After hearing the devastating news of Migase's destruction, Nakhsa rushed toward Patisia with a storm brewing in his chest. He needed to see his nephew—Balaraniyan—the only known survivor of the brutal massacre carried out by the Balevad forces. Every step of his horse felt heavy, as if the cries of thousands of slain Migase citizens echoed relentlessly in his mind.
Upon reaching Damerius's mansion, Nakhsa dismounted without pause and ran inside. His eyes immediately found the small figure seated in one of the rooms—shivering, pale-faced, and blank-eyed. Balaraniyan looked fragile, nothing like the vibrant child he used to know.
Without hesitation, Nakhsa fell to his knees and embraced his nephew tightly."I'm so sorry… Balaraniyan, I'm so sorry…"His voice cracked under the weight of grief, his shoulders trembling with sobs.
Balaraniyan said nothing. He just cried—his whole body trembling within Nakhsa's arms. The trauma had gripped him too deeply. Images of his mother, father, and younger brother Baluru—slaughtered right before his eyes—kept replaying in his mind. The fate of his older brother, Balagian, now enslaved by the Balevad, remained unknown.
Damerius, standing near the window, watched the heartbreaking scene with somber eyes. Hans stood in the corner, fists clenched tightly. There were no words that could ease the pain. Everything they loved had been ripped away in the most savage way imaginable.
After a long silence, Damerius finally spoke, his voice calm but firm."Nakhsa, what are you planning to do now?"
Nakhsa slowly loosened his embrace. His tear-soaked eyes now burned with a simmering fury."I will avenge the people of Migase, sir. I've already asked Lord Balin for permission," he said, voice quaking with restrained emotion.
Damerius took a deep breath."The situation has grown far more complicated. Now that Rogg is considered an enemy of the Empire, he won't be able to move freely outside of Smokeland to help you."
Nakhsa lifted his chin, his tone resolute."Whether with or without Lord Rogg, we will strike back. We cannot let our people's deaths go unanswered."
Hans, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke."But we don't even know where the Balevad forces are. We have no idea of their numbers, their strength. How do you plan to fight an enemy you can't even see?"
Hans's words pushed Nakhsa to the edge of frustration. Rage and guilt twisted within him. His stare was filled with bitterness and vengeance."So what are we supposed to do, Hans?! If only you hadn't left, would this massacre have happened?!"
His voice trembled with accusation. Hans's eyes widened in shock—but before he could respond, Nakhsa's fury boiled over.
"Isn't this all your fault?! Rogg's fault?! He took Migase's army to save Yara! And look what happened! Our people were slaughtered like animals!"
The room fell into a heavy silence. Everyone present could feel the storm of grief and rage raging inside Nakhsa.
But Hans didn't stay silent.
"And weren't you even more to blame, Nakhsa?" he said coldly.
Nakhsa froze.
Hans's voice sharpened."You ignored Rogg's message just because of your grudge with your brother, Bala. Rogg was entrusted to protect Migase while we were gone. It was you who should have stayed behind, wasn't it?"
Nakhsa's fists clenched, his jaw tightened.
"Then where is Rogg now?!" he snapped, fury boiling in his voice. "Did he return to Migase after everything?! No! Did he see the way his people were butchered?! Of course not! So how can you be so sure he even cares?!"
Hans's glare hardened, his anger coming not from personal offense, but from the injustice in Nakhsa's accusations."You need to understand your place, Nakhsa," he said, his voice as cold as steel. "You are no one to the people of Migase. You lost your family—but Rogg lost more than that. You think he doesn't suffer? He didn't just lose a brother or a father. He lost an entire nation."
The room was enveloped in silence.The surviving soldiers of Migase who stood nearby could only lower their heads.
They too had lost their families in the massacre.
Damerius finally spoke, his voice carrying the weight of authority."That's enough."
Everyone turned toward him.
"There's no use pointing fingers now," he continued firmly. "What you need is preparation. You want revenge? You seek justice? Then you must wait for Rogg to decide the next move. As long as he remains in Smokeland, your duty is to prepare. Reorganize the surviving Migase troops. If you act recklessly, you'll only add more names to the list of the dead."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Nakhsa exhaled deeply. He looked at Balaraniyan, still sobbing in silence. In his heart, he made a vow.
Their fight was not over.Blood would be repaid with blood.And the fall of Migase would be answered with the downfall of its enemies.
The doors swung open with a loud creak that echoed through the chamber. A tall man strode in, his posture upright, his gaze commanding. Every step he took radiated an aura of unshakable authority.
"Magnoli, your time is up. You must choose a side now," Todius's voice rang out—cold and sharp, like the edge of a blade. He seated himself across from Magnoli, staring him down without hesitation."The Empire does not recognize Damerius—this 'Damma Lorexius' you speak of. Damma was declared dead thirteen years ago. Now, with Rogg fallen, he's the next target. This isn't merely a hunt—this is the Empire's way of proving its strength and resolve."
Magnoli sighed, his gaze unwavering despite his brother's unmistakable threat."Todius, Todius... you haven't even looked him in the eyes, haven't heard his voice, and yet you've already decided he's not Damma Lorexius?"He leaned back in his chair with calm detachment, as if untouched by Todius's pressure."The truth remains the truth—even if the whole world tries to bury it. You can twist history, but reality cannot be erased."
Tension thickened the air. Two princes, two royal bloodlines, now locked in a psychological duel that crackled with unspoken conflict. Their eyes clashed, each seeking the slightest crack in the other's resolve.
Todius narrowed his eyes, his tone dropping to a lethal quiet."I say this as your brother, not your enemy. Supporting rebellion is not a wise move. Choose the wrong side, Magnoli, and I will not hesitate to destroy you."
A faint smirk curled Magnoli's lips. His expression remained calm, though danger lurked within every word of his brother."As long as I stand on the side of truth, even the gods themselves will not make me yield."
A brief silence followed—tense, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Todius rose slowly, breathing in deeply before turning toward the door. Just before stepping out, he looked over his shoulder one last time, his eyes steeled with conviction.
"Very well. We'll see how strong your conviction truly is. And how long it can keep you standing."
With that, he exited, leaving behind a trail of tension that still sizzled in the air. His intent was clear: he had come to warn Magnoli against siding with Damerius—the former heir to the throne, now deemed a shadow of a bygone era.But to Magnoli, the warning was no order to submit. It was a call—to stand tall against tyranny.
The war had not yet begun, but the storm was already gathering.
"Rogg... where are you? What's the next move?" Magnoli whispered, eyes fixed on the distant spires of Whiteheaven Palace.
He knew the key to it all… was Rogg.