---
The royal banquet was everything Kaito hated: crowded, loud, full of people with hidden agendas, and absolutely mandatory.
"Smile," Ren muttered beside him as they entered the grand ballroom. "We're heroes. We're supposed to look happy about being paraded around like prize horses."
"I hate this," Kaito whispered back.
"We all hate this. But it's politics. The king wants to show off his heroes, remind the nobility that humanity has hope, and reinforce that we're his weapons."
The ballroom was magnificent—crystal chandeliers, marble floors, tables laden with food that could have fed a hundred families. Nobles in expensive clothing clustered in groups, their laughter too loud, their smiles too practiced. Musicians played in one corner. Servants moved silently through the crowd.
And in the center of it all, on a raised platform, sat King Aldric IV.
Kaito had seen the king before but never this close. He was an imposing man in his fifties, with iron-gray hair and sharp features. He wore his crown like it was part of his skull, and his eyes held the cold calculation of someone who'd survived two centuries of war through ruthlessness.
*Two centuries,* Kaito thought. *Elena said he's older than he appears. What did she mean by that?*
He extended his empathy cautiously toward the king—and hit a wall. Not a natural resistance, but an actual barrier. Magic of some kind, shielding Aldric's emotions from detection.
*He knows about empaths,* Kaito realized. *He's protected against them.*
"Heroes!" The king's voice boomed across the ballroom. "Come, let us honor your presence!"
They had no choice but to approach. The five heroes walked through a parting crowd to stand before the platform. Aldric smiled down at them—a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Noble guests, I present the heroes who will save our kingdom! The Five Blessed by the gods themselves!" He gestured grandly. "Let us celebrate their courage, their power, their sacrifice for humanity!"
Applause thundered through the room. Kaito felt the nobles' emotions—a mix of genuine hope, political calculation, envy, and in some cases, lust. Several older nobles were looking at Himari with expressions that made Kaito's skin crawl.
"Your Majesty," Ren said, bowing appropriately. "We are honored to serve."
"And serve you shall! But tonight, we celebrate! Eat, drink, enjoy the hospitality of your kingdom!" Aldric's smile widened. "Mingle with our nobility. They are eager to meet the brave souls who fight for them."
Translation: *Let them parade you around and remind everyone that I control you.*
The heroes dispersed into the crowd as expected. Ren moved toward a cluster of military nobles, already networking. Yuki found a quiet corner with scholars and mages, much more comfortable with intellectual discussion than small talk. Daichi attracted a group of younger nobles who wanted to hear war stories. Himari was immediately surrounded by admirers.
And Kaito... Kaito tried to find a wall to stand against where he could observe without being observed.
He made it three minutes.
"Hero Kaito!" A nobleman approached—middle-aged, expensively dressed, with the entitled bearing of someone who'd never been told no. "Duke Blackwood. I've been eager to meet you."
*Blackwood.* The name triggered a memory. Princess Celestia had mentioned him—a nephew of the king, influential in court politics, and according to her intelligence network, "morally flexible."
Kaito's empathy read him immediately: arrogance, cunning, and underneath, a sense of entitlement that bordered on sociopathy.
"Duke Blackwood," Kaito said carefully. "Thank you for your support of the heroes."
"Support? My boy, you're the kingdom's greatest asset! Your powers, your potential..." Blackwood moved closer, too close. "Tell me, is it true you can feel emotions? Read minds?"
"Not minds. Just emotions."
"Fascinating. And can you influence them? Make people feel what you want them to feel?"
Warning bells rang in Kaito's head. This wasn't idle curiosity. "I... haven't explored that aspect much."
"Pity. Such power could be useful in so many ways. Imagine—you could make our enemies surrender without a fight. Make allies more cooperative. Make..." his smile turned predatory, "...anyone do anything you wanted."
"That's not how it works," Kaito said, his discomfort growing.
"Isn't it? Come, don't be modest. I've read the reports from Millbrook. You disrupted an entire demon army with a wave of emotion. That's incredible power." Blackwood lowered his voice. "Power that shouldn't be wasted on just fighting demons."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean there are opportunities for someone with your abilities. Political opportunities. Financial opportunities. You're a hero now, but the war won't last forever. When it's over, you'll need connections, resources, a place in society. I could provide those things."
*He's trying to recruit me,* Kaito realized. *For what?*
He extended his empathy deeper, reading beneath Blackwood's surface emotions. There—schemes within schemes. Plans to use the heroes for personal gain. And something darker: memories of others he'd manipulated, used, discarded.
This was not a good man.
"Thank you for the offer, Duke," Kaito said carefully. "But I'm focused on the war right now."
"Of course, of course. But think about it. My door is always open." Blackwood smiled and moved away, leaving Kaito feeling like he needed a shower.
He caught Ren's eye across the room and signaled subtly. They needed to talk about Blackwood.
But before he could extract himself, another nobleman approached. Then another. Each one wanting to meet the mysterious empathic hero, each one probing for information, advantage, leverage.
By the time Kaito managed to escape to a balcony for air, his head was pounding. Too many people, too many emotions, too many hidden agendas.
"Overwhelming, isn't it?"
Kaito turned to find Princess Celestia standing in the shadows. She wore a beautiful gown—expected at a royal banquet—but her expression was tired, almost haunted.
"Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly.
"Please, we're past that. Especially here, where we can speak freely." She joined him at the railing, looking out over the city. "I saw Blackwood talking to you. Be careful of him."
"I got that impression. Your intelligence was right—he's dangerous."
"More than you know. He's one of my father's favorites. Handles the king's... less savory business. Blackwood has no moral center, only ambition."
"Why warn me specifically?"
"Because he's been asking questions about all five heroes. Your powers, your limits, your loyalties. And because..." she hesitated. "Because I've heard rumors. About some nobles wanting to control the heroes directly. Bind you magically, the way Seraphina is bound."
Ice flooded Kaito's veins. "They can do that?"
"With the right magic and the king's approval, yes. You were summoned through ritual. Rituals can be... modified. I don't know if my father is actually considering it, but Blackwood has been pushing for it."
"We need to tell the others."
"Do. And be careful tonight. Blackwood doesn't make moves without purpose. If he approached you specifically, he's planning something."
Before Kaito could respond, shouting erupted from inside the ballroom. Not celebration—alarm. Fear.
They rushed back inside to find a commotion near one of the side corridors. Nobles were backing away from something, servants were fleeing, and guards were converging on a scene.
Kaito pushed through the crowd and saw:
Duke Blackwood, his hand gripping the arm of a young servant girl—couldn't be more than sixteen—trying to drag her toward a side room. She was crying, struggling, clearly terrified.
"Please, my lord, I didn't mean to spill the wine, please—"
"Quiet, girl. You'll learn proper service, one way or another."
His emotions were crystal clear to Kaito: predatory intent, sexual arousal mixed with cruelty, and absolute confidence that he could do whatever he wanted.
Before Kaito could move, someone else did.
Ren strode through the crowd, his face a mask of cold fury. "Let her go."
Blackwood turned, surprised. "This doesn't concern you, hero. The girl is clumsy. She needs to be disciplined."
"She's terrified. Let her go. Now."
"I am a Duke of this realm. You don't give me orders."
Kaito felt Ren's power building—that distinctive pressure of command magic about to activate. He tried to push through the crowd, to stop what was about to happen, but he was too far away.
"Let. Her. Go." Ren's voice resonated with unnatural authority.
Blackwood's hand spasmed open. He released the girl, who immediately fled. For a moment, the Duke stood there, confused by his own action. Then understanding dawned, followed by rage.
"You... you used your power on me? On a Duke of the realm?" His voice rose. "Guards! Arrest this hero! He assaulted a member of the royal family!"
The guards hesitated, caught between orders and their own sense that Ren had done the right thing.
"I gave him an order to stop assaulting a servant," Ren said, his voice carrying across the now-silent ballroom. "If that's a crime, then arrest me."
"It IS a crime!" Blackwood's face was red with fury. "Using hero powers on nobility without royal permission is treason! King Aldric, I demand justice!"
All eyes turned to the king, who'd been watching the scene with an unreadable expression.
Kaito's empathy still couldn't penetrate Aldric's shields, but he could read everyone else: the nobles, divided between those who supported Blackwood and those who were disgusted by him. The servants, terrified but silently grateful to Ren. The guards, unsure what to do. Celestia, radiating fear for what was about to happen.
And the other heroes: Yuki calculating odds, Daichi ready to fight, Himari moving closer to Ren in support.
The king stood slowly, and silence fell like a blade.
"Duke Blackwood," Aldric said, his voice mild but somehow terrifying. "Tell me—what exactly were you doing with that servant girl?"
"Disciplining her, Your Majesty. She spilled wine on my coat. I was taking her aside to—"
"To what? Punish her? In a side room? Alone?" The king's eyes were cold. "I may tolerate many things, Duke, but I am not blind to the nature of men. Especially men in my own family."
Blackwood paled. "Your Majesty, I—"
"The hero acted to protect a servant from potential assault. That is, in fact, exactly what heroes are supposed to do." Aldric turned to Ren. "However. Using command magic on nobility is technically prohibited without royal permission. The law exists for good reason—we can't have heroes commanding nobles at will."
"I understand, Your Majesty," Ren said, his voice steady despite the danger. "But I don't regret it."
"I didn't ask if you regretted it." The king studied him for a long moment. "You value justice over law. Admirable. Dangerous, but admirable." He raised his voice. "Hero Ren will receive no punishment for his actions tonight. Duke Blackwood, you will issue a formal apology to the servant girl and donate a generous sum to the servants' welfare fund. Consider this your only warning—the next time I hear reports of you abusing staff, your title will be the least of what you lose."
Blackwood's rage was palpable, but he bowed stiffly. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Good. Now, this banquet has become tiresome. Everyone, enjoy the remainder of your evening. Heroes, attend me in my private study in one hour."
The king swept from the ballroom, leaving chaos in his wake.
The nobles immediately began gossiping. Blackwood shot Ren a look of pure hatred before storming out with his supporters. Servants whispered among themselves, and several looked at Ren with naked gratitude.
The five heroes clustered together.
"Well," Yuki said dryly. "That could have gone worse."
"Could have gone better too," Daichi muttered. "You just made a powerful enemy, Ren."
"I don't care. He was going to hurt that girl."
"I know. And you did the right thing. But Blackwood isn't going to forget this."
"Neither will I," Ren said coldly. "Men like him, men who abuse power... I know that type too well."
Kaito understood. Ren's father had been the same—someone who used power to hurt those weaker than him. Seeing Blackwood do the same had triggered something deep in Ren.
"The king wants to see us," Himari said nervously. "That can't be good."
"Actually," Kaito said slowly, "I think the king protected Ren. He could have sided with Blackwood—family loyalty and all that. Instead, he sided with us."
"Why though?" Yuki asked. "What's his angle?"
"We'll find out in an hour. Come on, let's get somewhere private and debrief."
They found an empty salon and locked the door. Kaito immediately cast his empathy wide, making sure no one was listening at the doors. Clear.
"Okay," Ren said. "That was not how I planned tonight going. But I won't apologize for it."
"No one's asking you to," Daichi said. "Blackwood deserved worse. But Kaito, you were talking to him earlier. What did he want?"
Kaito recounted his conversation with the Duke—the offers, the implications, the sense of schemes within schemes. Then he added Celestia's warning about binding rituals.
"They want to control us," Yuki said, her analytical mind processing the implications. "Not just use us, but literally bind us the way Seraphina is bound. Make us unable to refuse orders."
"Which means they either don't trust our loyalty, or they're planning to do something so objectionable that they know we'd refuse," Ren added.
"Or both," Daichi suggested.
"The harvest," Himari said quietly. "They know we're approaching peak power. In two months, they'll try to harvest us. Maybe they're worried we've figured it out."
"Have we been that obvious?" Yuki asked.
"I don't think so," Kaito said. "We've been careful. But Aldric isn't stupid. He's survived two hundred years of war against Malachar. He knows how to read people, and he knows how previous heroes reacted when they learned the truth."
"Elena said he has contingencies," Ren recalled. "Secret plans. Maybe binding us is one of them—a way to ensure we can't resist harvest even if we figure it out."
"Then tonight might have accelerated their timeline," Yuki said grimly. "Ren just demonstrated exactly why they'd want to control us—we're willing to use our powers against them when we think they're wrong."
Silence as that sank in.
"So what do we do?" Himari asked. "We can't just wait for them to try to bind us."
"We accelerate our own plans," Ren decided. "Yuki, how close are you to breaking the harvest binding?"
"Maybe sixty percent? I understand the structure now, but actually rewriting it safely will take time. Another month at minimum."
"We might not have a month. If the king decides to bind us immediately..."
"Then we fight," Daichi said simply. "We've been preparing for this. Between Ren's commands, Kaito's empathy, Yuki's reality coding, Himari's healing, and my enhancement, we can probably fight our way out of the palace if we have to."
"And go where?" Himari asked. "They'll hunt us. We'll be fugitives."
"To Malachar," Ren said. "We've been dancing around the decision, but if the kingdom tries to bind us, we have no choice. We ally with the Demon King fully and help him destroy the harvest system."
"That means war," Yuki said. "Full war. The barriers are already failing. If we side with Malachar, Lumina could fall within weeks."
"Better than being harvested," Daichi countered.
"Is it? How many innocents die in that scenario?"
They argued in circles for thirty minutes, getting nowhere. Finally, Kaito spoke up.
"We're getting ahead of ourselves. The king wants to meet with us. Let's see what he actually says before we commit to civil war."
"Agreed," Ren said. "But we go in prepared. Kaito, you'll read his emotions—if you can get through his shields. Yuki, analyze everything he says for hidden meanings. Daichi, Himari, be ready to fight or flee if this goes wrong. Everyone understand?"
They nodded.
"One more thing," Kaito said. "I got through to Elena—Seraphina's daughter—in the catacombs. She warned me specifically about the king. Said he's 'older than he appears' and 'more dangerous than we think.' What did she mean?"
"Could be metaphorical," Yuki suggested. "Politically old, experienced."
"Or literally old," Ren said slowly. "The kingdom has been performing harvest rituals for a thousand years. What if the kings have been using hero essence to extend their lives?"
"That's..." Himari's eyes widened. "That's horrifying. But it would explain how Aldric has ruled for two centuries. And why they're so desperate to maintain the harvest cycle."
"If the king is literally staying alive through harvested hero power," Yuki said, "then ending the harvest doesn't just threaten the barriers. It threatens his life. He'll fight to the death to prevent us from succeeding."
"Then we need to be smarter than him," Ren said. "Come on. It's time to meet with the king."
---
The king's private study was smaller than Kaito expected—intimate, almost. Books lined the walls. A fire crackled in the hearth. Aldric sat behind a desk, looking less like a king and more like a tired old man.
But Kaito's empathy, even blocked by shields, detected something else. Power. Vast, ancient power that shouldn't exist in a normal human.
"Heroes," Aldric said, gesturing to seats. "Sit. We need to talk."
They sat warily, ready for anything.
"Duke Blackwood is a problem," the king said without preamble. "He's ambitious, cruel, and thinks his family connection makes him untouchable. Tonight, you touched him anyway. Good."
That wasn't what they'd expected.
"Your Majesty?" Ren said carefully.
"I'm not blind to the rot in my court, hero. I know what nobles like Blackwood do. I tolerate it because removing every corrupt noble would leave me with empty positions and no one competent to fill them. But there are limits."
"Then why not punish him properly?" Himari asked, her voice small but brave.
"Because I need him. His faction controls three duchies. If I move against him directly, I risk civil war at a time when we can't afford it." Aldric leaned back. "Politics is the art of managing terrible people to achieve necessary goals. You'll learn this, if you survive."
"If we survive?" Kaito echoed.
"The war. The demons. The dangers of being heroes." Aldric's eyes were sharp. "Did you think I was referring to something else?"
A test. He was testing them.
"No, Your Majesty," Ren said smoothly. "Though speaking of survival—tonight raised concerns. Some nobles seem interested in controlling heroes more... directly."
"You mean binding rituals." Aldric said it flatly, no surprise in his voice. "Yes, it's been proposed. Some nobles think heroes would be more reliable if magically compelled to obey."
"And do you agree?" Yuki asked.
"No. Bound servants are predictable, which makes them less valuable in unpredictable situations. Wars are nothing but unpredictable. I want heroes who can think, adapt, and make independent decisions."
He was lying. Kaito couldn't sense emotions through the shields, but something in the king's voice rang false. Or maybe not lying—misdirecting. Telling a truth that concealed a larger lie.
"However," Aldric continued, "I also need to know that heroes will serve the kingdom's interests. Not their own. Not foreign powers. Not abstract ideals. The kingdom. Can you give me that assurance?"
Another test. And this one was more dangerous.
"We serve humanity," Ren said carefully. "Which includes the kingdom. We'll fight demons. We'll protect civilians. We'll do what heroes are supposed to do."
"That's not what I asked. I asked if you'll serve the kingdom's interests."
"What's the difference?" Daichi asked.
"The difference is that sometimes, the kingdom's survival requires difficult choices.Sacrifices. Actions that might seem unjust in isolation but are necessary for the greater good." Aldric's eyes bored into each of them. "Can I count on you to make those sacrifices when required?"
He's talking about harvest, Kaito realized. He's asking if we'll accept being harvested when the time comes.
"Can we ask what kinds of sacrifices?" Yuki said.
"No. Because if I tell you in advance, you'll have time to rationalize refusal. Sacrifices only work if you trust the person asking." Aldric smiled slightly. "Call it a loyalty test. Will you trust me to make the hard calls?"
"With respect, Your Majesty," Ren said, "trust goes both ways. Will you trust us to do what's right?"
"I'm not sure 'right' exists in war, hero. Only necessary."
They were dancing around the topic, both sides knowing what they were really discussing but neither willing to say it explicitly.
Finally, Aldric waved a hand dismissively."Enough philosophy. You're young, idealistic. That's fine for now. We'll see how you feel in a few more months of war." He stood. "You're dismissed. But Hero Ren—a word alone."
The others looked at Ren, who nodded slightly. They filed out, leaving Ren alone with the king.
In the hallway, they waited nervously.
"This is bad," Yuki muttered. "He's going to threaten Ren. Or try to bind him individually."
"We should stay close," Daichi agreed. "Be ready to intervene."
Kaito extended his empathy, trying to sense what was happening in the study despite the walls. He caught fragments—tension, calculation, but no immediate violence.
Five minutes later, Ren emerged. His face was carefully neutral, but Kaito felt his roiling emotions: anger, fear, and something else. Determination.
"What happened?" Himari asked.
"Not here. Back to our quarters."
They hurried through empty corridors back to the Hero's Wing. Once safely inside with the door locked, Ren spoke.
"He knows."
"Knows what?" Yuki demanded.
"Everything. Or close to it. He knows we've met with Malachar. He knows Celestia is helping us. He knows we've been studying the barriers. He has spies everywhere—in Thornhaven, in the palace, maybe even in our network."
"How much did he say explicitly?" Kaito asked.
"Nothing explicit. But he made it clear. He said, 'I know heroes always discover certain truths. It's part of the cycle. The question is what you do with that knowledge. Work with me, and you might survive. Work against me, and you'll join the previous heroes who tried rebellion.'"
"He's threatening us," Daichi said.
"He's offering a deal," Ren corrected. "He implied that if we cooperate with harvest, he might find a way to make it less... permanent. That we might survive it somehow."
"That's impossible," Yuki said. "The binding traps souls. There's no surviving it."
"Unless he's found a way. He's had a thousand years to experiment with harvest magic. Maybe he discovered a method to extract power without complete soul destruction."
"Or he's lying to manipulate us," Kaito said.
"Also possible."
"What did you say?" Himari asked.
"I told him we'd consider his offer. That we needed time to think. He gave us a week to decide—cooperate with a modified harvest ritual, or be treated as traitors and bound forcibly."
"A week," Yuki breathed. "That's not enough time. I can't break the binding in a week."
"Then we need to decide," Ren said. "Do we trust the king's offer and hope he's telling the truth about a survivable harvest? Do we flee to Malachar and start a civil war? Or do we accelerate our own plans and try to break the system in seven days?"
"None of those options are good," Himari said.
"Welcome to being a hero," Daichi replied grimly. "All our options are terrible. We just pick the least terrible one."
They talked for hours, going in circles, unable to reach consensus. Finally, exhausted, they agreed to sleep on it and reconvene in the morning.
But Kaito couldn't sleep. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling the emotions of everyone in the palace wing. Fear. Anger. Determination. Despair.
And underneath it all, a ticking clock.
Seven days until they had to choose.
Seven days until everything changed.
We're running out of time, he thought. And I don't think any of us are ready for what comes next.
Outside his window, the two moons hung in the sky, indifferent to the drama unfolding below.
In seven days, five heroes would make a choice that would determine the fate of kingdoms, the lives of millions, and their own souls.
The question was: which choice would kill fewer people?
And could they live with the answer?