[Outer Walls of Arandel Territory]
The Arandel family was said to be the most powerful in the Àvalor section, second only to the royal family. Each year, this formidable house produced exceptional hunters and cleared countless danger zones. In a world where spirits roamed in the form of strangers, they were the greatest asset any nation could possess, yet the family itself was anything but ordinary.
In the shadows, they were feared as the clan that controlled countless villain organizations, and revered as a lineage that wielded power beyond any other in history. To the world, however, they were simply known as the Arandel Dukedom, the strongest family on the continent.
But today, their grand fortress on the eastern border faced a crisis, for the one thing the Duchess loved more than life itself had vanished: the Young Master.
"Did you hear? The young master vanished in the Rain Forest."
"What was he even doing there?"
"Who knows. Maybe he tried to force his awakening and failed. He knows it'd be disgraceful if the heir of a dukedom couldn't awaken."
"Shh... quiet. The Dark Knights are passing."
The once-bustling market fell into silence as people in black uniforms crossed the street, their boots crunching against the cobalt pavement. Even the horseless carriages came to a halt the moment they appeared.
It wasn't usually like this—but today, the Duchess was in pieces. And if the Dark Knights valued their lives, they had to find the young master, at all cost.
"Captain, where should we start the search?" asked a woman with a scar along her jaw, stepping closer to the figure ahead of her.
The captain said nothing at first, her eyes drifting across the vibrant street. The red and yellow buildings in the market glowed under the sunlight, a perfect blend of ancient Chinese and Korean architecture infused with modern technology.
Merchants stood outside their shops, bowing deeply, their heads lowered in respect.
She had lived for over three centuries, and was one of the few who had witnessed this territory's rise. And even now, it baffled her how buildings once deemed worthy of royal courts had become mere merchant houses.
'The lord and lady have truly built something beautiful'.
The streets thrived with life: women and men in flowing hanfu and hanbok mingled with the younger generation in sleek modern wear.
The captain inhaled deeply, her voice calm yet resolute. "Spread out the knights. No matter what, we must bring the young master home, for the peace of our territory."
The Dark Knights immediately dispersed, some taking to the skies, others vanishing down the streets.
The captain herself was about to move when she caught sight of a streak of light tearing across the sky, accompanied by a distant, panicked scream. It sounded... like a chicken being slaughtered.
Her expression hardened. She shifted her stance, hand gripping her sword hilt tightly.
"If you think you can attack the great Arandel Territory from the sky," she said, eyes narrowing, "then you are gravely mistaken."
Silver-white energy surged through her as she drew her blade. Her black hair turned white in an instant, and her sword's glow lifted her into the air. She raised her weapon, ready to strike, but froze.
Descending through the light was a handsome man with short, neatly cut black hair and deep violet eyes that shimmered between black and lavender under the sun.
"Y–Young..." Her breath hitched. "Young Master!"
Every head turned upward as she flew further into the air, catching him before he could come close to the ground. The young man was gasping for air, too weak to even speak.
"You need not talk, Young Master," she said, her voice trembling with relief. "I know you must have endured hell to return. I, your knight, will bring you home."
She hoisted him onto her back and took off at full speed.
"Announce it!" she shouted. "Let the Duchess know, the Young Master has returned!"
The lady knight flew at the speed of an aircraft, landing in front of the inner walls of the Arandel territory. The artificial intelligence in charge of gate security beeped once and the gate hissed opened.
The instant the interior was visible, a young woman came rushing. The knight immediately dropped the young man and went to her knees. "My lady, the young master is—"
Before she could finish speaking, the woman, who had long white hair and dark purple eyes that matched the man's, mascara staining her face, rushed past her and pulled the still-panting boy into a warm embrace.
"Baby!"
The young man looked confused as she squeezed. "My baby, you're back."
The woman pulled back just enough to see his handsome face, then placed her forehead against his. "Mommy thought… hic… you were dead."
The young man didn't say a word for a while, instead taking in the view of the interior beyond the inner walls. After another beat, he tilted his head in mock confusion. "Uhm… please, who are you?"
"What?" the woman muttered, pulling back to stare into his eyes. There wasn't a trace of deceit in them. Her hand trembled on his chest as she lowered it. "That's how it is, huh? Someone was jealous of me and my son and wanted to steal his precious memories of me."
Her purple eyes suddenly turned cold; all warmth vanished from them. "Daenerys."
The female knight lowered her head even further. "Yes, my lady."
The woman stood tall, brushing the dust from running off her clothes and smudging her mascara a bit. "Call my five shadows; we are going on a mission."
Daenerys's eyes widened at the duchess's words, her face lifting to read her expression. The duchess's face was colder and more merciless than it had ever been. "My lady..."
The woman, Kylie Arandel, tilted her head slightly. "We will kill all who hurt my Adrian."
Daenerys felt a chill crawl down her spine. The Duchess was smiling again — and that was never a good sign.