The sky of Smile was calm. The dragon had already been defeated, but the air smelled of blood, burnt wood, and iron melted by the heat of battle. A crimson tear split the clouds — influence of Anatoly’s mana — and, on the other side of it, came the shadows of the North. Ogres with bone armor, bluish-skinned trolls, orcs, and wolf-like Laikam beasts from the wild forests of the far North of the continent — all advanced like a living tide, crushing the ground with war drums made of human skulls. Turning the battlefield in Smile into chaos.

  But the soldiers of Smile, templars and mages who had already been there since the beginning of the festival, did not feel fear — they felt duty. Duty to the Empire, to the South, and to the name Fernandes. It was their turn to repay Kyros, from 45 years ago.

  The walls trembled. The Four Towers of the Seasons vibrated with all the mana gathered in one single place — Smile. The roar of the portals made the air hiss. More and more monsters came out of them. Large and small.

  It was a chess move for the definitive checkmate, and Anatoly was moving his pieces. Not just to destroy the South — but the entire Empire, in just 48 hours.

  What he didn’t count on was that there was another commander on the other side of the board.

  And he wasn’t playing either.

  Move passed. It was time for the white pieces to move.

  But, in the midst of hell, Smile still breathed. The white pieces moved.

  Anatoly, gritting his teeth, clenched his fists:

  — Where are you, rat?

  Kyros Fernandes, the Lord of the South, stood firm upon the destroyed walls.

  — I’m heading to where that presence is. And you: Kotan, Helena, Flora, Aurelius, Rubya, tinBell… are you coming?

  Kotan Aspen, on top of a mountain of frozen corpses, wielded the Soul-Freezing Sword — a weapon forgotten for generations in the Aspen Clan. The ice elves called it the Katana of the Supreme Leader. Only Kotan had managed to master it. Even though it was long and required both hands, Kotan wielded it with only one.

  — I’m going, Kyros. I already finished here anyway! It was getting boring.

  Aurelius, with a pile of fallen bodies behind him and the portals closing by force through autumn leaves:

  — Autumn Domain: Remnant Prison. I’m also done here, Kyros.

  Helena emerged from the midst of flames and smoke. Only ashes remained where the Matriarch passed.

  — I’m finished here too. Nothing left…

  Rubya, with sword, claws, and hair covered in thick black blood — the enemies were shredded. Worthy of the fury of the demi-human leader.

  Flora, with pink eyes shining, hair flowing; sakura petals floating around her like blades. The monsters trapped by roots: some crushed, others broken. But none alive.

  — Let’s go. We can’t waste time while that monstrous presence is in the west wing of the capital.

  — And Leli? — someone asked. — She’s evacuating. Alara and the other wives are with her, right?

  Kyros laughed.

  — Yes… well, some must be fighting frantically. —

  (flash of Luiz’s mother, Valquíria, and Alara, Leli’s mother, for an instant)

  tinBell:

  — I will assist the Gath Squad. Locate bodies, rescue the wounded, map the battlefield.

  The patriarchs, in unison:

  — We count on you, tinBell.

  Kyros removed his broken breastplate and helmet.

  — I know Silvio will be mad, but this is annoying.

  — Haaa… this armor only hinders my movements. I prefer something light and natural. Like my mana… and R?’s.

  R?:

  — That’s right, sir. We don’t need iron. We are a Solar Eclipse together.

  Kyros raised the Thunder Sword:

  — Let’s go, everyone! Neither Smile nor the South will fall today! And when this is over… we’ll show once more the strength of the South, to everyone inside and outside the Empire. They must remember why they should fear us!

  — We’re with you until the end, Kyros. Patriarch of the South!

  tinBell watched them from behind. And she saw…

  The Six Pillars of the South.

  — We count on you… together, until the end. The South will not fall today.

  In the East Wing of the Capital, Valquíria and Tailer stood before Anatoly.

  The blood vortex behind the Disaster began to condense into a single sword, made of blood and crimson mana, pulsating and elegant. When he closed his fist, the air vibrated.

  The XI shone red on the mask.

  Tailer felt it. There could be no opening. That was not a simple monster.

  — Valquíria! — shouted Tailer. — Raise the club NOW!

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  But the impact came fast. Fierce, fast, lethal.

  Freya Lumpa came out of the black club at Valquíria’s waist, partially absorbing the impact. But not all of it. The Queen of the Skies was thrown, smashing debris, launched far away — with just a swing of Anatoly’s arm.

  Anatoly:

  — Well, well… She resisted. That pesky Lumpa with remnants of miserable gods… How annoying. — he gritted his teeth. — I want to KILL that warrior even more.

  Tailer advanced with his daggers.

  — You really think I’ll allow that?

  He snapped his fingers.

  — Gravitational Traction!

  Anatoly was unbalanced by a fixed gravitational point, and Tailer took the chance:

  — Dimensional Leap!

  Touch: rupture. Tailer pushed Anatoly away from where Valquíria had fallen.

  Anatoly laughed, calm.

  — Gravitational magic… interesting. But that’s not enough, professional rat.

  Tailer reappeared behind him. The daggers froze the air.

  — Fangs of the White Wolf!

  The X-shaped slash cut through the Disaster’s chest — or so it seemed.

  Anatoly looked at the blood dripping.

  — What strength… You're not joking around, professor. Look at this — ruined my suit.

  Tailer, surprised:

  — Even with a hundredfold gravitational amplification… I only caused a scratch?! Damn…

  Anatoly vanished and appeared beside him.

  — Interesting. But that level of force is not enough, professor. You told Number 2 not to make you laugh, right? Because he didn't have power equal to a God.

  Tailer widened his eyes.

  — How fast…

  Anatoly advanced, sarcastic:

  — Let me give you a taste of the strength you underestimated, rat.

  He tried to crush Tailer with a punch, but the professor dodged using Gravitational Jump, almost instantaneously.

  Tailer threw a dagger — Anatoly turned his head, and it passed by.

  — The same trick doesn’t work twice — he said, reappearing and grabbing the dagger back.

  But a blood hand emerged, holding his other dagger.

  Anatoly smirked:

  — You really thought you'd surprise me again, rat?

  Tailer smirked back. Cold. Calm.

  — I already expected it wouldn't work.

  And that’s when Anatoly saw it.

  Tailer’s other hand moving toward his chest. He pulled his middle finger.

  — Spatial Core.

  A condensed gravity sphere pierced through the Disaster’s chest, destroying everything behind. The blood hand dissolved. The hole was visible.

  Tailer gasped, tired.

  — Now yes… I destroyed the heart. If I let him fight seriously, I’d have problems.

  Everything seemed calm. Tailer didn’t lower his guard.

  Until the air changed.

  And then — the scream.

  ANATOLY (furious):

  — MISERABLE DAMN RAT!

  Crimson aura. Instant regeneration. XI eyes glowing.

  — Blood Prison!

  Chains tightened around Tailer. He tried to use gravitational vectors, but it was too late.

  — You won’t escape, little wolf.

  Crimson fists.

  Heavy, devastating, shredding blows. He was kicked into the sky — Anatoly was already there.

  — Wolf… try not to die.

  The palm touched Tailer’s chest.

  — Blood Explosion!

  The impact launched Tailer to the ground like a missile. A crater. Dust, bones, blood.

  Anatoly landed elegantly.

  — You’re not dead… are you, rat?

  Tailer emerged, bleeding, his mantle torn.

  That was dangerous. If I delayed a bit more… I would have died.

  He spat blood.

  — The North brought hell… So the South will show the paradise of pain.

  Anatoly laughed.

  — HAHAHAHA! You truly deserve the nickname. It’s not easy to kill a white rat.

  Tailer raised his dagger, positioning it.

  — Smile will not fall today. You’ll have to do MORE than that to kill me.

  The phrase crossed the trenches.

  And Valquíria returned.

  With an emerald impact reinforced by the Lumpas.

  BOOOOMM

  Anatoly was thrown away. But he smiled.

  — Brilliant… BRILLIANT!

  On the other side of the wall, in the support and medical assistance area, Gath Squad, Luiz Fernandes, the Copas, was kneeling, still being treated by a priestess to heal external and internal wounds, restoring broken bones from the fight he had against Langris. Broken ribs, body burned from within. But his eyes — two miniature hearts — still blazed.

  — I will not stand still while my family fights.

  He tried to get up, but the priestess held him back, hugging him from behind.

  — Sir, the treatment is not finished!

  He smiled — the smile of a man who has practically died three times and has learned nothing.

  — Then finish it on the way.

  And he walked limping, with blood dripping from his fingers, while the Copas, his soldiers, shouted.

  Katya followed behind him, pulling the priestess, trying to stop him, but it was no use — he was too stubborn.

  — There’s no use, Katya. I’m going where that monstrous presence is. Don’t try to stop me.

  — Don’t be stubborn, you’re not fully healed, you’re going to end up dying for real like this! — said Katya.

  Luiz:

  — A Copas does not fear death, he embraces it, Katya. You better than anyone know that. Jhonatan is helping with the evacuation, I won’t stay here and miss the fun.

  — Protect the support camp! No one passes! — shouted the Gath.

  Elisandra Chess, on top of a tower, projected mental circles to reinforce her protection zones. Slowly, she felt her heart race: Tailer. She felt it — he was hurt. The rune she had placed on him when he held her reacted. Her heart clenched, but she couldn’t leave, not with so many lives at stake.

  — Tailer, please, don’t die… I haven’t confessed yet, idiot.

  She took a deep breath.

  — No… I have to trust. He is the White Wolf. He will surely be fine. That’s why I will protect everyone while he’s not here.

  — Crimson Mind: Mind Veil, Partularis Bonds!

  The beasts fell under the pressure of Elisandra’s barriers. Her support in the battle of the North wing was indispensable. Healing and support in the battle at the same time… because of her, many were saved. But saving so many people had a cost: mana. Elisandra was sharing with all those fighting in the North wing, while also protecting civilians.

  Leli, with her rapier, passed like lightning.

  — Expressive Ribbon!

  The attack was like a long ribbon — but it was not ordinary. It decapitated enemies.

  — What?! — shouted a soldier. — She just decapitated multiple monsters with a rapier? Am I seeing things?!

  — The Fernandes are terrifying… — said another.

  At the rear, Sarya coordinated the evacuation of civilians. The hunting daggers gleamed, short orders echoed with authority.

  — Group one, through the southern bridge! Group two, through the tunnels!

  Her face covered in soot, but her gaze sharp.

  Beside her, Lukas spun his gladius and shield, blood and breath synchronized. The echoes of Morgana and Caesar crossed within his mind.

  — Boy, if you miss the block, you’ll turn into troll paté. — said Morgana.

  — Focus! Honor your name! — countered Caesar.

  Lukas just snorted:

  — I am honoring it, damn it!

  And threw the gladius, piercing two orcs in sequence.

  The shield returned at the right moment, blocking a giant barbarian’s hammer.

  Caesar cheered:

  — Good, legionnaire!

  Morgana smiled mischievously:

  — My chocolatinho learned to kill beautifully. Seeing this, I even want to stay like this, in this pose, and then you…

  CAESAR’S CENSORSHIP 5.0 — SACRED PURITY SEAL.

  — Shut up, Morgana! — roared Lukas and Caesar at the same time.

  Sarya, hearing the outburst, frowned:

  — Who are you yelling at, boy?

  Lukas froze.

  — N-nobody! Just… strategy!

  She raised an eyebrow.

  — Aha. Strategy.

  And spun the dagger, slicing three ogres in one spin. The blood formed an arc in the air.

  Lukas could only think:

  She’s going to kill me before the war ends.

  Help me, Caesar…

  Caesar, sticking censorship seals in his mind:

  — Censorship, censorship, censorship, censorship! Mercy… this woman needs an exorcist. Where have you seen so much promiscuity? Censorship, censorship, censorship, censorship!

  Lukas:

  — I’m going insane…

  At the center of the city, trumpets sounded. Kyros raised the Thunder Sword and roared:

  — For Smile! For the South!

  The sound was accompanied by thunder, magic, and the collective roar of the warriors. The battlefield became a living aurora — red, gold, and black.

  In the skies, a shadow crossed the firmament. A premonition. Perhaps the tide was starting to turn, perhaps because of the move of the commander of the white pieces.

  The air became heavy, the wind changed direction.

  And he murmured, as if feeling destiny itself approach:

  — Kyros and the Patriarchs… let’s go. We must reach the west side quickly. That collision mana has grown stronger.

  End of Chapter 4.