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### **Two Years Later – A Village Filled with Life**
The sun cast golden light over **Black Hollow**, its once-quiet streets now filled with the laughter of children. The village had grown in ways no one could have expected—**not just in numbers, but in warmth, in the life that had blossomed within its walls.**
Two years had passed since **the birth of Sylva and Lyra, and now, they were no longer fragile infants but vibrant, growing children.** And they weren't alone.
Luna had given birth to a daughter, a girl with **her mother's silver hair and her father's sharp golden eyes.** She was barely a year younger than Sylva and Lyra, yet **her energy easily outmatched them both.**
The house that once held warriors now **held families.** And for all the darkness that loomed beyond the village's borders, within these walls, **there was light.**
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### **The Children of the Next Generation**
Seraphina stood by the entrance of their home, watching as **Modred sat in the grass, surrounded by their daughters and Luna's child.**
Sylva, as expected, was **full of energy.** She clung to her father's arm, her **black hair messy from running around**, her crimson eyes gleaming with excitement.
"**Papa, tell us a story about the big scary monsters!**"
"**Yeah! And how you beat them up!**" Luna's daughter—who had already developed a thirst for adventure—**bounced beside her cousin.**
Lyra, in contrast, sat **quietly beside Modred**, her **red hair falling neatly over her shoulders**, her piercing eyes studying the world around her. She was **not timid—but observant. Clever.**
She finally spoke, her small voice thoughtful. "**Why do monsters always lose?**"
Modred raised an eyebrow. "**What do you mean?**"
Lyra tilted her head slightly. "**They are always bigger. Stronger. But they still lose. Why?**"
Seraphina chuckled from behind. "**Because your father is the strongest, that's why.**"
Sylva and Luna's daughter **nodded enthusiastically.** "**Yeah! Papa's the best!**"
Lyra blinked, then slowly smiled. **Not convinced, but amused.**
Modred exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "**Stories aren't just about who wins, Lyra. Sometimes, they're about why they fight in the first place.**"
Lyra's tiny fingers tapped against her knee, considering his words. Then, **she simply nodded.**
Seraphina leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, **watching the scene unfold.**
She had always known Modred would make a great father, but seeing him like this—**patient, attentive, protective**—made her heart swell in ways she never expected.
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### **Dante and Luna – A Different Kind of Chaos**
Further down the village path, **Dante was trying—and failing—to keep up with his daughter.**
"**At least walk in a straight line, for the gods' sake—!**"
The little girl **ran ahead, laughing, completely ignoring her father's exhausted plea.**
Luna, standing beside him, simply **smiled.** "**She's just like you.**"
Dante groaned. "**I wasn't this much trouble.**"
Luna gave him a look. "**Oh, really? You climbed a church roof when you were four. Your grandfather had to bribe you down with cake.**"
Dante sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "**I regret telling you that story.**"
Luna chuckled. "**I don't.**"
Their daughter suddenly turned back, her **eyes shining with determination.**
"**Mama! Papa! Let's go on an adventure!**"
Dante's **soul nearly left his body.** "**Oh no. No, no, no—**"
Luna just laughed, grabbing his hand. "**Come on, love. What's the worst that could happen?**"
Dante **groaned again.** He had **a feeling he was about to find out.**
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### **A Letter from the Past**
That evening, as the children settled into their beds, **the warmth of the day slowly gave way to a quieter night.**
Seraphina sat beside Modred near the fireplace, **her head resting against his shoulder.** It was peaceful—**until a knock echoed at the door.**
Dante entered, a piece of parchment in hand. **His usual smirk was gone.**
"**We have a problem.**"
Modred took the parchment, his **eyes narrowing the moment he saw the insignia stamped on it.**
The **Valkary seal.**
Seraphina sat up instantly, her **expression shifting.** Luna, standing beside Dante, swallowed hard.
Modred unfolded the letter, his **jaw tightening as he read.**
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, he exhaled. "**Looks like our past isn't as dead as we thought.**"
Seraphina reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. "**What does it say?**"
Modred's eyes flickered in the firelight, **dark and unreadable.**
"**War is coming.**"
The room felt **colder.**
Outside, the wind howled. As if **whispering of something approaching.**
Something inevitable.
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