Eiden watched the two distant figures tear across the sky, white and green light colliding in violent bursts that rippled through the clouds. The air trembled with every clash, each shockwave rolling across the plains like distant thunder.
"Be careful," Eiden said, sheathing his katana with a soft click. "Their spells could burst in any direction. Keep your eyes and ears sharp. For now… we wait until they finish."
He lowered himself to the ground, cloak settling around him as he pulled his grimoire from his belt. The pages glowed faintly as he opened it, the runes shifting like living ink.
Vaelus threw his arms up. "And we're just gonna sit here while those two are fucking going at it?!"
Morvath sheathed his blades and placed a steady hand on Vaelus's shoulder. "Vaelus. If we get caught in a battle between them, three of us would die instantly. But it wouldn't be you, Eiden, or Selyndra."
Dravien's ears shot up, tail swaying sharply. "Wait a damn second—so what? You saying compared to them, we're weak?!"
"Yes," Morvath said without hesitation. "Exactly that."
Dravien blinked. "Wow. Just… wow."
Morvath continued, voice calm but firm. "Selyndra and Eiden come from powerful clans. Their magic is far beyond ours. Eiden wields a grimoire containing nearly every spell known, except those tied to the three gods. And all three of them are sword experts. As for Vaelus—if he wanted to, he could see our attacks thirty minutes before we even think of using them. His dodging alone puts him above us."
Dravien clenched his fists, ears flattening. "Unbelievable."
"Everyone, calm down," Eiden said, eyes still on his grimoire. "For now, we sit and wait. If they're still fighting when night comes… we intervene."
Vaelus looked at him, frustration flickering in his emerald eyes. "But Eiden—"
He stopped himself.
The sky flashed again, a violent burst of white and green tearing through the clouds.
Vaelus exhaled, shoulders dropping. "I guess…"
He sat down beside the others, placing his blade across his lap, eyes fixed on the distant battle raging above the ruined kingdom.
The ground trembled again.
The war between kings continued.
As the hours passed, the sky shifted from bright gold to a deepening orange. The breeze changed with it — warmer at first, then cooler, carrying the faint scent of dust and distant smoke. The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the plains as the distant battle raged on, white and green lights flashing like storms behind the drifting clouds.
The Sages had settled into their own rhythms as they waited.
Eiden sat cross‑legged in the grass, cloak wrapped around him as he read through his grimoire. The runes glowed softly against his face, reflecting in his calm grey eyes. Every so often, he glanced at the sky, tracking the movements of the two clashing figures.
Selyndra sat nearby, legs folded neatly beneath her, eyes closed as she meditated. The fading sunlight shimmered across her golden hair, and the air around her pulsed faintly with quiet magic, responding to her steady breathing.
Morvath remained standing, arms crossed, watching the distant battle with a soldier's focus. His posture never relaxed, even as the hours dragged on. The shifting breeze tugged at his cloak, but he didn't move.
Vaelus sat with his blade across his lap, tapping his foot impatiently. His emerald eyes flicked between the sky and the horizon, irritation simmering beneath the surface. Every few minutes, he muttered something under his breath, but he stayed put.
Iris lay back in the grass with her hands behind her head, staring up at the sky. Her red cloak spread around her like a blanket, catching the warm colors of the sunset. She hummed quietly to herself, though her eyes never fully relaxed.
Seraphaine plucked petals from a nearby wildflower, letting them drift into the wind. Her gaze stayed fixed on the distant flashes of light, her expression unreadable, but her fingers moved with a calm, almost ritualistic rhythm.
Dravien paced.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
His ears twitched at every distant boom, every shift in the wind, every crack of light in the sky. His tail swayed with restless energy, unable to settle like the others.
The sun dipped lower.
The sky darkened.
And still, the two figures clashed above the ruined kingdom — white and green lights tearing across the heavens like warring stars.
Eiden finally closed his grimoire.
"If they're still fighting when night falls," he said quietly, "we move."
The others looked up.
The sky flashed again.
Night was coming.
And the battle between kings showed no sign of ending.
Vaelus then stood up, catching his blade in his hand as he rose. "That's it. I can't do this," he snapped, frustration boiling over. His robe shifted with the sudden movement, the fabric rippling in the fading light.
The others reacted instantly.
Selyndra's eyes opened, sharp and alert, her meditation broken. Iris lifted her head from the grass, brows raised. Morvath straightened, arms uncrossing as his focus shifted fully to Vaelus. Seraphaine paused mid‑motion, a petal slipping from her fingers. Dravien stopped pacing, ears perked, tail flicking with agitation. Even Eiden looked up from his grimoire, gaze steady and unreadable.
Vaelus pointed the blade toward the ground, jaw tight. "Eiden, I need to talk to you. Now."
Eiden closed his grimoire and stood, dusting the grass from his cloak. "Alright," he said calmly. "Let's talk."
Vaelus stepped closer, eyes sharp, voice rising. "You contain nearly every spell in existence. You know the abilities tied to time. You have every spell related to time magic — so you know exactly what the hell is going to happen. Neither of them will die. Not today. Not tonight. This fight won't end anytime soon."
He gestured wildly toward the sky, where white and green light clashed like warring stars.
"If we attack once night hits, some of us could die. So why can't we take a different approach?! Why are we waiting for a death trap to open?!"
Eiden didn't answer immediately.
He simply watched Vaelus — calm, steady, unreadable — letting the Chronomage's anger burn itself into the air.
Finally, he spoke.
"This is the one opportunity we have to kill both the Angel King and Yajin while they're overwhelmed and exhausted."
Vaelus froze.
Eiden continued, voice low and controlled.
"If we let them finish… we won't see either of them for another century. And in that century, the Angel King will likely settle in the Claimed Lands. He'll rebuild. He'll gather followers. He'll spread his influence."
He turned his gaze toward the distant flashes of white and green.
"And Yajin… he will not stay idle. He will continue his crusade. He will purge what he considers 'bad' races. Werewolves. Vampires. Anyone he deems unworthy."
Vaelus's grip tightened on his blade.
Eiden stepped closer, his voice dropping to a quiet, heavy certainty.
"If we do nothing… the world will suffer for a hundred years."
The sky flashed again — a violent burst of white and green tearing through the clouds.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
The war between kings raged on.