The four n bound by Flora's enchanted vines stood defiantly in front of Canna. Their faces were hardened, sneering at him with the confidence of n who had nothing left to lose. Canna could feel his patience wearing thin as the minutes passed, his questions t with nothing but silence or mocking jabs.
"You really think we're just going to spill everything because you asked nicely?" one of the n spat, his face twisted in a smug grin.
Canna narrowed his eyes. "I've seen more dangerous things than you," he replied, his voice calm yet simring with a dangerous undertone.
The n exchanged glances, clearly unfazed. "You've got nothing on us. We won't break," another man growled.
Canna's fingers twitched in annoyance. The sky above began to darken, swirling clouds gathering overhead as his mood soured further. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and an eerie stillness settled over the area. The winds began to pick up, whipping through the trees as if responding to Canna's growing irritation.
"You're wasting my ti," Canna muttered, his voice dangerously low.
The man who had spoken first laughed, defiant. "Go ahead, kill us! You'll get nothing. We're dead either way, and I can promise you we'll take your secrets to the grave."
Canna's lips curved into a dark smile. "You misunderstand. Death isn't the end. Not for you."
He turned his head slightly. "Mortem, take care of them."
From the shadows, Mortem stepped forward, his presence cold and nacing. His skeletal fra, clad in ethereal black armor, sent chills through the spines of the captives. The air around him seed to grow colder as he approached, his eyes glowing with the promise of death and sothing far worse.
The n's bravado crumbled in an instant, their smirks wiped from their faces. One of them began to stamr, "W-wait! What are you doing—"
But it was too late. With a wave of Mortem's hand, the souls of the four n were ripped from their bodies, their lifeless forms collapsing to the ground. Dark tendrils of energy wrapped around their corpses, pulling them into a twisted rebirth.
Monts later, the four n rose as undead, their eyes now empty sockets glowing with a faint blue light. Their defiance had been erased, replaced with Mortem's control.
"Speak," Canna commanded, his voice steady.
One of the undead n staggered forward, his voice hollow and chanical. "We were working under the orders of Lord Lyrus, brother to King Leovan of the Kingdom of Luminor. His plan was to stoke the fires of war between the dark elves and light elves. He would ensure their mutual destruction and profit by selling the children of both races as slaves."
Canna's suspicion had been correct. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. The noble, Lord Lyrus, had orchestrated the entire conflict for his personal gain, fanning the flas of war while profiting from the sale of the children. Light and dark elf children fetched high prices in the black markets, and Lyrus had capitalized on that disgusting demand.
The storm clouds above rumbled louder, reflecting Canna's growing fury. "Disgusting," he muttered under his breath.
"Where are the children being held?" Canna demanded.
"In the basent of Lord Lyrus' estate," the undead man replied. "There are a hundred of them, hidden away. They are to be sold to slavers tomorrow."
Canna's jaw clenched. "Tomorrow?"
Without wasting another second, he turned to Noctis. "Send out your clones. I want a full search on Luminor and Lord Lyrus' estate. Find out how many guards he has, what his defenses look like, and what we're up against." Your next chapter awaits on empire
Noctis closed his eyes briefly, and within monts, his clones scattered across the land, searching the small kingdom of Luminor. In no ti, Noctis had gathered all the necessary information.
"Master," Noctis reported, "the Kingdom of Luminor is small and does not have any notable figures of power. Lord Lyrus is well-protected, but nothing the shock troops can't handle. His forces are minimal, but he does have a number of rcenaries in his employ."
Canna grinned, his eyes flashing with determination. "Good. Summon the shock troops. We raid his estate now."
Within the hour, Canna and his elite shock troops materialized outside of Lord Lyrus' estate. The night was still, but there was an ominous tension in the air. Canna stood at the forefront, his presence radiating authority as the shock troops fanned out around him.
"Get ready," Canna murmured. "This ends now."
With a swift motion, Canna sent Mortem forward, the undead general leading his spectral forces as they descended upon the estate. The kingdom's forces barely had ti to react before they were overwheld by Canna's shock troops. Soldiers scrambled, but they were no match for the elite warriors of the sanctuary.
Within monts, the gates of the estate were broken down, and Canna led the charge inside. He moved with deadly precision, striking down any who stood in his way. His eyes were set on one goal—the basent where the children were held.
After cutting through several rcenaries, Canna kicked open a large wooden door, revealing a dimly lit staircase. The stench of captivity filled the air as they descended into the dark, musty basent. At the bottom, huddled in a corner, were over a hundred children—dark elf, light elf, human, and other races, all scared and trembling.
Canna's heart clenched. "You're safe now," he said softly, summoning a red portal. "You're going ho."
One by one, the children were led through the portal, disappearing into the safety of the sanctuary where Flora and the other guardians awaited them.
With the children safe, Canna turned his attention back to Lord Lyrus. The noble had been bound by the shock troops, his face pale with fear. Canna grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.
"You've caused enough pain," Canna said coldly.
With a flick of his wrist, Canna summoned another portal, dragging Lord Lyrus and his remaining n through it. They erged in the sanctuary clearing, where the reunited dark elf and light elf families stood, tears of joy in their eyes as they embraced their children.
Canna threw Lyrus to the ground in front of the elves. "Here's the man responsible for your suffering," he announced, his voice echoing across the clearing.
The light and dark elves stared at the bound noble, their expressions a mix of disbelief, anger, and relief. The elders, now understanding the truth, exchanged glances, their long-standing hatred for one another fading in the light of the real enemy.
"This man orchestrated everything," Canna continued. "He wanted you to destroy each other while he profited. Well, that ends today."
The elves murmured among themselves, but their rage toward each other was no longer as sharp. They saw the truth laid bare before them.
As Canna stood over the fallen noble, his eyes narrowed in disgust. "Noctis, handle him. Make sure he doesn't ever try sothing like this again."
Noctis bowed slightly, his eyes glinting with a dangerous light. "As you wish, Master."
With that, the reunion between the elves continued, but the seeds of peace had been planted. Canna glanced at the skies, relieved that at least one problem had been solved.
The celebration could continue, but the sanctuary was not done growing. There would always be more to protect, more to fight for. And Canna, as always, would see it through to the end.
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