Four months later, the world had finally learned how to breathe again. Far beyond the legal borders of the Aurelian Empire, hidden between rolling green hills and ancient forests, lay a place travelers called the Valley of Slumber.It was a name that sounded almost like a warning to those who had never visited. Some believed the valley was enchanted, while others claimed that anyone who wandered too deeply into its forests would fall into an eternal sleep. Old merchants told stories about strange lights dancing over the rivers at midnight, and wandering hunters insisted that the mountains surrounding the valley were home to creatures older than the empire itself.The truth was far less frightening. The valley was simply a place the powerful had never considered worth conquering. There were no towering stone castles overlooking the landscape. No noble estates stretched across the hills, guarded by armed men who treated ordinary travelers like trespassers. No enormous walls divided weal

The morning sun poured over the Valley of Slumber, painting the rolling green hills in shades of gold.A gentle breeze swept through the meadow, carrying the fragrance of wildflowers and freshly cut grass. Somewhere beyond the cluster of wooden houses, a river murmured over smooth stones, its clear waters sparkling beneath the cloudless sky. Birds sang from the branches of ancient trees, and the distant laughter of children drifted across the peaceful landscape.For the first time in his life, Kaelen could sit still without feeling that the world was about to collapse around him.He occupied a long wooden bench outside his simple house, his back resting against the sun-warmed wall. One leg stretched comfortably in front of him while the other remained bent at the knee. His hands rested loosely together, and his eyes followed a familiar figure racing through the meadow in the distance.Elara, his little sister was chasing a butterfly. She had apparently decided that catching the tiny c

The sun was bleeding gold across the hills when the first child collapsed outside the Valley of Slumber.He was eleven years old, perhaps twelve, with a torn brown shirt, bare feet, and a bleeding cut across his forehead. His knees struck the grass, but he barely seemed to notice. Behind him, nine other children stumbled through the narrow path between the hills, their small bodies bent beneath the weight of exhaustion.Ten children. Ten pairs of hollow eyes. Ten lives the world had already decided were worthless. They had walked for days.They had crossed dry fields, slept beneath abandoned wagons, and begged for scraps from travelers who chased them away. One boy had a swollen ankle. A girl with tangled black hair clutched a piece of dirty cloth against her chest as though it were the last thing she owned. Another child, a skinny little fellow with a bruised cheek, kept looking behind them, expecting someone to appear and drag them back but no one followed.At the front of the group

The bells of the imperial capital had been ringing since sunrise.Their golden notes rolled across the rooftops, spilled into the crowded streets, and echoed through the grand assembly hall where nobles, military officers, guild representatives, and ordinary citizens had gathered to witness a historic appointment.Caspian Vance stood beneath the enormous imperial banners, wearing a formal black uniform trimmed with silver. His polished boots reflected the light streaming through the hall's tall windows. A ceremonial sword rested at his hip, and a silver insignia gleamed upon his chest.Before him stood General Marcus, the veteran commander who had helped guide the empire through the uncertain months following All-For-One's defeat. In his hands lay a magnificent silver-and-gold mantle, embroidered with the crest of the Imperial Guard."Caspian Vance," Marcus announced, his voice carrying to every corner of the assembly. "You are hereby appointed Supreme Commander of the Imperial Guard,

The first iron door came off its hinges at precisely nine minutes past sunrise. The crash shook dust from the basement ceiling of the Vance estate, startling the guards stationed in the corridor above. A moment later, sunlight from a lantern swept through the opening, revealing rows of wooden chests stacked behind the wall.Gold, more gold than most families in the capital's slums would see in a thousand lifetimes. The soldiers stared. One of them slowly lowered his spear."By the gods..."Inside the chamber, gold coins filled the chests to their brims. Velvet bags overflowed with rubies and sapphires. Silver bars had been stacked in neat columns, while jeweled ornaments lay scattered across a table as if their owners had grown bored of counting them.At the far end stood another iron door, then another. The soldiers exchanged looks. The Vance family had claimed for generations that its wealth came from trade, careful investments, and the wisdom of its ancestors. Its public accounts l