The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. It painted the smoke-filled sky in shades of bruised purple and gold. Morning had finally come, but the cost was written into the very earth of the headquarters.
Jennifer and Kaeli emerged from the bloodless dimension. The black sphere dissolved into nothingness behind them. Kaeli collapsed immediately, her strength completely spent. Jennifer stood trembling, her eyes desperately searching the ruins around them.
Richard broke the shield around him and went to Kaeli. "Kaeli, are you okay?"
Kaeli opened her eyes. She looked at Richard, who was nearby her. "You idiot."
A female officer rushed toward them, her face grim with bad news. "We need a medical team here immediately!" the officer shouted.
Jennifer stood frozen in place. A sudden, cold sadness washed over her face.
"Is Eloise fine?" Her voice shook with fear.
The officer looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "We couldn't save him," she said softly.
The world seemed to tilt beneath Jennifer's feet. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over before she could even process the words. She stumbled across the courtyard, past broken walls and wounded officers, until she found him.
Eloise lay still on a makeshift stretcher. His body was charred and motionless. His body almost recovered from the burn.
"Eloise..."
She fell to her knees beside him. She didn't accept the silence. She refused to accept his death. With trembling, blood-stained hands, she pressed them against his chest. She channelled every remaining spark of her soul into the spell.
"Rizas!"
Dark roots came from her hand.
She cast it once. Nothing happened.
Twice. Still nothing.
Again and again, Dark roots act weakly against his burned skin. Blood began to drip from Jennifer's nose. Her vision clouded and blurred. She was pushing herself past the point of unconsciousness, draining her own life to bring him back.
But she didn't stop.
"Rizas!"
Suddenly, Eloise's body jerked violently.
He gasped. A spray of dark blood escaped his lips as his lungs desperately fought for air. His eyes snapped open—wild, unfocused, confused—until they finally landed on her face.
"Jennifer..."
Jennifer was frozen, staring at the impossible miracle before her. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Around them, the surviving officers watched in stunned silence. Their eyes shimmered with emotion. Someone let out a broken sob. Others whispered prayers. They had just witnessed the impossible.
True resurrection.
Eloise tried to speak again. His voice came out as a rasping whisper. "Je—"
Jennifer didn't let him finish. She leaned down and kissed him. It was a long, desperate embrace that seemed to pull both of them back from the edge of the abyss. Relief, terror, joy, and love all poured into that single moment.
She kissed him back just as fiercely, her hand shakily reaching up to touch his face.
Neither of them wanted to let go.
"Eloise. Jennifer." A familiar, dry voice interrupted them. "Johan is here."
They broke apart and turned to see Freya standing nearby. She looked battered but smug. She wasn't alone. Johan was standing beside her.
Johan's mouth was hanging open. His expression showed a perfect mix of shock and clinical puzzlement.
"Jo-jo-johan," Jennifer stuttered. Her face flushed crimson as she wiped the blood and soot from her lips.
Johan looked at them both with profound disgust.
"Johan... it's just CPR," Eloise managed to wheeze. He was desperately trying to reclaim some shred of dignity.
"Oh, really?" Johan crossed his arms. His voice dripped with heavy sarcasm. "A postman is explaining CPR to a doctor. How enlightening."
Freya couldn't help herself. She burst into a fit of bright, melodic laughter that felt strangely out of place amidst the ruins and death around them.
"Postman?" Eloise grumbled, leaning on Jennifer as he sat up. "First of all, I am not a postman. And I will explain exactly what happened here, but right now, we have to get to the Central Prison..."
"Listen," Johan interrupted. His gaze softened slightly. "I just completed the mission there."
"What?" Jennifer blinked in surprise.
"All by himself," Freya added proudly.
"Don't divert the topic," Johan snapped. He pointed an accusing finger at the blushing pair. "If Aunt Nina finds out about this, nobody can save you from her anger."
"Eeee!" Jennifer squeaked. Her face turned even redder than before.
"Aww! Why are you scaring them?" Freya teased, still giggling. "Together they look cute."
Eloise and Jennifer couldn't handle the teasing anymore. They quickly moved away on a different path, supposedly to find more healers. But their burning ears told a different story.
Johan watched them go. His expression turned deadly serious.
"He is the son of Vlad Josephine."
"Aaaaa!" Freya jumped, her eyes going wide with shock. "W-what? H-how?"
"Don't ask me," Johan sighed heavily.
He walked over to Jennifer, who had stopped to look at the rows of fallen officers. White sheets covered their bodies. Each one represented someone who hadn't made it home.
"God give them peace."
"Why did they attack?" Jennifer asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"The attackers were from the Diaftis Order," Johan explained grimly. "I believe it was revenge. Our order arrested their Grand Master, and they retaliated. They attacked headquarters across the entire country. In just one night, they've killed 654 of our people. They are way stronger than we realised."
He paused, his jaw tightening. "The mage who attacked the prison—he was a vassal of the Dark Lord."
Jennifer felt a chill of pure fear run through her body. "Can they attack Theo?"
"Don't worry," Johan assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Theo is safe with us. I promise."
An officer approached them. "Sir, the portal is ready. We are prepared to send you back."
"Okay," Johan nodded, glancing at the rising sun one last time. "Let's go home. We have to make lunch and breakfast for the kids."
The officer raised his hands and snapped his fingers. Mana gathered between his palms, swirling and glowing. A shimmering portal opened before them, its surface rippling like water. Through it, they could see the quiet, familiar street of Jardin Paisible.
They stepped through together. The portal closed behind them with a soft shimmer.
The morning air of their neighbourhood greeted them. It was clean, fresh, and blessedly normal. Birds sang in the distance. The smell of fresh bread drifted from a nearby bakery. The silence of the peaceful street was a jarring contrast to the war they had just left behind.
Jennifer opened the gate to Jardin Paisible. The familiar iron felt solid and real beneath her trembling fingers. Johan entered first, but Jennifer paused at the threshold. Something made her glance back down the street.
Near the gates of the Josephine mansion, Vlad was standing. He was tall and imposing as always. His face looked like a thundercloud, dark with anger. Eloise was just walking up to the gate, looking exhausted and emotionally torn.
"Eloise! Where have you been all night?" Vlad's roar echoed down the entire street.
Jennifer expected an argument. She expected excuses. She just wanted to go there to explain everything.
Instead, Eloise didn't argue. He didn't make any excuses. He simply walked forward and threw his arms around his father. He buried his face in Vlad's shoulder, his whole body shaking with emotion.
"Father... never stop shouting at me. Never."
Vlad froze, utterly puzzled by the sudden display of affection. But slowly, understanding dawned on his face. He reached up and patted his son's back gently. A small, warm smile tugged at his lips.
"Some kids never grow up," he murmured softly.
Jennifer smiled, watching the reunion. A final tear of relief escaped down her cheek.
"Jennifer, come on!" Johan called from the porch.
"Coming!" she called back, racing inside toward the safety of home.
In Joseph's room.
Joseph lay sprawled across his bed, eyes closed. But he wasn't resting. Beneath his eyelids, his eyes moved rapidly, fidgeting with the rhythm of a nightmare.
He was dreaming again. A new recurring dream that felt less like imagination and more like a memory he shouldn't have.
In the dream, he wore heavy blue armour. He looked older, around 30 years old. The metal plates weighed him down as he stood on a battlefield of carnage. Dead bodies lay scattered around him in every direction. Lives he had taken. Blood soaked into the earth beneath his feet.
Only one person remained alive.
A man named Riddle— the father of Theo. He was heavily injured, gasping for air, clutching his wounds. But his eyes still burned with defiance.
Joseph looked down at him. Blood splattered on his face—blood that wasn't his. He felt something terrifying inside himself. A cold, ancient presence that didn't belong.
Then he spoke. But the voice that came from his throat wasn't his own.
It was low and resonant. A sound of pure evil.
"Hey, Riddle." The voice rolled out like distant thunder. "Are you running a secret order to revolt against me?"
Riddle remained silent. His eyes burned with the flames of revenge despite his wounds. Despite knowing he was defeated.
"Such desperation," the voice continued, almost admiring. "I almost respect it. You were my greatest Grand Master once. Sometimes even those who can destroy worlds can be wrong."
The presence inside Joseph seemed to smile.
"I'll give you another chance. Be mine, slave, again. Go to the cage. Become my slave for the rest of your life." The voice dropped lower, commanding. "Call me Great Lord."
Riddle's hand tightened around a jagged dagger he'd been hiding. His response came through gritted teeth.
"Do you ever truly admire anything?"
Joseph's face twisted with supernatural anger. It wasn't his expression. Wasn't his rage. But his body moved anyway.
SNAP!
He snapped his fingers and summoned his sword, A glowing sword. The blade is made of light.
They both roared and charged at each other.
The world of the dream dissolved into shadow—
"AH!"
Joseph screamed and bolted upright in bed.
He was huffing. His chest heaved as he desperately tried to ground himself in reality. Sweat soaked his shirt. His hands trembled.
Several minutes passed before his breathing slowed. Before the nightmare released its grip on his mind.
The taste of copper and ash lingered in his mouth like a phantom memory.
He needed to clear his head. Needed to do something normal.
Joseph left his room and descended the stairs toward the kitchen. The smell of cooking reached him halfway down—sizzling pans, fresh ingredients, the comforting aroma of home.
He found Johan and Jennifer already at work. They moved around the kitchen in synchronised chaos, collaborating on what looked like an intricate new recipe.
"Brother, is breakfast ready?" Joseph asked. He leaned against the doorframe, still trying to shake off the lingering dread.
"Almost, almost, almost, almost, almost!" Johan replied in his characteristic hurried manner. He didn't even look up from the stove.
"Do you need any help?" Joseph offered.
"No, I'm helping him today." Jennifer shooed him away with a flour-dusted hand, smiling. "You can go and prepare for school."
Joseph nodded and turned back toward the stairs.
In the kitchen, Jennifer suddenly froze. Her eyes widened as realisation hit her like ice water.
"Oh no," she whispered. Her heart skipped a beat. "We didn't tell him about Theo."
Johan's head snapped up. "What?"
It was too late.
Joseph reached the landing of the stairs and nearly collided with a small figure in the hallway.
THUMB! THUMB!
Joseph frozed.
His eyes went wide. Total shock washed over his face.
"T-Theo?"
The name came out as barely more than a whisper. He didn't know about the newest member of his family. The boy who tried to kill him now lives with him.