The air inside the main tent was thick with heat, the oppressive summer sun bearing down relentlessly. The only respite for its inhabitants was the canvas ceiling, shielding them from the direct wrath of the cruel sky.
Erebus stood before Helios, his company positioned behind him in disciplined silence. Helios, seated on an ornate yet weathered chair, looked up at the visitors with narrowed eyes, his expression one of wary curiosity.
"What business do you have with me?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with suspicion.
Erebus, fully aware of the hostility his presence provoked in the camp, remained undeterred. "We seek to negotiate for the release of the hostages," he stated firmly.
Helios leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. "Ah, so you hail from the enemy realm."
"We are an independent force," Erebus corrected, his voice unwavering. "We swear allegiance to no kingdom—only to ourselves."
A brief silence followed as Helios studied him intently. "And how am I to trust your words?"
Erebus felt his patience thinning but knew he could not afford to let emotions dictate his course. He turned his gaze toward Octavius, who stood at a distance, silently observing the exchange.
"You may find your trust when you ask that man about me," Erebus said, his voice edged with challenge as he locked eyes with Octavius.
Octavius flinched, his brow furrowing in confusion. "How would I know you? Have we met before?"
Erebus exhaled sharply before pulling the cloth from his face. His complexion, already pale, had grown dull and ashen from the relentless summer heat.
Recognition struck Octavius like a thunderclap. His breath hitched before he snarled, "You! You're still alive?"
Erebus merely shrugged, though his darkened gaze betrayed a simmering intensity. "I could say the same of you."
The animosity between them was palpable, an old enmity resurfacing with full force. Octavius' hand went to his sword, fury eclipsing reason. "You damned abductor! How dare you show your face in the sacred heart of the Holy Army, you cursed half-demon!"
His blade was halfway drawn when Helios lifted a commanding hand, stopping him in his tracks. Realizing his misstep, Octavius immediately bowed his head, seeking his liege's pardon.
Helios, however, was now intrigued. Octavius was known for his calm and measured temperament—what could drive him to such unrestrained anger?
"Calm yourself," Helios ordered before fixing a piercing gaze on Octavius. "Explain. What do you mean by 'cursed abductor'? And 'half-demon'—what are you implying?"
Octavius turned to Helios, his expression stricken with urgency. "Your Majesty, do not be deceived by this creature."
Helios remained unmoved. "What I fail to understand is why you, of all people, are so shaken. What rivalry do you hold with this man?"
Octavius' fists clenched at his sides. "Because he is the one who abducted Her Imperial Highness, Princess Luciana! He defiled her and condemned her to a life of misery!"
A stunned silence followed. Helios' expression darkened. "Are you certain of this claim? You understand the weight of your words, Octavius?"
Before the tension could escalate further, a soldier burst into the tent, breathless and urgent. "Your Majesty! Triglav has left Amanécer!"
Helios' face twisted in disbelief. "What nonsense is this?"
Lucerne entered next, his presence grim. "The three entities have emerged. Iblis deceived us. He now seeks to control them and is searching for another orb. Dabbah is laying waste to everything in its path. We must relocate immediately."
A heavy silence fell over the tent, the weight of the revelation pressing down like an unseen force.
Erebus was the first to break it. "My army can assist you. We have a common enemy now—this is no time for division."
Helios clenched his jaw. Betrayal, deceit, and now impending catastrophe—his realm was drowning in chaos. The last thing he needed was another calculated move from a man he did not trust.
"Everyone, leave us," he ordered abruptly. "Except for him."
"The name is Erebus," the half-demon said, disliking the dismissal in Helios' tone.
"But, Your Majesty!" protested Rudolph.
"Did I stutter, General of the Elite Command Division, Rudolph Patrionus Caelus?" Helios' glare left no room for argument.
Rudolph, though insulted, bowed and exited with the others. When the tent was empty save for the two men, Helios turned to Erebus, his gaze like tempered steel.
"State your reasons for this alliance. And tell me the truth—are Octavius' claims valid?"
Erebus met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "Why does the Princess of Amanécer concern you so deeply? What is she to you?"
Though he had heard Helios claim Luciana as his daughter, he found it difficult to believe.
Helios' voice dropped to a cold, dangerous tone. "I will give you one final chance—to confess your crimes, as her father."
The very air in the tent thickened with unspoken threats. Erebus sighed, then spoke the truth: how he had abducted Luciana not to harm her but to protect her from the imperial family's cruelty. He laid bare the events that had unfolded, knowing it was the only way to gain Helios' understanding.
After a tense silence, Helios finally asked, "Why do you seek an alliance with us?"
Erebus hesitated, his calloused hands clenching. "Since the day I lost her, I have searched for her ceaselessly. Every waking moment, I have wondered if she is safe, if she has survived. The war is cruel, and she was left alone... with a child." His voice held the weight of exhaustion, the rawness of desperation. "If you know where she is, I implore you—tell me."
Helios' contempt for Erebus remained, yet he could not ignore the anguish behind the man's words. He regarded Erebus with a calculating gaze before speaking.
"She is alive and well."
Erebus inhaled sharply, searching Helios' face for deception. "Luciana... she lives?"
"She bore your child," Helios confirmed, producing a letter as proof. Then, his tone hardened. "But I will not allow you anywhere near her."
Erebus couldn't believe him.
-" Luciana...gave birth? And that to my blood?.... impossible....she miscarried...did someone claim her?" Such thoughts greatly left him anxious. He wanted to confirm truth with his own eyes. He could very much be decieved by them.
Erebus exhaled slowly, realizing that earning his place by her side would not be so simple. "Then let us strike a bargain."
Helios arched a brow, unimpressed. "What do you propose?"
"A blood contract. I will aid your army in subjugating the demonic threat in Amanécer, in exchange for the chance to see my wife."
Helios considered it, torn between duty and his personal fears. At last, he reached his decision. "Very well. But mark my words, Erebus—you will be watched. It will be up to my daughter if she wishes to meet you."
The contract was sealed in blood, and negotiations for strategy began. Even as Erebus secured his alliance, he knew the true battle had only just begun.