Solaria Guild Headquarters - Chief’s Office.

Chief Koff set down the report, his weathered fingers smoothing the parchment’s edge. A dark leather patch covered his left eye, the strap disappearing into his silver-streaked hair. His remaining eye scanned the final lines before lifting to meet Derek’s gaze. His face, lined with years of managing crises both great and small, betrayed nothing—no surprise, no frustration, only the quiet acceptance of a man who had long since stopped expecting the world to follow his plans.

"The princess of Melium has returned to her kingdom," Koff said slowly, as if tasting each word. "And she has reached an agreement regarding the... unfortunate incidents along the border." He glanced at Derek. "Our informants say the matter is being handled diplomatically. Officially, the princess was never in Solarian custody. Unofficially, reparations are being discussed."

Derek’s jaw tightened. His body, still wrapped in bandages, shifted in his chair. The wounds from his fight with Adam had healed, but the scars—physical and otherwise—would take much longer.

"So it was all for nothing," Derek said bitterly. "The creature who caused all this, the one who killed my men, who slaughtered Ellen and Westin, who nearly killed me—escaped. And we..." He gestured vaguely at the room, at the guild, at the world beyond. "We lost our closest people. And all we can do is rationalize our actions as... normal. Routine. As if this is just another day."

Tia, seated across from him, folded her hands in her lap. Her face was calm, but her eyes held the same hollow exhaustion that had settled into Derek’s bones.

"Even so," she said quietly, "your actions helped many people. The maw influence in the border regions has diminished significantly. Trade routes that were blocked for months are opening again. Families who fled are returning to their homes." She paused. "That is not nothing."

Derek let out a harsh laugh. "And what of the monster? What of the creature we tried to kill? The one we teleported into the White Dragon’s territory, expecting him to be torn apart?" He shook his head, his voice rising with frustration. "He came back, Tia. Without a scratch. The dragon we thought would destroy him did nothing." He slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "We failed."

Koff’s single grey eye fixed on Derek, steady and unblinking.

"Perhaps," Koff said slowly, "the White Dragon saw something in that creature that we did not."

Derek’s head snapped toward him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Koff leaned back, steepling his fingers. "I have lived long enough to learn that power alone does not command respect from beings like Orion. The White Dragon has slaughtered countless trespassers over the centuries. If he spared this... creature... there must be a reason." He met Derek’s gaze. "Perhaps he saw not a monster, but something else. Something worth watching. Or worth using."

Tia’s brow furrowed. "You think Orion has his own agenda?"

Koff shrugged. "Dragons always do." He picked up the report again, scanning the final lines. "The princess of Melium has also requested that all further actions against the... creatures... be suspended pending further investigation. It seems she has convinced her family that these beings are not the mindless killers we assumed." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Derek’s hands clenched into fists. "So we’re to do nothing? Let them roam free?"

Koff set the report down. "For now, yes." His voice was firm, brooking no argument. "We have other matters to attend to. The demon army presses our borders. The king’s health continues to decline. And the capital is rife with political maneuvering." He looked at Derek, then at Tia. "We cannot afford to chase shadows. Not when the shadows may prove to be allies against greater threats."

Derek’s fists trembled on the armrests of his chair, his knuckles white beneath the bandages. His voice, when it came, was low and dangerous.

"Are you telling me to tolerate them? Those monsters who murdered our adventurers? Who slaughtered humans and devoured them like prey? Like they were nothing more than cattle?"

Tia rose from her seat and crossed to him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. Her grip was steady, grounding.

"Calm yourself, Derek. This isn’t like you."

Derek’s head snapped toward her, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

"You want me to be calm?" His voice cracked, rising. "I lost everyone under my command. Ellen. Westin. Good men and women who trusted me. And I can’t even avenge them?" He shoved himself up from the chair, pacing the room like a caged animal. "Their killer walks free. And you expect me to just... accept that?"

Koff’s voice cut through the tension, calm but carrying the weight of authority.

"Control yourself, Derek. Revenge never ends well. You know that as well as anyone."

Derek stopped pacing. His shoulders sagged. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something heavier—exhaustion, grief, and the bitter taste of helplessness.

He didn’t speak. He simply stood there, staring at the floor, his hands still trembling at his sides.

Koff watched him for a long moment, then sighed.

"Sit down, Derek. We’re not finished."

Derek didn’t move.

"Sit."

Slowly, reluctantly, Derek lowered himself back into his chair. His gaze remained fixed on the floor, avoiding Tia’s concerned eyes, avoiding Koff’s steady stare.

Koff leaned forward, steepling his fingers.

"I’m not saying we forget what happened. I’m not saying those creatures are innocent. But we have to be smart about this." His voice hardened. "If we waste our strength hunting a monster that may not even be our enemy—"

"He is our enemy." Derek’s voice was flat, final.

Koff held up a hand. "He may be. But right now, he’s not the only one."

Derek’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

Koff set down the report with a heavy sigh, his weathered fingers pressing against the parchment as if to smooth away the tension that had settled into the room.

"About the assassin guild that caused chaos in the Duke’s estate," he said slowly, his voice carrying the weight of fresh urgency. "We need to resolve that matter. They’re spiraling further out of control."

Tia nodded, her expression grim. "We’ve been overwhelmed. That assassin group hunts their targets to the death—no negotiation, no mercy. We need to act quickly before more damage is done."

Koff leaned back, his single grey eye sharp. "Has there been any word from Prince Caelum at the forward front?"

Tia folded her hands in her lap. "Prince Caelum reported that the assassins recently disrupted their food supply lines. He’s requested radar devices, mines, and additional adventurers as reinforcements for the front."

Koff’s brow furrowed. "It seems the front is still heating up, then."

Derek stirred in his chair, his bandaged hands clenching into fists. His voice was rough, still raw from the earlier confrontation.

"Then we’re fighting on two fronts. The demons at the border. And now assassins in our rear." He looked up at Koff, his eyes hollow but focused. "What’s our next move?"

Koff was silent for a moment, his fingers drumming against the arm of his chair.

"We prioritize the assassins," he said finally. "They’re an immediate threat to our supply lines and command structure. If they cripple our ability to reinforce the front, the demon army will break through." He looked at Tia. "Draft a response to Prince Caelum. We’ll send the radar devices and mines he requested, along with a contingent of adventurers—vetted, trustworthy ones."

Tia nodded, already making mental notes.

Derek’s jaw tightened, his bandaged fingers curling into fists. "This assassin guild... they act so brazenly. Don’t they value their own lives?"

Tia shook her head slowly, her expression grim. "These assassins originate from Kaelthar. That place is lawless—no rules, no governance. It makes them nearly impossible to track or control. Combined with their mentality and their consistently high success rate, the guild has become highly sought after. It’s not uncommon for outside parties to hire them."

Koff leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. His single grey eye was distant, thoughtful.

"We’re the same, in a way," he said quietly. "We survive by hunting monsters and protecting those closest to us." He glanced at Derek. "The difference is we have laws. They have none."

Tia’s eyes flickered with something cold. "But with people like them, everything changes. They’ll treat us as nothing more than assets for their wars. Like what’s happening now."

Koff nodded slowly, his grey eye thoughtful. "I’m aware. And I have no intention of forcing anyone who refuses to go to the front lines."

Before anyone could respond, the door burst open. A young messenger stumbled in, his face pale, his breath ragged.

"Chief Koff! Urgent report!"

Tia rose immediately, her hand moving to the hilt of her blade. "What is it? Speak."

The messenger swallowed hard, his voice shaking.

"There’s been a massacre at the border garrison. A high-ranking demon... it slaughtered Commander Viks’s entire unit. Captain Serris is dead. All soldiers stationed there have been confirmed killed."

The room went cold.

Derek’s face, already pale from his injuries, went ashen. His voice was barely a whisper.

"Commander Viks... Serris... both of them?"

The messenger nodded, his hands trembling as he held out the report.

"The demon responsible has not been located. Witnesses describe it as female—pale skin, white hair, wearing a dark gown. It... it reportedly tore through the soldiers with blood magic. There were no survivors except one scout who was miles away at the time."

Tia took the report, her eyes scanning the words with growing horror.

"A pure-blooded vampire," she murmured.