---
The Morning After – A New Reality
The festivities had ended, but the weight of reality returned with the first light of dawn.
Modred stood on the palace balcony, his crimson eyes scanning the city below. The streets were still alive with remnants of celebration, but he felt the shift.
This wasn't peace. It was the silence before a storm.
Behind him, the doors creaked open.
Seraphina stepped forward, dressed in a flowing white nightgown, her red hair cascading freely. She hesitated for a moment, watching him.
"You didn't sleep."
Modred didn't turn. "Neither did you."
She leaned against the railing beside him, staring at the sky.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then, Seraphina finally broke the silence.
"Are you really going to leave?"
Modred's grip on the railing tightened slightly.
Seraphina took a slow breath, her voice softer now.
"We're married. We should be planning a future, not preparing for war."
Modred remained silent.
She turned to him, her orange eyes searching his face.
"What's the point of this? Conquering more land? Killing more people? When will it ever be enough?"
Modred finally met her gaze. His voice was calm, unshaken.
"It isn't about enough. It's about what must be done."
Seraphina clenched her fists. "And what about us? What about me? Do I not matter?"
For the first time, something flickered in Modred's eyes.
Seraphina stepped closer, her voice trembling slightly.
"Stay."
She reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand.
"We can build something different, something better. You don't have to fight anymore. You don't have to be the Valkary's sword. We can… we can have a family."
Modred stared at her, unmoving.
Then—he slowly turned away.
"That's not the life I was made for."
Seraphina flinched, as if the words had physically cut her.
"So you'd rather die on a battlefield than live with me?"
Modred closed his eyes briefly, then exhaled.
He raised a hand—just for a moment—almost as if he would cup her cheek.
But he didn't.
Instead, his fingers merely brushed a loose strand of her hair before falling back to his side.
His voice was quiet.
"You deserve better than me."
Seraphina's eyes burned with emotion.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain composed.
Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.
---
A Silent Meeting – Shadows in the Palace
While the city remained unaware, deep within the Valkary stronghold, a secret meeting was taking place.
Arthur, Modred, Fenrick, and Dante sat around a dimly lit table, their faces partially shrouded in shadow.
Arthur placed a document on the table, his golden eyes unreadable.
"The King is planning something."
Modred's gaze flickered toward him. "…Go on."
Arthur's voice was calm, but edged with tension.
"The nobles are restless after what happened in Varelos. The Pantheon has eyes on us. And now, the King has ordered something… drastic."
He slid another sealed parchment forward.
Modred picked it up, breaking the seal with one swift motion. His eyes scanned the text, his expression unreadable.
Then—he set it down.
Fenrick leaned forward. "What is it?"
Modred's fingers tightened slightly over the parchment.
"It's war."
A heavy silence followed.
Dante exhaled. "Against who?"
Arthur's gaze darkened.
"Everyone."
---
The King's Decree – A Declaration of Fire
That evening, the royal court gathered within the grand hall. The nobles whispered among themselves, tension thick in the air.
Then—the doors opened.
The King entered, his orange eyes blazing, his sleeveless robes exposing the countless scars of past wars.
He stepped forward, his presence suffocating, before his voice thundered through the chamber.
"The time for waiting is over."
The nobles fell silent.
The King's gaze burned across the room.
"For too long, we have tolerated the remnants of weakness—the cowards who bend to the gods, the traitors who whisper in the dark."
His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword.
"No longer."
He raised a hand.
"The Valkary will march. And we will burn those who stand against us."
The chamber erupted into chaos.
Some nobles cheered—others shouted in horror.
And amidst it all, Modred stood still, his expression blank.
Because deep down—he had known this was coming.
And there was no turning back.
---
Seraphina's Goodbye – A Love Buried in War
The night before Modred's departure, Seraphina found him at the edge of the palace gardens.
He stood beneath the moonlight, sharpening his sword.
She approached slowly, her heart pounding.
He didn't turn, but he knew she was there.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Then—Seraphina stepped forward.
She hesitated, then wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her forehead against his back.
Modred stiffened slightly.
Her voice was soft, fragile.
"Come back to me."
Modred didn't move.
She tightened her grip, her breath shaky.
"Even if you don't love me yet… come back."
Slowly, Modred placed a hand over hers.
It was not a promise.
But it was something.
Seraphina closed her eyes.
And under the moonlit sky, she held him one last time.
---
The Valkary Move – The Beginning of Conquest
The next day, the Valkary stood in formation at the palace gates.
Seraphina watched from the balcony, her hands gripping the railing.
She had begged him to stay.
But in the end…
He had chosen war.
She pressed a hand to her chest, watching as he mounted his horse.
"Please… come back."
But Modred never looked back.
And with that, the storm began.