The Winding Arrow Rivers Valley was a battlefield turned graveyard. The once-vibrant grasslands had been reduced to scorched earth and churned soil, blood soaking into the ground. The air was thick with the stench of iron, burnt flesh, and mana residue. Bodies of Tracients lay strewn across the valley, some disfigured beyond recognition, their armor shattered, their weapons broken.
Amidst the carnage, standing tall like an immovable statue, was Lord Jeth Fare. His entire body was drenched in blood—not his own--but of those who had dared to stand against him. His breathing was steady, though his muscles tensed from prolonged battle. In his hands, he still held his twin chakrams, their sharp edges glinting under the dim light of the rising sun. He slowly exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the destruction.
"To think it took me this long to dispatch a few Özels... What a shame." His deep, country-accented voice rumbled in the empty air.
He shook his head, disappointed in himself. "Even though I wasn't expectin' that #5 to be amped by the Shadow, this fight shouldn't have lasted more than a minute. What a disgrace I am."
Suddenly, his mind was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"LordFare, can you hear me?"
It was Kopa's voice, reaching him through a telepathic link.
"I hear you loud and clear, Kopa. What's the situation at the capital?"
"Most citizens and soldiers have been evacuated, including the injured. They're being led your way by Lord Thrax. He'll return to the battle once they're secure. The King is engaged with a Child of Shadow—Daruis used Benevolence, so I was worried for him. I sent Lord Maymum to assist, so they should be wrapping up soon."
Jeth frowned slightly. "And Lord Kurt?"
There was a brief silence before Kopa responded.
"I'm trying to locate him now. His Arcem would have been a great help to us in this situation, but his absence means he's likely engaged in a battle of his own."
Jeth's grip on his chakrams tightened. "And the other thing… Viceory, you ain't telling me everything. What are ya hiding?"
Silence.
"So, I wasn't mistaken then." Jeth muttered, his gaze shifting toward the distance. "I thought it might have just been disorientation from the fight I just had, but if you felt the same mana signature as wel..."
"We are not sure yet. I'm arriving at the location now. I just wanted to check in and be sure you were okay."
Jeth nodded to himself. "Thank you, Kopa. And be careful."
___________________________
Valleys of Mount Pire
A light wind rustled through the valley, carrying with it a scattering of green leaves. The leaves swirled together, taking shape until they formed the figure of Kopa, who materialized onto the war-torn landscape.
His eyes scanned his surroundings, taking in the utter devastation before him. The valley had been reduced to ruins, evidence of a tremendous battle. The land was scarred, deep fissures in the ground, and the air still crackled with remnants of mana.
"A battle of this magnitude… This is where I felt that mana... But I don't see anyone."
Moving cautiously, he made his way around a bend in the valley—and what he saw made his blood run cold.
The temperature suddenly dropped, a chilling presence lingering in the air.
Adam stood in the center of the battlefield, his back to Kopa, but an overwhelming, suffocating mana still radiated from him. The aura was unlike anything Kopa had ever felt—dense, primal, and terrifying.
Before Adam, two enormous blue Mana Crystals jutted from the valley floor.
One crystal had pierced through a blood-soaked kimono, trapping something beneath it.
The second crystal had impaled a Tracient into the valley wall, their body half-destroyed, but Kopa could still sense life within them. This Tracient was Hazël Rank #13.
However, none of this was what shook Kopa to his core.
What truly unsettled him was the fear clawing at his own chest.
"I've never felt like this before… Is this what it's like to be afraid?"
It wasn't the carnage.
It wasn't the impaled Hazël.
It was Adam.
The mere presence of his mana was enough to paralyze Kopa, his heart hammering against his ribs. He could feel it—this wasn't just raw power. This was something… beyond normal comprehension.
As he stood frozen, Adam turned his head slightly toward him.
Kopa's heartbeat skyrocketed.
He felt his lungs tighten sweat trickling down his brow.
But before Adam could fully turn—
His body suddenly collapsed.
The suffocating aura disappeared instantly, as if it had never been there.
Kopa gasped, suddenly able to breathe again. He rushed forward, kneeling beside Adam and checking his vitals
"Unconscious… He pushed himself too far."
Carefully, Kopa wrapped his vines around Adam**, lifting him. As he turned to leave, his eyes flicked back to the impaled Tracient.
The body was severely battered.If left alone, they'd be dead within hours.
"Nopoint lingering."
With Adam secured, Kopa walked away from the battlefield—
—completely unaware that Arajhan's eyes had slowly begun to open.
_____________________
Forj Mountain Ranges
The clashes of battle still echoed through the towering peaks.
Lord Talonir and Thagros Fil were locked in intense combat, their weapons colliding in sparks of mana. Talonir's sword clashed with Thagros' massive scythe the force of their blows shaking the very mountains.
Yet, even in battle, Talonir felt it.
The mana surge from ArchenLand. The 1st and 2nd Lords unleashing their power. And…
A peculiar energy.
A familiar one… yet foreign.
Talonir's gaze sharpened.
"Just now… What did you do, Child of Shadow? What did your master do?"
Thagros adjusted his stance calmly, his massive frame unshaken. "Forgive me, Lord Kushan, but it seems our respective people are engaged in battle. I can hardly tell who the victors or the victims are."
Talonir narrowed his eyes. "It won't matter?"
He took a careful step back, still gripping his sword. "Why are you doing this? You come from a respectable line of the Fil Clan. You had the element of surprise against me, and yet you didn't immediately attack. Why is someone like you serving the Shadow?"
Thagros was silent for a moment before his gaze drifted toward the distant battlefield.
"Well… there's no need to hide it."
His voice was calm, but his expression was somber.
"I'm indebted to the Master. A debt that I can only repay with absolute servitude. A servitude I cannot deny… because I am bound by a Mana Vow."
Talonir's eyes widened slightly.
A Mana Vow—a binding contract woven into the very fabric of mana itself. A vow that could never be broken without severe consequences.
"Is what's at stake that precious to you?" Talonir asked. "Is it worth becoming a pawn?"
Thagros closed his eyes, sighing deeply.
"Like I said… it doesn't matter."
Then, he did something unexpected.
He sat down.
Crossing his legs, he assumed a meditative pose, his scythe resting across his lap.
"My job here is done. You are free to go, Lord Kushan. Though… you should hurry."
Talonir hesitated, watching him carefully.
"What could it be? What is binding this man to the Shadow…?"
Finally, he spread his cape, his feathers rippling in the wind.
With a single powerful thrust he soared into the sky, heading toward ArchenLand at incredible speed.
Behind him, Thagros watched with an unreadable expression.
"...Be careful, Lord Kushan."