At an unknown place...

Lucien’s eyes opened up to the view of a ceiling as he sat up slowly from the bed.

His body still carried this strange, lingering exhaustion, which is sort of the normal thing to expect after prolonged suffering, when proper sleep had stopped being a thing.

However, what truly woke him up was the door opening, followed by the sound of footsteps entering the room he slept in.

This was Alistair.

The Prince crossed the room, straight to a small section where a wine set had been placed. He picked up a bottle, poured himself a drink into a glass cup. Then, poured into a second glass after.

Then he turned and walked over to Lucien who watched him with suspicious eyes.

Alistair extended the second glass to Lucien, and after a few seconds of staring at it, he took it.

The prince then dragged a chair closer to the bed and sat down in front of him.

"Where am I?" Lucien asked, without the drink yet.

Alistair looked around before answering. "Somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Hidden under my sister’s cloaking spell."

Lucien’s grip tightened slightly on the glass. "Why am I alive?" he asked. "Why was I spared at all?"

Alistair smiled. "Oh don’t think you’re special. There was also one more from your group that was spared."

"Eula Morgenstein... but mostly because her Father is the leader of the Morgenstein family... It would have been trouble if she died."

"You still haven’t answered the question, why am I here?" Lucien asked. "There’s no reason for me to still be breathing unless something is attached to it."

Alistair nodded. "The only reason you’re still alive... is because of me. I intentionally found ways to delay your execution, because I knew I would need you someday."

Lucien’s eyes narrowed.

Alistair continued. "The Prime Minister of Vanburgh who also happens to be a branch leader within your League’s structure... I wanted to get in touch with him"

"Hm.." Lucien muttered, but said nothing more.

"There’s one more thing," Alistair added, "At first, it wasn’t of any importance. But I understand that it was House Stark, with the involvement of two of my siblings that took your group down."

His gaze settled properly on Lucien "I want to know the exact details. Precisely how Stark was involved."

Lucian stared at him. "What makes you think," he said slowly, "that I would tell you anything?"

His eyes hardened.

"My people were killed at the hands of the Palace’s Imperial Guards"

Alistair smiled. "Oh, come on, Lucien. Really?"

He shook his head slightly, gesturing around the room. "Look around you, you’re at my mercy here"

"And don’t mistake this for arrogance... I know you’re powerful. But that only becomes debatable when you place it against me."

He paused before adding, "Then again, a good number of my siblings are also in this place."

Lucien’s eyes took a glow. "I do not take well to threats."

Alistair’s smile didn’t fade. "And that’s exactly why it doesn’t need to come to that."

He leaned back again.

"Besides... the Imperial Guard didn’t kill most of your people. They were already dead by the time they got there... and that was due to House Stark, no?"

There was a brief silence, then Alistair stood. "I see no reason why we can’t befriends here."

He adjusted his sleeve lightly.

"You tell me what you know. You help me reach that Prime Minister. And in return... we work something out. Something that benefits everyone."

Lucian watched in silence as Alistair made his way out of the room.

⸻

Back at the palace...

It had been thirty minutes since Ethan left. And in that time, it had been nothing but questioning.

The King circled around the same subject again and again. Her siblings, where they could possibly be, what they were planning and what she knew.

And every time, Isabella gave the same answer. She wasn’t part of it.

At some point, the King exhaled lightly. Then his gaze sharpened again as he turned to her, "Why exactly would you hide this reawakening from me?"

Since there was no real way to confirm Isabella’s words, he searched for anything that could prove, beyond doubt, whether she was lying or telling the truth.

Isabella said nothing at first, causing the silence to stretch for another minute before the King asked again, "Why?"

She clicked her tongue. "You want me to be honest, father?"

The King’s eyes narrowed. "Go on."

She held his gaze. "You’re terrible."

The King’s eyes widened, which was also the same reaction his wives had.

Iroh turned toward her. "Princess—"

But she didn’t stop. "You only value people based on how useful they are to you. And you expect me to come to you with something like this? Knowing exactly what you would do with it?"

She took one step forward. "My power wouldn’t be even be mine any more. It would just be another tool for you to secure the control you’re so paranoid about losing."

"Princess, please. That’s enough." the General tried again.

But Isabella didn’t even look at him.

"Look at them," she said, glancing and pointing at the Queens. "You’ve turned them to fuckin’ puppets"

She smiled bitterly.

"And you wonder why your children are turning against you.. it’s because they don’t want to turn out the exact same way."

"They just want to be free, of your control and paranoia"

Then Queens turned their faces away. They felt both shame and hurt at the same time.

The King’s hands clenched into a fist. He looked furious but tried his best not to show it.

Isabella exhaled, seemingly calming down" And if that’s all... The man I love is about to risk his life for people he gains nothing from and I won’t stand here while I could be helping him."

She turned and began to walk.

"Princess, you are not allowed—" Iroh stepped forward, raising a hand to stop her.

But in that moment, he halted, watching as her bracelet fell. And the instant it struck the ground, mana erupted outward in a violent surge. The pressure was overwhelming, cracking the ground beneath her feet and flooding the entire space.

Everyone else there felt the most shock of their lives, even the King watching.

Isabella then turned her head slightly, giving the general a cold side glare, then continued walking.

No one moved to stop her.

Not even the King who simply watched as she left the throne room.

Bella exhaled right as she stepped outside. A smile then formed at her lips as she shook her head lightly, she had always wanted to do that.

She continued making her way forward and as she did, a brief magic circle glowed beneath her feet and she shot up to the skies like a rocket, flying to go join the others.

——

At Stark Industries

The jet was waiting at an open space with its cabin already occupied.

Haley and Eduardo were seated at the flight deck, moving their hands across the interface as they ran through final checks.

The rest of the team had taken their seats at different points across the cabin. And Ethan who sat by one of the windows, had been gazing outside for the past ten minutes.

Percival glanced at him. "...You think she’s still coming?" He asked.

Ethan nodded. "She will. We’ll just wait a bit more."

But not long after that, Ethan’s sense tingled as a realization crossed his eyes. Then he smiled because he could sense her presence just them.

"She’s here."

Not long after she boarded and the plane doors closed, Eduardo began the flight sequence. "Engaging jet thrusters."

Beneath the aircraft, compartments slid open with a mechanical hiss, and a blue haze poured downward, lifting the jet.

Within minutes, it rose higher into the sky as the jet thrusters simmered down, letting the turbines take over completely.

And with that, their journey began.

——

Almost an hour had passed as the aircraft moved through the clouds.

"We’ve entered Lohansburgh’s airspace, now approaching Qeatol City" Eduardo announced from the cockpit.

The moment the words were announced, Ethan turned towards Bettie and gave a nod.

She stepped toward the center of the cabin, then she raised her hand, which formed a magic circle above her palm.

From the outside, the aircraft vanished.

The cloaking spell wrapped around the entire structure seamlessly, bending light and presence alike until there was nothing left to detect.

She then lowered her hand and returned an acknowledging nod to Ethan before returning to her seat.

"Entering Qeatol City," Eduardo said a minute later.

Everyone peaked outside the windows and below them was a city in ruin.

Buildings collapsed into themselves, with entire sections of land torn open as if something had clawed its way through from beneath. Smoke from fire rose in thick columns across multiple points.

Then came the monsters; dozens, hundreds, too many to count, flooding the streets until they were completely overrun.

Some moved in packs, tearing through what remained of the structures. Others hovered midair, circling like predators.

——

A/N: MASS RELEASE INCOMING