“Damn you!” Leona roared, her blade flashing as it severed the Necromancer’s head.

“May your soul rot in the Nether! Damn it…” She expected satisfaction, maybe even relief, but all she felt was the cold bite of the northern wind and the weight of her comrades' names whispering through her mind.

The Necromancer’s chilling last words clung to the air like a lingering curse, an echo that refused to fade from their minds.

Miralyn’s sharp gaze swept across the battlefield, absorbing every detail of the devastation.

The ground was scorched black, fissures still glowing with dying embers. Ashes of bones scattered in the cold northern wind that contrasted the heat coming from the ground and mixed with the acrid stench of burnt flesh and decayed rot.

The wind carried the last vestiges of lingering magic, an eerie hum in the silence, like a whisper from the Nether Realm, before the fading glow of residual Magi flickered and vanished into nothingness.

Finally, she turned to one of the guards, her expression unreadable.

A single nod conveyed the unspoken order: Report this to the Norwinter's King, and inform the Empress.

Her attention then shifted to Hilda and Moira. “I thought you said this spell would take five minutes,” she remarked, arching a skeptical brow.

Hilda shrugged, her tone casual as she replied, “I guess I’m not used to being Tier 9 yet. We might’ve miscalculated.”

But Hilda knew better.

It wasn’t her Tier that had shortened the casting time; it was the mana enhanced by the Chaos Energy coursing through her veins.

The spell responded differently this time, as the chaos-empowered mana immensely increased the destructive power of the spell, making it faster than ever before.

Even Moira, who had cast this spell countless times, struggled to grasp it as her eyes widened, watching the destroyed battlefield with awe.

“We need to head back. I must report the Necromancer’s final words to Father… I mean, to the City Lord,” Leona said, climbing out of the crater. Looking at Miralyn, she hesitated, her eyes clouded with a mix of gratitude and grief. “Thank you, Mira. Without your help, I...”

“Stop right there,” Miralyn interrupted, her sly smile cutting through the somber atmosphere. “I only stepped in because you’re Hilda’s friend. If you want to thank someone, thank her. But,” she added with a playful wink, “if you want to be my friend too, just call me anytime you need a Necromancer taken care of.”

Leona chuckled. “Now I see why Hilda likes you so much.”

Her words carried a teasing undertone, and Hilda shot her a sharp look, catching the double meaning.

But Miralyn blushed, spotting a cute grin.

Seeing that, Hilda had decided to let it slide.

“Alright then,” Leona nodded, turning back to Miralyn and extending her hand with a faint smile. “I’ll count on you in the future.”

Her voice carried gratitude; though everyone noticed the undertone of lingering sorrow in her voice, her heart was grieving for the friends she had lost.

As their hands clasped, Leona gestured toward the Necromancer’s body. “I didn’t touch him. Whatever you find, it’s yours, as promised.”

Miralyn nodded in thanks, signaling for one of her guards to go search the body.

With the Necromancer’s body left for the guards to handle, the group surveyed the devastation one last time.

Hilda and Moira, still struggling to come to terms with their increase in power, understood that Chaos Energy showed its true face when used for destruction.

“Shall we?” Hilda asked, her tone brisk, breaking the silence.

“Hilda, I…” Leona began, her voice heavy with gratitude, but Hilda silenced her with a raised hand.

“Let’s just say that makes it 17 to 15 for me. You still owe me two.” Hilda quipped before turning to walk away, Miralyn close behind.

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Leona smirked at her retreating back.

She knew Hilda wasn’t really keeping score. If she were, she’d have realized the tally was actually 25 to 19.

But since Hilda wasn’t counting, Leona wouldn’t bother either.

Watching Hilda and Miralyn walking ahead so closely, Moira couldn’t help but wonder if their bond went beyond friendship.

“Not so bad, I guess,” she muttered under her breath. “When Sokram's older, he’ll have two moms to help with the curses.”

Leona, with her keen Feral hearing, caught the comment. “His bloodline is that strong?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Moira stiffened, the color draining from her face.

A hush fell over the group.

The nearest guards exchanged quick, wary glances, their hands hovering near their weapons, not as a threat, but out of instinct.

Any further mistakes could spiral out of control.

Hilda acted quickly. “Yes, he awakened my family’s bloodline,” she said smoothly. “He’s a Draconic-Human.”

Leona’s brows knit together for a split second as if considering the implications.

Then, her eyes lit up. “That’s incredible, Hilda! Wasn’t the last one to awaken it your grandfather or your late uncle? Your family’s name will shine again!”

Her genuine happiness made Hilda feel guilty for lying to one of her closest friends.

“Yes, Sokram has a bright future ahead of him,” Hilda replied, forcing a smile. “But please, keep this a secret for now.”

“Of course. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure your son becomes the best killer in the North,” Leona said, spotting an evil grin brimming with bloodlust.

Hilda sighed. “Better a killer than a dead son, I suppose,” she muttered.

In truth, she had hoped Sokram would pursue magic or become a Magic Knight.

But to her dismay, he had chosen the path of the Killing Blade Art instead.

The next morning, they arrived in the city.

After bidding farewell to Leona, they headed home, escorted by half the guards while the rest went to rest.

Moira suddenly stopped in her tracks, regret etched across her face.

Before she could speak, Hilda cut her off. “I know you didn’t mean to slip up. Just be more careful next time, alright? Let’s go.”

“Yes, I will,” Moira said softly, her head bowed.

At home, Sokram sat cross-legged in quiet meditation, his breath steady yet shallow, as if mirroring the delicate balance of energies around him. Magi, Aura, and Vitha swirled in perfect synchrony, like threads intertwining to form something anew.

Yet, amid the harmony, a dark flicker of Chaos Energy surged unpredictably, crackling like distant thunder before vanishing.

Despite his composed façade, his mind refused to still.

The faint hum of chaotic energy pulsing within his heart did little to silence the unease gnawing at him.

Again and again, his thoughts circled back. He had spent the past day replaying every choice he had made until now, questioning the ripples he had set in motion.

His mothers, his aunt, and his master, were they safe? Had his interference twisted fate toward an even graver tragedy?

But then he heard their voices coming from downstairs.

Only when his eyes met them did relief wash over him.

But he noticed a subtle shift in the room’s atmosphere as their eyes landed on him.

“Hi, dear,” Hilda flashed him a teasing smile. “How does it feel making us waste a whole day for nothing?”

“Better than you lying about it, Mom.” Sokram shot back with a grin. “And you really need to work on your tells, your left hand always twitches when you lie.”

Hilda sighed dramatically. “You were cuter when you were younger. Now I can’t even tease you.”

Miralyn chuckled. “Good to know,” she murmured, her cheeks tinged pink.

“Don’t worry, Mira. She likes you, too. Maybe I’ll start calling you Mom soon,” Sokram said with a wink.

Miralyn’s brain momentarily short-circuited.

Her breath hitched, and a rush of heat flared across her cheeks. “I– you– what?” she stammered, failing to form a coherent thought.

Hilda and Moira exchanged knowing grins, enjoying the rare sight of Miralyn at a loss for words.

“When did my adorable nephew become such a prankster?” Moira asked, stepping in to rescue Miralyn.

“Too far? Sorry,” Sokram said, though his mischievous grin suggested he wasn’t sorry at all.

“So, how was it?” he asked, his curiosity genuine.

Hilda debated teasing him back, but decided against it.

Instead, she recounted their battle, emphasizing how Chaos Energy had enhanced their abilities.

“That’s amazing, Mom! Did you find anything interesting on the Necromancer’s body?” Sokram asked hesitantly.

“A few spatial rings,” Miralyn said absentmindedly, still thinking about what he had just said.

“You’re not planning to become a Necromancer, are you?” Moira cut in, her tone serious.

"No way! I want to be the opposite, a Biomancer," Sokram's eyes gleamed with determination. "I want to understand life itself, to heal and create, not just destroy. I want to master the forces that shape evolution itself."

A heavy silence followed.

Miralyn arched a brow. Moira blinked twice. Even Hilda, who had long accepted her son’s outlandish talents, looked momentarily thrown off.

“Dear,” Hilda finally spoke, scratching her head, “you do realize Biomancers are practically unheard of, right?”

Sokram just grinned. “So?”

Hilda blinked, startled.

That wasn’t something anyone could achieve just by wanting it. “That’s a great ambition, dear, but…” She paused, reflecting on everything Sokram had accomplished so far. Finally, she nodded, “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

“Thanks, Mom! I’ll give it my all! So… can I look at the Necromancer’s rings?” Sokram asked, his pleading puppy eyes on full display.

Miralyn smiled. “I’ll clear the rings of any curses or dangerous enchantments first. You’re after the books, right?”

“Yes! Anything on humanoid anatomy, geomancy, medicine, or anything like that…” Sokram said enthusiastically.

Hilda interjected. “Let us think about it. Besides, you haven’t finished learning Alchemy from Hannah yet. How’s that going?”

“Theory’s done, but Nana Hannah won’t let me practice until I’m Tier 2,” Sokram said, clearly disappointed.

“Then focus on the sword for now,” Hilda smiled, hinting that Leona agreed to teach him. “Alchemy and the rest can wait, right?” She asked, seeing how Sokram’s face lit up hearing about Leona.

But Sokram still sighed inwardly, knowing his mom wouldn’t budge.

As much as he loved her protective nature, he sometimes wished time would move faster so he could advance with his plans.

Mainly because certain parts of his plan could only be achieved by using the knowledge he couldn’t justify yet.