The battlefield lay silent, a graveyard of bodies strewn across the scorched earth. Smoke curled lazily from the remnants of fires, and the clatter of weapons had long since ceased. Flint crouched slightly, Theo standing tall beside him, and Onyx's lance glinted dully in the dim light. Their eyes, however, were not on the carnage—they were fixed on the new arrivals.
From atop the walls, Kairo's gaze sharpened. His breath caught as he observed the figures approaching the ruined territory. At the forefront stood Lyra, her long white hair flowing in the breeze, crimson eyes scanning the aftermath with a composed, almost calculating calm. Beside her, a boy with yellow, spiked hair in an orange jacket exuded energy and readiness, while a silver-haired boy with glasses maintained a cool, observant posture.
Behind them, the presence of their retinue only amplified their aura. Renn, the long-haired bard with a slip on his throat, walked with quiet poise, a violin strapped to his back. A towering ork, warpaint streaked across his face, hefted a ginormous axe with menacing ease. Beside him, a maid clad in gauntlets and wearing an eyepatch exuded lethal efficiency, her movements precise. And behind all of them surged an army: hobgoblins, bunnymen, wild boars, and spider monsters, their synchronized march intensifying the authority of the three leading figures.
Kairo felt his mind whirl. The raid had just ended; the battlefield was barely cooled. And now, before him, a new force had appeared, imposing, unannounced, challenging his hard-won position. Lyra's gaze met his, and in a voice both commanding and calm, she spoke.
"I formally invite you to join the Ruin Lord Alliance."
The words struck Kairo like a hammer. His mind raced, still reeling from the brutal fight that had just concluded. A new challenge, more formidable than any before, had arrived, and it demanded an answer. After only a moment's hesitation, clearing the chaos in his thoughts, he lifted his chin and declared with certainty:
"No."
Kairo's firm refusal, a heavy, awkward silence settled over the battlefield. Lyra's eyes widened in surprise, a faint flush coloring her cheeks, and she looked momentarily embarrassed. The silver-haired lord beside her adjusted his glasses calmly, his voice measured.
"Well… I didn't expect that," he said, tilting his head slightly.
Varen, the boy with the spiky yellow hair, burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the battlefield.
Claymond, the silver-haired lord, shot him a sharp look. "Varen!"
But Varen ignored the warning, grinning widely. "He just refused her offer? Right in front of her? Hahaha! I bet she was planning some dramatic, cool entrance, and then—bam!—he says no! Priceless!"
Lyra's face flushed deeper, and she pinched Varen's ear sharply. "You little twerp! How dare you make fun of me!"
Claymond raised a hand, trying to calm the situation. "Lyra, Varen—please."
Renn, standing behind them, let out a low sigh. "There they go again…"
The ork let out a short, amused laugh at the maid, who responded with nothing but a slow shake of her head and a subtle, disappointed exhale.
Lyra turned back to Kairo, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "And how could you just decline an offer like this? Do you even know what you're refusing?"
Kairo met her gaze evenly. "That's the point. I just survived a war, and now you show up out of nowhere, demanding I join something I know nothing about."
Lyra's blush deepened, while Varen laughed anew. "See? He doesn't know, and you're being dramatic for nothing!"
Claymond adjusted his glasses. "We apologize, please. Allow us to come in—we need to talk. It will be a long conversation."
Kairo hesitated, scanning his weary troops. Onyx was the only one fully capable of fighting; Theo and Flint were exhausted, and even Shiri, his naga ally, was injured. This isn't going to cut it… he muttered, conflicted.
Claymond seemed to read his thoughts and spoke calmly, "We have healing potions. We'll offer them to you if you agree to talk." From a small pouch on his hip, he produced five vials filled with green liquid.
Kairo eyed them warily, then activated the Command Nexus, analyzing the potions'
Name: Low Healing Potion
Effects– regenerates minor damage and boosts vitality briefly.
Thus was a dangerous, but necessary decision.
After a moment, Kairo made his decision. "Keep your army outside. You can enter—but is that a deal?"
Claymond nodded. Meanwhile, Lyra and Varen bantered quietly as they began walking from the now empty battlefield toward the doors.
Claymond, Lyra, and Varen made their way inside Kairo's territory, Onyx, Theo, and Flint following close behind, accompanied by the ork and the maid. Kairo hesitated at the threshold but forced a welcoming smile. Claymond extended a hand toward him. "I'm Claymond," he said calmly. Kairo shook it, "I'm Kairo." Noting the sharp intelligence in his gaze—the brains of this group, he thought.
Lyra introduced herself next, her words cold, tinged with the faint embarrassment from earlier. She didn't shake Kairo's hand when he offered it. Varen, however, energetically grabbed it for her and said, "Hi! Niece to meet ya, name's Varen, hope we can become good friends in the future!" Kairo smiled awkwardly, matching none of Varen's boundless energy but appreciating it nonetheless.
They walked toward the tier-1 house. Kairo's mind raced—this was the first time he had invited humans into his territory besides the bandit prisoners. His heart leapt nervously, but he pushed forward. Inside, he and Theo spotted Shiri.
Shiri grinned, teasing, "So… did you actually defeat the bandits or not?" Kairo laughed in relief. "Yeah, we won." Theo, unaware of Shiri's current condition, raushed forward in panic, kneeling beside him, began blaming himself,"This is all my fault, if only I was—" Shiri chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Kid, it wasn't your mistake. For your first time, you did great."
Claymond handed Kairo the healing potions. Kairo used one on Shiri and distributed the others to Onyx, Theo, and Flint, telling them to rest outside. They all agreed, Onyx and Flint silently, Theo with a determined glance toward Shiri. "I'll get stronger," he said. "This won't happen again." Shiri laughed. "Sure, you're my hero. Go rest a bit."
Varen watched, visibly moved. "What a beautiful scene…" Shiri turned to Kairo, frowning. "Brat, who are these people?" Kairo explained that they were other lords who had come with a proposal.
Shiri's eyes narrowed. "Proposal, you say?" He eyed Claymond suspiciously.
Claymond smiled faintly. "Well, our side's deal is done,, Shall we talk now?"
Kairo stood tall, eyes sharp, the weight of the upcoming conversation that will shape his path going ahead, pressing on him.
To be continued....