Froilan collapsed to his knees, completely devastated. Pain tore through him as he stared at the ruins of his homeland—his entire country reduced to ash and silence.
In the heart of the capital, a horrifying mountain of corpses rose from the scorched earth—bodies piled on top of each other, bloodied and broken. At the summit stood the flag of Montclair, fluttering arrogantly in the smoke-filled air. Many of the dead were torn apart, dismembered beyond recognition—a brutal testament to the cruelty of their enemies.
Fires still raged through the wreckage of homes and buildings, the sky above blackened by smoke and grief.
They were too late.
The enemy had struck first… and won.
Froilan threw his head back and screamed—an agonized, soul-wrenching cry that echoed through the ruined city. He wept openly, crushed beneath the weight of his failure.
This land…
The country his father had reclaimed from the enemy.
The people he had sworn to protect.
Their homeland, their legacy—all of it was gone.
Behind him, Ragnar stood in silence, his expression grim. His men had fallen alongside the Firenzan soldiers—defenders to the last breath. He had given his word to the late King Maximilian that he would protect them… but now, there was nothing left.
Froilan's fists clenched in the dirt, his tears still streaming. His eyes, once filled with sorrow, now burned with fury.
"They will regret this..." he muttered, voice shaking with rage.
He would avenge them all.
"I promise I will kill them... I'll do to them what they did to my people."
Froilan's eyes blazed with fury and grief.
Vengeance had taken root in his soul.
.
.
.
"What did you say?" Matias rose abruptly from his chair, shock tightening his features as the news of Firenzan's fall reached his ears.
His right-hand man repeated the report, more slowly this time.
Matias stood frozen.
The enemy had taken advantage of Froilan's absence while he was in the Serolf Empire.
Now that Firenzan lay in ruins... the next target would surely be Targaryen.
"Where's Arash?" he asked sharply.
"He's preparing to depart as we speak, Your Majesty. He intends to return to his kingdom as soon as possible," his right-hand man replied.
"That's good..." Matias muttered, sinking back into his chair, jaw clenched in frustration.
He wanted to send reinforcements to support Arash—but their forces stationed in the Serolf Empire were already stretched thin. He clenched his fists tightly. If only the marks on his body hadn't left him so weakened… If only his brothers hadn't come to check on him. If only Froilan had stayed in Firenzan… perhaps the country could have been saved.
This is all my fault.
With a snarl of frustration, he slammed his fist onto the table, the impact echoing through the room.
If only I weren't so weak...
He straightened, eyes steeled with resolve.
"Tell the soldiers to stay alert. The enemy will strike again—without warning," he commanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty," his right-hand man said with a bow.
Matias then took a breath, his voice steady and determined.
"And..." he swallowed hard. "Prepare my armor. I will join you in guarding the border."
His right-hand man looked stunned.
"B-But, Your Majesty… you're not well," he hesitated.
"That's an order!" Matias snapped, fire in his voice.
He would not remain idle while others died defending the empire. He would stand and fight—even if it cost him his last breath.
Jinny... please take care of our child.
.
.
.
At Elarion Forest.
Nightfall had begun to settle over the trees, casting long shadows across the forest floor.
Hajee and his brothers decided to make camp and rest—it had been a full day since they entered the forest. Kiko worked on lighting a fire while the others prepared food and set up the tents.
"This place isn't safe," Tohru muttered, eyes scanning the darkening woods.
"Just stay alert," Imman replied calmly. "I'm sure wild animals are already watching us... just waiting for the right moment to attack."
Harusheen unsheathed his sword with a grin.
"Let them come. I'm always ready."
As the brothers busied themselves with camp duties, the scent of grilled meat filled the air, making Jinny's stomach growl with hunger from inside the carriage. She sat quietly, trying not to think about food.
Meanwhile, TJ sat nearby with his eyes closed, silent and still.
Ran glanced around—the others were preoccupied. With a cautious look, he stepped away from the campfire, holding a piece of grilled meat in hand, and made his way to the carriage where Jinny was hiding.
Rin noticed him but chose to say nothing.
Ran carefully opened the carriage door—only to freeze when he saw TJ sitting inside.
"R-Ran..." Jinny whispered, startled.
Ran's eyes widened. "B-Big brother?"
"Long time no see," TJ said casually, taking the meat from Ran's hand. "Thanks." He began eating without hesitation.
"H-How did you... Wait, that's not even yours!" Ran hissed in a low voice.
"What, you care more about your woman than your own brother?" TJ teased with a smirk.
"Tsk. It's not like that," Ran muttered. "And how did you end up in our carriage?"
"I climbed in when I saw you all crossing the border," TJ said, chewing. "Anyway, why do you sound like you're not happy to see me?"
"Of course I'm happy. I'm just surprised—and didn't expect that you've been with us this whole time. You could've at least told us," Ran replied.
TJ simply shrugged and kept eating.
Ran glanced at Jinny, his tone softening.
"I'll bring you another piece."
"I-I'm fine," she said quickly, pointing at a sack. "There are apples in there."
"That's not enough, you're preg—" Ran stopped himself mid-sentence, realizing he had almost revealed their secret.
TJ must not know.
But they were interrupted when a sudden noise cut through the night—the unmistakable sound of wild beasts approaching.
Ran's eyes snapped toward the sound.
"Hide," he whispered, quickly shutting the carriage door.
He sprinted back to his brothers. They were already alert—weapons drawn, standing in defensive formation.
Within seconds, the forest erupted.
Wild animals lunged from the shadows—charging straight for them.