The grand halls of the Prism Kingdom's royal palace were unusually quiet, the kind of silence that comes before a storm. Inside the majestic throne room, rays of morning light filtered through colored crystal windows, casting fragmented rainbows across the marble floor. King MacLinny II sat upright on his ornate throne, the weight of his crown as heavy as the decisions he bore.
Before him stood Thalia, his ever-dutiful personal assistant. Dressed neatly in her traditional azure robes, she clutched a thick, leather-bound portfolio to her chest.
"Have you completed the task I entrusted you with, Miss Thalia?" King MacLinny's voice echoed through the chamber, regal yet tired.
Thalia bowed her head and stepped forward, placing the portfolio on a side table next to the throne. "Yes, Your Majesty. These are the annual reports from all knight divisions: Postknight, Borderknight, Octoknight, Airknight, and the KPP."
The King opened the reports, his sharp eyes scanning the contents. Charts, mission logs, expense breakdowns, training records, and achievements. But his focus halted at the section about the dragon invasion six months ago.
"So many lives lost," he murmured, a shadow crossing his face. "And it seems that the KPP and Commander Orsic are still struggling with cooperative efforts."
Thalia's expression tightened. "Not only that, Your Majesty. Commander Cassandra of the Postknight Division submitted a formal complaint. She accuses Commander Orsic of discrimination, particularly in his refusal to collaborate with Postknights, letting thenm do their work properly and the disproportionate budget allocations, giving Postknights less budget."
King MacLinny sighed deeply, closing the report. "It appears I must speak with Orsic personally. My father chose him for this post with great faith. I would hate to think that faith was misplaced."
Thalia bowed. "Shall I notify the Commanders about the annual summit?"
"Yes. Three months from now. I want every division present. There are issues we must address—together."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Thalia turned and left the throne room, her shoes clicking softly against the polished floor. As she passed the hallway, a Postknight hurried toward her with an urgent letter sealed with the crimson insignia of the Borderknight unit.
"For Lady Thalia," the young knight said, holding out the scroll.
She broke the seal with haste and unfurled the letter.
> To the Royal Advisor Thalia,
This is Commander Ardin of the Borderknight Unit.
Our spies have intercepted troubling information. A rogue cult, operating under the veil of darkness in the eastern part of our country, this cult is most likely preparing an assault on Pompom Village. The attack could occur within next month.
This is not a mere rumor. It has the same arcane markers we identified prior to the dragon incident. I urge immediate precautionary measures.
Yours sincerely,
Commander Ardin
Her face hardened with concern. "Take me to Commander Cassandra. Immediately."
---
Far from the political stirrings of the capital, in the humble Pompom Village, the sound of boots crunching gravel announced the return of three young Postknights to Maglina's inn. Solis is covered in dust and sweat, their clothes torn slightly from battle.
Inside, the inn offered the comforting aroma of baked bread and herbal stew. Solis, brushing dirt off his tunic, approached the front desk where Maglina was dusting old books.
"Hey Maglina," he said, casually leaning against the counter. "Since we cleared Pasture Lane, how much Reputation Points am I getting for that?"
Maglina blinked, her hand halting mid-dust. "Why are you asking me that?"
Vaidya stepped forward, adjusting the strap of his satchel. "Well, since you're currently the only remaining authoritative figure in this village, you're technically in charge of allocating 'Reputation Points' until people though election formalizes a new leader."
Maglina's hand trembled slightly. "I… I'm not the leader. I'm just the daughter of the man who used to be. My father died in the dragon invasion..."
Solis's expression softened. His hand gently rested on the counter. "It's alright, Maglina. I know how that feels. My father... he was the leader of my village too. He died protecting it."
The weight of shared grief hung between them, unspoken but understood.
Solis smiled lightly. "You don't have to give the points right now. Take your time."
She looked away, blinking fast. "Thank you, Solis. That means a lot."
The moment passed, and soon the trio found themselves seated at a long wooden table, wolfing down a hearty lunch. Ada made a game out of trying to catch a falling dumpling with her mouth, much to Vaidya's disgust and Solis's amusement.
"You're such a gremlin," Vaidya muttered, sidestepping a piece of potato that launched from her spoon.
"Gremlin? Please, I'm a culinary acrobat," Ada replied with a grin, chewing victoriously.
After lunch, the group didn't waste time resting. They strapped on their armor again and headed out into the village. All around them, Rank D Postknights were hammering nails into new buildings, digging irrigation trenches, and helping elders plant herbs for medicine.
Solis took a moment to breathe in the air. It was tinged with ash and rebuilding—but also hope.
Without a word, he joined in, helping lift wooden beams onto support frames.
Ada hauled bricks like they weighed nothing. "You know, if Almond saw us doing this grunt work, he'd call us errand knights."
Solis chuckled. "Let him. We're building something more important than pride."
From above, the sun climbed higher, illuminating the sweat on their brows and the strength in their backs. Pompom Village wasn't just a place to protect.
It is a home worth restoring.
---
Back in Caldemount, the golden domes of the Prism Kingdom's capital glittered beneath the noonday sun, but Thalia's thoughts were far from the peace the city tried to project.
She sat in a rattling carriage, her hands clasped tightly around the sealed letter from Commander Ardin. The two-hour journey from the royal palace to Mailie's outskirts had never felt this long before. Every bump on the road seemed to echo the urgency that weighed on her mind.
By the time she arrived at the Postknight Headquarters—an iron-and-stone complex humming with the energy of new recruits and seasoned officers alike—Thalia didn't waste a second. She passed through the main atrium, climbed the flight of stairs two at a time, and reached the war room where the air was thick with strategy and tension.
Commander Cassandra stood tall beside a massive central table layered with parchment maps, scribbled notes, and magical communication crystals glowing faintly. Her brown hair was tied up into a strict bun, but a few wisps had broken free—signs of long nights and constant vigilance. Her blue eyes met Thalia's as the assistant stepped into the room.
"Thalia. It's been too long," Cassandra said, her voice steady, though tinged with surprise. "What brings you here personally?"
Thalia didn't answer right away. She walked forward, reached into her satchel, and presented the sealed envelope.
"It's from Commander Ardin of the Borderknight unit. He warns of a potential disaster in the eastern territories. A cult, possibly arcane in nature. The target… might be Pompom Village."
Cassandra's smile vanished. She tore the seal, her eyes scanning the contents quickly—twice. Her jaw clenched.
"Collins was right," Thalia added in a low voice. "Your brother had been warning about strange disturbances near the border. Ritual circles in the wilds. Missing people. And now, Ardin confirms it—something is looming in the eastern part of the kingdom."
Cassandra stood still for a moment, the weight of her command settling heavier on her shoulders. Then, her voice rang sharp across the chamber.
"Sound the alert."
Her sub-commanders straightened instantly.
"I want every nearby outpost contacted. Two Rank B Postknight squads are to be prepped and travel-ready within the hour. Notify any available Rank C units for possible reinforcement. And prepare long-range communication crystals. If this cult is as dangerous as Ardin suspects, then we should be ready for the worst case scenario."
Thalia's gaze lingered toward the crystal globe at the corner of the room. Her voice dropped low.
"We can't afford another dragon-scale disaster."
Cassandra nodded grimly. "We won't let it happen again. Not on my watch."
As bells rang through the headquarters and knights began moving with purpose, the seeds of the next great conflict were already taking root.
And in the peaceful moments of rebuilding in Pompom Village, Solis and his friends remained blissfully unaware of the darkness gathering just beyond the horizon.