Kara watched from a distance, mouth agape. Seeing Duchess Sofia in action was awe-inspiring, a lesson in power and skill that made clear the gap between her weakness and the strength of experienced warriors. But her eyes also turned to Lusian, who rode on the back of the wolf, attacking from the monster's rear. Every strike from Lusian was precise, every spell interrupted Basilco's attack, opening the opportunity for Sofia to land her blows without danger.
The beast began to give in, weakening under the relentless assault. Its roar, once thunderous, became a dull groan, until with a final effort it emitted a guttural sound.
—Never... had I known... such power... —it whispered in a broken voice—. I curse you... in the name of Asira...
And then, silence. Life left its body, and the forest was enveloped in solemn calm.
Lusian slowly approached Sofia, admiration and awe shining in his eyes. In his mind, a fleeting thought: How easy it was. In the game I made countless attempts and never got such an overwhelming result. She is truly strong.
Sofia, with a proud smile, pinched his cheek.
—Where did you learn so much about monsters, little troublemaker? —she asked affectionately.
Lusian, somewhat nervous, replied quickly:
—In the academy library. I found a book about monsters and their weaknesses.
A small laugh escaped her lips, while she thought it was convenient that the library had been destroyed and no one could verify his story.
Wilbur and Kara approached, gratitude written on their faces.
—Duchess, thank you for coming to our aid —Wilbur said sincerely—. We could never have faced such a powerful beast without you.
Kara, still with disbelief in her eyes, asked:
—Duchess, did that thing... really speak? Or was it just my imagination?
Sofia nodded seriously.
—You heard correctly, Kara. Some high-level monsters gain awareness and can communicate. Basilco was one of them. It was unusual, but not impossible.
At that moment, Lusian couldn't hold back and made a joke, breaking the tension:
—Hey, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you ran away? —he said with laughter, while Sofia shook her head with an amused gesture.
Kara's response came defiant, sharp as a blade:
—Gossip. That's none of your business. I challenge you here and now, so your mother can see how weak you are.
Sofia, observing the exchange, decided to intervene. She leaned slightly toward Lusian and whispered:
—I'll leave you alone, little casanova.
Lusian replied without hesitation:
—No need, mother.
The atmosphere remained tense, but the duchess, with the calm of someone who understands the value of time, withdrew to deal with Basilco's corpse. She was aware of the power that body represented; with care and determination, she ordered the monster to be dismantled and stored, as a prize worthy of study and strengthening both for herself and her son.
Wilbur approached, worried and humble, aware of the losses suffered by his group and the fragility of his position. With respect, he pleaded with Sofia:
—Duchess, allow Kara to join us. It will be safer that way.
Sofia looked at him with serene generosity and nodded:
—That is fine with me. You may all come with us.
Wilbur, visibly relieved, bowed his head and thanked her:
—Thank you very much, Duchess.
—It's nothing —Sofia replied, dismissing it—. I owe that brat a favor. On the day of the academy attack, I saw her protect Lusian. Consider this a way of settling that debt.
Meanwhile, Kara and Lusian had been caught in a heated argument. Their voices echoed through the mana-saturated forest, unaware of the possible consequences of their dispute. Sofia, aware of the danger, intervened before the exchange could worsen:
—Enough, you two! —her authoritative voice cut through the air like a whip—. We must withdraw. The magical beasts of this forest will soon notice the death of their king and fight for the vacant position. It is better to leave before chaos erupts.
The knights obeyed, organizing quickly. The 478 survivors of Bourlance joined the 940 Douglas knights, forming a compact army prepared to retreat. Lusian prepared to mount Umber, but Kara interrupted him, with a challenging glint in her eyes:
—Hey, Lusian —she said—. I wanted to ask if... can I ride that beautiful beast with you?
Lusian, firm and direct, replied:
—No way I'd let you get on Umber. Go on your pathetic horse.
Kara frowned, offended:
—You're very rude.
Lusian, without yielding, shot back:
—Says the lunatic who challenges me every time she sees me.
Without waiting any longer, Kara made the boldest decision: she climbed onto Umber and hugged Lusian, making sure he couldn't push her off. With fierce determination, she declared:
—You're taking me, whether you like it or not.
Lusian, trapped by her strength and stubbornness, tried to break free:
—Let go of me, lunatic! —he shouted, frustrated—. I don't understand your stubbornness... it's like your head is made of stone.
Meanwhile, in another place, Caleb hurried toward his meeting with Isabella, leaving his escort behind at the entrance of the restaurant. His excitement for the spring fair and urgency to meet her made him ignore safety protocols.
Upon entering the private room indicated in the letter, Caleb's world turned upside down. Four men lunged at him with violence and precision. There was no time to react: a sword pierced his chest, and confusion and pain intertwined in his eyes as he struggled to remain standing. Betrayal, unexpected and brutal, enveloped him, leaving him unable to understand who those men were or what their motive was.
Days later, as the forest sank into the dusk's darkness, Lusian rested inside his tent, seeking a moment of peace. But the calm was interrupted by an unexpected presence.
—What are you doing here? Show yourself before Umber tears your head off! —Lusian exclaimed, with the aggression of someone whose territory had been invaded.
The intruder, without the slightest fear, responded calmly:
—Such aggression. You should try to be more polite.
Lusian frowned, rejecting any possibility of tolerance.
—Kara, leave now.
She, with the naturalness of someone who fears no authority, explained her reason: she was looking for a place to rest. She mentioned the disappearance of the knights who occupied the other tents and how her body felt strange since absorbing the essence of the forest king.
—That's not my problem. Leave —Lusian replied, cold and merciless.
Without asking permission, Kara slipped into Lusian's bed, murmuring softly before closing her eyes:
—Sleep well.
Lusian couldn't believe it. —HEY! Get out! —he shouted, but Kara was already deeply asleep. The situation felt surreal; frustration mixed with disbelief at the girl's audacity.
With resignation, he decided to let her rest. Even feeling an attraction he could not deny, he lay down beside her, keeping distance and respect. He covered himself carefully and turned his face away, avoiding unwanted thoughts from creeping into his mind.
Meanwhile, the exploration teams finally returned to the academy. Of the ten thousand men who had entered the forest, only six thousand four hundred thirty-two returned. The devastation was evident; the forest had taken its toll, and although they had not reached its heart, they had at least completed part of their mission.
Magnus, supervising the repair of the wall, was startled to see a familiar face riding a wolf alongside Lusian, who looked exhausted.
—KARA! What the hell have you been doing? —he exclaimed worriedly—. Your father has been desperately searching for you! They think you were kidnapped.
Kara, calm and with a spark of defiance, explained:
—They didn't find my letter. It clearly said what I was going to do, but since my father didn't give me permission to come, it's his fault.
Lusian, sarcastically, intervened:
—Master, I hand over the demon girl. Punish her for at least three years so I don't have to see her again.
—Lusian, stop giving stupid ideas! —Kara replied, offended—. This is not the time for jokes.
At the commanders' meeting, Sofia presented the observations she had discussed with Lusian during their incursion:
—The cause of the monster stampede is a demon count. The demonic cult has recruited creatures of great power, more dangerous than ever. This can happen again anywhere. Until we locate and eliminate them, we are not safe —she said firmly and decisively.
—Duchess, how do you know this? —a commander asked—. Did you find something inside the forest?
—There are no direct clues of the cult, but the facts speak for themselves. We must assume they have succeeded in some summoning. I am not exaggerating when I say there will be more attacks —Sofia replied.
Another commander asked:
—Duchess, do you truly believe demons are already present?
Sofia reflected, her gaze fixed and solemn:
—The evidence I have comes from the age of myth, when it was said that demons could control monsters. What happened at the academy bears great similarity to those accounts.
Silence filled the room. The mention of the age of myth evoked memories of a distant past, five thousand years ago, when humanity faced extinction due to the demonic invasion. Humans, defenseless against the overwhelming power of demons, suffered massacres, torture, and near-total slavery.
But then, according to legend, the gods descended to aid humanity. Thanks to that divine intervention, humans survived and managed to defeat those evil beings.
The age of myth remained a dark and mysterious chapter of history. Some stories had reached the present, but no one could say for certain whether it was all real or simply a myth passed down through the centuries.