Chapter 108
The sky was covered in flames and darkness. A terrible dragon roared across the heavens, fighting against a shimmering, glowing dragon with colors that constantly shifted. The battle between the two beasts shook the earth.
The monster that had descended into the world was now trapped in the sky and forest, unable to move forward because an equal had finally appeared to stop it. But even so, the Gate had begun to break open, and the flood of monsters had finally broken through the defenses that the humans and the snowbeasts had built together.
Swarms of monsters poured into the village.
Meanwhile, the mercenaries who had been chasing through the forest were getting closer to their target. The tracks had led them through fire-scorched ground, and now, they were almost there.
Then—
“There they are,” one of them whispered.
Their eyes lit up.
Janice and Lorencia were standing in a small clearing. They were planting something in the ground. A moment later, a strange tree suddenly grew at an unnatural speed.
“That’s the last sacred tree,” Janice said, her voice trembling with excitement.
She looked over at Lorencia, who still carried the unconscious Theo on her back.
“Put the child down now,” Janice ordered, tilting her chin.
“…You’re really going to do this?” Lorencia asked, her voice shaky. “You’re really going to kill him?”
“What, afraid now?” Janice sneered. “You were the first to offer him as a sacrifice. Now you’re scared?”
Lorencia flinched, and Janice let out a short, bitter laugh.
Lorencia looked so small and cowardly now.
Why had she ever trusted her with such a big plan? Why had she ever imagined this woman could become a proper duchess?
With a twisted smile, Janice continued,
“Don’t regret this later. That kid should’ve been dead already if it weren’t for that holy power of hers. I would’ve finished him off long ago.”
Lorencia hesitated.
She had always seen Theo as a burden, but now—
Now, holding his small body that had stayed warm all this time, she suddenly couldn’t let go.
Her throat felt dry. She swallowed hard.
“Do it already! Are you really wasting time now because of this?!” Janice shouted harshly.
Startled, Lorencia bent down and laid Theo gently on the ground. Janice gave her an annoyed glare and pulled Theo toward her. She placed the boy in front of her and reached for his neck. In her other hand, she held the same dagger she had used before—to cut his palm and offer his blood.
She closed her eyes.
This was it.
All five sacred trees had been planted. Theo’s blood would nourish them, allowing them to grow strong and powerful. If everything went well, in seven hours, the Gate would collapse and disappear forever.
Janice began chanting a spell. She raised the dagger into the air.
That’s when it happened.
“That’s enough.”
A sharp, angry voice cut through the air.
A sword pressed against Janice’s neck.
She froze. Slowly, she turned her head and saw them—mercenaries. They had finally arrived. Lorencia was already being tied up, her mouth gagged. Her eyes were wide with fear as she trembled in silence.
“Who are you people?” Janice asked, voice shaking now too.
But the mercenaries said nothing. They were clenching their jaws, filled with fury and disgust. The sight of someone about to kill a helpless child had shocked them deeply.
“We won’t harm you if you hand over the young master safely,” one of them said at last, remembering the duchess’s words:
<“If you can bring Theo back safely, let them go. But assign someone to watch them.”>
They didn’t know why these women were planting strange trees or why they needed Theo’s blood. But orders were orders.
The lead mercenary moved swiftly, making a small cut on Janice’s neck. Blood trickled down her skin.
Janice gulped.
‘These men… they’ve killed before.’
She looked around, trying to think. Maybe they wanted to use Theo to get ransom money from the duchess?
Slowly, she placed the dagger on the ground and lifted her hands.
“Fine. Take him,” she muttered.
The mercenaries quickly picked up Theo and stepped back, holding him gently in their arms.
Then the leader gave his order,
“Two of you—follow them. Watch everything they do. If they act suspiciously, report back immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Two mercenaries disappeared into the shadows behind Janice and Lorencia, making sure they wouldn’t be able to escape again.
Meanwhile, the others turned to leave the forest.
Theo’s body burned with fever in their arms.
***
Back at the shelter, young men had gathered. They stood before the gates, holding farming tools as weapons.
Charlotte stood in front of them.
“Let us go!” one of them shouted.
Even from far away, they could see the fires in the village.
They could hear the horrible cries of the monsters. The sound had made sleep impossible for nights now.
“We can’t just sit here while our families are dying!”
Charlotte’s expression was stern.
“You’re all still too young.”
How many days had passed since the war began? It was hard to tell anymore. This was their third day in the shelter.
There had been no word from the mercenaries.
No news from Cassius either.
Only the dragons in the sky gave Charlotte hope that the fight was still ongoing.
Now these boys had gathered, unable to hold back their emotions.
“We have to fight!” one cried. “We’d rather die out there helping than hide in here like cowards!”
Their faces were red with tears.
Their hands, though still soft and untrained, were clenched tight around rusty hoes and pitchforks.
Charlotte shook her head. The knights at the gate held the line.
“Don’t make those who are fighting for you feel like they died for nothing,” Charlotte said calmly. “If help was truly needed, they would have sent word. Our knights are holding the line. The front hasn’t fallen.”
“But—!”
“You think your families are only out there?” Charlotte interrupted, pointing toward the people in the shelter.
Behind her, women held crying children. Old people looked on anxiously.
“Your mothers. Your siblings. Your future is here.”
One of the boys burst into tears. Charlotte smiled gently and stepped forward, placing a hand on his trembling shoulder.
His lowered head smelled faintly of sweat and fear. She understood. She felt the same way.
She wanted to run out and find Cassius.
She wanted to heal the wounded with her power.
She wanted to stop the crying and bring hope again.
But her powers were weak. She couldn’t do everything.
“I do need your help, though,” she said gently. “It’s getting cold. Soon, the nights will be freezing. We need firewood. Can you help gather some?”
The boys sniffled, then nodded slowly. Charlotte guided them away, reassuring them.
And then—
“Duchess! You need to come quickly!” a knight ran up, panting.
Her heart dropped.
For a moment, she didn’t want to move. She was terrified she’d hear news of someone’s death.
But when she reached the bottom of the hill, she found mercenaries waiting—holding a child.
“Theo…?” she whispered.
They gently handed him over.
His body was burning up like fire.
Charlotte checked him over, her hands trembling.
There were cuts on both his palms.
“What happened?” she asked urgently.
“We’re not sure. The two women planted trees in the ground, and when they poured something on them, the trees suddenly grew. It looked like a ritual, but we couldn’t get more details. We sent people to follow them.”
Charlotte bit her lip.
She pulled Theo into her arms and gently stroked his back.
He had returned.
He was alive.
That was enough.
Tears welled in her tightly shut eyes.
She gathered her strength and let her holy power flow into him. Her body weakened as she gave her life energy. But slowly, the wounds on his palms closed. His breathing eased.
And finally—
Theo’s eyes fluttered open.
“…Charlotte?”
“Theo!”
She pulled him close, unable to hold back her tears anymore.
Safe. He was safe.
And she would never let him go again.
