In the depths of a shadowed chamber, a boy dressed in pristine white sat upon a throne of jagged stone. The golden lion crest on his chest gleamed faintly in the dim light, a mark of arrogance and nobility. His blond hair shimmered like sunlight, yet his single crimson eye gleamed with a feral madness. A crooked grin split his face as he leaned back on his throne, tapping the armrest with his finger.
"Where have the beasts reached?" he asked, his tone playful yet cruel.
Beside him stood a tall figure — a man with the face of a rabbit, dressed in the refined uniform of a butler, holding a silver tray with a glass of dark red wine. "They have arrived near the ruins, my lord," the butler replied calmly.
A low chuckle escaped the boy's lips, building into a manic laugh that echoed through the chamber. "Perfect," he whispered, crossing one leg over the other as he took the glass. "Everything is going according to plan. Soon… soon the Labyrinth will belong to me!"
He raised the glass high, crimson liquid glinting like blood. "And then, I'll show them all true power."
The rabbit-faced butler remained silent, watching.
Unknowingly to all that schemed in the shadows, life at Kairo's territory moved with tense purpose. The air buzzed with quiet urgency — soldiers training, materials being carried, the forge alive with heat. Everyone was preparing for something they couldn't yet name. The sun shone dimly through the grey clouds, casting long streaks of gold upon the black spire — the heart of the domain, pulsing faintly with power. Around it, Kairo, Shiri, Theo, Flint, and Onyx had gathered. The air was thick with unease, but also with determination.
Kairo stood silently for a moment, gazing at his companions. (I'm their leader,) he thought, (and that means I'm the one who keeps their hope alive.) He glanced at Shiri, who gave him a small nod. Taking a deep breath, Kairo stepped forward and began speaking, his tone firm yet inspiring.
"Listen closely, everyone. We built this place from the ground up with our own hands. We survived worse — a raid that almost ended us. But we didn't give up. We fought, we endured, and we came out stronger."
His voice grew louder, filled with conviction. "And we'll do it again. Whatever comes, whatever threatens this home, we'll stand against it — together!"
The air around them shifted. Theo swung his sword onto his shoulder, grinning with excitement. Flint cracked his knuckles, his scars glinting in the light. Onyx stood motionless, but his hollow eyes reflected a spark of faith in Kairo's words. Shiri simply smiled, arms crossed, his tail flicking lazily behind him.
Seeing their reactions, Kairo couldn't help but smile himself. (They trust me… and I won't let them down.)
He quickly shifted into command mode. "Alright, time to move. Flint — you start first. I want all the corpses gathered and transported one kilometer northwest. We can't leave them lying around; it'll attract more beasts."
Flint nodded but raised an eyebrow. "That far, huh? Why that spot?"
Kairo grinned slightly. "That place is… special. I think it'll serve another purpose later. Trust me on this one."
Flint gave a firm nod and walked off to begin his task.
Next, Kairo turned toward Onyx. "You'll patrol the outskirts. Hunt any wandering beasts, but if you see any with red lights on their necks, capture or bring them back alive. We'll need to study them — figure out what we're dealing with."
Onyx tilted his head, expression unreadable, before nodding silently and stepping away, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.
Theo, watching eagerly, asked, "So what about me, boss? I want something big!"
Kairo smiled and rested a hand on Theo's shoulder. "I've got something big for you — training."
Theo's expression dropped. "Just training?"
Kairo's voice softened. "I saw what you did during the raid. That wasn't your limit. You can go further — and I'll need you at your best when the real fight begins."
Theo's disappointment quickly shifted into fiery motivation. "Alright! You'll see, I'll get stronger than ever!"
Finally, Kairo turned to Shiri. The naga stretched and smirked. "Let me guess, you want me to build something, right?"
Kairo nodded, his smile widening. "Exactly. You and I have the most important task of all."
The wind rustled across the spire as everyone dispersed to fulfill their duties — the calm before the storm, as Kairo prepared for what was coming next.
Lilian stood a few feet away from the others, her eyes shifting nervously between Kairo, Theo, and Shiri as they discussed strategy in front of the Black Spire. The air around them felt heavy with purpose, with familiarity — like a bond she wasn't part of. She gripped her broom tighter, her hat slipping slightly over her eyes. With a small huff, she adjusted it and bit her lip, whispering to herself, (They've been through so much together… it's like I'm not even here.)
For a brief moment, her chest tightened. Then she shook her head, cheeks puffing slightly in determination. (No… if I want to stay here and protect myse—) she paused mid-thought, then quickly corrected herself,( I mean to protect them, off course, I need to show my worth!) she declared silently. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward Kairo, her voice small but firm.
"Um… Kairo? What do you need me to do?"
Theo and Shiri both glanced at her, unsure if she could really help. Kairo just sighed, thinking for a moment before snapping his fingers. "You'll practice with Theo."
"What? Why should I be stuck with her?" Theo protested immediately, folding his arms.
Lilian's hat dipped again as her eyes narrowed. "Is that how you talk to a lady?" she snapped, pointing her broom at him.
Theo smirked. "How can I train with someone who can't even hold a sword?"
"I don't need to use a sword like some barbarian," Lilian shot back, fixing her hat with a sharp tug. "I can use magic!"
"Yeah, we all saw how powerful that was," Theo mocked.
Before it could escalate, Kairo chuckled and raised a hand. "That's enough, you two. It's good to train with people who fight differently."
The two grumbled but complied, walking off to spar.
As they left, Shiri stepped closer, smiling knowingly. "I know why you did that."
Kairo nodded. "Theo needs a friend… and I think they'll both learn from each other."
Shiri laughed softly. "Either way, it's nice having the little missy around. She's funny."
Kairo chuckled, watching them bicker in the distance. "Yeah," he said, smiling faintly. "She really is."
Some time later, Kairo stood near the barracks, blue light glinting faintly from his hands as he activated the summoning array. Energy pulsed across the ground, the familiar roar of kabolts filling the courtyard. From his current energy reserve of five hundred, he used three hundred and fifty — enough to summon seven more kabolts. The barracks glowed before settling, and seven new figures stepped out, saluting their lord.
Shiri, coiled beside him, folded his arms, the tip of his tail flicking. "Not enough," he muttered, his voice low. "If this is really a large-scale threat, we'll need more troops, a lot more."
Kairo clenched his fist. The memory of the last raid flashed before him — Shiri's blood, his mistake, his helplessness. "I won't let that happen again," he said quietly.
Opening the Command Nexus, Kairo scrolled through the list of blueprints until one caught his eye — Tier 2 Barracks. His eyes lit up as he selected it, sharing the design with Shiri.
Shiri winced, rubbing his temples. "Tch… there you go again. Every time you do that, my head feels like it's splitting. What kind of blueprint is this now?"
Kairo smirked faintly. "Something to fix our troop problem. With this, we'll expand our forces."
Shiri's lips curled into a grin. "Then let's get to work, boss."
To be continued.....