Marcelos regains consciousness inside a dimly lit command tent, his eyes slowly opening as the canvas ceiling comes into focus. The air smelled of leather, blood, and dying embers from the brazier burning nearby.Standing beside his bed were Zussorader and Philip.The moment they saw his eyes open, relief washed over both of them.Marcelos slowly pushed himself upright, rubbing a hand against the side of his head as the lingering effects of the lightning still echoed through his body.Zussorader stepped forward immediately. He asked, "Are you okay, Master?"Marcelos looked at him with mild surprise. He asked, "What are you doing here, Zussorader?"Zussorader explained, "The Marcs fighting under my command suddenly lost consciousness at the same time. For something like that to happen, I knew something terrible must have happened to you. I left the army at once and came looking for you. When I arrived, I found you unconscious."Marcelos gave a slow nod. He said, "The Marcs should be fi

Ramsay and Esther unsheathed their swords in one fluid motion before charging straight into Marcelos' advancing armies, placing themselves between the enemy and their fleeing companions. Their purpose was simple—to keep Marcelos occupied long enough for the others to escape safely.Steel flashed beneath the darkened sky as the two warriors plunged into the endless tide of enemies.Ramsay had been forged through years of relentless training. His late father had shaped his foundation. His late uncle had refined his discipline. The Marcs had sharpened his mastery of martial arts and swordsmanship. And now, after training under the greatest kings in history, Ramsay had become something far beyond the warrior he once believed himself to be.He had become one of the greatest swordsmen and martial artists ever to live.With every battle he fought, his skills drew closer and closer to those of Marcelos himself.As Ramsay carved through Marcelos' armies alongside Esther, something extraordin

The princes, the princesses, and Lilia immediately unsheathed their weapons as the skeletons drew closer.The rattling of ancient bones echoed throughout the vast chamber.More and more skeletons continued crawling out of the enormous crevasse, climbing over one another like an endless tide of the dead. Some carried rusted swords, others wielded battered axes, spears, shields, and broken weapons that had somehow survived the passage of countless years.There seemed to be no end to them.Seeing the overwhelming number of enemies, Hawk, Benjamin, and Ryn instinctively attempted to transform into their animal forms. Nothing happened.Hawk frowned and tried again. Still nothing.Benjamin and Ryn exchanged confused glances before trying once more, but their bodies refused to change."Why?" Hawk asked in confusion.Esther immediately understood what was happening.She explained, "There is no magic in here, just like we said. Since you are magical creatures, the magic that always makes you c

Ramsay stared at Manqin with growing disbelief as their blades clashed again and again. He had expected the skeletal warrior to be formidable, but not like this.The Marcs had been among the deadliest swordsmen he had ever faced, warriors who had sharpened his skills through countless brutal battles and dark magic under Marcelos. Yet Manqin was different. Every movement was cleaner, every strike more precise, every transition between offense and defense almost flawless. He fought with an elegance that no ordinary skeleton should possess.Ramsay immediately realized this battle would be far more difficult than he had anticipated.He had not yet completed his training under the Great Kings. His magic remained sealed inside the mountain, and the sword that usually amplified his strength had become nothing more than an ordinary blade in this cursed place. Every advantage he normally relied upon had been stripped away. If he wanted to survive, he would have to win through skill alone.Aft

The princes, the princesses, Hawk, Lilia, Ryn, and Benjamin stood before the entrance of the wild forest, staring into the enormous stretch of darkness that lay before them.The forest seemed different from everything they had encountered so far.Towering trees stood tightly packed together, their branches twisting into one another and forming a thick canopy that blocked most of the dim sunlight from reaching the ground. The deeper parts of the forest were almost impossible to see from where they stood.There was something unsettling about it. It was as though the forest itself was watching them.A short distance away, Redrick and Esther remained focused on the map. They carefully examined its surface, wondering if it would reveal another warning about the wild forest before they entered.For several moments, nothing happened. Then suddenly, faint markings began appearing across the map.Words slowly became visible. Redrick and Esther leaned closer.Esther read the message aloud: “The