The three of them turned their attention back to the two galleons anchored in the open sea, waiting to see what the ships would do next. Many soldiers were still treading water or swimming for their lives; some had only just bobbed to the surface after the tsunami's impact, while many others stayed under for good. The commander seemed to have vanished into the depths, swallowed by the ocean along with his heavy armor and his pride.
Leon rested his trident across the back of his neck, his hands draped casually over the shaft. Lucia propped her greatsword on her shoulder, her arm hanging loosely from the hilt, while Livia shouldered one axe and let the other rest firmly on the ground. Despite the looming warships, the three of them looked completely unbothered.
A moment later, a shout broke the silence. "Leon! Lucia! Livia!"
They turned to see Lot Har, Kal Thor, Lut Tesh, and several village warriors racing toward them. But as the group drew near, they suddenly skidded to a halt, eyes fixed on the legendary weapons held by the teenagers. Lot Har looked out at the soldiers still struggling in the waves and then at the two silent galleons. After taking in the scene, he looked back at Leon, Lucia, and Livia. A smile spread across his face, and he dropped to one knee.
Seeing Lot Har kneel, Kal Thor and the others immediately followed suit, bowing their heads in unison.
"Greetings, King and Queens. We have been waiting for you," they said together.
"Hey... hey... stand up, brother Kal Thor, brother Lot Har," Leon said, stepping forward to help them up.
Suddenly—[dum]—[splasssh]. A cannon fired from one of the galleons, the ball hitting the water near the shore and sending up a massive plume of spray. Leon instantly raised his trident, casting a blue semi-circular barrier that shielded everyone.
Once the water settled, Leon nodded. "Your turn, Lucia."
"On it," Lucia replied.
She stepped out from under the protective dome and raised her greatsword toward the sky. Immediately, massive clouds swirled over the two galleons. [Blaaar]—a massive bolt of lightning struck one ship, blowing it apart and sending it down in flames. Seeing their sister ship obliterated, the second galleon immediately hoisted a white flag.
Lot Har, Kal Thor, and the warriors watched it all in awe. They broke into cheers, throwing their hands into the air.
"We won!" Kal Thor shouted.
"Long live our King and Queens!" the men roared.
Mariana, Isabel, Eluisa, and Helen ran toward them through the cheering crowd. They had arrived just in time to see the display of power. Without a word, Mariana dropped to one knee, followed by Isabel. Eluisa, however, simply leaped forward and pulled the triplets into a fierce hug, which they warmly returned. Standing nearby, Helen wiped away her tears, her face filled with gratitude.
Kal Thor led everyone back to the village, including Mariana and Isabel. As they passed through the gates, the villagers—who had been ready for a desperate last stand—erupted in cheers. To them, the triplets were more than ancient royalty; they were the heroes who had saved their lives.
Kal Thor stood in the center of the village and raised his hands. "Tonight, we feast! Bring out everything! Let's welcome our King and Queens with everything we've got!"
The village became a whirlwind of excitement. Standing in the middle of the plaza, the triplets looked at one another.
"It's been a long time since we've seen a crowd like this," Leon murmured.
"Yeah," Lucia agreed. "Usually, it was like this after we pushed back the undead."
"But this time our enemies are fellow humans. It's pretty tragic, honestly," Livia added.
"It won't be like this for long. Once we take back the empire, there will be peace," Leon replied.
"You're right, Leon," Livia said.
"And after we take over, we finish things with the undead for good. We destroy them at the source," Lucia added with fire in her eyes.
"The gods are with us. I'm sure of it," Leon said. "Now... tonight, we party!"
Livia raised her twin axes. "Party!"
"Feast!" Leon and Lucia shouted, raising their weapons high.
The atmosphere grew electric. Lot Har watched from the sidelines with his arm around Eluisa, while Helen stood nearby, beaming with pride. Mariana was sobbing—tears of relief that her journey had worked and her visions were real—while Isabel comforted her with a massive grin.
The villagers began decorating the square, dancing as they worked. Even the triplets joined in; despite the residents' protests that they should rest, they put their weapons away and helped prepare the food, dancing along with everyone else.
***
The next morning, at the village hall, Kal Thor and Lot Har convened a meeting with Leon, Lucia, and Livia, alongside Mariana and Isabel. Mariana recounted her entire journey to the two men. When she finished, a heavy silence filled the room. Finally, Lot Har looked at her with a serious expression.
"Alright. So you've found the three sovereigns from your vision. What's the next move?" Lot Har asked.
"I must pray for guidance from the gods at an Esvana monastery—any one will do," Mariana replied.
"Bad luck there. This is the Black Continent; the Esvana faith doesn't exist here," Lot Har said, shrugging his shoulders. "You'd have to cross back over to Libelia."
"I see," Mariana murmured, bowing her head.
"What if we all go there together?" Leon asked suddenly.
Lucia, Livia, Kal Thor, Lot Har, Mariana, and Isabel all snapped their heads toward him as if he'd just grown a second head.
"Did I say something wrong?" Leon asked.
"Not exactly wrong," Lot Har replied. "But if the three of you go with just those two, the risk is astronomical. I know you're powerful—hell, you three could probably take down an entire squad on your own—tbut even so, you can't take on an entire empire."
"How about this," Kal Thor suggested, resting a hand on Lot Har's shoulder. "We use your old idea, Lot Har. We unite all the tribes on the Black Continent first and build an army to cross into Libelia. With your mercenary contacts added in, we'll be a force to be reckoned with."
"Hmm... that's true, but that kind of thing takes time. Mariana, do you have any idea when your vision is supposed to pass? Any timeline at all?" Lot Har asked.
"I... I don't know. That's why I need to pray for the gods to show me the way," Mariana admitted.
"That's a problem," Lot Har said, running his hands through his hair and looking down. "We're flying blind here. Plus, the situation in the Empire is critical. There's no word on Emperor Barrington's whereabouts. It's too dangerous to cross blindly, and whatever Mariana saw could happen at any moment. We're clearly out of time."
"Before we sailed here, we heard rumors in the port city of Hargar," Isabel added. "They say the Emperor is already dead, but someone is covering it up."
"Is that right? If you think about it, it makes sense," Lot Har mused. "Barrington has no heir. Someone on the council—or maybe all of them—wants that throne. Those two galleons they sent out here to find you certainly weren't acting on the Emperor's orders."
"Their goal was to kill Mariana and Isabel," Leon added. "And once they found us, they were going to kill us too, just to make sure we didn't make a play for the crown."
"Exactly. That's why we had to wipe them out yesterday," Livia chimed in.
"We let one ship go on purpose," Lucia added. "We want them to tell whoever sent them exactly what happened. Hopefully, once they realize Mariana's vision is coming true, they'll actually unite to defend the North. That's where the real enemy is."
"In that case, we have no other choice, Lot Har. I should immediately write letters to the Talakh, Iledh, and Haruth—the three great tribes of this region. As for the smaller clans, you're the High Chief, so please go meet with them personally. We'll take this one step at a time," Kal Thor said.
"Fine. To convince them, I should take Leon with me. He carries the trident of Cronus from the legends. We'll meet the leaders at the Valley of Warriors, the traditional site for the tribal summits," Lot Har replied, glancing toward Leon.
"Alright, Kal Thor, please get those letters ready quickly. We're heading out right now. We have to make every second count because we don't know when Mariana's vision will actually happen," Leon answered.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Mariana said softly.
"Hey, just call me Leon," he said with a smile. "For now, I'm not a king yet."
"Yeah, he's right," Lucia and Livia added together.
Finally, the decision was made. They intended to consolidate their strength first before crossing over to the Central Continent. Kal Thor immediately drafted letters to the chiefs of the three major tribes, summoning them to the Valley of Warriors at a time coordinated with Lot Har, who acted as the official inviter.
At this moment, Leon, Lucia, Livia, and Mariana remained unaware that the gods had already delivered their prophecies to a few chosen individuals across the entire continent.