Yelan woke up after another fit of heat. Her body was still warm, but she decided to take a walk to clear her mind. She walked into the garden of Almandine Castle alone, and by chance, it was a rare warm summer night in the North.
The garden’s air was filled with the aroma of blooming flowers, and the soft breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees. Yelan wore her shawl, draping it over her shoulders. Her face was pale and expressionless, and her long, straight black hair flowed gently.
Her heart was heavy and uneasy.
Now that her fits of heat were becoming more and more frequent, she wondered if that meant ‘the man’ would come to her soon. Her brother told her that he would come when she turned 20, and she had just turned 19.
As she reached out to pick a rose from a nearby bush, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to find a man she had never seen before. He stood tall with an air of confidence. He had charming golden e
A dream.A representation of human’s hidden desire.The subconscious of a human’s mental state.The wind blew through the open fields, carrying with it the sweet sound of freedom. Yelan closed her eyes, letting the feeling wash over her. It was a feeling she had not known in a long time.The freedom to choose her fate, to live without fear. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, where a bird soared freely, its wings spread wide. That was what freedom looked like, she thought. The ability to fly, to go where you wanted, to be who you wanted to be.As she walked, she heard the laughter of children playing, a sound that filled her heart with warmth. Freedom was the smile on a child’s face, the warm embrace of a loved one. It was the ability to speak your mind, to have a voice, to be heard. And it was the courage to be kind, to stand up for what was right.Freedom was the light in the dark, the spark that started a brand
NEIGH!The sun was sinking low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the landscape as the experienced and well-known Duchess Harriet Goldlane, her twin children, and their Uncle Emperor approached the grand Almandine Castle.The impressive structure loomed in the distance, its towering spires and battlements standing out against the backdrop of the fiery sky. The reign of the Notorious Duchess had brought back the glory of the Castle as the fortress of the strong.As they drew closer, the full magnitude of the Castle became apparent. The carriage rumbled through the open gates and into the courtyard, where they were greeted by a group of well-trained Lycan guards who had served under her rule. They were escorted to the main entrance, where Secretary Daniel and Sir Russel had been waiting.Upon their arrival, Sir Russel reported that all of the Lycan Army from the East had returned safely, to which Duchess Harriet gave a small nod of approval.
Platinum Duchy had grown steadily for the past five years. The fact that some of the Western Factions were already under the rule of the Grand Duke of Euclase helped. But still, for the people to accept the Lycan...The North was a different case.For generations, even from before the Empire was founded, Almandine and their Lycan Clan had been the ruler of the North. But for the other region of the Empire, it was a very different case.Even now, after more than five years of adaptation between the Lycan Army of Amaryllis and the common people, they were still afraid to approach or even speak too loudly in their presence.Still.It was better than five years ago. And five years ago was better than when they were in the West Continent.Heath led his entourage of his personal Lycan guards down the streets of West Fort city. The people of the city looked on with a mix of fear and respect, their eyes following the powerful figures of Giant Wolves
In the dream, Julian found himself in a world consumed by fire. The sky was a raging inferno, the land a scorched wasteland.He looked around in horror as buildings of hidden Lycan villages crumbled to ash. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and the sound of crumbling buildings echoed in his ears. The screams of the dying filled his ears, and he knew that he was responsible for this devastation.As he walked through the carnage, he felt a sense of overwhelming guilt. He knew that he was the source of the destruction, the bringer of ruin. He tried to stop himself, to turn off the flames that licked at his skin, but he couldn’t.He was trapped in a cycle of destruction, unable to save the people around him, undoing everything he had done, and unable to stop the fire that burned within him.He feared himself, for he knew that he couldn’t change his true nature or the past. The world was in ashes, and the fire raged on.Julian was f
“Stop poking your nose into other’s business. The last time you did, you lost your humanity,” Julian climbed down from the clinic bed. He reached into his jacket hanged on the back of a chair.The man dug inside his pocket and found a couple of bank notes. He slammed it on the side table and said, “Give me all the suppressant you can sell me. I’ll leave.”Heath knew that this man refused to seek help from Almandine because he feared losing control and attacking his mate. That was why his only option was to go here.But still, for a man who knew how much he was hated by the Amaryllis, coming here instead of Almandine was a very bold move. It just showed how he refused to accidentally meet his mate before the promised time.“You know that this could kill you, right?” Heath asked. “By forcing your body to the limit that you can’t even function without the suppressant?”Julian squeezed t
Her white clothes fluttered around as she walked through the empty corridors. It was still dark; the sun had yet to rise. Even so, there was enough light filtering down from outside that it didn’t feel like the dead of night at all.The silence seemed like the kind that came before dawn. It was heavy and thick—thick enough that it made even breathing seems difficult. A calm atmosphere blanketed everything. As though the world itself were trying not to make any sound or stir in fear at the prospect of something horrible about to happen.It was just something Yelan thought after experiencing another nightmare. There weren’t many left where she could rest her weary eyes on them. And what did remain always involved him, so no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get them back.No good dreams for her anymore. Only terror, after terror, after terror. That was all he gave her. Nothing else. Not ever.She opened the door to the Duchess&
Harriet came out of the room, and her attire was all black and looked light but warm. The first light of the day reflected on her lavender eyes as she turned back toward the castle’s entrance.She had finished her talk with Yelan and had prepared herself for the expedition. But just as Yelan noticed, she didn’t sleep all night.The first dew dropped down from a tree leaf at dawn while Harriet stood silently in front of her army. “You all know the drill. In and out. Three weeks maximum.”From her back, Ezekiel approached with his black coat. That day, he looked imposing. His light blue hair blended with the icy blue dawn sky.“You didn’t look okay,” he said to Harriet softly.But the woman just turned her head up to him, almost smiling slightly, saying nothing. All night, she watched her babies sleeping, then, to calm her nerves, she sewed a simple project with her treadle machine until dawn came.&ld
They stepped onto the path leading toward their destination while the wind pressure pulled them along the ocean floor. A bubble of magical barrier separated them from the saltwater.But their presence scared the fish and other ocean creatures. Probably because of Ezekiel.“This will take too long,” Harriet said. She created an invisible platform below her and Ezekiel’s feet, raising them from the floor.Ezekiel flinched. This woman... she could conveniently use her <Aura> like this... and that magic portal previously...Being a dying person while also being overpowered seemed to be the theme of the Almandine Ducal Couple.They ‘floated’ through the current toward the South, passing by countless coral reefs with giant shells and huge rocks at its bottom.Not a long time passed when they arrived at their destination. Hundreds of meters below the ocean surface, a small glow of light in the distance attracted