Ten years ago, Dante's incident caused a major change in the world. I think that was where the world truly began to change; gradually, all nations began to develop in terms of strength, not just technologically, but in pure combat capability. I would say that was the epicenter of change, but contrary to what everyone thinks, it was actually much worse than just a common change.
With Dante Scarlet's death, the incident took two paths that changed the world. First, the sealing of the two women who could match the rulers. With this sealing, the status of witches did not diminish; on the contrary, the balance and status quo among all others became precarious.
Alice Arcano was popularly named as the most powerful being on this planet, having the magical ability to seal a Grand Master. That's what everyone said when the information was disclosed to the public. It wasn't really the truth, as she sealed using artifacts she created herself and not her own magic, but as they say: a lie told a thousand times can become a reality.
Now, in the world economy, witches were the total sovereigns. The entire economy revolved around them; all types of witches were in complete agreement with Alice and worked for her, while the deserted ones were expelled and had their cores destroyed.
While the witches lived well, it wasn't the same for the other races, who were now mostly engaged in territorial wars with their own kind... That's right, war.
At this moment, the Kingdom of Werewolves was divided into two factions: the King Werewolf's Faction and the Queen's Faction. Ten years ago, Vlad intervened by killing thousands of werewolves within Kryoris, breaking Velkan's total power and indirectly supporting Siren to start a rebellion that has been going on for three years, seven years of preparation, and three of total war.
And it wasn't just the Werewolves.
The Elves entered into conflict, the High Elves and the Dark Elves began a territorial war after the "bad creation" of the Queen of the Elves' Daughter, in the central document about the whole event that triggered the "Armagedon of Blood", the name of Elowyn Frostsky. Because she disagreed with killing Dante, she was labeled as a "traitor".
It's even foolish to think about it, since she didn't do anything, but this wasn't just for her. The others were also associated with Dante, since the "right" people were Forki, Ethan, and Alexander. As the Elf Queen did not yield, then yes, an internal conflict was occurring in the Dark Forests for the past six years.
The Fairies were also in conflict with the Spirits, mainly because of what the daughter of the Spiritual King did, triggering the death of thousands and hundreds of thousands of spirits. All because Titania decided to banish Dante, something that at the time could be even honorable of her, since he showed himself as a Demon King or something like that, but that didn't matter at all to the Spirits.
They lost a billion spiritual lives they had known for years and will never be able to reunite, all because Titania angered Voralith, and that was unforgivable, and Kazess couldn't interfere in all this conflict.
And last but not least, the Eastern Empire was again in a colossal war against the evil forces of the demonic cult, who returned with full force with the birth of a new celestial demon. Someone invaded the demonic tomb and stole the martial arts manuscript of the first Celestial Demon.
Naturally, the Murin Alliance had already been formed, and all orthodox martial artists were on the front lines, constantly protecting the main provinces... But even so, they were slowly losing.
However, what Dante was facing now, or rather, what Ziriel was facing now, was just one of the reasons why she was still alive. Ethan Smith was about to be crowned Emperor, all because of an agreement with the Axilen Family. At this moment, everything could collapse if he let Ethan become Emperor, so the main plan began to spin.
"Are you sure about this?" Voralith questioned, holding the Baby Dragon next to Ziriel in the middle of the city, while in his human form. Of course, she was invisible to others' eyes. Ziriel, thoughtful about the world and the information the Shadow had given her, completely ignored her.
They were walking to the place Velryna said she would be. Of course, she was looking because she didn't know the city and didn't want to keep asking Voralith to simply use her aura and magic to detect Simon and Velryna.
"Sometimes I think your sense of direction reminds me of someone... but who... he used three swords... what was his name again?" Voralith said as she walked, looking around.
"Can you just shut up? We're not lost!" Ziriel said angrily, trying to locate herself.
"An establishment near the main square, the building's name is Golden Threads," Ziriel murmured as she looked around all the locations. Previously, she thought the main square was the one with the emperor's statue, but it seemed not to be the case.
"Golden Threads my foot, it's more like Dirt Threads, look at this dump!" Ziriel said aloud, looking at the establishment... a bit strange. It was... rustic? She didn't even know how to describe it. It looked like an old wooden house, the entire building made of dark wood, probably pine wood.
"Well, I don't have time to waste, can you take care of this little one and take her with you?" Ziriel asked Voralith, who nodded slightly.
"I'm too old to be this child's mother, do your job and take care of this brat," she concluded, transforming into a Dragon and trapping the little Baby Dragon, who slept peacefully after all the previous shock, in a sphere of magic and taking her away to who knows where she goes when she enters Ziriel.
"Sigh," Ziriel was tired of dealing with this Old Lady. First, she turns her into a woman and now she gets a Dragon for her to raise. She's definitely getting crazier, especially now that her plans were about to begin.
Ten years had passed. What Ziriel wanted was just one thing... Historical Reparation. And if everything is correct, she will erase this false emperor.
"Well, we don't have much time, do we?" she questioned and took her first steps to enter the establishment, but as soon as she stepped on the stairs, the double door opened with a man flying out of it wearing black attire like an... assassin?
"That's all I needed," Ziriel said, dodging the dead body of the individual who flew towards her.
"Sometimes, I think I just cause trouble, don't I?" Ziriel began to unsheathe her sword and entered the place.
The scene unfolding before her was quite simple. Velryna was fighting against several individuals in black clothes and masks.
"Where is Simon?" she asked, but no one answered. They were too busy.
"Humpf," she snorted and began to do her job. After all, now she was a knight, wasn't she?
With a quick advance, she took down two of the five assassins with a single blow, sideways, frightening everyone in the room. The tavern seemed more like a minefield.
"HA!" she shouted, delivering a blow that severed the head of one of those who had previously attacked Velryna, who was startled by Ziriel's arrival.
Ziriel kicked one of the chairs, sending one of the assassins to the ground, and then approached Velryna's back, while more people began to appear.
"I thought you wouldn't come, Miss," Velryna said, while defending herself from more assassins.
"I had big problems, but I found what I was looking for," Ziriel replied and countered an attack, cutting off the arm of the Assassin.
"Where's the old man?" Ziriel questioned and grabbed the sword of another assassin, breaking it with her bare hands. Her body was very strong.
"He-" Velryna was tired, but continued to fight, "is dealing with the Master Realm Mage," she said, killing another assassin. Her hair and arms were completely bloodied, showing that she had been fighting for a long time.
"Master Realm? What is that?" Ziriel wondered mentally. When she lived as Dante, that terminology didn't exist. In fact, there was hardly any terminology for powers.
"We don't have much time, we need to end this," Ziriel said, putting aside her concerns. 'I need a new spear, Axxaris is in Kryoris or with the Dwarf King, I need to get her back.'
"Let's go," Ziriel said to Velryna, and she nodded, realizing the intentions of both. The assassins began to look at each other and devise a new subjugation strategy. They all began to form a circle around them, closing them in to limit their movements... but they didn't count on something...
Synchronization.
Ziriel began a circular dance of blades and Velryna followed suit. Both seemed like beautiful deadly dancers, flawless teamwork, making Velryna and Ziriel companions of thousands of years for the assassins.
Gradually, the assassins began to give in. They attacked and they dodged quickly, giving openings for one or the other to strike. A perfect attack and defense, like a great wall.
"Velryna, you're very good!" Ziriel said with a smile, planting the sword in the neck of the Assassin in front of her, and Velryna did the same, while their backs touched. "You're good too! I thought you were only good with a spear!" She said, smiling, and killed another one.
The fight continued for just a few more seconds. They understood that, with this woman by the Princess's side, it would be impossible to assassinate her.
"Withdrawal." One of them, wearing a different mask, probably the leader of this squad.
"Damn," Velryna said, watching the assassins start to retreat. At least what was left of them since they had at least eight lifeless bodies on the ground. "You're not going to-" Before Velryna began to move, she had a very deep pain and staggered slightly.
"Easy there, kid, it's over," Ziriel said, holding her to keep her balance, but Velryna was already very tired and extremely worn out. Her core was already very worn and almost without mana. Unlike Ziriel, who had an extremely robust core, Velryna was still a young woman and a common human, unlike her Father and Brother who were blessed.
"It's over, relax," Ziriel said, putting Velryna seated on a support table.
It didn't take long, but a round portal appeared inside the place. Simon, with his hair completely stained with blood, tired eyes, and holding a sword in one hand and a severed head in another, appeared.
"Good job," Ziriel said with a gentle look, fortunately Simon was alive.
"I say the same," Simon said, throwing the head to the ground, along with the bodies of the others that Ziriel and Velryna killed.
"Where are the Knights?" Ziriel asked, but Simon couldn't say anything good, except "Dead," with regret of course. He sighed as he sat down, tired enough to close his eyes and try to recompose himself calmly.
"Rest, I'll stand guard until you recover," Ziriel said and led Velryna to Simon's side. Both were sitting, and Ziriel stood, looking at the situation and analyzing everything.