While Princess Forn was immersed in her thoughts, trying to understand what her father was planning, the Emperor of Humanity had already begun to move. He left the royal hall in silence and walked through hidden corridors known only to a very few, until he reached the deep secret vault beneath the palace, a place hidden from everyone's eyes for generations.
The Emperor stood before a massive stone door and placed his hand upon it. The ancient enchantments responded, and the door slowly opened. Inside, the air was heavy and saturated with a mysterious energy. He advanced with steady steps toward a stone platform at the center of the vault, where the ancient storage artifact was placed. He opened it carefully and took out all the rare metals it contained, those metals that had been stolen from the Dwarven Kingdom with care and precision.
At the moment those metals touched the surrounding air, something unexpected happened. The broken Sacred Spear, placed in a corner of the vault, trembled slightly, then began to glow with a faint radiance. It was as if it were trying to understand what was happening around it, or as if it sensed something familiar drawing near after a long time.
The Emperor smiled when he noticed the reaction of the sacred weapon and said to himself in a calm voice filled with confidence:
"Wait, O spear… after I abduct one of the dwarves gifted in smithing, I will repair you, and you will return to your former days of glory."
As if the spear had understood the words spoken in secret, its glow faded and it stopped trembling, as though it had responded to that promise. The Emperor's smile widened when he saw this, for he knew well that sacred weapons possess their own consciousness and choose their wielders with extreme care. Once they choose someone, no one else can use them, no matter how much they try or what tricks or spells they employ.
The Emperor remembered the history of the spear and recalled how his ancestors managed to steal it in ancient times, when it had only just been forged and had not yet chosen its master. Were it not for that, they would never have been able to seize it, for if the spear had already chosen a bearer at that time, it could not have been stolen without killing that bearer first. With these memories, his certainty grew that his plan was proceeding as it should.
And while the Emperor was immersed in thoughts of the past and the proper moment to abduct the dwarf capable of repairing the sacred spear, he did not realize that new winds had begun to blow across the continent of Mira. Hidden winds, yet powerful, carrying within them major changes that would overturn the balance of power completely.
In the Kingdom of the Demi-Humans, the King of the Demi-Humans was sitting in his vast library, reading some old papers and documents. The king was a massive man, with the head of a lion and the body of a powerful human. His features were harsh and dangerous, as if he had just emerged from an epic battle. His sharp gaze alone was enough to make anyone standing before him feel like prey being prepared for devouring at any moment.
While the king was reading, he heard a light knock on the library door. He raised his head and said in a deep voice:
"Enter."
A palace maid entered, and the moment her eyes fell upon the king, she trembled with fear. The king noticed this, grew surprised, and asked her:
"What is wrong with you, maid?"
Before she could answer, a masked man emerged from behind her, strange in appearance. The King of the Demi-Humans looked at the masked man and said in an eerily calm voice:
"Do you know what you are doing right now?"
He said this without moving from his place, for he was completely confident that he could kill the person standing before him in less than a second. Even so, curiosity had taken hold of him, as he sensed no hostility, fear, or intent to kill from the masked man, which made him wait to see what this stranger who had forcibly entered his palace wanted.
The masked man smiled and bowed slightly in respect, then said:
"I wish to speak with Your Majesty in private for a moment."
The King of the Demi-Humans looked at him, then shifted his gaze to the maid and said to her in a commanding tone:
"Leave now, and do not do anything to summon the guards. There is no need for that."
The maid looked at her king in astonishment, but when she saw his complete calm and his features free of any concern, she bowed quickly and left the room, leaving the king and the masked man alone… while the threads of a greater conspiracy were being woven in secret.
The maid regained some of her courage, bowed slightly in respect, then left the office and closed the door quietly behind her. As soon as the sound of her footsteps faded, the King of the Demi-Humans raised his head and fixed his gaze directly on the masked man, saying in a calm but firm voice:
"Now… we are alone. Speak."
The masked man did not answer immediately, remaining silent for a moment. Then he slowly raised his hand and pointed to several scattered places in the office: behind the shelves, near the pillars, and even at the ceiling. The king's eyes widened in astonishment, then he burst into loud laughter and said in a mocking tone:
"Come out, guards. I wish to speak with this person in private for a moment."
As soon as the king uttered these words, several shadows emerged from the places the strange man had indicated, moving with astonishing speed like ghosts. One of them bowed and said:
"My lord, we do not know who this person is. One of us must remain with you to protect you."
The king did not wait for the guard to finish speaking. Instead, he gestured decisively with his hand, ordering him to leave immediately. Upon seeing the gesture, the guard sighed slightly, then he and the rest of the guards looked at the strange man with sharp, hostile gazes, as if their eyes were saying: if you make any mistake, we will kill you at once. Moments later, they all vanished from the office as they had appeared, leaving the place in heavy silence.
The king looked at the masked man and said:
"What do you think? All the guards have left, and we are alone. I believe it is time for you to remove that mask from your face."
The strange man let out a short laugh, then raised his hand and slowly removed the mask, revealing his face. The King of the Demi-Humans froze in place, his eyes widening in shock. He was unable to speak for several moments, as if what he was seeing contradicted everything he believed. After finally regaining his composure, he said in a low voice filled with genuine astonishment:
"I did not know that your kind still existed in this world… Dark Elf."
The strange man smiled calmly and said with confidence:
"Yes, Your Majesty. Our kind is still alive, and in good condition as well."
The king examined the Dark Elf carefully. He was not very different from ordinary elves, except for the dark color of his skin, which clearly distinguished him from them. The king nodded slightly, then said:
"So, what brought you to my palace in this rude manner?"
The Dark Elf faced him steadily, and despite the terrifying aura surrounding the King of the Demi-Humans, he showed no fear or hesitation. He said in a confident voice:
"I came to offer you an alliance, O King of the Demi-Humans. An alliance through which we can face the storm that will strike the continent of Mira."
The king's gaze deepened as he looked into the Dark Elf's eyes. Though he did not know the nature of the dangers being spoken of, he felt something strange deep within himself, as if the world itself were preparing for massive upheaval or a great war to come. Therefore, he did not doubt his words, but asked him:
"And why should I ally with the Dark Elves? The Demi-Humans have been allied with the Sea Nymphs for many long decades."
The Dark Elf smiled a smile tinged with contempt and said with clear confidence:
"Your Majesty, the Sea Nymphs are no longer as they once were. Their will has weakened, their courage has faded, and that mysterious aura that surrounded them for centuries has vanished."
At that, astonishment was clearly visible on the king's face. He had never expected the Dark Elf to possess such precise knowledge of the state of the continent, especially after the devastating war that had taken place between them and the ordinary elves centuries ago. He had believed that their lineage, if it still existed, must be hiding in distant caves, ignorant of what was happening in the world.
But the Dark Elf's answer, his manner of speaking, and the absolute confidence with which he spoke told him the exact opposite. They had not been hiding to escape extinction; rather, they had been silently preparing to reclaim their former glory. Indeed, the way he had entered the palace without fear or hesitation confirmed to the king that they had recovered from their ancient war and returned stronger than was believed.
At that moment, the King of the Demi-Humans began to realize that the Dark Elf was not merely seeking a temporary alliance, but aiming to redraw the balance of power on the continent and reclaim a position that had been lost long ago… and that what was coming might be far more dangerous than anyone imagined.