The night settled over the Scarlet estate like a velvet curtain, muffling the world outside. Aldrich and Ellistra returned from their walk under the moonlit courtyard, their hands still intertwined, hearts still racing from the gentle exhilaration of shared closeness.
Ellistra led Aldrich into her chambers, her stride confident, assured—yet Aldrich felt the electricity of anticipation prickling along his spine. The room was familiar, the faint scent of incense lingering in the corners, the quiet arrangement of scrolls, books, and training tools lining the walls. She closed the door behind them, turning to face him with that trademark smirk that both infuriated and charmed him.
"Aldrich," she said, her voice teasing yet firm, "you know you're sleeping with me tonight, right?"
Aldrich blinked, then smirked in return, leaning casually against the doorway. "Yeah? Should I be afraid? You planning to eat me or something?"
Ellistra rolled her eyes, exasperated but playful. "Humph! Nonsense. Who would want to eat you?"
With that, she drew the sheet over herself dramatically, letting the weight of the soft fabric fall like a challenge. Aldrich chuckled, shaking his head as he stepped forward and lay down beside her. His hand brushed the edge of her arm lightly, a quiet acknowledgment of trust between them.
Before sleep could fully claim her, Ellistra turned her gaze to his, her expression serious despite the softness of the moonlight. "Aldrich… promise me something."
He raised his brow slightly. "Oh? And what's that?"
"No matter what… you'll survive," she said softly. "Even if the world were to crumble around us, even if life tests you beyond reason—I know you can handle it, but promise me. Promise me you'll survive."
Aldrich met her gaze, the depth of the promise reflected in his dark eyes. He leaned closer, resting his forehead lightly against hers. "I promise."
She exhaled, relief and quiet joy mingling in her chest, then hugged him tightly. The embrace was simple, intimate, protective—and soon, the two of them drifted into sleep, hearts beating in quiet harmony.
Outside the chamber door, Michael Scarlet, Ellistra's father, leaned casually against the frame, a faint smile on his weathered face. He watched for a moment, then whispered quietly to himself, "Looks like my girl has finally grown up."
He stepped back silently and returned to his own chambers, where Krishna Hue-Scarlet, his wife, waited. The door closed behind him, leaving only the calm of the night and the gentle breaths of the two sleeping figures.
Morning arrived with the first pale streaks of light cutting through the clouds. Birds stirred in the gardens, and the estate, still peaceful in appearance, held an undercurrent of tension that only Aldrich noticed. He sat up slowly, rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, and immediately caught sight of movement outside the window.
Rows of mercenaries, clad in armor and wielding weapons, had gathered in the estate's courtyard. Among them were individuals in Civil Law uniforms, carrying the insignia of the organization known to enforce laws by strength when diplomacy failed.
Aldrich's eyes narrowed. He rose carefully, hands reaching instinctively for his katana, which rested at his side. Ellistra stirred beside him.
"What's happening?" she whispered, still groggy.
Aldrich's voice was calm but firm. "Trouble."
In the courtyard, Michael and Krishna stepped forward to meet the intruders. Michael's stance was casual, but his hand hovered near his sword, ready to strike in an instant.
"You will not search this house today, Gram," Michael said sharply.
A tall man at the forefront of the Civil Law detachment, Gram, responded with a controlled, deliberate tone. "If you have nothing to hide, it wouldn't be a problem, Michael. I respect you because you are one of the strongest of the old era, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."
Michael's eyes narrowed. His hand rested firmly on the hilt of his blade. "You think a little army of amateurs can overpower me? Not in a thousand years. And you know it. If you attack, you won't make it back to the city."
Gram's expression hardened, eyes sharp with warning. "You can't hide him forever."
Without another word, Gram signaled his forces and turned, leaving the estate silently but with intent. Aldrich watched them go, his dark eyes calculating.
He turned to Ellistra. She looked anxious, tears threatening to spill. "Aldrich, what are you doing?"
"If I stay here," he said quietly, putting on his vest and adjusting his katana, "they will eventually fight their way in. I will not risk your safety."
Ellistra's tears slipped down her cheeks. She reached for him instinctively, but he gently pulled her into a hug, firm and protective. "I will find my family. I will rebuild the Yagurah clan. But I will come back for you. You must train, grow stronger… for both of us."
He took the black pendant he always wore and handed it to her. "Wait for the day I return, Ellistra. Your husband, Aldrich Yagurah, will come back. We will stand together as clan heads, hand in hand."
Ellistra clutched it to her chest, muffling her sobs.
He leaned forward, pressing a brief, firm kiss to her forehead. Then he stepped back.
Michael and Krishna had come upstairs, their faces a mix of pride and concern. Aldrich bowed deeply. "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, I thank you for all you have done for me."
Michael waved him off with a laugh. "Aldrich, you are family now. Courtesy is unnecessary. But… do what you must. Remember—you can always come back here."
Krishna gave a gentle nod, a soft smile crossing her face.
Michael's expression turned thoughtful. "The last time I heard rumors about the Iris clan… it was last year. Far east from here, on a continent hidden beyond the Great Valley of Death. If you are to find them, it will not be easy. But… perhaps it is fate that guides you there."
Aldrich straightened, his eyes dark and determined. "I understand. I have one goal when I reach the Iris clan: to stay a year. Just one year. That is all I need. To learn their techniques. To prepare… to go against Civil Law."
He turned to Ellistra and gave a small, resolute smile. "I must go now. But know this: when I return, I will rebuild what was lost. And I will make sure no one can ever harm you—or anyone I care about—again."
Ellistra stood silently, her hands gripping the black pendant he had given her. She nodded, though tears still glimmered in her eyes.
Aldrich adjusted the strap of his katana and took a deep breath. He looked once at the Scarlet estate, at the place where he had found respite and warmth amidst the storm of his life. Then he stepped forward, leaving the courtyard and the home he had come to respect—and the woman he had come to care for.
The path ahead was long. The world outside was unforgiving, the Civil Law ever vigilant, and the remnants of the clans he had vanquished still echoed across the lands. But Aldrich Yagurah, heir of two noble bloodlines, warrior of unparalleled fury, and master of his own destiny, walked forward into the rising sun, each step taking him closer to the hidden continent, the Iris clan, and the knowledge he would need to face a corrupt world.
The wind whispered through the trees of Hollowdene Forest, carrying with it a faint, almost imperceptible promise:
The fury of a Yagurah never fades.
Aldrich Yagurah would return. And when he did, the world would bend to the storm of his will.