[Nowo's POV]Lane and I found ourselves in our room, gearing up for the imminent showdown where Moha and I would clash for the coveted head position. Admittedly, I should have given more thought to the potential complications before the competition began. My focus had been solely fixed on a personal milestone, inadvertently neglecting the complex situation that would unfold. Despite Jack's evolving attitude towards me, an unexplainable hunger for power and position still lingered within me.Speaking of Luna, she lay unconscious in her room, and her guardian was held captive in some forsaken chamber. Arphen took charge of the ongoing investigation, and realistically, who else but him would delve into the details? It was as if the king preferred observing our impending battle over investing time in an investigation."Nowo?" Lane called out to me. Her tone suggested she was gauging whether I was receptive to her words.I turned to face her, raising my eyebrows and slightly widening my ey
[Nowo’s POV]Never did I imagine that there existed something more terrifying than confronting various monsters during our test, however, here I am, in a situation that surpasses all expectations. Positioned beside the headmaster with Moha on the opposing side, we stand in anticipation, awaiting the headmaster's proclamation to commence our battle. Before us are fellow defenders, their expressions blank, save for Cordelia, who radiates excitement about the impending clash.The headmaster clears his throat, capturing the attention of everyone, and a warm smile graces his face. "It's time. Nowo and Moha, who successfully vanquished all challengers, now face each other in battle," he announces."Both of you, please step into the battle area now," he says, tilting his head and offering us a quick gaze. "I wish you both good luck and a safe fight."A chuckle escapes my lips at those last words. "There's no such thing as a safe fight," I murmur to myself. Unintentionally, the headmaster cat
[Narrator's POV]The sudden proclamation from the former king lingered as an enigma within the orphans' minds. While they understood the importance of trusting the headmaster's words, his decision to appoint both Nowo and Moha as leaders seemed somewhat illogical to them. Following the intense confrontation, the entire group congregated at the center of the training ground, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Arphen and Luna. When they finally appeared, Luna positioned herself beside Maison, and Arphen took his place in front of the defenders beside the king."How are you?" Maison inquired with curiosity, addressing his former test partner. Luna, however, showed no intention of raising her head, keeping her gaze lowered. Her reluctance to make eye contact suggested deep embarrassment about the recent events, as if she wished to avoid discussing it.Even though Luna remained silent, Maison could discern that she was far from okay. Physically unharmed, the sorrow in her eyes revealed th
[Blaze's POV]What I witnessed a while ago really caused my heart to shatter into tiny pieces. I couldn't find words to describe how painful that moment was, making me feel too lazy to do anything. Fortunately, Jack is here with me. We are now sitting on a rock near the entrance of the defenders' base. The silence between us is almost palpable, and neither of us seems eager to break it. Well, at least that's my assumption.Jack cleared his throat for the second time, a sound that failed to divert my attention. I heard it but was simply too tired for conversation. I wanted to be alone, yet not entirely by myself. With that conflicting thought, I found myself struggling to understand my own feelings."Silence is indeed deadly and terrifying," Jack uttered. I looked at him, raising both of my eyebrows, which oddly made him chuckle. "What? You know I'm not the type of person who will stay quiet forever, Blaze. I always babble."This side of Jack is surprisingly cool, and I might be the fi
[Moha's POV]As I made my way to Nowo's room, the presence of Helios didn't catch me off guard. His serious and intimidating expression failed to halt my determined stride. Upon reaching the front of Nowo's door, a heavy silence enveloped us.I offered him a slight smile, intending it as a friendly gesture, wanting to avoid any arrogance associated with winning the highest rank. However, as I reached for the doorknob, he unexpectedly interjected, "It's time for her to rest. You shouldn't be bothering her now.""Yeah, but I need to give something to her," I replied."Well, I do believe that thing could wait until she's awake, except if it's urgent," he stated seriously.I couldn't discern when or why Helios became so overprotective of Nowo, but it didn't sit well with me."Do you have a problem with me, man? Because if you do, better spill it now," I said, chuckling with annoyance."You want me to be honest?" he asked. I shrugged, and he continued, "You are the problem. I don't want yo
[Narrator's POV]The dark realm trembled as realization struck that none of their plans were progressing. The merciless lord, Pricus, spread his wrath beneath a calm yet eerie expression. His servants faced him, their hearts almost dropping to the ground in the face of the terrifying atmosphere. Now, they would taste the wrath of Pricus.Pricus extended his right hand, and the cursed stone appeared. While it still resembled the Stone of Astria, its appearance had transformed, looking more like poison than a cure. The servants widened their eyes at the sight, their almost-fallen hearts now completely plummeting. They feared the merciless king and the potent stone that could cause their bodies to burn for an extended period before turning to ashes.Pricus cast thunder to different corners of the room, making the servants bow their heads and cover their ears. "I bet you all know what this stone could do," he declared, casting another spell. "Can you all feel me now?" The servants shook,
[Nowo's POV] I can't seem to figure out what's going on right now because everyone is nowhere to be found. I mean, maybe they are all getting their rest, which is pretty much understandable for me because our most awaited and terrifying war against the dark realm is going to happen anytime sooner. I stopped walking for a while and sat at the corner of the balcony, which is almost near the headmaster's chamber. I didn't know why, but I simply can't stop my gaze from locking into its direction. And while staring at it, a deep sigh suddenly came out from my mouth. Lane began to fly in front of my face and asked, "What's the matter, Nowo dear?" She was creasing her forehead while questioning me. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I'm not sure about it either. I honestly didn't know what was going on with me right now." "What do you mean?" She asked once again. "I thought you could read my mind? What happened now?" I wondered. It feels strange how Lane suddenly became clueless about w
[Narrator's POV] "Do you have something important to tell me?" The dark lord asked the head of the centaur, who suddenly entered his chamber. Even though he was still unhappy towards his service, Pricus couldn't hide the fact that this centaur can still be reliable in anything that he wanted him to do. "You know, the reason why I spare your life is that I believe that you will be more helpful than Algea. But that doesn't mean that the trust I have towards you will last forever." He reminded him. "Thank you for your trust, my lord. I assure you that my loyalty will always be yours." He responded. Pricus could feel the centaur's sincerity about the words he just said. "Enough with the flowery words, Giovanni. Tell me what news you have for me?" The king asked him. Few beads of sweat were starting to fall from the centaur's forehead. A sign that he's having a second thought of whether he would share the information that he discovered a while ago. He's definitely stating the truth, fro
Like a tragic story, my path didn't end well. I fought in a way that I believed was my best, only to find out that nothing was sufficient. Even one's true self couldn't serve as a ticket to alter fate. The memories of that war are still vivid in my mind, from the moment we prioritized our duties as defenders over everything, including our hearts, to that specific instance when he finally did what he needed to do to save the land. The profound sorrow visible in his eyes remains unforgettable and painful. Although we never had a chance to bid a proper goodbye, at least we knew we did our best for what is right.After that, my messy but joyful life seemed to come to an end. It feels like everything happened just yesterday, yet I know it's been a long time since the terrifying war with the dark realm. I can now feel my entire body lying on a soft bed, which I guess is made of swan feathers. The sweet floral scent in the air suggests daffodils. My hands grip the smooth texture of their ste
[Nowo's POV]"I didn't know you had that kind of courage to betray us," Algea told me.She became mad at me because of what I did to the dark lord. With the use of the queen's soul, I tried to harness her power to cleanse the evilness inside my father's heart. I wasn't even finished when she suddenly entered my father's chamber and pulled my hair.The dark lord woke up, seeing her pointing a knife at my throat."What do you think you are doing?" he asked her."Why? Is your heart getting soft now? This defender is a traitor!" she exclaimed."Kill me so that you won't be able to use that damn stone," I teased her.She pulled my hair tighter, and then she said, "Who are you to order me around?""I'm the daughter of the queen whom you were envious of and the dark lord whom you loved the most but cannot have," I teased her once again."Do you think you can take all the bad spirit inside your father's body?" she asked me. "Let me tell you something. No black witch has the kind of weak power
[Nowo's POV]After they took her for some treatment, me and Lane went to our room to finally take some rest. We only have a few hours to spend here before we go back to the dark realm, like what I have promised to my father. Algea let me drink a potion, which will soon take me back to that place, like a bubble that pops out from this base."I'm leaving everything to you, Lane," I told her."Can I just go with you?" She sadly asked me.I started to lower my gaze and took a deep sigh, "I won't let them have anyone that is precious to me ever again, and I don't want your life to be in danger," I told her."But, Nowo," I didn't let her finish her sentence."Here," I interrupted while handing her a bottle of potion. "Drink it, and you'll be free from your contract.""What do you mean?" She asked me, stammering."You have to take this potion so that you'll stay alive no matter what happens to me," I explained to her.Lane started crying, and that punched my heart so damn hard. My tears were
[NOWO's POV]Like the flower sprouted in a small amount of land placed at the center of the continuously flowing river, I have no other places to go to either. I'm stuck in a bad fate that isn't going to change. I sometimes ask myself, am I really going to do this? Am I ready to fulfill the mission I just found out from where I was destined to die?But far from before, I can clearly understand my purpose in this land now. Those questions are just a part of a normal Nowo who never ran out of complaints and questions in life.Now that I am facing him, not in a safe place but his dangerous place, I know I should never think about going back to our base."What brings you here, my daughter?" He asked me. Everything about the dark lord is kind of weird for me. I also wonder why he always has that evil witch beside him. It's like that woman didn't want to leave him alone."I am here for Fraise," I uttered. I was so determined to get her out of here that I didn't even have time to change my e
[Nowo’s POV]It was a complete, deafening silence the moment they all left the training ground. I thought I was the only one inside at that moment, but then a glowing creature flew towards my direction."Hiya," she greeted me. One of her hands was placed on her back, and the other one continuously waved at me while she was also lowering her gaze.She almost bumped into me, but then I stopped her tiny body with my index finger. "Oops, sorry, dear," she uttered."It's okay. Will you please raise your head up?" I told her while smiling.She pouted, and then she asked me, "Are you still mad at me?"I shook my head from left to right and sat her on my left palm. "I wasn't mad at you.""But you didn't talk to me for days," she responded.I took a deep sigh and then I told her, "Well, I'm kind of disappointed because of what I have figured out recently.""But you can always talk to me about anything. It just doesn't feel right to be ignored, especially by you, my dear," she responded. I coul
[Nowo’s POV]That was the first time I spent almost the whole gloomy day reading only one book. It might not be for me, but the thing is, it captured my attention. What was written inside, as well as the kind of helpful information it provides, makes me want to put my time into it. It's pretty hard to admit, but I find myself really weird these past few days. I've been so busy thinking about everyone’s betrayal towards me, and I knew at that moment that my decision to just end the darkness is at its final level. I know it is kind of unusual for me to confess it, but I don’t feel like ending someone’s life anymore, even if it’s the dark lord. Given the fact that he is my father, won’t change anything. It’s just that I want nothing but peace, and killing will never be a part of it.“Lane, have you...” I was right about to talk to her and paused until I realized that she’s not here with me, and this is the first time I felt completely alone.No Moha, no Lane, no one that I can possibly
[Narrator's POV]Meanwhile, Helios noticed the unusually quiet person beside him. He creased his forehead and started questioning her, "Cordelia, are you alright?"Not only that she's unbelievably silent, but she was also lowering her head to the point that her chin almost reached her chest. Helios is unable to take a peek at her face because it is hidden, and the dark lord's chamber is too dark as well."Hey, kid," Helios uttered after tapping the female defender's shoulder lightly.Helios found it more strange when her body suddenly shakes, as if she was either crying or laughing. A few seconds after that, Cordelia raises her head and stares at him while flashing a wide smile on her face."Am I being weird if I say that I'm completely thrilled and fired up right now, Helios?" She responded. Her voice was too loud for the rest of the defenders to hear her."Are you being serious right now?" Jack asked her.Instead of answering him, she just stared at him still wearing that kind of cr
[Narrator's POV]Life is indeed full of surprises and uncanny events that will leave you dumbstruck for the whole moment. It is quite hard for them to catch their emotions the moment they all figured out that their female comrade is still alive. They didn't know whether to celebrate the happiness they are currently feeling right now or to put their attention to the growing fear and sadness, seeing her in a very unwell condition.The dark lord went somewhere behind Fraise. He clasped his hands on the female defender's shoulders, and then he his near the side of her face. "Wake up and take a look at those wonderful despair painted on your comrades' faces."Raiden was completely annoyed about what the dark lord did. "Don't touch her or even come near her."Pricus quickly lifted his hands away from Fraise's shoulders, "Oh my, I'm scared." He said, and then he started chuckling. A few seconds after that, he began to flash a smirk on his face and touches Fraise's hair gently, and then he su
[Narrator's POV]"Why did you come with us?" Luna asked Lane. "Aren't you supposed to stay beside Nowo?" she added.Lane couldn't blame her for wondering about it because she also knew that it is completely odd for her to accompany them instead of staying beside her dearest person."She doesn't need me. I feel like I'm being abandoned for no clear reasons," the female fairy uttered while lowering her gaze."Hey, don't say that," Luna responded to her. She started tapping her back lightly with her index finger and then she continued, "Nowo will never abandon such a sweet guardian like you."Lane stared at her and asked, "If that's the case, then how come she keeps on hiding? Like she doesn't even want to talk to me anymore.""As far as I know, dear, Nowo didn't speak to anyone for days. Maybe she wasn't in a good mood these days or something really bad came up, and she ended up losing her will to interact or to do anything," she explained.It is clear that she was trying to make the fe