Hana and her allies returned to the kingdom of Akiyama, where King Sanji Akiyama awaited them in the throne room. When Hana told him the truth about Kaito—about his survival, his role as the Nightshade, and his plot to seize power—her father's face drained of color, his hands trembling.
"No," he whispered, his voice filled with shock and grief. "It can't be. Kaito… he was my brother. I loved him. I thought I had lost him forever."
"He's not the brother you knew, Father," Hana said gently. "Grief and hatred have twisted him into something evil. He blames you for everything, and he wants to destroy us all."
Sanji sighed, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his guilt. "It's my fault," he said. "I should have never let my ambition blind me. I should have found another way to resolve our dispute, instead of leaving him for dead."
"None of this is your fault, Father," Hana said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Kaito made his choices. He chose hatred over love, ambition over family. We can't change the past, but we can fight to protect the future."
Just then, a messenger burst into the throne room, his face pale with fear. "Your Majesties," he gasped, "Kaito's forces are approaching. He's gathered an army of mercenaries, rogue mages, and disgruntled vampires. He's coming to take the city."
Sanji stood up, his face hardening with determination. "Then we will meet him," he said. "We will not let him destroy our kingdom, our people. We will fight for what is right."
Hana nodded, her heart filled with resolve. "We'll stand with you, Father," she said. "All of us—humans, elves, and vampires. Together, we will defeat Kaito and his army."
In the hours that followed, the people of Akiyama prepared for battle. The city's defenses were strengthened, the army was mobilized, and Hana's allies—Aerion and his elven warriors, Kenji and his vampire forces—arrived to stand with them.
As the sun set, Kaito's army appeared on the horizon, a vast horde of darkness that stretched as far as the eye could see. Hana stood atop the city walls, beside her father, Kenji, and Aerion, watching as the enemy approached.
"This is it," she said, her voice steady. "The final battle. For family, for kingdom, for all of Eldoria."