Morning Light
The first light of morning spilled through the tall windows, painting the room in warm gold. Zackary stirred beneath the covers, his pale face catching the sunlight as he stretched out an arm with a faint groan.
But then—something felt wrong.
His fingers brushed only empty sheets. His eyes snapped open, and his heart quickened when he realized he was alone. The children—gone.
"What…?" he whispered, his voice tight with confusion. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and hurried out into the hallway.
Up ahead, he saw Sofia and Lance standing with their backs turned, speaking to someone just out of view. Relief flickered through him—maybe the children were with them.
He quickened his pace, but froze mid-step when a soft, childlike voice reached his ears.
Sofia noticed him at once. "Oh, Your Grace—you're awake!" she said warmly, pulling the figures she was speaking to into the light.
Amelia. And Gray.
Zackary's breath escaped him in relief. "So this is where you were…"
"They've been waiting for you," Lance said, smiling faintly. "And… they have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" Zackary tilted his head, glancing at the children. Amelia and Gray fidgeted nervously, small silhouettes shifting as they stepped closer. Then, in trembling unison, they opened their mouths.
"M…Mo… Morning, Father."
The words struck Zackary like a bolt of lightning. He froze, eyes wide—unable to decide which shocked him more. That they had just called him Father… or that they could speak at all.
Behind him, Sofia gave him a sharp slap between the shoulders. "Don't just stand there gawking—say something to them!"
"You… you can both speak?" Zackary finally asked, his voice unsteady.
"Yes." Amelia and Gray answered together, without hesitation.
A strange mixture of relief and confusion swirled inside him. His gaze flickered to Lance for answers, but it was someone else who stepped into view.
Aisha.
"Good morning, Your Grace," she greeted, bowing her head slightly.
"So… they can talk now," Zackary muttered, half-remark, half-question.
Aisha's lips curved into the faintest smile, as though she knew exactly what he was searching for. "They learned from spirits," she explained, her eyes following the children as they walked down the hallway beside Sofia and Lance. "But spirits do not speak with words, which is why Amelia and Gray never communicated properly before. To bridge that gap, I used an ability that we dragons grant our young—an instinctive gift of language. Now, they can communicate freely."
Zackary blinked at her, struck by the quiet sincerity in her voice. Aisha—cold, distant Aisha—had done this for the children. And for him. Ever since she had revealed that they were he's children, she had begun to show glimmers of emotion, pieces of herself she had once kept hidden.
His thoughts were broken when her voice returned to him.
"Your Grace," Aisha said softly, "have you decided on the question I asked you last night?"
He remembered. Her words after explaining the children's mother's whereabouts: What will you do now?
Zackary's jaw tightened, but his answer was calm, steady. "Aisha."
"Yes, Your Grace?"
"I'm going to find their mother."
For the first time, her composure cracked. A smile—warm, unguarded—spread across her lips.
Before Zackary could process it, a voice rang down the hallway.
"Papa!!!"
Both he and Aisha turned in surprise. Amelia's small, bright voice echoed against the walls, her excitement impossible to ignore.
"Young lady, no yelling," Sofia scolded gently, though the fondness in her tone betrayed her amusement. Lance chuckled quietly beside Gray, while Zackary and Aisha exchanged a glance, sharing equally amused smiles.
"Your Grace," Aisha said firmly, her voice unwavering, "I'll go with you."
"If that is your decision," Zackary replied, nodding in acceptance.
Together, they continued down the corridor toward the dining hall. But Zackary's thoughts lingered, and finally, he asked the question gnawing at him. "Tell me, Aisha… why do the children accept me as their father so easily?"
"It seems Lunarias has shown them fragments of memory," Aisha answered. "Of their mother. And of you. They have likely been waiting for you for some time now."
Zackary's chest tightened at her words. To think of Amelia and Gray waiting—hoping for both mother and father—struck something deep within him.
The dining room doors opened before them. Inside, Gray shot up from his seat the instant he saw Zackary and sprinted across the room.
"What's wrong?" Zackary asked, surprised by the boy's sudden rush. Gray only pouted, raising his arms.
"Up."
Zackary blinked, startled, then scooped him up into his arms without protest. Carrying Gray back toward the table, he was met by Amelia tugging at his sleeve, her voice soft and pleading.
"Papa… feed me too."
Zackary sighed, but he couldn't refuse her. Before long, he found himself feeding both children while his own plate remained untouched. Across the table, Sofia, Lance, and even Aisha stifled their laughter at the sight of the Demon King's right hand man the second most powerful man in the Twilight Territory's history utterly defeated by two small children.
Finally, Lance stood. "We should go prepare for your departure." Sofia followed without a word, the two slipping quietly from the room.
"Well then, Your Grace, I'll take my leave as well," Aisha added. "I'll return this afternoon—with someone who will be of use to our mission." Without waiting for explanation, she vanished, leaving Zackary with Amelia and Gray perched on either side of him.
For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to simply sit there—caught between duty and the fragile, unexpected warmth of family.
Back in the Demon King's Castle
The air was heavy, sharp with bloodlust. Luciferus and Vogarth stood face to face, their expressions carved from stone, neither willing to yield.
"My King…?" Akira whispered, her voice trembling as she watched the scene unfold. Fear lingered in her eyes.
Beside her, Kaito's jaw tightened. "My King, I wish I could aid you in this battle, but His Highness Luciferus is too powerful…" His words carried the grim weight of inevitability.
Luciferus moved first. Without a sound, he stretched out his hand. The gesture was slow, deliberate—yet the sheer aura of danger that spread through the hall sent Akira and Kaito reeling. Even Vogarth stiffened.
And then—
Luciferus slammed his hand downward. The force of it shook the room, sending shock down Akira's spine. She gasped, tears rising unbidden to her eyes.
"Your Highness, no!" she cried, hands covering her mouth.
"I… I… I can't believe this," Kaito stammered, voice trembling.
Luciferus's laughter rang out, sharp and manic. "What is there not to believe? This battle is over." He turned his gaze downward, where his hand had struck the table. There, a chessboard lay between them. A white queen, cornered by a wall of black pawns.
Slowly, Luciferus's eyes lifted to Vogarth. The Beast King's expression was vacant—lifeless.
"Checkmate," Luciferus declared.
Vogarth looked at the board in disbelief, his massive frame unmoving.
"You did your best, Your Highness," Akira whispered, forcing a small, sad smile.
"I know it's painful," Kaito added softly. "But admitting defeat… it is not a sin, my King."
To their shock, Vogarth suddenly threw back his head and laughed. The sound boomed through the chamber. "Oh, I haven't laughed like this in years! You make it sound as though I've truly lost. But… I have one more move left."
He leaned close, Kaito whispering into his ear. Vogarth's expression shifted. His eyes widened slightly, then he sighed. "…Huh. So I really did lose."
He extended his hand to Luciferus. "Good game."
Luciferus clasped it firmly, smiling. "I won't lose next time."
"I can't wait," Vogarth replied with equal determination.
At that moment, a maid stepped forward. "Your Highness, it's time for your treatment."
Without hesitation, Vogarth rose from his seat. Akira and Kaito immediately followed as he walked toward the door.
Luciferus remained behind, watching them leave. He muttered under his breath, half-amused, half-concerned. "With so many capable healers, he still insists on recovering naturally… I can't decide if that's admirable or foolish."
His gaze lingered on the chessboard, but his mind drifted elsewhere—to an earlier conversation.
---
Earlier, between Vogarth and Luciferus
"You asked why I attacked you," Vogarth began, his voice carrying the weight of memory.
Luciferus leaned back, calm, unshaken. "Yes. Why?"
"I once ruled as King over all Demi-humans. My reign was not given to me—I fought my way to the top. That's how I earned the title… Beast among Beasts."
Luciferus frowned. "How is this relevant?"
Vogarth ignored the interruption, eyes narrowing as the memories burned fresh. "One day, news came of invaders from another continent. I left my family behind to face them, but on the coast I found only empty ships… bearing an emblem like a blazing sun. I investigated—found nothing. I returned home—only to discover my kingdom drowned in fire and blood."
His voice faltered, but only for a moment. "I tore through enemy lines, desperate to reach my wife, my sons. But I was too late. Their bodies… cold, lifeless. And when I finally faced the man responsible… his very presence suffocated me. At first, I had the upper hand. But then… he grew stronger. Overwhelmingly so. He didn't kill me. No. He forced me to watch as he slaughtered the child of my dead brother who I had raised as my own daughter… right before my eyes."
Vogarth's fists clenched, his voice trembling with rage. "And the only words he spoke were: 'I, Demon King Luciferus, will rule over all things in creation.'"
Luciferus's eyes narrowed. "…Someone… impersonated me?"
"I spent years chasing that man across the Voltasia Sea. Until, in a flash of light, the night sky turned to day. Suddenly… we found a continent that should not exist. I sent Kaito to gather information. When he returned, he told me this was your domain, Demon King Luciferus. So I attacked—blinded by vengeance."
Luciferus tilted his head, troubled. "You said… the Voltasia Sea? I've never heard of it."
Confused, Vogarth replied, "It's the ocean west of the Eclipse Continent."
Luciferus froze. "Eclipse Continent? …Impossible."
The two men stared at each other, silent, realization dawning in both.
"Sunlight… and Moonlight Continents…" Vogarth muttered.
Luciferus whispered to himself, "ulternate reality? Could it be… he comes from a reality where all continents were one or could it be that time travel is possible here?"
The thought lingered, heavy as iron.
---
Back in the Present
Luciferus sat alone in his office. His fingers brushed across scattered documents, but his mind was elsewhere.
Xoraxys is busy tending to the child. Maximilian and Leon, along with Lysander, are preoccupied. Vogarth and Sebastián will manage the southern front. Vlad, Zackary, and Aisha… they're off searching for this Ailaria person. Everyone is occupied.
The silence grew unbearable. The weight of the empty room pressed in. For the first time in centuries, loneliness tugged at his heart.
"No… no. Stop," he muttered, shaking his head. "Everyone has their duties. Their reasons. Just as I do."
He forced himself to look at the paperwork on his desk, pen scratching against parchment.
Still, one thought circled endlessly, like a whisper he couldn't silence.
No one's abandoning you… right?
In the Vermillion Domain
"Okay, be safe now!" Sofia called out warmly, waving as Zackary and the children climbed into the carriage.
Inside, Vlad lounged casually across from Zackary, his sharp gaze lingering on him and the children. "You've accepted them rather quickly," he remarked.
Zackary chuckled, smiling. "You think so?"
Vlad smirked, leaning back. "You're even wearing matching outfits."
Before Zackary could respond, Elfreda, who had been sitting quietly until then, suddenly spoke up. Her voice was calm, but her words sent a shiver down Vlad's spine.
"That's enough, brother." Her eyes shifted to Zackary, her smile graceful yet sharp. "It's only natural for a father to love his children. Isn't that right, Your Grace?" She offered Amelia and Gray small sweets, her tone softening.
Zackary's smile widened. "I suppose you're right." Then, noticing Vlad's stiff expression, his smile curved into a smirk. Perhaps this trip won't be as boring as I thought.
Moments later, Aisha's voice cut through the carriage. "Your Grace, we've crossed outside the Twilight Territory barrier. We're now heading toward the NightFall Kingdom. It's time to switch to horseback."
The group disembarked swiftly. Waiting for them, a dragon maid led forward several saddled horses. Aisha, Elfreda, and Vlad each mounted with practiced ease.
Zackary, however, summoned Aurelius—his loyal Fenrir—whose towering form emerged in a rush of power. With Amelia and Gray perched securely on his back, Zackary joined the others.
Without delay, the company rode off at full speed toward the NightFall Kingdom, their journey stretching into the horizon.