Capítulo 37: Battle in Valoria?
As the last remnants of the battle faded, Nizara turned and walked away from the silent aftermath, his cloak billowing around him. The weight of his presence was like a shadow cast upon the earth, dark and haunting. Just as he was about to disappear into the forest path, Lucien stumbled forward, still in disbelief, his voice barely a whisper as he called out, "Nizara… what happened to you?"
Stopping just at the edge of the light, Nizara turned his head slightly, a chilling gleam in his eyes as he replied, "I never died. I arose from the dead." His words carried an ominous weight, resonating through the air like the tolling of a distant, foreboding bell. The very sound of it seemed to chill Lucien's blood—a statement that hinted at something unfathomable, something beyond mortal understanding.
Zalthor, struggling to keep himself upright, his body exhausted and battered, managed to voice the question gnawing at his mind. "But Nizara… how were you able to wield fire? You don't possess a Fire Aether." His voice was filled with shock and confusion, unable to reconcile the friend he knew with the powerful force he had just witnessed.
Nizara's lips curved into a faint smirk, his confidence unshaken. "Maybe that's my hidden Aether?" he replied cryptically, his voice both mocking and mysterious. Zalthor's mind raced, grasping for understanding. The Second Awakening—the ancient power that had brought Nizara back—could have unlocked an Aether hidden even to him, a power that might only emerge under dire circumstances. But the thought left Zalthor uneasy, as if they were witnessing just the beginning of something far greater than any of them knew.
Nizara's expression hardened, his gaze piercing as he spoke with an air of finality. "Enough questions. We need to move. We're leaving." His voice held a command that brooked no dissent, cold and unyielding.
Commander Viktor narrowed his eyes, curiosity mingling with caution. "And where exactly are we headed?"
Nizara's gaze was resolute as he turned to face them. "The Valoria Kingdom."
Lucien blinked, taken aback, his tone wavering with both hope and uncertainty. "Wait, we're… going home?"
Nizara cut him off with a look as fierce as a storm. "Yes, we're going home," he said, his voice low and unyielding. "But not to rest. We're going back to fight, to defend the kingdom."
Commander Thorian took a hesitant step forward, his brows furrowing in confusion. "How do you know all of this, Nizara?"
Nizara's gaze turned dark, his tone cold. "During my time inside the Citadel, I had enough time to investigate Malcorys' true intentions." His voice dropped, his eyes narrowing. "He planned to kill every one of you," he said, looking at Lucien, Zalthor, Thorian, Alda, and Viktor in turn, "and then burn the Valoria Kingdom to the ground."
Commander Thorian's frown deepened. "But Malcorys is dead now. Doesn't that mean his plans failed?"
Nizara's voice grew colder, his expression grim. "No. His plans don't end with him. He has comrades, ruthless allies waiting for his command. And if he doesn't respond, they'll act on their own."
At that, Nizara raised two fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle. Within moments, his horse, its coat sleek and black as night, appeared from the shadows, its hooves pounding the earth as it approached him. "I'll take Commander Viktor with me. We can't waste a second."
Commander Thorian stepped forward, his voice defiant. "Then I'm coming too."
But Nizara silenced him with a piercing look, his words heavy. "You're not in any condition to fight, Commander. You need to stay behind and recover." Thorian clenched his jaw, reluctantly nodding, but the frustration was evident in his eyes.
Viktor let out an exasperated sigh, rolling his shoulders. "Another fight, huh?" His tone was half resigned, half amused.
Nizara placed a steady hand on Viktor's shoulder, his gaze unwavering. "You're the only one I trust to help me save Valoria."
Commander Thorian nodded, understanding the gravity of their situation. "The kingdom's defenses are thin. King Auzara is away at a meeting in the Arcadia Kingdom, along with Princess Amara and Prince Alaric. Even High Commander Seraphina and Vice High Commander Elara are not in the kingdom."
Nizara's expression turned grave. "Then who's left to protect it?"
"Only the Police Force and a handful of Military Force members," Thorian replied, his tone grim.
"Then it's enough," Nizara said, a determined glint in his eyes. "They'll buy us time." Adjusting his cloak, he mounted his horse with swift precision. His gaze settled on Viktor, a fierce determination shining in his eyes. "Let's ride, Commander."
Viktor, shaking his head with a rueful grin, mounted his own horse. "Let's do this, Nizara."
Meanwhile, right outside the borders of the Valoria Kingdom, three shadowy figures cloaked in dark robes moved through the dense forest, their presence ominous and unsettling. They stood just beyond the boundary, the last vestiges of light from Valoria barely illuminating their faces as they waited in tense silence, an unsettling energy radiating from them.
The tallest figure, a man with an icy, calculating gaze, clenched his jaw, his patience wearing thin as he scanned the horizon. "Where is he?" he muttered, his voice low but seething with anger. His fists tightened at his sides, his frustration apparent as he glanced toward his two comrades.
The second figure, a slender woman with piercing, hawk-like eyes, shifted her weight, her expression betraying her own growing impatience. "He should have sent word by now," she murmured, her tone laced with irritation.
The third figure, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, let out a low, frustrated growl. "Maybe he's dead," he said with a dark chuckle, though there was a grim undertone to his voice.
The leader shot him a sharp, venomous look. "Malcorys does not die easily." His voice was filled with conviction, though there was an underlying edge of doubt. He paused, his gaze narrowing as he looked toward the kingdom's borders. "But if he's failed, then we'll continue his mission ourselves." His words dripped with cold resolve.
The woman's eyes gleamed with dark excitement. "Then we'll bring Valoria to its knees."
Without another word, the three figures advanced, their forms melding into the darkness as they crossed into Valoria's lands, an unstoppable force ready to unleash chaos upon the unsuspecting kingdom. The shadows seemed to thicken around them, their presence a storm gathering on the horizon as the borders of Valoria awaited the darkness that had come to claim it.
*To Be Continued*
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder