The table groaned under the weight of platters filled with succulent roasted meats, vibrant vegetables, and steaming bread. The air was rich with tantalizing aromas.

"Let us begin the feast," the queen announced, her voice warm. A team of silent, efficient butlers moved with practiced grace, serving everyone with impeccable precision.

The queen picked up her silver fork and knife, cutting a piece of meat with elegant, measured movements. Dylan caught the eyes of the three teenagers and gave a slight, encouraging nod.

Amanda, familiar with courtly manners from her mother's teachings, followed suit. Wei, observant and cautious, did the same. Torfyn, however, looked at the array of cutlery with confusion before deciding to forgo it entirely. He grabbed a large drumstick with his hands and began devouring it, eating with a primal gusto that suggested he hadn't eaten in a year.

Wei, sitting beside him, discreetly tapped his knee under the table. Torfyn looked up, mouth full. "What?" he mumbled. Wei subtly gestured with his eyes toward the queen. Torfyn followed his gaze and froze. The queen was watching him, her expression unreadable.

A deep blush spread across Torfyn's face. But then, Ahalya smiled. She gently set her fork and knife down, picked up a piece of bread with her own fingers, and took a bite. "No need for any formalities here," she said kindly. "You have endured much. Eat as you wish."

Relief washed over Torfyn, and he gave her a grateful, if slightly embarrassed, grin before happily continuing his meal. Wei and Amanda exchanged a small smile and continued eating with a bit more ease.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Wei spoke up. "Your Majesty, forgive me if this is rude, but could you tell me more about your brother?"

Lena, who was taking a sip of water, choked. She stared at Wei, her eyes wide. I've wanted to ask Her Majesty that for centuries, but I never dared! And he just... asks?

The queen, however, did not seem offended. A soft, nostalgic smile touched her lips. "Of course. What would you like to know?"

Wei, encouraged, said, "I was just curious after hearing about him. Anything you'd like to share would be fine."

Before the queen could answer, Lena, caught in her enthusiasm, suddenly raised her hand. "I want to know too!" she blurted out. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what she had done. Her face turned a deep crimson as Dylan and Siya simultaneously facepalmed.

Siya leaned over and whispered, "And there goes our biggest fangirl."

The queen's smile widened. "I know you have always been an admirer of my brother, Lena. There is no shame in that."

She turned her gaze back to the table. "My brother was a kind-hearted man who would do anything to help others. He was also clever and charming, the straightforward opposite of my more... calculating nature. His power was immense. He had the strength to confront our father alone and the resolve to seal him away." Lena listened, her earlier embarrassment forgotten, her eyes shining with rapt attention.

The queen's eyes settled on Wei. "Why are you so curious about him?"

Wei hesitated for a second. "He was a wizard, like me. I'm curious about the nature of his power."

Ahalya's gaze grew distant. "Draconic Magic."

Wei looked puzzled. "Draconic?"

"It is an ultimate, rare form of magic," the queen explained. "One can only wield it if chosen by the Dragon Lord himself. The legends say that mastering one hundred percent of this power would allow one to rival even a Supreme Deity. But no one has ever used more than twenty-five percent... except for my brother. At the moment of the sealing, he was channeling ninety percent." Her voice grew heavy. "It was why his power spiraled out of control. Had it been released, it would have annihilated this world. Sealing himself was the only way to contain the cataclysm and save everyone."

Wei's eyes lit up with the thrill of discovering a new, profound field of study. "How does one gain the interest of the Dragon Lord?"

"I do not know," Ahalya admitted. "No one has been chosen since my brother."

Wei nodded, a flicker of disappointment quickly replaced by thoughtful determination.

The queen's expression then shifted, becoming serious and regal once more. "Your first round of training went well. You have each touched the surface of your ancient power. For the next two weeks, you must practice and solidify what you have learned." She paused, letting the weight of her next words sink in. "Last night, one of my generals infiltrated their hideout. She is now relaying information to us."

All six of them—the three teens and their mentors—looked up in surprise.

Siya leaned forward. "Who?"

The queen's eyes found Amanda. "It is Angela."

Amanda's fork clattered onto her plate. "Mother?"

---

In the dark, hidden cave that served as the Generals' hideout, ten hooded figures stood around a stone table. The leader emerged from the shadows.

"So, Edger is lost. That means Angela has escaped," he stated, his voice a low rumble.

Roger, another general, hissed, "Then the Queen must know our plans."

The leader turned his crimson gaze to a woman named Nancy. "Our barrier remains secure?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "No activity on any nearby borders. If they find us, we can teleport away instantly."

The leader smiled, a cruel, calculating expression. "She cannot find us. And even if she does... we can use her to distract the Queen."

Another general chuckled. "A brilliant plan. Not even the Queen could have foreseen this."

"Proceed with the final preparations," the leader commanded. "Bring the girl."

Alice stepped away and returned, leading Liang Mei. The girl walked with a vacant, obedient expression, stopping beside the leader.

The leader produced a small box, opening it to reveal three glass vials. Inside, essences swirled with distinct colors: Torfyn's golden lycanthropic energy, Amanda's crimson royal blood, and Wei's brilliant blue magical core.

"Girl," the leader instructed. "Drink them. All at once."

Mei took the three vials. Without hesitation, she uncorked them and swallowed the contents in one swift, practiced motion.

The effect was instantaneous and violent. Her eyes flashed gold, then red, then blue. A terrifying, multi-hued aura erupted from her small body, and she screamed in agony, a sound of pure, unadulterated pain.

Hidden in a crevice high above, Angela watched, her hand clamped over her mouth to stifle a gasp. Tears welled in her eyes. "Poor child," she thought, her heart breaking. "To endure such torment at so young an age..."

The glow around Mei subsided, and she collapsed to the cold stone floor, unconscious. Angela held her breath, her every muscle tense.

After a long, agonizing minute, Mei began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open. They were no longer her own, but a swirling, unstable mix of gold, blue, and red. She jerked upright, her voice a raw, desperate shriek. "WEI! WHERE ARE YOU?! MOTHER!"

Before her panic could escalate, Alice moved behind her and injected a syringe filled with a shimmering red liquid into her neck.

Mei's body went rigid, then slack. The chaotic light in her eyes dimmed, replaced by the cold, empty obedience from before.

Angela stared, horrified. That's his blood magic... Darwin's compulsion! How did they get their hands on it?!

Her thoughts were cut short by the leader's voice. "That was our last reserve of his blood. We must be cautious from here on."

---

Back in the dining hall, Queen Ahalya was explaining the situation. "They have forced Mei to consume your essences, forging her into the perfect sacrificial vessel."

Wei felt a cold dread grip his heart. "Is she... lost forever?"

"The good news is, we can reverse it," the queen assured him. "Her mind has been blocked by a blood magic—the work of my First General, Darwin. He was a good man, and upon his death in a great war, we cremated his body to ensure his unique power could never be misused. Somehow, they procured a sample. But my blood, and Amanda's, is superior. Either of us can break the spell."

Amanda, fueled by concern for her mother and the need for action, asked, "You know their location. Why don't we attack now?"

"Their hideout is protected by a powerful barrier," the queen explained. "Any large-scale movement of our forces would trigger it, and they would flee instantly. Our only chance is to confront them at the eclipse site, where the ritual will anchor them in place."

"But how did Mother get in without being detected?" Amanda pressed.

"Angela's particular affinity with blood magic allows her to weave herself through such barriers, becoming one with its energy signature. It is a rare and difficult skill."

It was then that Torfyn, who had been quietly processing everything, spoke up, his voice low. "There's one thing I'm still confused about." He looked directly at the queen. "Why did my grandfather tell me to beware of you?"

A heavy silence fell over the hall. Dylan's head snapped up, his eyes wide with alarm. He looked at the queen, a silent, telepathic plea in his gaze. 'Your Majesty, don't...'

Ahalya met his look and then turned back to Torfyn, her voice calm but filled with a profound sorrow. "It is alright, Dylan. He deserves the truth. He will uncover it one day, regardless." She took a deep breath, her dark red eyes holding Torfyn's golden ones. "Torfyn... your grandfather feared me because I gave the order that led to the death of thousands of werewolves. Including his own brother."

The air left the room. The queen's face was a mask of deep regret and guilt.

Torfyn stared, his mind unable to process the words at first. Then, the meaning crashed down on him. The rage he had felt toward the vampires, the grief for his clan—it found a new, terrifying target. A guttural growl ripped from his throat. His eyes blazed with golden fury, his fangs elongating.

With a roar of pure, unbridled anguish, he slammed his fist onto the grand table. The solid wood splintered and shattered under the force, sending platters of food and fine china crashing to the floor.

Without a word, without a backward glance, he turned and fled from the hall, leaving a trail of destruction and a room full of stunned silence in his wake.