Ch78 For Valoria

"I need to know your plans first," Hidan said, rubbing his chin. "A blood pact isn't something to toy with."

The Wanderer paced the floorboards before turning back to face him. "Fine. I've already reached out to the Red Council to join us. We will all meet tomorrow, and I'll lay out the plan then."

Hidan laughed loudly, then stood up. "The Dragonborn families in the same room? That should be interesting." He walked toward the doorway, without looking back. "Until tomorrow, Wanderer."

Left alone in the dark, the Wanderer slid back against the counter, staring up at the rotting ceiling beams. A heavy sigh escaped his chest before he pushed himself up and stepped back into the street.

With nowhere else to go, his legs led him toward the slums, back to the small wooden house that once belonged to Harith.

As he drew near the threshold, the echo of Sunny's bright laughter seemed to reverberate through the quiet alley.

His right hand trembled as he pushed the door open, a desperate part of his mind bracing to see the Black Crown family sitting together around the dining table.

He stepped inside into cold silence.

He brushed his fingers over the dust coating the table. "I'm sorry," he muttered into the quiet room. "I dragged you all into a fight that was never yours."

He collapsed onto Vincent's couch, burying his face in his lone hand.

Torn apart by grief, his eye began to tear as every memory hit him at once. He wept until his throat burned, eventually sinking into an exhausted sleep.

Even in sleep, the memories haunted him. His own voice screaming desperately for her to run, contrasting the vacant looks in her eyes as she surrendered to the block.

He jolted awake, his breath hitched as he stared blindly at the sunlight piercing the window.

Slowly, every muscle aching, he dragged himself off the couch and moved to the basin in the small washroom.

He splashed cold water over his face, scrubbing away the dirt and sand mixed with his tears.

He lifted his head, fixing his gaze on his reflection in the mirror. Straightening his posture, his expression hardened, burying the grief beneath cold resolve.

"There will be time to mourn," he whispered to the glass. "Now... I carry the will of the dead."

The Wanderer returned to the Red Citadel.

As he approached the entrance, the two guards at the gates crossed their spears to block his path.

The Wanderer looked from the iron tips up to their faces, mana flaring around his frame. "Do you truly think these will stop me?"

The lead guard shouted to his comrades. "Lower your weapons!" He turned back to the Wanderer. "The Council is expecting you in the Great Hall. Please, follow me."

The Wanderer smirked, brushing past them. "No need. I know this place better than you do."

He strode through the courtyard until he reached the heavy double doors of the Great Hall. The guards stationed outside pushed them open, allowing him to step into the room.

Gathered around the table was the Red Council, along with Hidan and several prominent nobles from the Owls. Off to the side, Baylen stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a pillar.

"Starting without me?" the Wanderer said.

The man seated at the head of the table looked up. "We were verifying your claims before beginning. Funny enough, our Black Crown friend here denied ever agreeing to your little arrangement." He motioned toward Hidan.

Hidan slammed his palm onto the table. "I told you never to call me that!"

"He'll come around," the Wanderer said smoothly, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. He leaned back, crossing his leg. "I don't believe I've had the honor. Who are you, good sir?"

"I am Seth," the man replied, adjusting his ornate tunic. "Head of the Red Council."

"Well, Seth of the Red Crown," the Wanderer said, "I came here to make an offer."

Seth let out a short laugh. "To be frank, I only came today to see the man who managed to fool Jericho."

"And let's not forget you broke into the citadel and threatened a member of this council last night," another noble added. "That won't be swept under the rug easily."

The Wanderer smiled, leaning forward. "Don't take me for a fool, Seth. If you weren't genuinely interested in what I have to say, your men would have cut me down the moment I stepped into this courtyard."

Seth's expression hardened. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. “ That can be fixed” Instantly, a dozen armored guards poured from the alcoves, surrounding the Wanderer with drawn steel.

The Wanderer didn't so much as blink, his lone eye locked onto Seth. "I can snap my fingers, too."

He raised his right hand and flicked his thumb. A gale ripped through the hall, hurling the guards backward through the entrance before slamming the door shut.

Every noble at the table jumped backward, blades clearing their sheaths.

The Wanderer stood up slowly. "Relax, everyone. I'm not here to fight."

Seth stared at the sealed doors for a second, then reluctantly nodded. Hidan gestured for his own men to hold their ground, and slowly, the nobles lowered their weapons.

The Wanderer began to pace around the table. "I know none of you get along. I know the blood between your houses runs cold." He paused, looking each of them in the eye. "But ask yourselves this: who was it that banished magic from Valoria? Who confined the Red Crowns to Hosar, reducing you to nobles in title alone?"

Hidan scoffed, resting a hand on his pommel. "If taking him down were that simple, we wouldn't have aligned with Draemir to bring Altharion's regime down."

Seth sneered across the table at him. "Treachery runs through your veins faster than blood."

Hidan’s blade flashed halfway out of its scabbard. "Want to see a traitor in action, old man?"

"Enough!" The Wanderer’s voice cut through the hall.

Silence fell over the room as he looked between the two factions. "We've had our petty ego fights. Why can't you see it? The man sitting across from you isn't your enemy."

He gestured broadly toward the distant horizon beyond the citadel walls.

"Altharion and his entire kingdom... they are the real enemy."

"What do you have to offer?" Hidan asked, leaning back.

"We have mages here in Hosar, and countless more hidden in Valoria," the Wanderer said. "There might even be a few sitting at this very table."

Hidan crossed his arms. "Even so, not everyone has the power to bypass the Nullstones."

The Wanderer fixed his single eye on him. "I'm going to destroy the Nullstones."

A heavy silence fell over the hall.

Seth was the first to break it. "This is absolute madness. Valoria will be left completely defenseless."

"The Nullstones didn't do much to help when the Draemirans were at your gates," the Wanderer countered.

"That was a single failure," Seth shot back. "Those stones have protected this land for generations."

"You mean caged this land," Hidan cut in.

Seth’s face flushed red. "You left the Black Crowns to rot and fled to Valoria to hide behind the Morningstar name! Don't lecture me about cages when your own grandfather ran like a coward."

Hidan slammed his palm onto the wood. "He fled from your tyranny!"

The Wanderer stepped between them. "Both of your houses turned their backs on the Black Crowns. But right now, we have a chance to rewrite that history."

Hidan shifted his gaze back to the Wanderer. "And what do you plan to do with the mages scattered across Valoria and Hosar?"

"I will train them," the Wanderer said. "And then we take Valoria from Altharion."

Seth chuckled. "And let me guess, you intend to crown yourself the new king?"

"No," the Wanderer turned to face Seth. "The monarchy ends with Altharion. Valoria will become a democracy. The people will choose who leads them."

The silence grew heavier this time.

Finally, Hidan spoke. "What's in this for you? What do you actually want?"

The Wanderer took his seat. "My purpose is to break this city out of its cycle, to give mages the right to exist without fear, and to put an end to this pathetic war for a throne." He leaned back, resting his hand on his knee. "I have only one demand: the three Dragonborn swords will be placed in my keeping."

Seth bolted upright from his chair. "Have you lost your mind?! You expect us to surrender the entire legacy of the Dragonborn families to an outsider?"

"That legacy has brought this land nothing but ruin," the Wanderer replied. "Besides, Altharion's blade will no longer dictate who holds power."

Hidan shook his head. "Even if we were foolish enough to agree, we don't possess Defiance."

"Don't even entertain this lunatic's request!" Seth barked. "The Dragonborn swords belong to the Dragonborn bloodlines!"

The Wanderer rose slowly from his seat. Reaching down, he drew Defiance from its scabbard. The ancient steel rose high.

"I believe everyone in this room recognizes this blade," the Wanderer said. "And the fact that I can bear it is proof enough of my right."

Every noble stared at the weapon in disbelief.

Seth staggered back half a step. "How... how is that possible?"

Hidan’s eyes narrowed as he studied him. "Aren't you Draemiran? Which bloodline do you carry?"

The Wanderer slid Defiance back into its sheath.

"Even if I explained it, you wouldn't understand. I don't belong to any of the three Dragonborn families." He looked around the table. "You could say my connection to the first dragon runs a little deeper."

Hidan drifted into thought for a moment before looking up. "Consider me in."

Seth slammed both hands onto the table. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Hidan cut him off, continuing seamlessly. "On one condition: myself and the rest of the Owls walk free. All charges against us must be dropped."

"You traitorous bastard!" Seth roared.

The Wanderer turned to Seth. "Your ancestors sided with Altharion once before. How did that work out for them?"

"We are the only ones making sacrifices in this deal!" Seth shot back. "We lose Judgment, Hidan gets his mages, and you get all three swords!"

"How about this," the Wanderer countered. "You receive the magical devices created by the Owls. That puts you on equal footing."

Hidan chuckled. "And what makes you think I'd willingly arm someone who wants my head?"

The Wanderer turned to him. "Would you prefer to spend the rest of your life on the run?"

"Even if he claimed he'd agree," Seth interjected, "I wouldn't trust a single word out of that snake's mouth."

Hidan shrugged. "My ancestors trusted yours once. I won't make the same mistake twice."

"Which is precisely why everyone in this room will be bound by a blood pact," the Wanderer cut in. "To guarantee none of you betray one another, and to ensure the future of Valoria is placed above your personal ambitions."

Seth sank back into his chair, taking a slow breath to compose himself. "And who rules Hosar when the dust settles?"

"We can determine that later," the Wanderer replied. "Perhaps grant Hidan governance over a different territory."

"I have no desire to stay in this wasteland anyway," Hidan muttered.

The Wanderer stood tall. "Then it is settled. Who stands with me?"

"Don't trust this weasel!" Baylen said as he pushed himself away from the pillar. "He'll turn around and drive a blade into every single one of your backs!"

The Wanderer walked toward him slowly. "Your father's death was a tragedy, Baylen. I never intended for him to be caught in the crossfire. But remember, it was the Red Council that carried out his sentence. If you can stomach living among them, you can work with me."

Seth sighed, looking down at the table. "I agree. We all carry our grievances, but I must admit... I don't hate his proposal."

Baylen stared at Seth in disbelief. "You swore to me yourself that you would avenge my father!"

Seth turned his gaze away. "The greater good demands a different path now, boy."

Ripping the dragon sigil from his chest, Baylen hurled it to the floor. "To hell with all of you!" he spat, heading out of the great hall.

"He's young," Seth said quietly. "He will come around."

The Wanderer looked toward the doors. "I don't blame him."

Hidan smirked. "Shall we begin the ritual?"

A surge of mana flared around the Wanderer, filling the hall with power.

"For Valoria," the Wanderer declared.

Every noble at the table repeated, their voices echoing as one:

"For Valoria!"