"He came."

Owen heard Adira's faint whisper before she struggled to lift the little boy on her arms, still bleeding and suffering. Aside from she was starting to panic, Heise was a bit too heavy for her to lift by herself anymore.

"Who has come Big Sister?—And give him to me!" Owen offered to carry the child Adira called her baby.

Although he hated to think that this child was that hateful prince's child but he was still his beloved sister's son, so isn't this boy technically his nephew?

Also, he didn't want to be labeled as a good-for-nothing uncle.

"He came. Oh no. What do I do?"

Owen heard another low whisper from the unfocused Adira that he had to shake her a bit to get her attention again. He had this gnawing feeling that if he left her like that, then it would be dangerous for her.

"Big Sister! Let's go! Your son needs a doctor as soon as possible!"

The sound of urgency in Owen's voice and the fact that Heise was still bleeding from the place where he was shot at finally snapped Adira.

Curing Heise takes precedence. She can deal with Raidyn possibly leading that cavalry later. She needs to find someone that can help her child first.

So she lead Owen towards a nearby clinic that she happened to pass by on one of her outings in town. She could keep him there for a while. She could leave Owen there to protect Heise.

"Where are you going?" Owen immediately asked as soon as he noticed Adira stepping back, as if trying to slip out undetected.

"I need to go. If I stay here, he will find me and he will kill Heise—no, he might even kill everyone."

Adira was shaking really hard as she desperately tried to calm herself. She knew Raidyn wouldn't let her go that easily. She just had to delude herself that she finally escaped his claws when in fact she never did— and she might never will.

"Who is this coming for—"

"Owen! Please protect Heise! Please! I beg you! Protect my child."

She didn't even let Owen finish his question when she took his hands into hers and squeezed them tightly, begging for him to protect the injured child. She was sure that Heise will be safe as long as she wasn't anywhere near him.

That way, that man would also not find him. She can protect Heise and if worse comes to worst, Owen will be there to guard him.

"What about you?!"

"I'll find Alex. I can get Alex to protect me and I am plenty capable to defend myself from a few goons. So I'll be fine. Just please, promise me you'll protect him."

...

Adira left the clinic after she was sure that Owen will protect Heise while he was treated there and was supposed to make her way back to her original goal—to the palace—but instead she took another route and headed to the place where everything ended her past life—the capital's central church.

I'll assess things from there. I might be able to figure something out up there.

She thought to herself, completely ignoring the glaring fact of how her life ended up there by now. To her, although the events were a little bit different than it was last time, it seems that things were being forced to run like how it was from her past life.

Perhaps, this is the end of my dream? It was a very happy dream though.

Adira sadly thought to herself after she arrived at the church's bell tower and saw the army Raidyn brought with him and the Versaillus Army advancing to their defensive positions and Casimir who was steadily advancing back to the palace. However, she could not see Triton anywhere.

And as if knowing she was looking for him, Triton's voice came from behind her.

"Adira."

It was just like the last time—meeting him up this church's bell tower— however, Heise was not here, she didn't burn the capital, and the man didn't address her in the same hateful voice he used to her the last time.

Instead, he spoke to her with undeniable warmth, yearning and love. So soft, gentle and warm.

"I knew you'd return to me."

"Why? Why can't you let me go?"

Adira didn't know what made her ask those words. Perhaps, she was tired. Perhaps, she needed to know the answer—what was holding him back? Why was he chasing her? What does he want? Just why won't he stop?

"Simple. I love you and I don't wish to let you go." The man replied with ease and smile as he took small careful steps closer to Adira.

"However, I don't love you. Casimir is the person that I love. Why can't you accept that?"

"No!! You love me! I know it! I know you love me so much that you're only with him to spite me! Well, you've won! I'm dying in jealousy already so please stop this charade already and return to me, plea—"

"Triton! I really don't love you! And I'll repeat it as many times as it takes for you to accept that it is Casimir whom I love and it is only him!" She cut him off.

The man's face paled after hearing the clarity in his beloved's voice as she proclaimed her love for the man that took her away from him. It was something that he miscalculated. Because he was sure that she would still love him.

...

While Adira was dealing with Triton at the church's bell tower, a hooded figure suddenly emerged from Casimir's opponent's shadow. The same hooded figure he fought the last war, as the new comer thrusted his sword through the soldier's chest and quickly took his life.

"What bad luck to immediately run into you, Prince Casimir. I would've wanted to emerge from my darling's shadow." He mockingly shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"That voice... It can't be."

"It seems you already figured out my identity, as expected of the Empire's Great Demon Lord. Guess, I no longer need to hide myself under this hood, huh?"

The man mused to himself as he watched Casimir's flabbergasted expression and knew then that the latter had discovered his real identity.

Vivid amber eyes and raven hair was revealed under the hood that kept it hidden and the person smirked.

"What is the meaning of this, King Raidyn?"

"Hmm~ you see, I was searching for my fated Queen. Who knew you snatched her for yourself? I really, really hate that, you know? Stealing from me is unforgivable. Unforgivable!"

As if a switch was flipped inside the man, he started to hysterically slash his sword at the dead soldier beneath his feet while madness quickly spread in his amber eyes. He was going mad with anger when he discovered that Adira had fled away with another man.

Why would she fly away with this maggot when she should be mine? She's mine! The augur said so! The maiden of light was supposed to be mine! So why is she with Casimir?! Why does Casimir get to claim her?! Why?!

"She is not your Queen. She is mine."

What Casimir hated more than anything in this whole damned world was random men suddenly popping up and then claiming his wife to be theirs. Why do they always say that?

He was getting tired of always being on his toes, on the look out for possible rivals, that he was honestly a little bit—okay maybe not a little bit, but a whole lot—relieved when Adira finally tied herself to him and married him.

So why do they still keep coming even though she's already mine? Even though she is already my wife?!

"You don't even know what she is capable of and you're letting her rot away like this when she could achieve more, so much more! With her full capability, she could have the whole world at her feet! She could rule and dominate them all! She only needed someone to guide her!"

"That isn't what she wants, is it?"

Raidyn was speechless after hearing Casimir's simple answer. It was all just as simple as that. Even a grade schooler would know. Casimir simply wants whatever Adira wants. If she wanted to conquer the world, then he will support her.

However, what the woman really wanted was not those. It wasn't power, or fame or whatnot. She only wanted a warm family. She only wanted love and she was desperate for it. That there were times Casimir could see in her eyes how unsure she was if she was taking things for granted.

If she wasn't thankful enough for the love she was getting, which was very odd to Casimir. Because, to him, she deserved all the love in this world. A pure and kind soul like hers deserved everything she had.

"What does it matter what she wants? In front of absolute power, does that even matter?"

Was Raidyn's chilling reply to Casimir. To this king, nothing mattered more than that complete and utter dominion over everyone else. To him, standing atop everyone was more important. To feel that exhilarating feeling of seeing these tiny little maggots struggle to climb their way up to him.

And Adira was the key to that kind of future. No, the power that rests inside her was the key to open that door of possibility. Which was why he was desperate to acquire the Maiden of Light.

"If that is what you think, then won't you give me the Maiden of Light? You don't care for power, right?"

"I don't need this Maiden of Light that all of you are dying to get your hands on."

Casimir answered him and Raidyn couldn't help but smile in victory. If Casimir says that he didn't need Adira then maybe it'll be a bit easier to take her now. But, oh boy, how wrong he was.

"Then—"

"However, I need my wife. So, no. I'm not giving her to you." He didn't even let the man get another word in as he launched a series of heavy attacks that all Raidyn could do was take the brunt of all those assaults and defend himself.

A Casimir that had nothing holding him back was like a feral dragon trying to gobble a dozen of men whole. He didn't have a monicker Great Demon Lord for nothing indeed. He was just like that overpowered last boss in the very last and most difficult level to pass.

But even this Great Demon Lord could do nothing at the face of a perfectly honed dark magic that sneaked around to bound and incapacitate him.

The king chuckled lowly before it slowly evolved into a mocking guffaw as he ran a hand through his messed up raven locks and attempted to comb it back to its original look.

"You see, Prince Casimir, I am not asking you. I am demanding you. Beside you, she'll be utterly degraded into this good-for-nothing little wife playing house with you and your son.

However, by my side, she'll rise above everyone else and they shall all bow down to worship her splendor. If you know what's good for her and your empire, you'll surrender her to me and I will withdraw my troops immediately. Let's not make this any uglier than it already is.

You and your army, no matter how strong and formidable you are, cannot hope to escape this slaughter unscathed with how unprepared you are. So think very well as this Empire's prince, your highness. Will you sacrifice your country for one Adira?"

He ranted and ranted while keeping the bound Casimir dangling off the shadow's that wound around his four limbs.

It was true indeed. The Versaillus Empire had been caught unguarded this time given that they simultaneously need to deal with the rebellion of some nobles—particularly Triton Dalriada that literally does anything, whether stupid or insanely stupid, just to take away his wife.

How does she manage to rope in the crazies? Not that I can complain... but still!

...

Adira, who tried to side-step and escape Triton, unfortunately came face to face with a heavily disfigured Iris—with her face too damaged to be even recognized—that even though she was healed, with a melted face like that, anyone would have wished they were killed instead.

Especially someone as vain as her.

"You bitch. You monstrous bitch! You did this to me! I will kill you! I will really kill you!!" She rabidly screamed at Adira before she glowed golden and materialized the same sword that killed her the last cycle.

She rushed at the stunned Adira and attempted to thrust it at her when she was deflected back by an invisible force when Adira screamed,

"Stay back!"

It was all a mess. The things that were occurring all at the same time. The Bycrest Army attacking the Empire. Casimir captured by Raidyn. Heise shot down by the Bycrest Soldiers. Triton's Rebellion. A pincer attack from two separate unassociated powers.

It was all bearing down on Adira that her heart had started to darken—and with this darkness was the destruction that Raidyn had always hoped to see.

The very bright morning sun was suddenly hidden by very thick and dark clouds that would even make people think that night time had come too soon. The skies growled in anger as flashes of light danced here and there.

The soldiers and mercenaries, regardless of which side they were working for, all briefly stopped to observe the unexplainable events unfolding before their very eyes.

"You should all just disappear."

And with Adira's words, light rained down from the furious skies that attacked both the armies fighting outside the west walls and the soldiers duking it out, trying to keep the First Prince and his knights preoccupied till they achieve their objective.

"This is..."

Casimir raised his head and watched the skies light up and rumble in furor before sending down beams of light to burn anything and everything. Friend, foe, buildings or whatever, as long as you stood in the way, then you'll without a doubt burn away.

He redirected his gaze to the amused and disgusting excited expression on Raidyn's face before the latter spoke,

"Ah~~ The beloved daughter of the Gods' heart has darkened. This... This is the Maiden's cry. Nothing can stop this unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless everything burns down."

Notes:
Extra long because I've also been absent extra long~~ I missed you guys~~ I miss waking up to all your comments that I always love to read~~ I hope I get to see another long thread this time~~

Anyway~ I've survived~~
Banzaaaiiii~ 🎉🎉🎉

P.S. not promising anything but I might be able to focus on this again~ hope so~