The obsidian carriage finally ground to a halt at the grand entrance of the palace, its
dark surface coated in the fine, grey ash of a deleted army. Jee-shahn emerged from
the vehicle like a ghost rising from a tomb. His black hair was a tangled mess, and his
eyes were heavy with the weight of a thousand years of boredom. He stood for a
moment, lazily rubbing his scalp as he surveyed the palace with a bleary gaze.
"Leo," Jee-shahn rumbled, his voice thick with exhaustion, "show me the best guest
bedroom in this place. I intend to sleep for more than a month. I am truly, deeply
tired."
Before turning to follow the prince, Jee-shahn's gaze shifted to Sora, who was
currently ofloading a heavy wooden chest containing the severed head of Valerius.
The "Monster's" eyes sharpened for a split second. "Sora... if anyone disturbs me
during my sleeping cultivation, I will make sure your head is the next symbol I
harvest."
Sora, clutching the chest to his chest, began to tremble violently, cold sweat
drenching his collar. "Y-yes! Understood perfectly, Master!" Without another word,
Jee-shahn vanished into the palace depths with Leo, leaving a trail of absolute silence
in his wake.
The Gift in the Chest
Sora was still shaking when the rōnin siblings—Shizuka, Nogi, and
Masaru—approached him in the courtyard.
"You're back soon, Sora," Masaru remarked, his hand resting on his hilt. "Don't tell
me you ran away?"
Sora let out a jagged laugh, his eyes wide. "Run? No. The Master just went to pick up
a gift for Empress Faeloria so she'd finally let him relax. You want to see it?" Sora
flipped the lid of the chest open.
Shizuka and Masaru recoiled, their faces palling at the sight of Valerius's sightless
eyes staring up from the silk lining. Only Nogi remained unmoved, a sharp, dangerous
smile cutting across his face. "So... your Master actually won."
"Won?" Sora snorted, slamming the chest shut. "He didn't 'win,' Nogi. He ended the
game."
The Student and the Shadow
The conversation was cut short by a heavy, rhythmic thud. Sparta arrived, the Azure
Lizard perched regally on his obsidian-scaled shoulder. The Lizard flicked its tongue
and waved a tiny claw at Sora, who waved back with his free arm while still balancing
the head-chest.
Nogi's smile vanished, replaced by genuine shock. "Why is the enemy general here?
Why is Sparta walking freely?"
"He's the Master's third student now," Sora chirped, turning to head into the palace.
Sparta followed silently, his presence so massive that the air in the hallways seemed
to thin as he passed. Every servant and guard they crossed froze in terror, watching
the monstrous pair march toward the throne room.
The South is YoursSora found Empress Faeloria in the central hall. He dropped to one knee, the chest
placed firmly on the floor, as Sparta knelt behind him in a display of absolute
submission.
"What is the meaning of this?" Faeloria demanded, her gaze darting from the
Lizardman to the wooden box. "Why is General Sparta in my palace?"
"Sir Sparta is now a student of the Master," Sora explained. "And the Master sent a
gift for you." He opened the chest at her feet.
Faeloria stared down at the remains of her ex-husband, her expression unreadable.
"And the border? The status of the South?"
Sora smiled, a gleam of pride in his eyes. "The Master said to tell you: The South is
yours."
A slow, triumphant smile spread across Faeloria's face. "Where is he now?"
"Resting, Empress. In the guest wing." Faeloria immediately turned, her robes
swirling as she hurried toward the Master's chambers.
The Sleeping Monster
In the palace's finest bedroom, Leo stood by the door, watching as Jee-shahn
collapsed onto the silk sheets without even removing his boots.
"You can leave now, Leo," Jee-shahn mumbled into the pillow. "If anyone asks, tell
them I am busy. Very busy."
"Understood... Father," Leo whispered, bowing low before quietly exiting the room.
As the door clicked shut, Jee-shahn let out a final, satisfied groan, his presence
expanding until it filled the room with a protective, silent aura. The war was over, the
"noise" had been silenced, and for the first time since his rebirth, the Dragon was
truly, deeply asleep.