When Zellrid regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a cold, hard surface which he immediately recognized as the stone floor of the castle , and as the arcanist struggled to sit up, he felt a sharp pain in his skull that pulsed like a second heartbeat. Every inch of his body throbbed fiercely, making it difficult to move. The world spun around him like a carnival ride gone awry. He could feel his bones grinding against each other, protesting even the slightest movement. 

As he lay there, zellrid was powerless when he saw the new state of Serana she looked better than before, making him wonder how long he had been gone When he rose off the floor, zellrid saw her tears were streaming down her cheeks, Even in her slumber, he moved closer to her body, wrapping his coat around her with his only remaining arm. He hugged her tightly, letting her know she was safe He desperately pondered what he could do to help her, when suddenly she seized his hand in a desperate grasp and uttered a frail plea in a trembling voice"Please end my life, for I am a threat to others. My craving is infinite and must be stopped before my desires take over again"

 he smiled "Don't fret, Serana I'm here. You have nothing to fear. I cast a spell before offering you my hand so that you would not be repulsed by it. You don't even register the scent of blood other than mine"Serana looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "You did what ?" she whispered in disbelief"You cunning fellow - if I don't eat, I'll end up dead. Very smart of you" Zellrid chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll be giving you my blood whenever you need it." Following that, they heard a peculiar sound from outside the castle It was a sound that Zellrid had heard before, the sound of horses galloping towards the castle gates. He quickly got up from the floor his body still aching from the recent battle and helped Serana to her feet, holding onto her tightly as they made their way towards the window.

Looking out, they saw a group of soldiers riding towards the castle"Zellrid's words were laced with sarcasm as he spoke, "Figures. This is my life: constant trouble, and now I've got a bare-skinned vampire woman before me."Listen to me, Serana - put on the coat I gave you and come with me. Don't say anything; let me do the talking. They know who I am."Serana quickly put on the coat and followed Zellrid through the castle's winding corridors until they reached the main entrance. The soldiers had already dismounted their horses and were waiting at the gates. Zellrid recognized the leader of the group, a man with a stern expression and a scar across his cheek. 

"Zellrid, by order of King Edwin Nedin the 5th, we have come to collect you and bring you back to the kingdom," the leader spoke in a commanding voice.

Zellrid felt his heart sink. He knew why he had been called back - to take up his role as an arcanist and report on what he had found on his mission. He said "leader Maro, you know this isn't the best time for that."Maro's face twisted into a grimace. "I'm afraid I don't have a choice in the matter, Zellrid. The king's orders are absolute."

Zellrid glanced over at Serana, who was watching the exchange with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. He took a deep breath and turned back to Maro. "Very well" he said. He motioned for Serana to come closer and put his arm around her, shielding her from view. "This woman here is a apprentice of mine; I want you to take us both back together."

Maro cast an apprehensive eye towards Zellrid and Serana before eventually offering a blunt acknowledgement. "Fine, but the king will want to interrogate her too. Let's go." As they walked past Maro, Zellrid leaned in and whispered, "I know something is wrong - something that happened in Xeris, the capital, that the king himself sent you to find me."

Maro's face became serious, though he didn't speak. Zellrid went on, "I can only assume it has something to do with me." Maro sighed and looked away, abruptly steering the conversation in a different direction. "What happened to your arm? Why is there only one?" Zellrid replied sarcastically, "Why don't you take a look at your own ass?" 

He was about to continue when Maro suddenly stopped in his tracks, his face turning pale. After a few moments of tense silence, he finally spoke. "You don't know what happened in Xeris? You've been gone for weeks." He looked away, unable to meet Zellrid's gaze. "The king is dead, Zellrid. Assassinated."

Zellrid felt a chill run down his spine. The king had been a fair and just ruler, well-liked by all. "Who did it?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"We don't know for sure yet," Maro replied,his voice barely above a whisper. "There are rumors of a shadow organization working behind the scenes, but no one knows for sure. That's why the king was so desperate to find you. He believed you might have some insight into what was happening."

Zellrid's heart pounded in his chest. The thought of the king being assassinated and a shadow organization pulling the strings made his blood boil. He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"Maro, we must journey to Xeris at once," they said before hopping up onto their steeds and setting off for the kingdom. Serana thought about what the future may hold in store for them as they rode