“Aren’t they tired of training already?” A small, beautiful creature with vibrant green hair muttered under her breath, her delicate arms crossed in frustration. Her translucent wings flapped idly behind her as she hovered in the air, gazing down at the intense scene unfolding below.
Heroes, sweating and straining under the weight of their weapons, were rigorously preparing for the journey ahead—to the land of the Trojans.
The creature was Iphlea, a sprite, and the ever-faithful companion of Gwen since the awakening of her skill. Iphlea’s luminous eyes flickered with mild annoyance, contrasting sharply with the serene demeanor of her charge. Gwen sat perched on the balcony’s railing, her posture relaxed, her expression distant. She wasn’t among those training with tireless energy.
No, Gwen was simply enjoying the warm embrace of the sun and the soft caress of the breeze that tugged gently at her hair.
If it were up to her, she wouldn’t even consider traveling to another continent for a war that held no personal significance. It felt, to Gwen, like a pointless struggle—an exercise in futility where the sole reason to fight was because the call had been made. Duty over desire.
She sighed softly, glancing over the bustling courtyard with disinterest. What did she care for the glory of battle? Yet despite her reluctance, Gwen knew she had no real choice. A nagging sense of responsibility gnawed at her, even though the conflict seemed meaningless. Her role as one of the strongest Heroes demanded her participation, whether she liked it or not.
It wasn’t only duty that weighed heavily on her mind—it was also the bitter reality of the royal castle, the Empire of Light’s majestic yet hypocritical stronghold.
Gwen had hated the palace from the beginning. Its grandeur and beauty were only a thin veil hiding the rotten core of corruption within. The façade of righteousness, the whispered lies, the false promises—it all sickened her. And as time passed, her disdain only grew.
Nathan’s death had solidified that. They claimed it was demons, that foul creatures had infiltrated the castle and struck him down. But Gwen knew better. She had sensed the deception in the air, though she had been powerless to act. She could still hear Nathan’s voice echoing in her mind, warning Aisha to be cautious of Radakel. There was something dark lurking beneath the surface.
The Divine Knights, in all their shining glory, were anything but trustworthy. And wasn’t it suspicious? Nathan’s death came so soon after Radakel’s failure and Liphiel’s sudden appearance.
The whole situation stank of conspiracy. Too many unanswered questions swirled in her mind, leaving her more uneasy with each passing day. The castle had become a suffocating prison, its walls closing in around her. And then there was Nancy—another mystery that added to the growing discomfort.
Nancy, once just another Hero among them, had suddenly risen through the ranks, becoming a favored figure within the palace. Rumors flew about her relationship with the Emperor, whispers of her newfound status as his concubine spreading like wildfire. Worse still, she had borne him a child.
Gwen found the whole affair distasteful, another piece of the puzzle that made staying in the castle unbearable.
So, despite her apathy toward fighting, Gwen couldn’t help but welcome the opportunity to escape the oppressive halls of the palace. She might not care for the battles to come, but at least she would be free from the suffocating hypocrisy of the Empire of Light, if only for a while.
“What do you feel about this war?” Gwen asked suddenly, her voice cutting through the stillness as she shifted her gaze from the training grounds below to Iphlea, her companion.
The green-haired sprite tilted her head, her tiny wings fluttering in thought. “Hmmm,” Iphlea hummed softly, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes. “A bit curious, I have to admit. Be careful, though. All of Olympus’ eyes will be on you,” she added, her voice laced with a mixture of warning and amusement.
Gwen’s lips twisted into a scoff. “Can any of them send me back to Earth?” she asked, the question laced with cynicism. The thought of returning to her former life had crossed her mind many times, though it felt more like a distant dream now.
Iphlea’s wings fluttered again, and she gave a small shrug. “Well, you’ll have to ask them yourself… or maybe wait for Khione to come back—if she’s not dead, that is,” she said nonchalantly. “Or, who knows, maybe if you kill the Demon King, the Divine Knights will finally leave you alone.”
Gwen’s expression darkened. “I don’t think so,” she replied coldly, her voice edged with distrust. She harbored no faith in the Divine Knights, nor did she believe any of them would ever grant her freedom, no matter the outcome of the war.
°°°°°
Meanwhile, in a quiet, secluded corner of the castle grounds, Siara was making her way toward a place she seldom visited, though she had no choice today. The path led her to an isolated, gloomy building outside the castle’s radiant halls. It was the newly arranged training ground, a somber and foreboding site that always sent a chill down her spine.
She despised the place, but duty compelled her forward.
As she approached, the clash of swords rang through the air like thunder. The sharp, metallic sound echoed off the stone walls, growing louder with each step she took. Siara steeled herself before entering the main training field, her heart pounding with apprehension.
The scene that unfolded before her was intense. On one side of the training ground, she saw Aisha—an ethereal half-Japanese beauty, her long black hair tied neatly behind her. Lightning crackled around her slender frame as she delivered a flurry of fast, precise blows with her long sword.
The air around her buzzed with raw energy, every strike sending arcs of lightning toward her opponent, a Divine Knight.
Despite the relentless assault, the knight managed to parry each strike, though beads of sweat glistened on his brow. He was holding his ground, but just barely. They were evenly matched, though Aisha’s exhaustion was starting to show. A thin line of blood trickled down her forehead, and her movements, though still powerful, had slowed.
Yet she fought on, pushing her body beyond its limits, unwilling to yield.
Then, a loud crash reverberated across the training ground.
On the far side of the field, the most violent battle was taking place. Siara’s eyes widened as she saw a blur of movement—a figure moving so fast it was nearly impossible to follow. But she didn’t need to see her clearly to know who it was.
Sienna.
Siara’s older sister, her long black hair tied back in a sleek ponytail, moved like a whirlwind, her cold blue eyes glinting with a deadly intensity. Sienna, unlike Aisha, wasn’t fighting a single opponent. She was up against three Divine Knights at once—and she was overpowering them effortlessly.
It was a sight to behold, both mesmerizing and terrifying. Sienna’s sword moved with blinding speed, each strike carrying enough force to send her opponents staggering back. Her blows were ruthless, calculated, and devastating. Even with the combined strength of all three knights, they were no match for her. They fought desperately, but they were merely trying to survive against the onslaught.
Siara felt a chill run down her spine as she watched her sister in action. In the months following Nathan’s death, something had shifted in Sienna. It was as though a part of her had snapped, and she had channeled that pain, that grief, into raw power. Now, she was unstoppable.
Sienna had become the strongest Hero in the Empire of Light, surpassing even Jason, the so-called Hero of Light, by miles.
She became the trump card of the Empire of Light.