Two days had passed since the tribal chiefs met in the Warrior's Valley and Hugo headed east with Valen. The scene shifted to the city of Estican, the heart of the Estrian region in eastern Vanadias, ruled by the lords of House Marlow.
At the monastery gates—shut tight and guarded by two Holy Knights—stood a handsome nineteen-year-old man. With his blonde hair and a banjo slung over his shoulder, he stood at the end of the road, staring at the heavy doors. His face was etched with a profound sadness, yet he didn't dare approach; the guards were tracking his every move.
His eyes were fixed on the monastery entrance deep beyond the gates when, suddenly, "dong... dong," the tower bells began to toll. A procession of noble carriages arrived, and the guards swung the gates open. The young man's expression soured even further as the final carriage rolled past. Inside sat a beautiful blonde girl. As she entered the grounds, she turned her head and looked right at him. Her carriage bore the crest of House Marlow.
When their eyes met, the girl—who clearly knew him—immediately snapped her head away to stare straight ahead and pulled the window curtain shut. The young man looked down in sorrow. He turned to leave the area, but he had only taken a few steps when a voice called out.
"Cyrill Harthel of House Harthel... I've been looking for you for a long time."
Hearing his name, Cyrill scanned his surroundings. He turned back toward the monastery and looked at the nearby rows of multi-story houses.
"Hey, over here."
Cyrill turned toward the voice, his eyes widening at the sight of a massive man. The stranger was bald and wore a thick fur mantle that draped over his entire body, leaving only his feet visible—shod in what looked like heavy black iron boots. He stood perfectly still in the narrow alley between the buildings. Sensing something suspicious, Cyrill quickly scanned the street before stepping into the shadows of the alley.
He stopped directly in front of the giant, who loomed over him like a mountain. Cyrill was stunned to see the man's eyes were completely milky white; he was blind. Cyrill's expression turned deadly serious.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Cyrill asked.
"My eyes can see anything, and I see something about you, Cyrill... or should I say... Leader of the Holy Assassins," the man replied, ignoring the question.
Cyrill's face broke into a wide grin. Suddenly, he thrust his banjo forward; it snapped open, revealing a long hidden blade aimed straight for the man's face. But the giant casually caught the tip of the blade between two fingers.
"Hmm... it seems you're no ordinary person. Who are you?" Cyrill demanded.
"My name is simply Dustin. I am merely a hermit who previously lived behind the Northern Wall," Dustin replied.
"Fine... how do you know who I am, and how do you know what I used to do?" Cyrill asked.
"Used to?" Dustin prompted.
"Ever since my sister Isabel, the Commander of the Holy Knights, became a fugitive, I quit. Hey, why am I even explaining this to you?" Cyrill snapped, annoyed with himself.
"I understand. From now on, you have no need to worry. Your sister is safe with the Saint on the Black Continent, and your destiny is only just beginning," Dustin said.
Cyrill was stunned. He stared at Dustin, but the giant's sightless eyes remained fixed straight ahead. "How could you know that? You're blind," Cyrill said, pulling his blade back.
"I will tell you everything, but we have to get out of this city today before she arrives. We must meet her on the road to the northern border," Dustin replied.
"She?" Cyrill asked.
"You'll find out later. Follow me," Dustin said, turning away.
Dustin headed for the far end of the alley. Intrigued, Cyrill tossed his banjo aside and followed. As they walked toward the city gates to make their escape, Dustin asked what he had been doing at the monastery. Cyrill was quiet for a moment before he started to talk.
The girl in the carriage was his lover, Elizabeth. She was about to be married off as the third wife of Dion Marlow, the son of Lord Fabian Marlow. He felt destroyed. First, he lost his sister, and now he was losing the woman he loved. He had brought the banjo hoping that if Elizabeth wanted to be rescued, he would sneak in disguised as a musician. But when she turned her face away, Cyrill got his answer.
"Ah... I see. That means my vision was accurate," Dustin said.
"Wait... what do you mean by that?" Cyrill asked, confused.
"You'll find out later," Dustin replied.
"I regret telling you now... why have I become so soft? This is pathetic," Cyrill grumbled.
They continued through the gates, following the road toward the border between the east and the north. Cyrill followed despite his confusion, but suddenly, Dustin stopped dead and yanked Cyrill into the forest, leaving the young man completely bewildered and full of questions.
***
Meanwhile, Noah and Esme, with Casey in tow, finally spotted the monastery in the distance after crossing the northern border.
"We're almost there, Lady Cassandra," Esme said.
"That's right, Lady Cassandra," Noah added.
But Casey remained silent. She didn't say a word, her eyes fixed on the monastery from afar. Noah and Esme traded glances; they knew she was likely still grieving her separation from Theo and Valen. Beyond that, she was surely worried about Theo, who had been forced to lure their pursuers away all by himself right before her eyes. Suddenly, Casey's hands gripped Noah's shoulders.
"Noah... don't go to the monastery," Casey said.
"Wait... but Lady Valentina's message—" Noah started.
"No... don't take me there... I have a bad feeling... a very, very bad feeling," Casey said, her voice trembling.
"Noah, I think we should just listen to Lady Cassandra," Esme added, placing a hand on Noah's arm.
"Alright, I get it... but where are we supposed to go?" Noah asked.
Casey raised her hand and pointed toward the dense forest surrounding the eastern region. She tightened her grip on Noah's shoulders.
"Hurry," Casey urged.
Noah and Esme immediately bolted, carrying Casey deep into the woods. Just as they reached the tree line, the thundering sound of hooves filled the road they had just abandoned. Casey, Noah, and Esme peered through the bushes and saw the armies of House Clark and House Baranger riding past. Noah and Esme looked at Casey, who was watching the troops with intense focus. Shortly after, the western forces of House Quintrel galloped by on the same path. Every single one of them was heading straight for the monastery.
"Alright, let's go deeper into the forest," Casey said.
"Y-yes," Noah replied.
"As you wish, Lady Cassandra," Esme said.
They pushed further into the thick brush for several hours until they eventually reached a riverbank. Casey asked to stop and rest. Noah set her down and washed his face in the cool water, while Esme helped Casey clean up. Once they were finished, the three of them sat together by the water's edge.
"Noah, Esme, we'll stay here for a while," Casey announced.
"In the forest? Isn't that dangerous, Lady Cassandra?" Esme asked.
"She's right. The woods are a dangerous place, especially after dark," Noah added.
"Don't worry. We're waiting for help here," Casey said.
"Help?" Noah and Esme both thought to themselves. They looked at each other in confusion, but since they were committed to protecting her, they didn't argue and simply nodded. Before long, Casey drifted off to sleep with her head in Esme's lap.
"Do you think Lady Cassandra can see the future?" Noah whispered, watching the girl sleep.
"I don't know, but she's gotten us this far... I trust her," Esme replied, gently stroking Casey's hair.
The two fell into a quiet silence, watching over Casey as she slept soundly on Esme's lap, wondering what was coming next.