The group had started to wake up again with the first light of the morning. Sakha, on the other hand, had nestled closer to the fire to ward off the cold and had fallen asleep in the warmth of the fire. He woke up when Rhadam kicked her foot.

The soldiers seemed to still be in shock from the events of the previous day. Everyone in the group looked at Sakha with fear and anger, as if they were staring at a monster. While breakfast was being distributed, Rhadam ordered that Sakha not be given any bread, but he retracted his order when he made eye contact with Flarka. Sakha didn't react to any of these incidents and appeared to accept them as normal. As he walked towards the horse given to her, Marek blocked his path.

"This horse is a bit skittish. I hope you fall off and break your neck," he said, grimacing, spitting in front of him, and then mounting his own horse, taking his place in the group. Sakha watched Marek for a while, then went to his horse, caressed it, and murmured something. With a swift movement, he mounted his horse and started riding. There were no issues. The horse did not reject its owner. Marek cursed and turned his face to the other side. Rhadam gave the command to proceed as if nothing had happened, and the group started moving forward.

With the rising of the sun on the horizon, the full power of the forest was once again revealed. Snow had covered the entire surface of the forest like a blanket. The tremendous tranquility of the forest contrasted with fallen tree trunks and broken branches. Trees lined in all directions, stretching as far as the eye could see. The melting waters had revitalized the river, which had been on the verge of freezing during winter. As the sun emerged in the forest, the forest itself began to awaken. The sound of the river mingled with the chirping of birds and the sounds of other creatures in the forest.

Silently, Sakha moved forward with the caravan, and he started watching a squirrel that emerged from a fallen tree trunk. The squirrel looked around timidly. Startled as if hearing a sound, it quickly retreated back into its hideout. Sakha involuntarily began to smile as he watched the squirrel. Then he gazed at the clear blue sky for a while and closed his eyes, listening only to the sounds of the forest. As he walked along the snowy path, she tried to remember the last time she had felt so peaceful.

After a while of walking through the forest, they reached the edge of the forest. Beyond the forest, there was a vast, flat plain. Kierra and Marek began to walk on either side of Sakha. He glanced at the movements of the group from the corner of his eye. The soldiers were slowly closing in around her. He smirked and continued his journey without doing anything. Rhadam, on the other hand, was at the front, unaware of the developments unfolding behind him. Flarka and Flavia had moved slightly ahead of the group. After a short while, a large group of guards approached from the west. Sakha understood the situation she had fallen into and started laughing.

"This is truly a pitiful move," he said, striking Kierra's horse forcefully, causing the horse to panic. The panicked horse reared up, and at that moment, Sakha cut the reins of the horse's harness, causing Kierra to fall to the ground. The freed horse began to run, disrupting the group's formation. Taking advantage of the chaos, Sakha quickly moved away from the group. Just then, he noticed an arrow coming from the forest and managed to block it with his sword, but he didn't notice the other arrow shot by Flavia. The arrow struck his leg, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground. As Sakha fell to the ground, he drew his sword with great anger and was about to launch an attack when an arrow hit in front of him. A small archer unit appeared where the arrow had come from. The guard unit had also caught up with the group, and the archers in the unit lined up in front of Flarka, targeting Sakha. An elderly man was leading the guard unit, and he began to speak with Flarka. Sakha, filled with anger, shouted:

"What's this? Don't any of you have the courage to face me in a sword fight in this whole country? Your cowardice will cost you dearly."

Sakha looked angrily at the archers surrounding her. The color of the sword he held caught Flarka's attention. The sword was pure white. He could have sworn it was white when they first fought. Seeing Sakha examining the sword, he extended it towards Flarka and continued yelling:

This action infuriated Flavia, and she reached for her arrow. However, Flarka stopped her and stepped forward, addressing Sakha:

"I won't collaborate with you anymore. While the country is being ravaged by disease, slaughtered in wars, and dying of hunger, all the innocent lives will be on your hands. If you don't have the courage to come to me, I'll come to you," he shouted. His voice echoed through the field. Suddenly, he started running towards the forest.

As soon as Sakha made a move, the arrows were released. It was as if Sakha had anticipated this moment, as he swiftly rolled in the opposite direction and continued running. He managed to evade several arrows, but as he reached the top, an arrow pierced his leg. When he looked down, he locked eyes with Flavia. After pulling out the arrow from his leg, he continued his attack. He used the first archer he caught as a shield and advanced towards the center of the group. The archers were forced to resort to their swords, but none of them could match Sakha's skill in sword fighting.

When the last archer on the hill died, Sakha's face and attire were stained with the blood of his enemies. Everyone was horrified by the terrifying sight they encountered. Sakha dropped his short dagger and picked up a sword from the ground, pointing it towards Flarka.

In response, Flarka drew his sword, but Rhadam stepped in front of him and ordered the archers not to cease their fire. Sakha, in a frenzy, began running downhill, evading some of the incoming arrows but unable to dodge them all. Three arrows struck hisbody. While the arrows missed vital areas, his movements were still slowed. He pulled out the arrows and continued to fight against the attacking soldiers. Sakha was truly skilled in sword fighting. Despite his injuries slowing him down, he remained swift, and the casualties inflicted by the group increased as the battle prolonged.

As the commanders stepped forward to join the fight, Flavia and Flarka moved closely behind them. When Sakha locked eyes with Flarka, he smiled and started moving towards him. However, Rhadam intercepted her and forcefully pushed him back. Marek made a move immediately, but Sakha evaded his sword and grabbed his arm, only for Kierra to intercept his strike. Rhadam launched a surprise attack from behind. With one final push, Sakha threw Marek towards Rhadam and delivered a powerful kick to Kierra, leaving him breathless. As he reclaimed his sword, he was struck by an arrow in the back. The impact sent him falling to the ground, and at wound on his attempted to rise with the support of his sword, but Rhadam struck his sword, causing him to fall once again. As he struggled to get up, he received a blow to his head, and he collapsed. With the blow to his head, every limb of his was now bleeding. Covered in blood, he could only open one eye due to the blood obscuring his face. When he lifted her head from his blood-soaked hair, he locked eyes with Flarka. Flarka had his sword pressed against Sakha's throat, staring into his eyes.
that moment, Kierra's sword inflicted another

"The old man says we shouldn't kill you. It seems that you have important tasks to accomplish in your fate. But I honestly don't know how useful you'll be in your current state," he said, looking around and continuing to speak with a hateful gaze towards Sakha.

"You have killed many of my men today. I had intended to render you helpless without engaging in combat. I never imagined you would launch such an attack and cause this much damage. From this point on, sparing your life is not possible."

"When you set this ambush for me, you made the move that will lead your country to destruction. Now, whether you kill me or not, it won't change anything."

"Your unnecessary confidence is irritating," he said, about to strike with his sword, but the elderly man in charge of the guard unit spoke:

"Stop, my King, do not kill him. Our seers have seen this man in their visions for three consecutive days. He may play a crucial role in many things we will face in the future. I came here personally to warn you about this. I couldn't wait for your arrival."

"Take him away from my sight. Put him under house arrest and heal him. Then, learn everything he knows. If what he has to say doesn't satisfy me, kill him."

Then he walked towards his horse and began to move forward without saying anything. Flavia quickly followed behind him and said, "Why did you spare his life? He killed at least thirty of our men just now."

Flarka, despite giving the order, still seemed undecided about what was right.
"Under normal circumstances, I should have killed him right now, but you heard what Keraika said. The fact that he came here personally just to deliver that message shows how seriously he takes this situation. In the past, our ancestors would listen to the words of the seers in such situations. I suppose I have to trust the wisdom of my ancestors. I hope they truly are wise."

On the way back to the capital, Flarka met with hidden units stationed to ensure his security, and they walked to the palace in a large group. The news of the king's return spread, and the people once again poured out into the streets. The people greeted the king in the same manner they had sent him off. However, the signs of the battle were clearly visible on the soldiers. The sight of the soldiers worried the people. Amidst the group, bound with ropes and accompanied by soldiers on all sides, stood the stranger whom the people had seen fighting. Although they couldn't fully understand what had happened, they had witnessed enough to harbor hatred towards Sakha. After a short while, the gathered crowd began yelling angrily and hurling insults at Sakha. The soldiers had to restrain the people. Sakha, with a vacant gaze, observed his surroundings, unaffected by the angry stares of the crowd.

After the group entered the palace, Flarka and the Royal Guards headed towards the Royal Castle. The injured soldiers were taken to the infirmary, while the other soldiers locked Sakha in a cell and surrounded it. Sakha's treatment began there.

"Yes. I sent one of the palace doctors to his cell. They cleaned and stitched his wounds. Can you believe it? Despite three arrow wounds and five sword wounds, he kept fighting. I've never fought someone so strong before."

Upon hearing these words, Flarka didn't respond and silently continued eating his meal. He also watched Kierra at the same time. Kierra began to speak again, trying to find the right words:

"Yes, my lord. A mass funeral ceremony will be held tomorrow," he said and took a deep breath. Then he stood up, scratching his head and pacing around the room. Flarka had pushed his food aside and was playing with his glass. Kierra kept muttering to himself, saying "30 people" repeatedly. Suddenly, he turned to Flarka and continued speaking:

"30 people, my lord. We lost 30 of our soldiers. They were all good men. Some had newborn babies, some were expecting children. Some were about to get married, some had just recently married. 30 of my men were slaughtered before my eyes, and I couldn't do anything."

At that moment, Flarka gently guided him to a chair and handed him a glass of water. Kierra's hand was trembling as he took the water. After staring at the floor for a while, he continued speaking.

"There was an old man in one of the houses I went to inform about the funeral. He was the father. Do you know what he said? I gave you my son whole, where is my son? I couldn't give him an answer, my lord. I couldn't give him an answer," he said, and tears started to flow.

Flarka put his hand on Kierra's shoulder and embraced his childhood friend for a while to comfort him. Then he said, "I am the one truly responsible for this disaster. I will personally take care of those families. Regular financial assistance will be provided every month. Employment will be offered to the unemployed family members, and education will be provided for those of school age. The families of our fallen soldiers will be taken care of until their last breath. Can you do this for me?"

After watching Kierra for a while as he left, Flarka went to his room and didn't leave it that night. It was perhaps the longest night in Flarka's life. He sat on the balcony all night, sipping wine and quietly weeping as he mourned the fallen soldiers on his own.