Luthaire Barony.
Eclipse Castle.
The massive stone fortress loomed against the twilight sky, its dark spires piercing the clouds like obsidian spears.
Baron Nusayel Luthaire strode through the grand hallway, his boots echoing rhythmically against the floor. He unclasped the heavy velvet cloak from his shoulders and handed it to a waiting servant, exhaling a long, weary breath.
It had been a marathon of a week.
First, he had endured the endless pleasantries of the Royal Banquet, navigating the treacherous currents of noble politics. Then, he had immediately returned to his territory to oversee the local Awakening Ceremonies.
Fortunately, the effort yielded results.
He managed to recruit a few promising youths who had awakened High-Grade elemental affinities with good results. With proper training, they would become excellent pillars for the Barony’s future military forces.
"Welcome back, my Lord."
A gentle voice drifted from the top of the stairs.
The Baroness descended gracefully, her expression serene yet tinged with a subtle urgency. She smoothed the front of her dress and stopped before him, placing a hand on his arm.
"I trust the ceremony went well?"
"Better than expected," Nusayel replied, offering her a tired smile. "We secured a few good seeds. The future of the Luthaire family looks stable."
He moved to walk past her toward his study, intending to collapse into his chair and enjoy some tea.
However, the Baroness didn’t move. She tightened her grip on his arm slightly.
"Dear," she said, her voice lowering. "Someone is waiting for you."
The Baron paused, his eyebrows raising. "At this hour? Who?"
"I put them in the West Guest Room," she said, leading the way without answering directly. "You should see for yourself."
Intrigued by her mysterious behavior, Nusayel followed her through the winding corridors. They arrived at a set of double doors guarded by two knights who bowed deeply as they approached.
The Baroness pushed the doors open.
Nusayel stepped inside, ready to greet a diplomat or perhaps a merchant guild representative.
Instead, he froze.
His eyes widened in genuine surprise as they landed on the two figures sitting on the plush velvet sofa.
They were women, yet they possessed an aura of wild, untamed power that seemed to shrink the room around them.
Both were tall, easily outmatching the height of an average grown man. Their bodies were a perfect synthesis of strength and agility — slender waists giving way to broad shoulders and limbs packed with dense, whip-cord muscle visible beneath their tribal furs and bone-reinforced leather armor.
Upon seeing the Baron enter, the two figures immediately stood up.
Nusayel recovered his composure quickly. A warm, welcoming smile spread across his face as he recognized them.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Chief Risha. And Miss Uru’en as well."
However, Nusayel’s smile faltered slightly as he took in their appearance.
The last time he had heard of the Iron Chieftain, she was a vibrant warrior with raven-black hair. Now, the woman standing before him looked as though winter itself had claimed her.
Risha’s hair and brows were stark white, devoid of any pigment. The single eye she had left had lost its amber hue, fading into a milky, sightless white. She wore her age heavily, a profound weariness etched into the lines of her face, a clear sign that something happened to her.
As for Uru’en, Baron recalled her as a fiery and adventurous young woman, always brimming with an uncontainable energy that rivaled the storms of the north.
But looking at her now... she seemed almost lifeless.
The molten amber that once burned in her gaze had dulled, leaving behind a hollow stare with no fire in her eyes. It was as if the very spirit that defined her had been extinguished, leaving only a beautiful, empty shell in its wake.
’Something bad must have happened. But what exactly?’
His thoughts were disrupted as they stood up in unison.
They bowed their heads, bringing their right fists into their left palms in the traditional warrior’s salute of their people.
"We greet the Lord of Eclipse," Risha said, her voice raspy and carrying the weight of years she hadn’t lived yet.
"Please, no need for such formality," Nusayel said, gesturing gently that it wasn’t necessary. "You are friends of the family. Come, sit."
They obliged silently.
Nusayel and his wife settled on one side of the low mahogany table, while the mother and daughter duo took their places on the opposite sofa, facing them.
A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft clink of porcelain as the baroness poured steaming tea for everyone.
Nusayel leaned forward, his hands clasped, studying the drastic changes in his guests.
’Hmm...’
He took the cup from his wife and put it down.
"First of all, I must apologize for keeping you waiting," He began, breaking the silence with a tone of genuine regret. "I had urgent matters to attend to regarding the territory’s awakening ceremony. If I had known you were here, I would have returned sooner."
Risha shook her head slowly, a faint smile touching her pale lips.
"No, Lord Baron. Please do not apologize," she replied. "It is we who have intruded upon your home without notice. We are the ones who should be asking for forgiveness for taking up your valuable time."
"Think nothing of it. The doors of Eclipse Castle are always open to the Salom Tribe," Nusayel replied politely, taking a sip of his tea.
He set the cup down with a soft clink, his expression hardening slightly as concern took over. He looked from the mother to the silent daughter, his gaze lingering on Risha’s sightless white eye.
"But tell me... are you truly alright?"
He leaned forward slightly, his hands clasping together on his lap.
"To be honest, you both look... unwell," he chose his words carefully, though the worry in his eyes was undisguised. "The last time we met, you were vibrant. Now... it looks as though you have walked through the depths of the abyss. Did something happen?"
Risha remained silent.
Her hands tightened on her knees, the leather of her gloves creaking under the strain. She lowered her gaze to the steaming cup of tea, the reflection of her white, sightless eye dancing on the dark liquid.
Finally, she took a slow, shuddering breath and nodded.
"Yes."
Nusayel’s expression shifted.
He leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing into a sharp squint as he scrutinized her weary face. He knew the North better than most civilized lords. He knew there were threats in the snow that could break armies, let alone tribes. But for the Iron Chieftain to be reduced to this state...
"I see..."
He murmured, his voice dropping an octave. The air in the room seemed to cool.
"If a force could push the Salom Tribe to this extent... There is only one possibility that comes to mind."
He paused, watching her reaction carefully.
"Is it perhaps... related to it ?"
He didn’t need to speak the name loudly. The weight of the title was enough.
"The Nightmare Devourer?"
Risha closed her remaining eye for a moment, as if pained by the mere mention of the entity.
"...Yes."
But before the Baron could press for details or offer his condolences, Risha opened her eye again. A strange, hollow light flickered within the milky whiteness.
"And no."
Nusayel blinked, his brow furrowing in deep confusion.
"Yes and no? What does that mean?"
Risha let out a long, ragged sigh. She reached out and patted Uru’en’s hand, who remained staring blankly at the floor, unresponsive to the touch.
"It is a long story, Lord Baron," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "One that defies reason and common sense. Would you... be willing to listen?"
She paused, leaning forward just an inch, her expression grave.
"Moreover... Sir Lumin was also involved in this."
"W-What?"