Inside the ancient temple, Avenya and Calen Storm slowly opened their eyes. A smile instantly appeared on their faces, for they had successfully passed the ritual.“You saved me, my dear. If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to overcome all those trials,” Calen Storm said, his expression filled with both relief and gratitude.Hearing her father’s words, Avenya shook her head. Then she walked closer to Calen and embraced him.“No, Father. You managed to overcome all of it because of the faith you carry within yourself. No matter what happens, you must always believe in yourself. Remember, Father, your strength doesn’t come from the sword you once held, but from the conviction in your heart. Never feel weak, because that power lies within you,” the little girl replied with such sweet words.They hugged warmly, pouring out their feelings for one another, like a father who loved his daughter with all his being. Calen had never imagined that he would face such trials together

The air grew heavy as Calen Storm and King Theron faced one another. Both mounted their steeds, their eyes locked in a piercing glare that could shatter weaker wills.Theron was the first to strike, hurling a sphere of pure darkness from his left hand. Calen met it head-on, deflecting the shadowy orb and sending it crashing into Aerondale’s own ranks. The explosion rang across the battlefield, killing eight soldiers instantly.“We meet again, King Theron. But this time, you’re nothing more than a coward, striking while the rulers of the realms were away from their thrones.”Calen’s voice dripped with disdain. Theron had unleashed his forces upon Vynoria in the queen’s absence. Fortunately, Eryndall and Drakhtarion’s armies had converged just in time, forging an alliance of three kingdoms against Aerondale.“That is not my fault, nor my concern. How was I to know you were absent from your palaces? Should I ha

Everyone looked stunned after hearing Calen Storm’s conclusion. None of them had expected that the Kingdom of Aerondale, ruled by King Theron, would have ties to the Dark Elves in this attack.Naturally, the revelation left Elara Wynn shaken. She recalled their previous encounter with the Dark Elves, when they suddenly attacked the Kingdom of Vynoria to distract Calen Storm, who was rescuing Elira Tharstanis. At that time, Avenya appeared to protect Elara Wynn, but this only caught Lord Kael’s attention and made him attempt to abduct Avenya. Fortunately, Calen Storm arrived in time and drove them away from Vynoria’s territory.“Is there a chance the Dark Elves will strike us suddenly again now that we’ve defeated Aerondale? I’m certain they won’t simply sit still, Calen Storm.”Elara Wynn moved closer to him, voicing her unease.“Perhaps so. They may choose to first amplify their dark power before launching another strike. Still, I believe they won’t attack again in the immediate futu

After causing quite a stir, Lord Kael ordered his troops to take a brief rest.“Why are you asking us to stop, Lord Kael? Shouldn’t we be striking Vynoria as quickly as possible? You have a special goal you must accomplish at once, don’t you?”One of the soldiers posed the question to Lord Kael. They looked eager to continue the assault, urging him to press forward against the kingdom they so despised.But Lord Kael simply shook his head in reply. “Save your spirit for later. For now, rest, because I too am weary.”Hearing the words of their leader, none dared to object. At last, they settled down in a forest by the riverside, a place far removed from the common roads and hidden from wandering travelers.Lord Kael then stood beside a tree, gazing down at his palms. Seconds later, a pitch-black orb formed within his hands.“Now I hold this immense power. Pure darkness, an energy capable of piercing through holy essence. I will prove that righteousness does not always triumph. With this

After making sure that Avenya was safe inside the sacred chamber, everyone decided to return to their own kingdoms. Earlier, Calen Storm and Elara Wynn had offered a feast for them, but they declined, since they needed to guard their realms.At last, everyone departed from that place, except for Tharstan. Tharstan and the Drakhtarion soldiers remained by the banks of the Sacred River, accompanying Calen Storm, Elara Wynn, and the Vynoria soldiers.“This must be a very heavy decision for you, but believe me, all of this will soon come to an end. I am truly certain that things will improve in the near future, even though there are obstacles we must overcome first. You are strong and remarkable people, you will surely endure all of this together. And I will always be by your side to help you.”Tharstan patted Calen Storm’s shoulder, giving encouragement to his grandson and to Elara Wynn. In truth, he also did not wish to separate Avenya from her parents, but this decision was the best fo