Caius' POV
The world was cold.
Dark.
Silent.
Water filled my lungs as I sank deeper into the abyss. My body felt like lead, every movement sluggish and weak. My vision blurred, a mixture of pain and exhaustion pulling me toward unconsciousness.
But then—Eloise.
The memory of her—her smile, her stubbornness, the fire in her eyes—struck through the haze like a lightning bolt.
She needed me.
I couldn't die here.
I wouldn't die here.
With all the strength I had left, I forced my body to move, kicking against the current, fighting my way toward the surface. My lungs burned, my muscles screamed, but I pushed through the agony.
Then, just as my vision started to go black—air.
I broke through the surface, coughing violently as I gasped for breath. The river had carried me far, the battlefield nothing more than a distant memory.
I dragged myself to shore, collapsing onto the wet ground, my body shaking from exhaustion. My wounds ached, and my thoughts were a mess, but only one thing mattered now.
Eloise.
I had seen her—being taken. I saw the king dragging her away while I was too weak, too distracted to stop it.
A surge of anger filled me, stronger than any pain I felt. The king had gone too far.
And I would burn his entire kingdom to the ground if that's what it took to get her back.
A shadow moved nearby, and I tensed, instinct taking over. A familiar voice broke through the silence.
"You're not dead yet?"
I turned my head, vision still adjusting, and saw him—the man who had pulled me out of the water.
Rowan.
His smirk was unreadable, but his eyes held something different this time. Something serious.
"I told you before," he continued, crouching beside me. "You're reckless. But this time, you've really pissed off the wrong people."
I struggled to sit up, my voice rough. "Where is she?"
Rowan sighed. "The king has her."
The words sent a fresh wave of fury through me. I clenched my fists, ignoring the pain that shot through my body.
"I have to get her back."
Rowan watched me carefully. "Then you better stand up, hero. Because if you don't, you're going to lose her forever."
I met his gaze, determination burning in my chest.
No matter what it took—no matter how many enemies I had to cut down—I was coming for her.
And this time, I wouldn't fail.
Rowan offered me his hand. I hesitated for half a second before gripping it, pulling myself up despite the protest of my aching body. There was no time to waste. Every second I spent here was another second the king had Eloise under his control. And after what I had seen—the way he looked at her, the way he took her—I knew I was already too late to prevent the worst. But I could still stop him.
I would stop him.
Rowan studied me, his usual arrogance replaced with something unreadable. "You're barely standing. You need a plan, and you need people."
I wiped the blood from my mouth, breathing heavily. "Then let's start."
Rowan chuckled, shaking his head. "That's what I like about you, Caius. No hesitation, even when you're half-dead."
I ignored him and started moving. I needed warriors. Not just any warriors. Fighters who had a reason to stand against the king. Those who had been wronged, discarded, betrayed. People like me.
The Dwarves
The first stop was the dwarven village. The young chief owed me, and more importantly, they owed her. Eloise had saved their people—had rewritten fate itself for them. If there was anyone who would stand against the kingdom's tyranny, it was them.
When we arrived, the dwarves were already waiting. Their chief, arms crossed, gave me a sharp nod.
"We heard what happened." His voice was firm, resolute. "And we knew you'd come."
Behind him, warriors stood ready—axes sharpened, armor reinforced.
"We fight for her," the chief declared. "For what she's done for us. And for you, fallen hero."
The Ocean Tribe
Next was the ocean tribe. Fierce warriors of the sea, bound to no land, loyal only to those who earned it. I had fought alongside them before, had shared food, had bled on the same battlefield. They knew me. And when I told them the king had stolen the one thing I couldn't live without, their leader, a scarred man with piercing blue eyes, simply nodded.
"Then we sail for war."
The Exiled Knights
There were others—men and women who had once served the kingdom but had been cast aside. They had fought under banners now burned, had sworn loyalty to a king who had betrayed them. They would follow a new banner now.
Mine.
When I stood before them—broken, battered, but unwilling to bend—there was no hesitation.
"We ride at dawn," their leader said, fastening his armor. "For justice. For vengeance. For her."
The Last Piece: My Brother
Valerian.
He was the only one left. The last name on my list. The only one who could tip the balance entirely in our favor.
Rowan, who had been silent for most of the journey, finally spoke up. "He won't help you."
I turned to him. "He will."
Rowan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Caius, your brother hates you."
I clenched my jaw. I knew that. But Valerian wasn't just my brother. He was a general. He commanded an army. And whether he liked it or not, this battle would be on his doorstep soon.
"He doesn't have a choice."
As the first light of dawn painted the sky, I stood before an army. Dwarves. Ocean warriors. Exiled knights.
They were here for many reasons—vengeance, justice, bloodshed.
But I was here for only one.
Eloise.
And I would burn the entire kingdom to the ground if it meant getting her back.