It was a brand new day. The sky was clear, and the wind was favourable. It seemed like nothing could go wrong... except it did.A flock of dark birds blotted out the sun with their feathers and shrill noises. They spread throughout the Kingdoms of Slora, feasting on the cruel and the innocent. The scene frightened many into their rooms and shops, but when the sun set, the real terror began. Corpses crawled out of their tombs, awakened by a sinister command. And their goal was to destroy any signs of life.It was the highest scale of necromancy Slora had ever witnessed since Pandora's reign. Hell had been unleashed.Cloverdale saw the likes of beasts and unclean spirits chasing people in broad daylight. At the same time, Sutcliffe was plagued by soul-snatching demons. Damaris had their hands full; floods caused by sea monsters wreaked havoc. Many people were lost. Nowhere was safe, nowhere at all.A distress signal was sent to all the great kingdoms and clans. Soon, many of the smaller
Coverdale. The second prince of the Ajax clan agreed to meet Rufus at a secret place in town. He never imagined that Luca would be there as well. "What!" David did not want to jump into the fire. "Going to Ingram? But why me? Isn't Luca the man Arlen admires?" "His Royal Highness here dumped your friend the second he learned the truth. Isn't Arlen your best friend? Stop cowering and come with us," Rufus said, visibly scowling at Luca. He would have made the journey to Ingram alone if it were up to him. It was Ari who insisted that he take Luca along. Thus the need for a third wheel- to ensure he did not commit murder on the way there. "How dare you!" David built up the courage to slap Luca on the back. Luca let it slide. These days, it had become the norm for people to hit him because of his mate. "David Conri Ajax, are you coming or not?" Rufus was impatient. "I...I have to tell Zavian first." David chuckled nervously. "Your brother will alert the others," Luca object
"You! Stop right there! Guards!" Zariah's voice boomed in the atmosphere as she pursued the intruder.Arlen took a detour toward the main hall, fending off the warriors blocking his path with the sway of his hand. His target was the rooftop. He could easily slip away that way. But Zariah was prepared for such an alternative and worked up an attack that nearly severed Arlen's head.It didn't end there. The omega was chased through several channels and doorways to make sure he stayed on the ground.Amid the chase, Zariah stopped. Aiming at the intruder's heels, she held her blade by the sharp tip and flung it like a dart."Argh!" Arlen came tumbling down in an instant. Luckily, he still had a foot."Who sent you, and how did you get into this place unnoticed?" Zariah took her time, her voice calm yet domineering. "A flower?" She tilted her head with a slight smirk on her cheek. That could only spell doom for Arlen.The omega swallowed his spit, "I- I'm just a lowly servant," he said."A
Julius walked in briskly, wearing his heart on his sleeve. "Sorry for the delay. I had a small setback," he said.Arlen was painting behind a desk. He dropped the brush and approached his friend. “Jules, were you crying?” Arlen tilted his head, concerned as he reached for Julius' mildly swollen face.“Do not touch me!” Julius jerked away, eyes wide with scorn. But he blinked, returning to his lovable state. Julius walked forward, willingly resting his cheek in the omega's palm. He sighed. “Forgive me, Arlen. I've been on edge these days. I can't help it.”“No, forgive me. I have burdened your mind far too long. It's bound to take a toll on you. I promise to end your suffering soon. Did you find out anything about Uncle?" Arlen asked."No. Unfortunately, there have been few leads, but my men are working hard," Julius said. He briefly glanced over the painting but did not comment. He did not have the soundness to argue about the man brightly shaded on the canvas."If you're having troub
"Wow, he must really hate you, Luca," David said, observing Julius' reception towards them."At least now we have something in common," Rufus muttered. Their foe paused his feeding and turned towards them, wearing a stern expression.Julius tilted his head at the third person. "And you are?""David Ajax, at your service," David curtsied. "Arlen said many good things about you while studying at Wayde Bourne. Uhhh- he mentioned many times that the three of us would have been terrific friends, and I believe that," Master Ajax chuckled nervously."Is that so?" The walking corpses gathered as Julius levitated in the air. "Then you're on the wrong side of the fence, friend. Why don't you join me?""Tch! I would gladly use this useless person as a catapult to knock your head off. But I choose not to waste my energy on a mere servant," Rufus interrupted."Rufus Loughty." Julius did not hide or shiver in fright as he had back at Candor. "I am no longer your servant. I never was, to begin with.
The first encounter with Julius taught Rufus not to underestimate the beta. It was a miracle that Moon acted in their favour, causing Julius to retreat. Perhaps Moon realized that Julius was not its rightful owner.Putting that behind them, the trio made it to Kellet by nightfall. For Luca, this place was a minefield of memories. He had never felt so nostalgic for a quarrel that involved catching a stubborn prisoner.When they camped in the forest, Luca wandered off to search for the borders of the forbidden lands. So many firsts had happened in those mountains, and he dreaded losing them forever. Luca found the barrier, hiding his sorrow behind a stoic face. This was where he had first laid eyes on the Prince of Ingram. Where he first raised his sword against him.David approached to steer him back on track. "Is His Highness alright?" he asked.A faint smile touched Luca's lips. Arlen was fond of addressing him that way. "Do you think Arlen will forgive me for being weak? He tried to
Agnor, Sutcliffe, Beaumont, Ajax, Loughty, Braddock. These were the households ruling the six great kingdoms in Slora. Headed by some of the most muscular werewolves to walk the land, the clans lived in harmony, feared and revered by all. When famine and a mysterious disease break out, everyone- be it a beastman, a unique or an ordinary person, is at risk of being taken by the icy hands of death. The Braddocks, regarded as the weakest amongst the six great packs, rose above all and sailed through the crisis like it never took place. However, that success brought about unsavoury suspicions. Rumours about their leader using dark magic to grow his kingdom diffused into the air until it no longer became hearsay. At the tiniest hint of proof, all but the house of Loughty schemed and attacked a family, accusing them of causing the deadly plague. Caeser Braddock stood his ground, but his wife did not survive the ordeal, leaving behind an eight-year-old yet to present. Heartbroken, the wid
"Arlen." Ari's voice echoes through the room until her figure comes into view. Setting the basket on the table, she approaches the person lying on his belly, stripped of his upper garment. Julius placed another hot towel on Arlen's back and stepped aside. Ari was the elder of the Loughty siblings. Her calm and loving nature was compared to no other. As an omega, Ari loved caring for the people around her, especially Arlen. She was his biggest weapon against Rufus. "Sister." Arlen conjures an ugly cry when Ari feels his forehead. "Arlen, you shouldn't have snuck out...and swimming? You could have gotten hurt," she said. Ari removes the towel and dips it back into warm water. After a couple of squeezes, she lays it on Arlen's waistline. "Auch! Rufus punished me for nearly two hours," Arlen said. "Rufus does so because he cares. You should have seen how distraught he was when he discovered you were not home." "Hmph!" Arlen grunts. It's not that he was oblivious; he was only playing