The night sky over Heavenly felt heavier than usual, as if the forest hadn't fully released its lingering threat. But far from the rustling woods and mysterious claw marks etched into the soil, golden light still bathed the tallest tower of the royal palace—a place where footsteps made no sound, and truths were buried in silence.
The stone corridors, usually lit brightly, now looked dimmer. Magical lights still glowed along the walls, but the air carried a strange stillness. Something felt off.
Reinalt walked slowly along a side hallway of the palace—no guards, no clear destination. But his mind raced.
Hana's gaze. The way they spoke. The encounter had been brief, but something about them lingered. Especially Hana.
She wasn't just some ordinary traveler. There was something hidden beneath that calm. And somehow, he felt… like he should already know more.
He stopped as he saw two unfamiliar figures turn a corner up ahead. Dark uniforms. A different cut. Too confident.
Reinalt narrowed his eyes. Hoplite uniforms.
His heart quickened. He slipped behind a large stone column, then moved swiftly to a nearby window that opened toward the inner gardens. With a sharp breath, he leapt out.
His hands gripped the stone wall firmly. He moved like a shadow, scaling the outer structure with silent precision, shifting from ledge to ledge as if born to it. In the distance, muffled voices echoed from the king's study.
He crept closer. Night wind tugged at his cloak, but the voices inside grew clearer.
"…Eldrin's territory will be completely isolated," said a deep voice he knew well. His father's voice—King Valchros Everhart.
"It's the only way to keep the capital safe," he continued. "We don't want open conflict. But if peace comes at that cost, we're prepared to pay it."
"And we appreciate that," came a sharper, colder voice. "As long as you turn a blind eye, we won't touch the palace. Not an inch of it."
Reinalt held his breath.
"We don't need your entire kingdom. We only need one… creature."
Silence.
"We will capture the Griffin you're sheltering. And anyone who protects it… will be erased along with the land."
The king didn't respond immediately. But when he finally spoke, his voice was low. "You will not touch the royal family."
"As long as you stay out of our way."
Footsteps. A door opened, then closed.
Reinalt clenched his jaw, then climbed up onto the balcony and stepped into the room. It was wide, lined with high bookshelves and large windows overlooking the palace gardens. The king still stood facing away from the door, as if he already knew his son had arrived.
"You shouldn't be here," the king said calmly.
"You shouldn't be making deals like that," Reinalt shot back, voice sharp.
Valchros turned slowly. "I did what I had to, to protect this realm."
"By letting them attack our world's guardian?"
"Eldrin is not part of the kingdom. He doesn't answer to the crown."
"He doesn't answer because he protects everything—including us," Reinalt's voice trembled. "And you'd sacrifice his land… for a few more days of peace on your throne?"
"This isn't about the throne, Reinalt," said Valchros. "It's about preventing a much bigger war."
"By selling out our people and land?" Reinalt hissed.
Valchros stared at him in silence for a long time. "One day, you'll understand. Being king isn't about choosing what's right. It's about choosing what's left when everything else is destroyed."
Reinalt looked at his father as if seeing a stranger. "Then let me make my own choices."
He turned and walked out without waiting for permission.
---
Later that night, in his dark room, Reinalt stood with his back to the window, his eyes blank as he stared into the large mirror.
His reflection moved—but not just because of the flickering candlelight. Behind the glass, two shadowy figures emerged from the darkness—silent guards who answered only to him.
Reinalt said nothing. But his eyes said enough.
They nodded without a word.
And in silence, the three of them slipped away from the palace.
Not as royalty.
But as those who could no longer allow corruption to grow beneath a flag meant to protect.