Days had passed since Avon and Arcadius met Minerva.
Inside the cave, Avon checked on the girls while Minerva sat by the fire, her hands outstretched for warmth. She looked at him as he worked. "Are they... okay?" she asked softly.
"Yeah, they'll live," Avon replied, placing a hand on Sara's forehead. "Just not sure when they'll wake up." He saw the worried look on Minerva's face. "Hey, don't worry. They'll wake up soon."
"It's not that," she confessed.
"Then what is it? It's okay, you can tell me."
"It's... about when they do wake up."
Avon looked down at his sleeping sister, then back at Minerva. "Don't worry," he said. "They'll understand."
"What if they don't? What happens then?"
"They will," he insisted, his voice firm. "I'll make them. You have nothing to worry about."
A feeling of comfort washed over Minerva, and she curled up to sleep, though the sun was rising. She was, after all, a creature of the dark.
Arcadius's Climb
Meanwhile, Arcadius explored the mountains outside. His heart hammered in his chest as he climbed the tallest peak, his new strength making the ascent easier than it should have been. He paused to catch his breath on a ledge and looked behind him, spotting the body of a dead rock giant. He saw multiple red holes in the stone flesh and noticed the rock around them looked melted, as if something had burned through it.
He pushed on, climbing faster without the heavy equipment he'd dropped on the ledge. He slipped, and a sharp rock sliced his wrist, leaving a deep gash. He barely felt it. He was bleeding profusely, but the pain was almost nonexistent. He was surprised, but not so much that it stopped him. He hauled himself over the edge of the peak and lay on the ground, rolling over to take in the view.
He saw the giant rock bodies to his left, and a vast, empty landscape to his right. In the distance, he could see the edge of the ocean. He let out a triumphant smile. "Found it," he whispered to himself.
Back in the cave, Avon was sheathing his blade when Sara began to stir. Minerva, sensing her movements, rushed to her side, but Avon was lost in thought and didn't notice. Sara's eyes fluttered open to a blurry image of a beautiful girl with glowing skin, soft golden hair, and shining blue eyes—a perfect reflection of her long-lost sister. She heard a faint echo of voices, but couldn't make them out. As her vision cleared, she saw Minerva.
"Your face... so beautiful," Sara said, her hand reaching out to touch Minerva's cheek.
Minerva took her hand and called for Avon. He rushed to them, a rare smile of relief on his face. He helped Sara sit up.
"Easy, easy," he said calmly.
"Where... what happened?" Sara asked, her voice tired.
"You fell into a deep sleep after the juice," Avon explained.
"Oh... that juice."
Moments later, Vernara woke up. She seemed strangely fine, stretching languidly as if from a normal nap. Avon and Sara stared at her, confused.
"Need any help?" Avon asked.
"No thanks," Vernara said. "I'm fine, I guess."
But Minerva felt something was wrong. Vernara's eyes, wide and serious, locked onto hers.
"Tell me, Avon," Vernara said in a cold, steady voice. "Who is the girl?"
Sara felt a strange anxiety as she moved to stand beside Vernara. Minerva grew nervous. "M-my name is... Minerva... and I am..." She looked at Avon for help. "...a succubus."
Sara's hand trembled as if remembering a deep trauma. Vernara's eyes, however, filled with pure hatred.
"A succubus, you say? How amusing," Vernara sneered. "After all this time." She looked at Avon. "I'll deal with you later. Right now... I want to taste the blood of a succubus."
Vernara grabbed her axe and threw a double-bladed dagger to Sara. "After we're done here, I want to have a toast with you, dear Sara."
She charged toward Minerva. Minerva, scared, held up her hands to defend herself, but hesitated, not wanting to hurt one of Avon's companions. Just as Vernara was about to strike, Avon pushed her out of the way, his blade blocking the attack. The metal screeched against his iron sword.
Vernara's eyes burned with hatred, while Avon's were empty, lifeless.
"Did you forget who's with you?" Vernara spat, straining against his blade. "Or did this succubus mess with your head?"
Avon sidestepped her, moving so fast that she hit the ground with her axe, leaving a small crack. He then punched her, sending her tumbling to the ground.
"She is not our enemy," he said, his voice flat. "And you have no right to decide who dies and who lives."
Furious, Vernara stood up and prepared to charge again. But Sara stepped between them. "Stop it, both of you! This isn't the time for this!"
Vernara screamed in frustration and threw her axe against the cave wall. Minerva stood trembling behind Avon.
Just then, Arcadius burst into the cave, a wide grin on his face. "Did I miss something?" he asked, looking at the tension-filled air.
"Not much," Avon said dryly. "They just woke up."
Arcadius looked at Minerva and smiled. "You already know Minerva, right? She's a sweet girl. You'll like her."
Vernara looked at him with disdain. "Did she mess with your brain too?"
"W-what?" Arcadius stammered.
"Ver, please cut it out," Sara said. "Let us understand before we act."
Avon shot Arcadius a look, subtly pointing to his mouth to signal him to stay quiet. Arcadius immediately understood and stepped back.
Sara turned to Avon. "Can you please explain, brother? Why should we keep this creature with us, knowing what her kind has done? We're all ears."
"First, dear sister, this 'creature' has a name, and it's Minerva," Avon said. "She's not a succubus. She's a normal person caught in a curse that I will find a cure for."
Sara's hand twitched again. "Normal? What curse?"
"She was a farm girl who was converted 300 years ago," Avon explained. "The succubus swarm first attacked 3,500 years ago. From what I've read, they initially just wanted to kill humans, but humans fought back and almost wiped them out."
"Interesting," Arcadius cut in. "So humanity knew how to kill them back then? I'm impressed, not gonna lie."
"Yes," Avon continued. "But the last original survivor, a Queen, began hunting female humans alive, converting them until they became like her. Those who were converted were consumed by bloodlust and pleasure, but a few, like our master Helen and Minerva, retained control of their minds."
"If the Queen dies," Sara said, "does that mean all the others die or turn back to normal?"
"That's the theory," Avon replied. "But as Arcadius would say, death might be more merciful. I doubt they'd want to live with the memories of what they've done."
"But what about Minerva?" Vernara asked. "She seems normal. She wants to live a human life."
Minerva's voice was filled with sorrow. "That's correct, but I can't deny what I've done. I don't feel ashamed, but I am guilty. Mother wanted to help me, but nothing can cure a converted succubus. As Arcadius said, death is more merciful."
"I was just stating a fact, but you shouldn't take what I say seriously," Arcadius said, trying to be gentle. "You deserve to live happily."
"He's right," Sara added, putting a hand on her heart. "Deep inside, you're still human. That's what matters most."
Minerva smiled faintly. "I'll think about that. Thank you all."
"Back to the subject," Vernara said, looking at Avon. "You said she's the only survivor from the original attack?"
"Correct," Avon said. "A few original survivors remain, but most are normal humans consumed by their instincts."
"I bet the Queen will never show herself, knowing how vulnerable she is," Arcadius mused.
"I feel like there's more to the story," Sara said. "Something crucial is missing."
"I want to know too," Avon said. "We'll begin our journey, and along the way, we'll find the answers. Maybe then, we'll be who Helen wished us to be."
Vernara, still wary, spoke up. "Even if we start this journey, it's been 20 years. We don't even know if our kingdoms survived."
"My father's kingdom ran from the east coast to the north, covering most of the Dark Forest to the sea," Arcadius said. "It was far from the attack, so I doubt they reached them. But I believe my father is the one who died, not the kingdom."
"Because he tried to rescue the village?" Avon asked.
"Correct."
"Our father's land was in the mountains and by the sea," Sara said. "It was far, but I have the same feeling. I don't think Father survived."
"Even if he did, I don't think we meant anything to him," Avon said bitterly.
"Avon, don't say that!" Sara protested. "Maybe he did care for us."
"Really? Our dear father, living in his royal palace with his knights, cared for us? Open your eyes, sister. If he cared, we'd have been in that palace instead of the village."
"Maybe he thought the village was safer," Sara argued.
"Was it safe?" Avon asked.
Sara looked at the ground. "No."
"Was the village saved?"
"It wasn't," she conceded. "But he's still our father, and we should respect that."
"No, I won't," Avon said, his voice cold. "He was never there for us. I can barely remember what he looked like. Mother, our big sister... they were the ones who protected us. And where are they now, Sara? Do you think he'd care to hear what happened to them?"
Sara was silent.
"How about we calm down?" Vernara interjected. "What we know is that there was a swarm of monsters attacking the village. But what if the nearby kingdoms went to help us and never reached us?"
"As if something blocked their path?" Arcadius suggested.
"Exactly," Vernara said. "We have to go there and see it with our own eyes."
Avon turned to Arcadius. "You were up there looking for something. What did you find?"
"You climbed?" Vernara asked. "Since when do you know how to climb, shorty?"
Arcadius grinned. "Since today. Anyway, long story short, I found something amazing. But there's a nearby village to the north and south, and I believe I saw the ocean to the east. That's all."
"Arcadius, your kingdom ruled the sea," Avon said. "That's your way home. For the rest of us, we'll go to the nearby village for information. Our top priority is our old village. There's some stuff I need to get."
"One last thing, dear brother," Arcadius said. "I'm not going to my hometown... not yet."
"What? Why? It's your home," Sara said.
"It is," Arcadius replied, "but you are my family too. I can't leave you knowing you're headed for our old home. If you find a home, it's my home too."
"As you wish, brother," Avon said.
Vernara clapped her hands. "Okay, let's get ready! Sara, give me a hand packing our stuff."
They began to prepare while Avon and Arcadius discussed the next steps. Minerva stepped outside to watch the sky. It was her first night outside the cave, and she looked up at the stars in awe. Avon and Arcadius saw her but left her be.
Three hours later, they had packed everything. They began their journey, following a path—a perfectly shaped stairway—that led down the mountain. They all looked at Arcadius, who swore he didn't see it on his way up.
"Don't look at me! I'm telling the truth!" he said, but they just laughed.
On their way down, they passed the lifeless body of a rock giant. Sara paused and gently placed a flower on its head. "Thank you," she whispered. "For protecting us."
When they reached the bottom, they found a beautiful forest. They continued until they saw a road, taking the right path. They came across the remains of an armored convoy. Skeletons in damaged armor were everywhere, but with no heads. Avon looked for an amulet to identify their kingdom, but found none.
Vernara found two amulets, one blue and one green, on a few skeletons inside a cart. Avon took the green one and showed it to Sara. A look of sadness passed between them; they knew who it belonged to.
"Hey, I found where they took their heads!" Arcadius called from a distance.
They ran over to find countless human skulls impaled on spears, lining the path like a grim wall. In the middle, a pyramid of skulls was topped with two skulls that still had hair—one blonde, one red. Avon recognized the blonde one immediately. He walked slowly, reverently, to the pyramid and began removing the skulls one by one, placing them gently on the ground. Sara joined him.
Minerva, horrified, started to help, but Arcadius stopped her. "Let him be," he said quietly. "That blonde one... that's his aunt. It's better to leave him alone."
After five hours, as night fell, they had placed all the skulls on the ground. Avon held the blonde skull in his hands, remembering his aunt's smile—the last time he had seen it. Sara wept softly. Avon took a piece of cloth from his bag and gently wiped her tears. "No more tears," he told her, "never again." He placed his aunt's skull back in the cart and set the whole thing on fire.
"Why would you do that?" Minerva asked.
"Even though she's been dead for a long time, she was an important person in my family," Avon explained. "As for the soldiers, they were brave. They stood their ground and fought until their very last breath."
They set up camp and sat around the fire. Minerva stayed awake, and soon Sara joined her.
"Can't sleep?" Sara asked.
"This is my first night outside the cave," Minerva said.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Sara said. "To be out here in the cool air, with the clear sky and all this quiet?"
"I honestly can't tell if it's beautiful or not," Minerva admitted. "Didn't you see all those bodies back there? Left to rot for years. It's like they were left there to be remembered by those who didn't come to help them. And you and Avon knew that blonde woman?"
"That's right. She was family," Sara said. "She left too early, but there's nothing to be sad about now. What happened has happened. But what we can do is give them a proper rest."
"My kind is truly disgusting," Minerva said sadly.
Sara chuckled softly. "Your kind? No, dear. You're still human on the inside, right here." She placed her hand over Minerva's heart. "Never forget that."
"Then what is 'beautiful'?" Minerva asked.
"Beauty isn't something you can describe," Sara said. "It's something you feel. Like nature. The stars, the rain, the sea, the sunrise... all you have to do is let go of your burdens and feel the freedom. That's what beauty means."
Sara gave Minerva some water, then went back to bed. "I'm going to bed. We have to reach the village tomorrow. Get some rest, dear." Minerva went to sleep right after.
The next morning, they woke up to a clean, foggy day. They packed up and followed the road, seeing the destruction of carts, clothes, and animal skeletons. They soon reached the outskirts of the village, which was mostly burned and destroyed.
"I wonder why the bandits never came to loot this place," Arcadius said.
"Maybe they were scared the monsters were still here," Vernara suggested.
"Or maybe they all died," Avon said, to which Arcadius simply replied, "Yeah. Good point."
They walked through the ruined village, and Sara noticed a small skeleton holding a teddy bear. She picked it up, saw the name "Garbit" sewn on it, and smiled gently. "What a beautiful name." Avon watched her, a look of sorrow on his face.
They continued past the village to the main gate, where more skeletons lay beside non-human creatures. Just before the village was out of sight, Avon looked back. "My apologies to you all," he said quietly. "I wasn't big or strong enough to save you, but your rights will not be forgotten. Someday, I will bring them back to you."
The journey continued until they reached a signpost. They saw a path to the royal village and felt a surge of hope, but they knew their home was lost forever.
That night, they camped by a river. Avon and Arcadius took a bath and began to talk.
"Tell me, brother, what will you do there in the village?" Arcadius asked.
"There's a necklace that belonged to my family for generations," Avon said. "My mother told me she'd give it to me someday. I have a feeling my father's kingdom is still alive, but with different rulers. I'll take the necklace and my right to the throne and restore the old order."
"The order?" Arcadius asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes. A long time ago, before my great-grandfather, there were the original rulers of humankind. They created an empire to serve humanity and unite them as one. They had no name, so they were simply called 'The Order.' My family, the Von Astratus, was one of them."
"What was their objective?" Arcadius asked.
"To serve humanity," Avon said. "If anything non-human attacked, the Order would strike as one. It was great for economy and protection. What happened to it is complicated."
"I'm all ears," Arcadius replied.
"There were legendary blades forged from a falling star," Avon explained. "Unbreakable blades made for the Order's rulers. The blacksmith also created a way to break them."
"Why?"
"Because their loyalty was tied to the blades," Avon said. "If a ruler died without an heir, the blade would be broken. Or if a ruler felt their kingdom was threatened and wanted to break their oath, they could use the same mechanism to break the blade. This would sever their connection to the Order."
"Are there any blades left?" Arcadius asked.
"Yes. When the demons and all non-humans first united against humanity, there were nine rulers. Six of them broke their blades. Only three didn't."
"Three kingdoms against all the non-humans? What brave souls. Do you know who they were?"
"The Arcadians, the Bluezenguardians, and the Von Astratus."
Arcadius was stunned. "My family... No way, you're pulling my leg."
"I would never do that," Avon said with a smile. "You'll see it for yourself one day."
"Jokes aside, where did you learn all this?"
"Back in the cave," Avon said. "One of Helen's books was ancient. I picked the history of the Order Empire. It was an interesting read."
"I bet," Arcadius said. "I wish I had time to read, but I had to train more on my fighting skills."
"Yeah, you never disappoint," Avon chuckled. "Anyway, let's finish up. The girls want to take a bath too."
"Sure, sure. I'm sure it's going to be spicy over here," Arcadius said with a wink.
"Hey, no peeking!" Avon said, laughing. "Or you know what? Why the hell not?"
"Hell yeah, brother!" Arcadius said, splashing him. "That's what I'm talking about. Anyway, tomorrow I'm going to invite you to a tea party in my old backyard."
"A tea party? Sounds great. Tomorrow it is," Avon said.