of Rowan Elric call upon thee, heed my word and bring forth the Sovereign of Souls and Constant of Brutality, Dæinvorol.” Momo recited, as the large being appeared from thin air, thundering toward Vallum and shouldering him away.

Momo telepathically issued orders to the beast who silently acknowledged them, awaiting Vallum’s move. Vallum summoned a small sphere of Dark Energy alongside the purple energy radiating off him, blasting Dæinvorol with it, breaking him apart, erasing the beast to Momo’s dismay.

“You were quite sure of the beast; however, I knew you had him, I assure you, he is no challenge.” Vallum gloated, as Momo saw a slowly regenerating Dæinvorol appearing in the distance, Momo could not hide the smile upon his face as he let a small snicker out.

Vallum prepared to charge at Momo, but felt a force tug on him, to his shock, Dæinvorol held his arm, lifting him upward and slamming his mace into his midsection. Vallum exerted a counterforce on Dæinvorol, slamming him into a rock formation. The beast stood up without problem, charging at Vallum.

“Spectral Dominion: Abyss of the Soulforge.” Vallum chanted, a barrierless void appearing with a small shrine covered in the purple flames with Vallum used with what seemed to be artifacts or trophies of past battles collected within its interior.

Shadows swept across the void, striking Momo and Dæinvorol rapidly and inflicting the poison on them, paralysing Momo as he sat in intense pain. Dæinvorol quickly evolved, becoming immune to the poison, as Momo started gaining the immunity. As Momo stood up, Vallum instantly created a sphere similar to the one he made before, the Dominion making it hit him instantly, piercing his entire left torso.

Momo attempted to regenerate, but realised that the Dominion completely negated his regeneration. The Dominion began to take its toll, Momo feeling his soul being corrupted alongside his body, draining his willpower and ability to fight. Dæinvorol’s adaptation began being eroded as the Dominion chewing away at his power.

“Spectral Dominion: Axis of the Beyond.” Raúl chanted from behind Momo, as a barrier formed upon the half of the radius of the battlefield that clashed with Vallum’s Dominion, forestry forming around Raúl’s side of the battlefield, with a temple behind him, enshrouded in an orange mist.

The Dominion’s clashed, with Vallum’s immediately taking the advantage, pushing against Raúl’s.

“You’ll want to beat him whilst his Dominion’s power is negated, I can’t hold him forever.” Raúl yelled, as Momo’s regeneration began, and immunity to the techniques of Vallum passed over from Dæinvorol.

Momo nodded to Dæinvorol. Lord Vallum smiled, accepting their challenge.

“You will all die braver than most for your hubris, your delusions of power will be your undoing.” Vallum confidently stated his aura increasing in potency, as he prepared to end those who stood against his master.