Vintermoor Royal Palace, Morning
Several days have passed since the great battle that rocked Vintermoor Palace.
Much of the damage has begun to be repaired. Workers are busy replacing collapsed walls, while cracks in the marble floor still bear witness to the intensity of the battle just a few days ago.
Outside the palace, snow falls quietly.
However, the atmosphere inside the royal hall remains tense.
Damian, Liam, Rin, and Tessa stand before the King of Vintermoor.
Wearing a dark blue robe adorned with white feathers and a silver crown on his head, the King gazes down upon them with a dignified gaze.
A few moments later, he opens his mouth.
"Once again… On behalf of the Kingdom of Vintermoor, I offer you my thanks." His voice echoes through the hall. "If not for your bravery and the help of Kael Fenrir, we might not be here right now."
Damian bows respectfully. "We only did what we had to, Your Majesty."
Damian raises his head slowly. "The enemy we face is no mere intruder. They are the forces of a Demon Lord from the eastern realms."
The King nodded slowly. "Yes, we have reviewed all the royal archives, including the ancient records and artifacts that have been stored in the royal vaults."
The King's expression grew increasingly serious. "The name of the Demon Lord Azareth Velnir strikes fear into our hearts. And this is the first time his forces have dared to appear within our Kingdom's territory. Therefore, the appearance of his forces in Vintermoor is not a good sign."
Tessa unconsciously clenched her fists. "That means they are truly making their move."
Rin looked at Damian. "Do you think... the other kingdoms will also be their targets?"
Damian was silent for a moment. He recalled Kaldric's gaze before disappearing from the palace hall. Then he shook his head slowly. "Perhaps."
Everyone immediately turned to him.
His gaze sharpened. "They are heading for Frostvale."
The King studied Damian for a moment before finally smiling faintly.
"The son of Darius Kade." You truly inherited your father's sharpness."
He stood from his throne and walked slowly toward Damian.
"Listen well, your journey has only just begun. This world is far vaster and far crueler than you imagine."
The king then took an old leather folder from his aide's hands. On the front was engraved the crest of the Vintermoor Kingdom.
He handed it to Damian.
"This is all the records we have managed to gather on the Demon Lord Azareth Velnir. It's not much, but perhaps... someday this information will save your life."
Damian accepted the document with both hands. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The king nodded slowly. "May God guide your steps."
Damian gripped the folder tightly. Deep in his heart, he knew that the victory at Vintermoor had angered the Demon Lord Azareth's forces.
Their encounter with Kaldric had opened the door to a far greater threat. And his intuition now pointed to only one place:
Frostvale.
Beyond Vintermoor
A blizzard raged on across the vast plains stretching beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Vintermoor. A cold wind blew fiercely, carrying snowflakes that obscured the tracks of anyone who passed.
Amidst the storm, four figures cloaked in black moved swiftly eastward. They had not spoken a word since leaving Vintermoor. At the forefront, Kaldric Vorn led the way with heavy steps. His dark red coat was torn in several places, and dried bloodstains were still visible on his arms and shoulders from the battle at the palace.
After a while, Kaldric stopped on a cliff overlooking the endless expanse of snow.
His four subordinates also stopped behind him.
Without a word, Kaldric reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a blue magic stone. The stone's surface was covered in ancient carvings that began to glow as he channeled mana into it.
Woohoo...
The blue light grew, slowly forming the figure of a man before him.
A large man appeared in the form of a magic projection. Two long horns protruded from its head, while its pair of red eyes stared at Kaldric without a hint of emotion. Although only a projection, the mana pressure it radiated was far more terrifying than Kaldric's own aura.
Upon seeing the figure, Kaldric immediately knelt. "General..."
The man's deep voice echoed through the blizzard. "You failed."
Just two words.
However, those words alone were enough to make Kaldric's body tense. He bowed his head even deeper.
"Forgive me, General. Kael Fenrir and that student from Zephyrus Academy were beyond my expectations." He clenched his fists. "Give me a little more time. I will correct all these failures."
The general continued to stare at him expressionlessly. "A little time?"
His tone was flat, but it only served to intensify the tense atmosphere.
Kaldric swallowed. "Yes, General. Once I arrive in Frostvale, I will resolve everything. I promise."
"No need to explain." Kaldric's words trailed off.
The general cut Kaldric off. "I already know your entire report."
He paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Including that kid… Damian Kade."
Hearing that name, Kaldric lowered his head even further.
"He has foiled our plans several times. I am responsible for all these failures."
The silence returned. Only the sound of the blizzard could be heard around them.
A few moments later, the general finally spoke.
"Your fault is not that you lost, but that you underestimated humanity."
His gaze was distant, as if gazing at something far away.
"Our plan in Vintermoor may have failed, but that will not change anything."
He looked back at Kaldric. "Continue your journey to Frostvale. I will wait for you there."
Kaldric raised his head slightly. "General… will you intervene yourself?"
The figure nodded slowly. "It is time… we will end everything in that kingdom."
His red eyes narrowed. "And this time, there must be no more failure."
Kaldric immediately bowed his head once more. "Understood, General."
Slowly, the blue light that had formed the General's figure began to fade.
Before the projection completely disappeared, one final sentence echoed through the storm.
"Let them enjoy their victory, for soon they will know the meaning of true despair."
Wooh...
The light vanished. The magic stone in Kaldric's hand dimmed until it finally cracked into tiny fragments. He held the shards for a moment before letting them fall to the snow.
The corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
"Damian Kade, we will meet again soon."
Without further ado, Kaldric resumed his steps. His four subordinates quickly followed behind him, disappearing into the intensifying blizzard.
Their next destination was the Kingdom of Frostvale.
Nighttime – Inn in Vintermoor
It was late evening.
Outside the inn, snow was still falling gently, covering the streets of Vintermoor in a serene white layer. Occasionally, a gust of wind rattled the wooden windows, creating a soft sound that blended with the crackling of the fire in the room.
Damian sat alone in front of the fireplace.
In his hand was a brown leather folder, a document given to him by the King of Vintermoor before they left the palace.
He flipped through the last few pages.
It was filled with ancient records detailing the history of the war between humanity and the Demon Lords thousands of years ago. Several pages also contained brief information about the Demon Lord Azareth Velnir and his domain in the eastern lands.
Damian read each sentence carefully before slowly closing the document. His gaze shifted to the dancing flames in the fireplace.
The image of his battle with Kaldric flashed back to him.
So did Kael's words before leaving the palace:
"What you lack is not power… but experience and the ability to wield that power."
Damian took a deep breath. "Kael..."
His voice was barely audible. "I will become as strong as you."
He paused for a moment, then the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
"No... I will surpass you."
At that moment, the room door opened slowly.
Tessa entered, carrying two cups of warm tea. A thin layer of steam rose from the surface, warming the chilly air. "Are you really still awake?"
Damian turned his head and smiled slightly. "Not yet, I have too many things on my mind."
Tessa walked over and placed one of the cups in front of Damian before sitting down in the chair next to him. "Are you thinking about Frostvale?"
Damian held the cup. "Yes." He stared at the flames before them.
"I can't shake this feeling. They already know who I am and where I come from. If their goal is Frostvale..."
Damian stared at the flames in the fireplace. "I'm afraid my family will be dragged into it too. I need to make sure they're safe, and I need to tell them about this so they can be careful."
Tessa also looked toward the fireplace.
Silence fell again. There was no more conversation. Only the sound of wood burning in the fireplace and the occasional night breeze outside the window.
A few moments later, Damian returned his gaze to the document the King had given him, lying on the table. Despite all the new information they had gathered, he felt there were still many secrets about this world he didn't yet know.
And for some reason, he was certain those answers would lead them to their next destination:
The Kingdom of Frostvale.
The Next Morning – Vintermoor Kingdom Gate
A bright morning greeted the town of Vintermoor.
The snow that had fallen overnight now coated the streets and rooftops in a crisp white. In front of the kingdom's main gate, the guards had resumed their usual duties, while several horse-drawn carriages were passing through, carrying merchants and hunters about to begin their activities.
Amidst the bustle, a simple horse-drawn carriage waited at the roadside.
Damian, Liam, Rin, and Tessa stood in front of the gate, carrying their respective gear. Their journey in Vintermoor was finally over.
Damian took a few steps forward.
His gaze was fixed on the long road that stretched beyond the kingdom's gate. This road would lead them to their next destination:
the Kingdom of Frostvale.
The corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile. "Frostvale..." He took a deep breath, as if savoring the familiar air he had been familiar with since childhood. "...I'm home."
"We've already faced the Demon Lord's army. From now on, every step we take will likely be much more dangerous."
Tessa nodded slowly, then stared at Damian for a moment before speaking.
"Even so… We won't face it together." Damian's gaze shifted to his three companions.
A faint smile returned to his face.
"Yes. As long as we stay together, I'm sure we can get through whatever lies ahead."
Soon after, they boarded the waiting carriage.
The sound of the driver's whip broke the morning silence.
The carriage began to move slowly, leaving the gates of the Vintermoor Kingdom behind them.
Damian turned one last time. He gazed at the city that had given them so many experiences, from hunting game to meeting Kael Fenrir to the first appearance of the Demon Lord's army in the human world.
Without realizing it, this short journey to the kingdom had changed everything. He was no longer just chasing his dream of becoming stronger. Now, there was a much greater reason to keep going… To protect the people he loved.
The carriage continued down the road that cut through the snow.
Slowly, the silhouette of the Vintermoor Kingdom disappeared into the snowy mist.