Lumina instructed Grovenborn to take Zen Felix to the Holy Sorceress Matale da Luna—her grandmother's sister—who lived in seclusion on a remote island known as Mataland.
"Groven, take Zen Felix to the Holy Sorceress Matale da Luna," Lumina said firmly.
"But, my lady…? I don't think I can make it there alone with this young man. And I'm not even sure the sorceress will accept me," Grovenborn replied, hesitating. He was Lumina's trusted bodyguard in Torsgad.
"He's gravely injured, Groven. No one else can save him but Matale. All you need to do is show her the ring on his hand," Lumina explained.
"How did this man come to possess your ring? Isn't that the heirloom from your grandfather?" Grovenborn asked in disbelief.
"That's exactly why, Groven. Once again, I'm asking you—please take Zen Felix to her. That ring is the only thing keeping his soul from being claimed by the dark sorcerers you saw today," Lumina said, her voice unwavering.
"…Very well, my lady. If it is your request… You truly care about this man, don't you?" Grovenborn said, casting one last glance at Lumina before lifting the unconscious Zen Felix in his arms and departing.
Lumina watched them go, her eyes brimming with hope that fate would show Zen Felix mercy—that he would live, and not become the most hunted man in the Celestian Empire or any other.
As she turned to rejoin her mother, she spotted Vaedric and Ravena conversing while receiving treatment from the Torsgad healers. Rather than facing the pressure or pointed questions she knew Vaedric would ask—questions about Zen Felix losing control—Lumina quietly made her way back to her family's castle.
"This can't be allowed to continue. I never expected news of the Dark Prince to reach Sorceress Mirelda so quickly. But why would a dark sorceress want to kill him?" Vaedric muttered.
"The Dark Prince? What are you talking about?" Soneta asked, startled by his words.
"No one," Vaedric snapped, realizing he'd let something slip.
"I'm not letting any of you leave without telling me the truth," Soneta said firmly. As the leader of Torsgad, her voice carried weight.
"We've forged a defense alliance, so I trust you'll keep this confidential. This involves a prophecy from our elders," said Ravena, the young commander of the Dominion Valthorian forces.
"I keep my word," Soneta replied.
"Pafilia was consumed by black fire—only five thousand survived. According to the prophecy of the Dominion elders, this marks the return of the Dark Prince… and the awakening of the Black Fire Dragon, Oragon," Ravena explained gravely.
"But isn't the Oragon Dragon just a myth? The old tales say it took the combined power of the top leaders of the Five White Empires to defeat it," Soneta said skeptically.
"That's why we can't be sure whether this is truly the Dark Prince's doing, or the work of a powerful dark sorcerer like Mirelda. Based on intel from Pafilia, Gerson the Ghost from Dreadmourne was also there two weeks ago," Ravena continued.
"Ravena, you're still young. You don't need to reveal everything to another empire," Vaedric warned sharply.
"But this isn't just about Pafilia's dead or a Dominion matter. If the Black Fire Prince is involved, why hasn't Emperor Zarek summoned the Five White Empires yet?" Ravena pressed.
"The Emperor simply seeks the truth behind the massacre, Ravena—not some legend reborn. Don't blow this out of proportion. This is an internal matter," Vaedric replied coldly.
"Yet you know as well as I do that without Lady Soneta's help, we would've been slaughtered by Sorceress Mirelda," Ravena shot back.
"She acted to protect her own people, not us. And just because we're in alliance doesn't mean we can trust them—not when her daughter is colluding with that boy. Felix, isn't it? According to the survivors in Pafilia. I'll hunt him down myself. And if anyone stands in my way, don't blame me for what I'll do—even if it's your daughter," Vaedric warned Soneta.
"If you lay a single finger on my daughter, I will kill you myself," Soneta said, her voice sharp as steel.
Tension erupted. The sheer aura of power surrounding them—both among the ten strongest in their respective empires—made the soldiers around them tremble. Though Vaedric was formidable, he and his men were heavily outnumbered. With a cold glance, he gave the signal to retreat. His forces withdrew from Torsgad.
Ravena, however, remained. She accepted Soneta's invitation to visit her castle atop the city.
After a long journey, Zen Felix finally regained consciousness. He found himself walking a winding cliffside path alongside Grovenborn.
"Where are you taking me?" Felix asked.
"My lady ordered me to bring you to Mataland Island. We'll be there in three days. You'll meet Matale da Luna, once a holy sorceress," Grovenborn replied.
"Will Lumina be there?" Felix asked, a trace of hope in his voice.
"No. She can't go there until she turns seventeen. That's still a year away," Grovenborn said.
Felix nodded slowly, processing the news.
That night, as they made camp, Felix asked again, "How is Lumina?"
"She's safe. Fortunately, Lady Soneta da Lucia and the commander from Dominion Valthorian defeated the legendary dark sorceress, Mirelda," Grovenborn replied.
They continued their journey, and along the way, Grovenborn began to train Felix in various combat techniques, including the sword styles of the Celestian Empire. As a former leader of a Celestian combat unit, Grovenborn had experience to spare. But now, his role was permanent: a personal bodyguard to Lumina, sworn to her alone.
In just two days, Zen Felix had already grasped many of the skills Grovenborn had taught him.
"Felix, we're a day away from reaching Mataland. But before that, we have to cross the Dorsmot Forest," Grovenborn said one morning.
"We haven't passed through any forest until now—just cliffs and rocky trails. Why do we need to enter one now?" Felix asked, puzzled.
"Mataland was once ruled by Alistair Noctis, a dark lord who controlled the Dorsmot Forest all the way to the island itself. But he was eventually defeated by Matale," Grovenborn explained, pointing to the dense woods stretching toward the island.
"If anything happens while we're inside the Dorsmot Forest tonight, run straight to Mataland and say this phrase three times: 'Valowa da Kaviatkha Ukhridum Celestian.' Make sure you say every word exactly right," Grovenborn instructed him seriously.
Felix repeated the phrase in his mind, over and over, struggling to remember the foreign syllables.
When they arrived at the forest's edge, Grovenborn chose to set up camp just outside the boundary—for now.
The night passed quietly. Long after midnight, they were still fast asleep inside their small tent, unaware of the danger that might be lurking in the shadows of the mysterious forest.
Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed in the distance. Someone was being chased—hunted by a squad of shadowy soldiers.
Rene Sirius Dravenhart, the illegitimate son of Emperor Zubani Dravenhart of the Zarthas Empire, was on the run. He had been captured by one of the strongest vampires—Ravnos Strigoi, the ruler of Zaratugha. But he escaped, thanks to Ravnos's own son, Samael Strigoi, who freed him from the dungeons of Zaratugha. As punishment, Samael was imprisoned, and the relentless pursuit of Rene had now led them into the dark expanse of the Dorsmot Forest.
"Catch him! Don't let him get away!" Ravnos roared, his fury igniting the night.
His elite soldiers—creatures that could see clearly in the dark—pressed on, scouring the thick undergrowth. Rene sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him, but without realizing it, he had burst out of the cover of the forest and into an open field, exposing himself entirely.
High above, Ravnos spread his bat-like wings and swooped down with lethal speed. His claws sank into Rene's flesh as he grabbed him mid-run, piercing skin and muscle. Rene cried out in pain, his consciousness beginning to fade.
And then—
"Whoooshh!"
"Thud!"
A massive rock came hurtling from the trees and struck Ravnos square in the head. The vampire was thrown back, black blood dripping from his bat-like ears. Enraged, he turned toward the one who dared to interfere—Zen Felix.
Before he could reach Felix, Grovenborn stepped in his way.
"I warned you—stay out of this!" Grovenborn barked, surprised that Felix had the nerve to strike Ravnos with such force.
"Go! Head to the place I told you! Don't worry about me!" he shouted again.
Without hesitation, Felix grabbed Rene and dashed back into the woods, hoping to make their escape.
Grovenborn quickly pulled out a small pouch of oil, tossing it onto the ground and igniting it. The flames cast a flickering light on Ravnos's monstrous form. As the seventh most powerful vampire in the Empire of Noctharys, his presence was cloaked in terrifying mysticism and dark energy.
Even while running, Felix glanced back—just for a moment—and what he saw made his chest tighten with rage. Grovenborn, his loyal guardian, had been torn apart by Ravnos. His limbs ripped, his body mutilated, and his blood greedily licked by the surrounding vampire soldiers.
Felix's fury boiled over. A powerful energy surged within him—something he didn't understand—so intense that Ravnos himself faltered in fear. But the energy was quickly suppressed by the Hadrian Ring on his finger, preventing him from losing control.
Following Grovenborn's instructions, Felix and Rene ran toward the nearest shoreline facing Mataland.
Felix remembered the incantation Grovenborn had taught him, and began to chant:
"Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celesasta! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celesasta! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celesasta!"
Nothing. No response. No change.
Despair crept in.
Ravnos and his soldiers were closing in fast. Felix could feel their presence drawing near like a gathering storm.
"Where's your guardian from? Maybe you said the spell wrong!" Rene shouted in panic.
"He's from Torsgad!" Felix replied.
They were running out of time.
"Give it up, boy," Ravnos sneered from above, gliding effortlessly through the air. "That old hag will never hear you... or maybe she's already dead." His long claws reached down, nearly touching Felix and Rene.
Felix tried again.
"Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Torsgad! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Torsgad! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Torsgad!"
Still, nothing.
And then—Felix remembered. Celestian! Lumina's homeland. The empire she once spoke of.
With renewed hope and a fire in his voice, he cried out:
"Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celestian! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celestian! Valowa da kaviatkha ukhridum Celestian!"
A blinding flash tore through the sky.
A surge of extraordinary energy blasted Ravnos from above, launching him violently into the depths of the forest.
Then came a voice—cold, commanding, and full of power.
"Call me an old hag one more time, and I will kill you myself."
Panic erupted. Ravnos and his forces scattered, fleeing without a second thought, abandoning Felix and Rene on the beach.
Moments later, a small boat emerged from the mist, gliding toward them.
Breathless and trembling, Felix and Rene climbed aboard.
The island of Mataland was drawing near.