Amelia stood still, her eyes following the distant silhouette of her son, Lucifer, as he vanished past the hill, toward the cursed veil of the Azure Forest. The iron gates of the Hellsbane estate clanged shut behind him, echoing through the courtyard like a tolling bell.
Her chest tightened.
Just what in the seven hells had gotten into him? Why now, after years of disinterest in duty, in family, in strength or the Hellsbane name, was he willingly venturing into a monster-filled forest known to devour even seasoned adventurers?
He had spent so long neglecting his training, avoiding any responsibility, refusing invitations to tournaments and duels. He didn't even attend last year's Winter Trials—a rite of passage for all noble heirs. And now, with no warning, no explanation, he rode alone into the most dangerous wildlands in the region.
"I… I don't understand…" Amelia whispered to herself, clutching the stone banister.
Part of her wanted to chase after him. Part of her wanted to shout until her voice cracked, to grab him by the shoulders and demand to know why. What had changed? What burned behind his eyes this morning when he left without a word?
But she didn't.
That aching silence between them—crafted by years of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and pain—held her in place. If she forced the matter, it might break something beyond repair. And yet, letting him go might do the same.
She wanted to hug him. Desperately. To bring him back into the house and speak like they used to when he was younger—when he was still her little boy, still full of dreams and mischief.
But she didn't. Couldn't.
Tears threatened her vision.
"Please," she murmured, voice cracking. "Please come back safe."
Victoria was already deep into her morning training when the world shifted.
The clang of metal echoed across the family's training courtyard, where she practiced sharp, deliberate thrusts with her twin blades. Sweat gleamed on her forehead as she parried a strike from Alicia, her younger sister, before twirling backward and resetting her stance.
Across from her, Alicia huffed in frustration.
"You never go easy," she said.
"You never grow strong if I do," Victoria replied sharply.
John, their youngest sibling, laughed from the sidelines. "Sister's in one of her moods again."
"Focus, John," Victoria snapped.
She didn't enjoy scolding them, but her focus today was razor-thin. Her swings held more intensity. Her movements, more urgency. She was training not just for herself but because she had to be ready—for him.
Lucifer.
Her brother. Her twin in age, but a stranger in spirit.
She still remembered when they used to sneak out of lessons together to explore the city markets or prank the steward. But somewhere along the years, Lucifer changed. He distanced himself, locked away his heart. And Victoria… she could never find the words to reach him again.
So she trained.
Trained to be strong enough to protect him, even if he didn't ask. Even if he never knew.
A sharp whistle from the east wall interrupted their spar.
The three turned as a stableboy ran down the path, shouting, "Young Lord Lucifer—he's left the estate!"
Victoria dropped her blades and raced to the lookout tower. She scaled it quickly and looked out.
And there he was.
On his black steed, already cresting the hill toward the forest.
But the direction—
The Azure Forest?!
Her breath caught.
"No… no, no, no…"
A horrifying thought clawed into her mind. He isn't going there to die, is he? Her heart hammered in her chest.
She vaulted down the steps two at a time.
"Alicia! John! Stay here!" she called, already sprinting across the courtyard.
She didn't make it far.
Amelia stood at the mansion's grand gates, her face pale, her hands trembling.
The motherly mask she wore had shattered.
"Mother?" Victoria asked, slowing.
Their eyes met—and everything was understood without a word.
He was gone.
They had both seen it.
Victoria didn't hesitate. She tightened the straps on her gauntlets, grabbed a fresh blade from the weapon rack, and turned to the forest.
"I'm going after him."
"Victoria—"
"If I wait, it'll be too late."
She didn't wait for permission. She ran.
The forest loomed before her like a slumbering beast.
Victoria slowed only when the trees swallowed the road, and the shadows deepened. The forest of Azure was ancient, wild, and cruel. Every step inside felt like trespassing on sacred ground. The wind whispered. The trees groaned. And something… watched.
But she pressed forward, following the barely visible hoofprints Lucifer had left behind. Her sharp eyes scanned for disturbances—scratched bark, scattered leaves, broken twigs.
She found them easily. He hadn't tried to hide his path.
It wasn't long before she found blood.
Fresh. Splattered on leaves and ground.
Oh no…
Her hand went to her blade. Muscles tensed. She advanced, slower now, following the trail.
Minutes passed. Then an hour. The deeper she went, the more signs of battle she found—dead slimes, broken stones, even a partially severed greater wolf's paw.
Then she heard it.
A roar. Faint, but distinct. Bestial. Agonized.
She broke into a sprint.
The path curved into a clearing—and there, amidst the carnage, was her brother.
Lucifer stood over the corpse of a massive beast, his iron sword buried in the skull of a Greater Wolf. Blood coated his sleeves. His breath was ragged. And yet… his eyes gleamed with fierce fire.
He didn't see her yet.
Victoria stood hidden behind a tree, heart thundering.
She had never seen him like this.
He looked… alive.
Lucifer sat heavily on a fallen log, panting. His sword trembled in his grasp.
End of Chapter 2