Shouts echoed through the trees beyond the estate walls. Then the sound of crossbows. Footsteps. Steel.
Blake and Malrek were the first to react, blades drawn and eyes sharpened.
"They're here," Malrek muttered. "And they brought company."
The first wave of mercenaries burst through the outer gates, weapons raised, eyes hungry for blood and coin.
From within the manor's training grounds, the Black Halo scattered into action.
Drayce emerged with his black fire already lit across his knuckles."Let's make them regret this."
Selene, though still healing, held her blade tight and stood firm."They're after me."
"They're after all of us now," Blake said, his voice steady, then nodded to her."But they picked the wrong home."
Suddenly, the wooden door to the armory exploded outward, and Tonza stormed through. Towering and broad as a siege weapon, he held a massive, double-bladed battle axe that shimmered with old blood and fresh intent.
"OI!" he bellowed, voice booming over the courtyard."ANY OF YOU BASTARDS STEP FOOT IN MY HOUSE—YOU LEAVE IN PIECES."
He twirled the axe once, then swung it down like thunder, crushing the stone tiles beneath him and sending a shockwave through the ground.
"Good to see you finally woke up, big guy," Javier grinned, slicing down two mercs as he passed.
"Wasn't gonna let you pretty boy have all the fun," Tonza grunted.
From the rooftops, Mirai shimmered into visibility, hurling knives into the chaos."They've surrounded the east wall—we need to push them back or we'll be trapped."
Malrek opened a small portal near the treeline, hurling a boulder through it that smashed a group of attackers trying to flank from the rear."Portals are limited tonight. We hold the line here."
Selene and Blake fought side by side, blades moving in rhythm. A mercenary lunged toward Blake from behind—but Tonza's axe cleaved the man midair.
"Watch your back, kid," Tonza said gruffly. "You're not invincible."
Blake nodded, breathless, then looked toward Malrek."We have to cut through and find out who sent them."
Malrek's jaw tightened. "We already know."
As the mercenaries faltered under the relentless counterattack, one final squad pushed through the rear gate—heavily armored, elite, and bearing the crest of House Ardan.
Blake's eyes narrowed.
"William…"
The elite squad from House Ardan pushed in hard, disciplined, well-armed, and clearly trained for this. Their leader, clad in dark silver armor with a hawk-engraved chestplate, stepped forward and pointed his blade straight at Blake.
"Surrender the dragon girl, or we take her by force."
Blake didn't flinch."You can try."
Before the soldier could raise his hand again, Tonza charged like a freight train, his massive battle axe swinging horizontally. The blade caught two knights in one sweep, sending them flying into the wall.
"No one threatens my family!" Tonza roared.
From the treetops, Mirai rained down smoke pellets, shrouding the courtyard in thick gray mist. The mercenaries staggered, coughing and blinking through the haze, just as Javier and Drayce flanked them.
"Oi," Javier called through the smoke, blade in hand."Race you to ten."
Drayce didn't answer with words—he simply raised his gaze, igniting black flames across the enemy's backline. The soldiers screamed as Abysspyre engulfed their weapons and armor, rendering them useless.
Selene, her strength slowly returning, leapt into the fray. Though her dragon core still burned silently within her, she fought like a shadow of her former beast—fast, deadly, and relentless. Her sword clanged against a commander's, knocking him to the ground before she drove her boot into his chest.
Blake ducked under a swing, slashed, and spun around, moving with the practiced precision only years of training could afford. When one knight grabbed him from behind, he planted a heel and drove his elbow into the man's face—then drove his sword up into his gut.
Malrek, now high on the battlements, stood with one hand glowing purple.
"Enough games."He opened a massive portal above the gate. From it rained debris and stone, remnants of a ruined fortress he'd once walked through. The rubble crushed the final wave of attackers and blocked the entrance completely.
The battlefield fell silent except for the groans of the injured.
The crest-bearing commander dropped his blade. "W-we were just following orders…"
Tonza stepped over, cracked his knuckles, and looked down at him."Then tell your lord what you saw here today, and leave us alone."
The courtyard was quiet now. Smoke drifted in lazy spirals through the broken gates, where blood still stained the stone.
Blake sat on the edge of the old fountain, his shirt torn and a gash slicing across his ribs. He winced slightly, trying to wrap a strip of cloth around his side. Before he could finish, a gentle hand took over.
Selene knelt beside him, her golden hair messy from the fight, and a thin cut running across her cheek.
"You always throw yourself into danger," she said softly, pulling the cloth tight around his wound."You're lucky I'm getting good at this."
Blake gave a tired smile."Lucky's not the word I'd use."
Selene met his eyes for a second, then looked away as a soft blush colored her face.She tied the bandage off carefully, her fingers lingering for just a breath too long.
From across the courtyard, Mirai stood half-shrouded in the shadows, her arms crossed. She didn't speak, didn't move. Her gaze was fixed on Blake and Selene, cold and unreadable.But beneath her quiet exterior, something twisted.
Jealousy.Not loud. Not dramatic. Just… there.
Unspoken.
She turned away before anyone noticed, disappearing into the corridor like a passing ghost.
Nearby, Tonza sat against a broken pillar, arms crossed over his massive chest as he whistled a lazy tune. Javier was beside him, holding a makeshift ice pack to his jaw.
"Oi, white hair got a girl," Javier muttered, nudging Tonza."Can't say I didn't see it coming."
Tonza chuckled."Mmm. Love's a distraction. Hope it doesn't get him killed."
Footsteps approached—light, but purposeful.Lora entered, her robe trailing behind her, sleeves already rolled up. Her usually calm face was marked with concern.
"Everyone who's injured, sit still," she said gently."I'm not much of a fighter, but I'll be damned if I let any of you bleed out on my floor."
She knelt beside Drayce first, placing glowing fingers over a gash on his arm. His burned skin shimmered faintly, slowly knitting together.
Blake looked up at her."Thanks, Lora. We'd be in pieces without you."
She gave him a sad smile."Keeping you all alive is the only thing I'm good at these days."
In that quiet haze of after-battle exhaustion, the Black Halo found stillness again. But above it all, the weight of what had just happened—and what was surely coming—pressed into every silent glance and every bandaged cut.
For now, though…
They had each other.
The war room was dim, lit only by the soft flicker of candlelight dancing across tired faces. Cracks lined the walls, the scent of ash and blood still clinging to the air.
Malrek stood at the head of the table, arms folded, his expression hard.
"They found us once," he said. "They'll do it again. This place isn't safe anymore."
Drayce leaned back against the wall, arms crossed."We held them off. But next time, they'll bring more."
Tonza grunted."Let 'em come. I've still got fight left in me."
Malrek shot him a look."You want a war? Or you want to survive?"
The room fell quiet.
Blake, sitting beside Selene, finally spoke up."We move. First light. The mountain cave you told me about, Malrek—how far is it?"
Malrek nodded slightly."Two days' ride. Hidden, fortified. It's where I trained alone before I found Blake."
Lora glanced around nervously."Will it hold all of us?"
"Barely," Malrek said. "But it'll be safe. That's what matters."
Julie tapped a map laid out on the table."We'll need to travel through the pinewoods and cross the ravine by dusk if we want to avoid attention."
Javier smirked."Look at us. Mountain people now."
Tonza chuckled."I hate cold."
"Pack tonight," Lora said, rising to her feet. "We leave at dawn."
The rising sun painted the sky in strokes of pink and orange. Horses were saddled, supplies bundled tightly, and every member of the Black Halo stood ready outside the crumbling hideout.
Blake gave one last look over his shoulder at the place they'd called home.
It felt like a chapter closing.
Selene approached him."You okay?"
He nodded."Yeah. Just… endings always feel strange."
She gently squeezed his hand, and for a moment, they just stood there in silence.
Behind them, Lora helped Julie onto her horse. Javier climbed up beside Tonza, who looked like he'd rather sleep in a rock pile than ride again. Drayce mounted his horse without a word, his gaze on the mountains ahead.
Malrek pulled the hood of his coat up, turning toward the trees."Let's move."
And so, the Black Halo rode into the wilderness, their silhouettes swallowed by pine and mist as they began their journey toward the mountain cave.
Uncertain of what lay ahead.But still together.
The grand chamber was silent, save for the gentle crackling of the hearth. Duke Ardan stood near the tall window, staring out over the grey hills of his domain, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
The door creaked open. A lone mercenary, battered, bruised, and limping, was shoved forward by a guard.
"Speak," Ardan ordered without turning around.
The mercenary dropped to one knee, blood dripping from his lip. "My lord… we found them. We stormed the hideout… but they were ready. We were overwhelmed."
Ardan slowly turned, his expression unreadable.
"You mean to tell me," he said, voice calm and low, "that a band of wanted deviants defeated my men?"
"There was… another one, sir," the merc muttered. "A giant. With a battle axe. He fought with them, killed most of us. He let me live. Said to 'run home and tell your duke he lost.'
Ardan's jaw clenched.
"Tonza," William said from the shadows of the room. He stepped forward, adjusting the collar of his finely tailored coat. "He is famous for his barbaric nature,"
The Duke's voice dropped into a growl."I want their heads. All of them."
William nodded slowly. "You'll have them, Father. The Black Verge is already on the move. Grimraith, Scruffy, and Grenda—they'll find them."
Ardan stepped forward, towering over the kneeling mercenary."You failed me."
The merc swallowed, trembling. "Please, my lord—"
The Duke drew his sword with chilling elegance."Failure has a cost."
The blade flashed.
William didn't flinch. As the blood hit the cold stone floor, he turned and walked toward the door. "This time, we don't send amateurs. We send monsters."
And with that, the chamber fell silent once more—save for the sound of the fire crackling behind the Duke's still frame.