𝕾𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖘 [𝗲𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻]

★[𝐜𝐩𝐭.𝟎𝟖]★

𝐑𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕...

The night fell, and I sat with Gaia at the dining table, enjoying our dinner. Suddenly, we heard a bang, but I paid little attention. "Father, what is that sound?" she asked me. Probably some idiot setting off fireworks. Then the bang repeated, followed by several others. "Father, the night sky is lit up," she said. I slammed the table. "Gaia, I told you, it's just fireworks!" I was angry at her foolish questions. "It's coming from the forest. Look out the window behind you," she said, annoyed. This child could have been better raised by the housewives.

I turned around and looked out the window. Indeed, it wasn't fireworks. It looked like lightning, and high dust clouds rose from the forest. Surprised, I turned back to the window, and Gaia jumped up too. "Is the forest under attack?" she asked me. "No, that's Ora," I said in a gruff voice. Apparently, she still possessed strong magic. "Can I go to her?" she asked mischievously. "No," "PLEASE, FATHER," she screamed at me. "Sit back at your place immediately and forget what you saw!" I commanded her. Offended, she returned to her seat and skewered the grilled meat on her plate with a fork.

"Gaia, this is not the time for childish curiosity. This kind of magic can be dangerous," I admonished, reaching for my katana. "Stay here; I'll find out what's going on." I ran past Adonis, but he jumped in front of me. "You're not going to kill Ora now," he said in an angry voice. I grinned, "Maybe not me, but Gaia. We both can't change that," and tried to pass him, but he stood in front of me again. "What are you planning?" His anger grew, and my eagerness for a fight increased. "Bring back a bit of the old times," I said and ran off. The desire to wreak havoc grew within me.

I ran faster than usual, and when I arrived, she was already gone. But she had forgotten to resurrect the thorn bushes. With my katana in hand, I searched for traces of where she might be now. The surroundings still looked the same as back then. A pain in my chest reminded me of the time with my mentor. He had told me back then to kill Ora to rule over all of Ionia. My brother wanted to stop me, but he was too young. I struggled with myself whether I should do it. At that moment, I had feelings for Ora, but she clung so much to her wolf. My anger toward Ionian grew. I wanted to destroy everything in that moment.

When the wolf rushed at me and bit into my arm, he deprived me of a part of my black magic. I was too weak to fight against Ora, and that's why she could burn me. Frustrated, I swung my katana with all my might against a tree trunk, and the tree fell immediately.

Quiet as a shadow, I moved through the dense forest until I finally reached Ora's hut. Through the window, I could see her and Arox fast asleep. A malicious grin played around my lips. With sinister intentions, I entered the hut, and with a skillful maneuver, I touched Arox's forehead to silence him.

Now I turned to Ora, who stirred in her sleep. With a quick and skillful move, I placed a cloth soaked with a sedative in front of her mouth. Ora woke up, and a moment of resistance flashed in her eyes, but the effect of the sedative quickly plunged her into a deep coma. I lifted her gently onto my shoulder and left the hut, leaving no trace.

Through the dark paths of the forest, I carried the unconscious Ora to my kingdom. The forest that was once her home witnessed the betrayal. An icy wind swept through the treetops, as if nature itself had sensed the sinister turn of events.