Eris started walking back from the lake to her house which was several minutes away. She was still wondering what had happened to her and why the marks appeared on her body.

‘Are these marks… really the marks of a queen? Or is this the calling for something else?’ She thought.

As she was still in thought, she hears movement coming from the trees behind her and looks back at the pathway, but sees nothing. She resumes walking and moments later hears movement once more. With the help of the moonlight, Eris sees a shimmer in one of the trees’ branches. A sharp object flies past her face and embeds itself in a boulder behind her prompting Eris to look and see it was a dagger that was thrown. She then sees a group of bandits come out from the shadows, making her run in fear. As the bandits chased after her, they continued throwing daggers, and Eris evaded everything they threw at her. Eris was frantic and in tears as she ran for her life, but was caught by her leg and fell to the ground. A brute bandit caught her leg and pulled Eris closer to him, picking her up by her arms and putting her in a lock.

Eris struggled to get free, but the bandit was strong, it was no use. She sees several bandits surrounding her and sees someone who looks like the leading bandit slowly walking in front of her. He had silver hair, and a young-looking face with pale skin. The man gets close to her face and looks at Eris from head to toe. Another bandit with red hair with a right brown eye and a left green eye, walks up to the leader and starts to circle Eris.

“You know,” The leader speaks. “It is against curfew to be out at this time of night, girl. Isn’t that right, Kai?”

“That’s right, Kabu.” The red-haired man replies.

Kabu looks at Eris right in her eyes. “Why are you out here?”

“I was coming from the lake to go home.” Eris replies.

“For what reason?”

“Is there a need to answer that? Why should you care?”

Kabu grabs Eris by her throat in response. “I just want to make sure no one plans to harm the queen of our land. You understand.”

His hand then goes from her throat to her shirt and opens the top of her shirt seeing a mark on her chest; shaped and detailed. Kabu then looks at Eris.

“That’s an interesting mark you have.” He comments. “This is one of the marks Queen Yenish talked about.”

“What’s the mark, boss?” The brute bandit asked.

“One of the marks that harms the queen and her throne. The forbidden mark. It’s all over her body. What are you thinking about, Kai?”

“Let me have her.”

As Kai extended his hand to have Eris, the brute looked to Kabu who nodded in confirmation. The brute pushes Eris to Kai and he catches her by the shirt, and looks into her fearful eyes. Kai then takes out his sword from his holster.

“Harbinger of ruin to our Queen Yenish Darsha…” He speaks. “I will make this quick for you.”

Kai immediately pulls Eris close to him by her waist and spins with her in his arm. He did so with his sword slashing the brute bandit’s head off and pushes Eris out of the way afterwards. Kabu was shocked at what Kai just did. Kai then dashes past Kabu and hacks and slashes through the other bandits in quick succession. Afterwards, Kai turns to face Kabu with a crazed, sadistic look on his face and readies his stance. Kabu takes out his blade and readies his stance, glaring at Kai.

“Kai! What have you done?!” He speaks angrily. “You know she told you to keep that attitude in check! Looks like I have to help you—”

Before Kabu could finish speaking, Kai dashes to attack him with his sword. Kabu blocks the attack, and they begin to clash with Eris in a fetal position as she sees the fight. Kabu could not handle Kai’s sword impacts and how quick he was. When Kai attempted to strike Kabu again, Kabu teleports out of his line of sight and attempts to strike him from his blind spot. Kai senses someone coming close to him, and parries Kabu’s blade out of his hand, leaving him open. Kai takes the opportunity and slashes Kabu across his chest, making him hit the ground. Kabu’s wound begins to bleed as he crawls away from Kai and picks up his blade. Kai’s green eye was glowing as he glared at Kabu who slowly got up and glared back at him.

“Go back to your “mother”.” Kai sneers. “I am no longer her lap dog, and tell her that her reign will come to an end soon.”

Kabu glares intensely at Kai, then as swift as the wind, he disappears by teleporting. Kai growls and groans as he holds his head in pain and calms down moments later. He looks at Eris who was on the ground still in shock from what she just experienced. As he walks toward Eris, she curls back in a ball and covers her head as she whimpers and sobs. Kai kneels in front of her and checks her arm seeing one of the marks.

“So, it’s true. You have the mark of the queen.” He comments.

Eris stops whimpering and looked up at Kai with her face and eyes red from crying.

“With you becoming the next queen, you have now become a target.” Kai informs. “For now, you need to stay vigilant.”

He puts his sword back in his holster and holds out his arms to Eris. “I’ll carry you.”

“Wait. You’ll… carry me home?” Eris asks.

“Yes. Where do you live?”

Eris points at her house from afar lit with lanterns. “Where you see those lights at that house over there.”

Kai carries Eris bridal style and starts walking to the location.

“Why… why did you save me?” She asks.

“Should I not have?” He counters. “Enough innocent blood has been shed. Let’s keep it there. What’s your name, girl?”

“Eris. Eris Gadison. And your name is… Kai?”

“Yes.”

Eris remembers that the former queen’s older brother had the same first name which surprised her and looked at Kai. “Are you the brother of the last queen?! Are you Kai Nyle?!”

Kai did not bother to answer Eris as he arrived at her house. He then sets Eris down on the ground. Eris looked at him with a humble face.

“Thank you for saving me, Kai. Thank you so much.” She praises.

“Hm.” He responds. “It was for Elienta’s sake that I saved you, but you’re welcome, Eris Gadison.”

In an instant, Kai leaves by jumping through the trees. Not a moment sooner, Marianna and Noah open the door and see Eris’ tattered clothes concerned by the sight.

“Oh my… Eris! Are you alright?!” Marianna asks frantically.

“What happened to you?” Noah adds concerned.

Eris could not answer them as she played back what had happened moments before.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside.” Marianna speaks.

The two guide Eris inside the house and locks the door.

.   .   .   .   .

During the night, Kabu arrives in Nora, Elienta to the Queen’s Castle. He opens the doors and walks inside while holding his bloody chest wound and passes several bandits who were concerned.

“Boss! Are you alright?!” One of the bandits asks Kabu.

“Yes, I’m fine.” He replies headedly. “Just leave me be so I can talk to Queen Yenish.”

Kabu opens the doors to the Queen’s throne room. The throne was perched one floor above where stairs connected to it, and an elven woman sitting on the throne. She had pale white skin wearing a black dress covering her entire body. Kabu kneels and bows his head in respect to her.

“You may stand, Kabu.” Yenish commands.

Kabu stands up and looks at Yenish who proceeds to walk downstairs from the throne. As she reaches the floor, she walks towards Kabu, still holding the wound on his chest.

“What is your report?” She asks. “What happened to your party and Kai?”

“Kai’s sadism came out.” Kabu replies. “He slaughtered my men and struck me.”

Kabu moves his hand away and shows the bloodied slash across his chest. Yenish takes off his armor and sees the actual mark across his chest. As she checks the wound, a green aura comes from her hand and heals his wound which left a scar.

“So…” She speaks with concern. “Kai has betrayed us; killing your men and hurting you, my sweet child.”

“Also, we found the girl who has the mark.” Kabu informs. “We were going to execute her, but Kai snapped before we could.”

Yenish’s eyes widened with anger.

“Is that so?” She responds. “Well… Kai has become our accessory along with the girl. Do you know where the girl lives?”

“No, but she was walking from Cailo Lake in Koko, so she might live nearby there.”

“Hmm… Alright. Tomorrow, I’ll set up a party for you to that area in Koko. As of now, go back to Satori and rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kabu nods his head and teleports home while Yenish was in thought. ‘Hmm. I need to find someone to take control of Oreads Temple before they take it over…’

She then walks upstairs to the second floor into her chambers to the right-hand side of the castle.