War Declaration

As darkness fell, Jafar, Luciana, and Octavius remained on high alert. The village streets were treacherous, shadows shifting with the presence of demons lurking nearby. Seeking refuge in an abandoned shack, they stumbled upon some medicinal herbs—a small stroke of luck amid the encroaching danger. Under Luciana's guidance, Jafar ground the herbs into a fine paste and carefully brewed them in a battered pot. After administering the makeshift treatment to Octavius, they laid him down to rest.

With Octavius settled, Luciana shared her story with Jafar, recounting the fall of Erebus and her desperate escape from the Central Capital. Jafar listened in silence, his expression unreadable, absorbing every word. Finally, he rose to his feet and spoke quietly.

"I'll fetch more water from the well, my lady. Please keep the door locked until I return."

The three had been surviving on next to nothing; Jafar had been rationing his limited provisions, sharing what little he had as Luciana tended to Octavius. Exhausted, she settled into a light sleep with Nemesis by her side. But a sharp, violent knock shattered the silence, jerking her awake.

"Open up!" a gruff voice demanded from outside.

Her heart thundered as she sat upright, gripped by a sense of dread. She stayed silent, hoping they might pass by. But a moment later, the door splintered under the force of a heavy blow, wooden fragments flying as heavy footsteps pounded into the shack. Through the cloud of dust, a pair of red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.

"Found you," a cold voice taunted, dripping with malice.

In a flash, Luciana reached for whatever she could find, hurling objects at the intruder in a desperate attempt to shield Octavius and Nemesis. But her efforts were in vain. A powerful hand seized her arm, and she cried out as the stranger's gaze locked onto hers—an eerie pair of bewitched red eyes.

"Enough of this foolishness," Draco sneered, pulling her close with an effortless grip. With swift precision, he bound her hands and hoisted her onto his mount. Her hair spilled loose around her as she struggled, catching sight of a figure in the distance: Jafar. But her heart froze, not because he was far away—but because of the expression on his face. He stood watching, a dark, smug smile tugging at his lips.

Her realization struck with brutal clarity. I was meant to be sacrificed from the beginning. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Draco climbed onto the beast behind her, his watchful eyes tracking her every move. A few soldiers behind them exchanged vulgar whispers about her, but Draco silenced them with a single, lethal glare.

Their journey back to the Central Capital took two grueling days. Whenever she refused food, Draco forced stale bread and tough meat down her throat, his tone cold and commanding. "We don't want to deliver a corpse. Eat, or I'll make sure it goes down one way or another." The nearly inedible food made her retch, but hunger won out, and Nemesis, desperate, forced himself to eat as well.

They arrived at the Capital by midday, Draco dragging her off the beast without respite and leading her toward the Spider Lily Palace. Luciana's eyes took in the palace grounds, where red spider lilies blanketed the gardens, spreading like blood across the landscape.

They ascended to the third floor, her legs nearly giving way from exhaustion as Draco showed her no mercy. They finally reached a set of ornate white doors, trimmed with delicate golden designs. A young butler opened the doors, nodding respectfully.

"General Draco has arrived, Your Imperial Highness," the butler announced as he led them inside.

A door opened from an adjacent chamber, and Zavaikal entered the room, his gaze cold and assessing. Draco knelt, yanking Luciana down beside him, forcing her to her knees. Zavaikal's mouth curved in a satisfied smile.

"Well done, General," he praised, handing Draco a sealed document. "Your reward will be generous."

Draco accepted the document, but Zavaikal's expression darkened as he continued. "Amanécer has declared war on Wahrheit, as has the human realm."

Cornelius's warning echoed in Luciana's mind. Prepare for Armageddon.

Unable to stay silent, she raised her voice, her defiance breaking through her exhaustion. "You've taken me. Why must you still go after my people?"

Zavaikal's gaze flickered with amusement, his laughter sharp and condescending.

"Your people broke the pact!" He replied coldly.

Her confusion only deepened.

" What are you talking about? My people would never wage war unless there was a reason to it." She rebuked in defiance.

" We requested a princess with eyes of gold." His voice edged with contempt.

" Instead your emperor father sent another daughter in her place."

She stared at him, the truth finally sinking in as her heart pounded faster, struck with realization."Aria...?" She whispered horror dawning.

Relishing her shock, his lips curled to a dark smile.

He looked so much like Erebus which haunted her.

"Yes, the seal bearer. Your cunning emperor thought he could decieve us, by keeping the one we desired- the one who bears the other half of the golden seal, and sent you, a lesser daughter in her place. That's the reality." He leaned closer and whispered.

She felt the world tilt, the legend of the golden seal unraveling in her mind.

She'd only heard whispers of it from others. It was never recorded in the books. Passed down as a myth— a seal created by first emperor to imprison Iblis. He chose to embed the remaining half of what was left of the seal inside his body, its power embedded in her bloodline as it continued to pass down to the descendants.

Zavaikal leaned back, his satisfaction evident.

"But thanks to my fool of a brother, he made things easier for me. I never had to lift my hand to get what I desired." Zavaikal mused and gestured to Draco who had just finished studying the contents of the scroll.

Zavaikal's gaze still lingered on him cold and calculating.

"Is it not to your liking?" He asked him.

Draco grinned and shook his head.

"All that I needed." He responded.

"I have another one for your use." He gestured the soldiers to bring forth Nemesis.

They pushed the child who, too terrified to cry obeyed their command and fell on the ground with their rough push.

" Nemesis!" Luciana turned to him trying to get to the boy who was staggering up covered in dirt and eyes filled with tears.

"That boy.... Being him closer." Zavaikal ordered the soldier.

They obeyed and lifted him from behind his collar and pressed him to move.

"Don't hurt him!" Luciana shrieked. Her anger and desperation evident on her face.

Zavaikal ignored her plea and studied him for a brief moment and smiled darkly thatade Nemesis tremble in fear.

"This boy is pure Amanécerian." He announced. Draco was shocked. He never realized another Amanécerian stood right under their noses.

" He will be a great stand in." He declared.

"Start preparing for the war. I shall prepare for the ritual within fortnight. Every man and woman capable of fighting will enter the army. Leave no one behind."

"Understood. Then I will take Leila to the south eastern region." Draco and the head butler excused themselves to carry out his orders.