The air was thick with tension, a palpable force stemming from the ominous letter the Princess had received. Yet, Raiking, undeterred by the looming threat, seemed lost in thought, his mind wandering far from the immediate concerns.
His attention was riveted to the heartfelt reunion between Faye and her childhood caregiver, Nanny Martha. This mortal woman, long ago, had been the sole remedy to Faye's formidable cries that could shake the very heavens. Now, it was her exhaustive checklist that meticulously directed the God of Death in his grand quest.
This critical task had led Raiking to make an unexpected detour to Greenhollow. Initially, his plan was to charge straight to the capital and tackle the formidable Tower of Ascension. Yet, following the wise counsel of Ezmelral, they decided to visit the Nanny and update her on Faye's progress. Her seemingly ordinary list of baby items had turned out to be far more crucial to Faye's happiness than the Guild could have ever predicted.
In fact, perhaps a bit too crucial.
Just hours before they arrived, Dia'Tia had hunted down a massive wild boar from the nearby wilderness. She had clumsily crafted its rough fur into a tiny sweater, attempting to replace Faye's vibrant, multi-colored Phoenix cloak.
Faye had decisively rejected the exchange.
Worse still, her small face began to scrunch up, signaling the dreaded onset of an old habit that struck fear into the hearts of the Guild members—a crying episode. Faced with the potential destruction of the local sound barrier and their own eardrums, the world's most formidable creatures had no choice but to yield to the whims of a fussy infant.
Perhaps Faye simply loathed the pungent stench of raw boar hide. Whether she was developing a taste for the universe's most exquisite artifacts or simply cherished the garments her father lovingly crafted, the shadow of raising a spoiled child did not escape Raiking's notice.
Nipping this entitlement in the bud was crucial. Raiking concluded that the best lesson was for his daughter to understand that past actions should never be forgotten, even after a debt is settled. Thus, they made the detour to pay their respects to the Nanny.
"Martha," Raiking's voice cut through the tension in the hall with a calm authority. "What's the latest on the bandit raid you mentioned?"
"They won't be a problem for quite some time."
"Oh?"
"Just before you arrived, a pack of raiders attempted to wreak havoc in the village. They quickly discovered, however, that these lands now have formidable guardians."
Raiking's eyes turned toward the formidable creature standing vigil by the door. "Is this true?"
"Indeed, my Lord."
The Storm Dragon answered not merely with words, but by placing a clawed finger against his temple. From within, he extracted a glowing blue thread of soul-memory. As electric blue lightning crackled around it, he sent the thread spinning to the center of the round table.
In an instant, the thread vibrated fiercely, expanding rapidly into a web of light. Before long, a three-dimensional electric hologram materialized for everyone to witness.
The projection revealed the village square in vivid, crackling detail. It was daytime, and the Storm Dragon, in his humanoid form, reclined lazily on the high branch of the village's ancient tree, a commanding presence in the heart of the scene.
Suddenly, chaos erupted in the distance. Several terrified villagers, unarmed and defenseless, sprinted from the eastern edge of the village, desperate to find safety.
The uproar compelled The Princess and her entourage to step out of their lodge to investigate. Despite the sudden ambush, they maintained their composure. The royals quickly took charge, guiding the fleeing villagers to the safer side of the settlement.
"Why didn't you step in sooner?" Raiking's voice reverberated through the viewing hall, slicing through the silence like a blade.
"We'd never faced the royal Shadow Guards before," the Storm Dragon responded, a defensive edge to his tone. "I believed it was crucial for the Guild to study their tactics and gather as much combat data as possible."
"Don't worry, Guild Master," Nanny Martha interjected soothingly. "No harm came to anyone. The bandits mostly just threaten us. They keep us alive because they need us to grow their crops."
Raiking said nothing, his intense gaze locked back onto the screen to catch the next move of the royals.
In the recorded memory, the skirmish erupted with intensity. The Shadow Guards initially held their own, wielding their Shadow Magic with precision. But the relentless flood of raiders soon began to overwhelm them. These weren't mere street thugs; they were rogue cultivators and exiled sect warriors, their formidable magical skills a testament to their lethal histories.
Before long, the Shadows found themselves encircled. Their situation seemed dire, with retreat appearing to be the only viable option.
Yet, the Princess remained resolute. Although not a cultivator, her expertise in military strategy was unchallenged. She issued command after command, orchestrating a defensive stance that granted the villagers the precious time they needed to flee.
"Defenders, angle your shadow shields! Focus on deflecting the fire arrows!"
"Dual-blades, vanish into the shadows! Target their healers in the back!"
"Shadow archers, target the rooftops! Make sure they never get the chance to look over the edge!"
However, strategy alone couldn't hold back brute force forever. Just as her troops were on the verge of collapse, the Storm Dragon finally unleashed his power, swooping down from the heavens to annihilate the bandits with an awe-inspiring display of divine might.
---
The Soul-Memory projection flickered before dissipating into the ether, casting an eerie silence over the room. All eyes were on Raiking, the God of Death, whose interest in the mundane struggles of mortals was as rare as it was unsettling. The tension was palpable; no one expected him to concern himself with a mere group of wandering thieves.
Yet, the words he uttered next left everyone in stunned silence.
"Princess."
"Yes?" she responded, her voice betraying a slight tremor despite her best efforts to remain composed.
It was the first time he had addressed her directly since his arrival, and she was acutely aware of the gravity of the moment. Raiking, a man whose arrogance knew no bounds and who recognized no equal under the heavens, had turned his focus on her. Whether this was a blessing or a curse, she was about to find out.
"You may ask me three questions," he announced.
The Princess was taken aback. The sudden shift from being completely ignored to having the rare opportunity to question such a formidable figure sent her mind racing.
Countless questions surged within her: Who are you? What is your origin? What are your true motives? Why have you stationed a Divine Dragon in a humble village? What is the purpose of the ominous monument in the Eastern Forest? Did you really annihilate the Phoenix Kin over a mere child's cloak? Were you the one who obliterated the Silent Blade Clan? With so many geopolitical riddles still unresolved, narrowing her inquiries down to just three seemed an excruciating task. The very future of the Dawnfall Region appeared to hang by a thread.
Yet, her royal instincts kept her grounded. There was one pivotal question that she needed to ask. It was the catalyst for all the chaos that had ensued. Uncovering the truth behind this singular event could not only lead to peace but also reveal the true nature of the enigmatic figure before her.
She straightened her spine, meeting his void-black eyes with unwavering determination.
"Your Guild sheltered a criminal," The Princess declared, her voice finding its sovereign edge. "Years ago, when our Royal Army ascended your mountain to capture this individual, they were utterly vanquished. I want to know... why was Dawnfall's justice met with such absolute animosity?"