Kaiser instantly began to work his brain, crimson eyes darting anxiously between Celestine and her uncle. His mind raced, chasing questions he couldn't answer, paranoid whispers clawing at the back of his skull.

Why was this Lord Zilean truly here?

His arrival couldn't be random, it was too precise, too perfectly timed.

Had the king personally sent him?

But that made no sense. This Tale was hidden, marked as low-priority; the King himself would never notice such triviality.

Was this a setup from the beginning?

Had the entire mission been a trap, bait to draw Kaiser out and confront him with someone impossibly powerful?

Could this Lord suspect Kaiser's true intentions regarding Celestine?

Impossible. He'd been careful, precise, flawless in his deception… or had he missed something crucial?

Did Zilean know of Kaiser's regeneration or mastery over fire?

He shouldn't; no witnesses remained credible enough to convince a royal.

Was the man here to observe Celestine?

Perhaps the King worried about her progress, about her emotional attachment to a potentially dangerous outsider.

What if Zilean held hidden ambitions against the King himself?

A man of his strength had no reason to serve another, so why remain merely a royal, when he could claim power himself?

Did the King trust Zilean implicitly, or was their relationship strained?

If Zilean was truly loyal, his presence was a boon; if not, Kaiser risked becoming an expendable pawn in royal politics.

Could this be a warning?

A subtle yet terrifying threat sent by the King himself, using his powerful brother as a messenger to remind Kaiser of his position?

Or worse, was Zilean here simply to execute Kaiser?

A silent judge, jury, and executioner wrapped into one towering, armored being.

Kaiser's mind spun so frantically in circles that he failed to notice something crucial around him. The street, once filled with monstrous, ink-dripping creatures, stood eerily quiet. All had vanished. Yet, the buildings, the streets, even the scattered belongings remained untouched, pristine, as if the monsters had never existed in the first place.

He was shaken abruptly from his paranoid spiral when darkness fell abruptly over them. Kaiser glanced upward sharply, mouth falling slightly open in shock. The eternal, cursed sunset overhead vanished entirely, replaced by a heavy, suffocating shadow, a night so black it seemed unnatural, alive.

For a moment, Kaiser felt disturbed. Had Zilean somehow managed to break the curse that hung over Logshare? It seemed plausible, after all, if anyone could, it was surely a being of such overwhelming power.

Yet, as he gazed upward, surprise replaced his fleeting optimism. Eyes, hundreds, maybe thousands had opened simultaneously within the darkness. Mouths, grotesque and tooth-filled, stretched impossibly wide, oozing ink as they writhed silently. Paper-thin limbs, claws, and twisted appendages writhed and squirmed within the mass, an abomination composed of all the beasts they'd faced before.

Kaiser's pulse quickened, his muscles tensed, ready to fight, but uncertain if victory was even achievable against such monstrosity. Yet, Prince Zilean simply stood there, utterly unmoved, gazing upward as casually as one might glance at passing clouds.

"This…" Kaiser breathed, barely audible, "What is that?"

Celestine, beside him, wore an expression of ecstatic wonder and pride, her golden eyes glittering as she watched her uncle with undisguised awe. She seemed oblivious to the sheer terror radiating from Kaiser, her fear melted away in the comforting presence of the armored man.

"Marvelous," she murmured quietly. "This is truly Uncle Zilean's strength…"

But before Kaiser could question her further, his heart nearly stopped as Zilean appeared directly beside Celestine, moving impossibly fast for someone of his size. Kaiser flinched violently, hand jerking toward his sword in reflexive fear, yet, the man merely shifted his colossal cape, shielding Celestine protectively as the ink-creatures above finally burst, raining black sludge down upon them.

Celestine gasped softly, realizing too late the danger she'd forgotten, but Zilean paid no heed to himself as the thick ink splattered harmlessly across his gleaming armor and pure white cloak, staining both black as night. His only concern was his niece's safety, guarding her fiercely, utterly indifferent to his own state.

"You must be careful, my little star," Zilean murmured softly, his deep voice surprisingly gentle beneath his imposing helm. He knelt down, the towering armor creaking as he lowered himself to her level, the intimidating shadow giving way to warmth. "Even a saint can fall when distracted."

Celestine's eyes widened in sudden relief and affection. Without thinking, she rushed forward and threw her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. The cool metal of his armor pressed against her cheek, but she didn't care.

"I—I'm sorry, Uncle," she mumbled into his breastplate, her cheeks burning with embarrassment and gratitude. "I was careless... Once again."

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Zilean's gloved hand came to rest gently atop her head, large and gentle. A low, indulgent chuckle rumbled through his chest. "No harm done, Celestine. Your courage is bright, but your heart is brighter. Just remember, heroes need to keep themselves safe as well."

Celestine nodded, squeezing him tighter for a moment before stepping back, her eyes shining with newfound resolve. "I will. I promise."

Aria, meanwhile, stood utterly bewildered, eyes wide with confusion as she stared at Kaiser, Celestine, and Zilean. She glanced around frantically, shaking her head slightly as if to clear it, blinking repeatedly in disbelief.

"Did… Did something just happen?" she asked uncertainly, utterly baffled. "One second we were fighting those monsters, and now—?"

Ivan, from the rooftop, echoed her confusion, even more visibly disoriented. He looked frantically between Kaiser, Aria, Celestine, and Zilean, shaking his head desperately.

"Kaiser? Princess? What just happened? Did we—I mean, was there… an attack?" Ivan called down nervously, his clones mirroring his confused and anxious gestures. "I felt something strange, but I swear—I didn't even… What's going on?"

Kaiser, though still shaken to his core, regained his composure quickly, answering sharply, "Lord Zilean happened, Ivan. Try to keep up."

Ivan flinched slightly, embarrassed, nodding hurriedly. "Yes, Kaiser! Sorry, Kaiser!"

Aria's confusion quickly morphed into awe, her eyes wide as she finally noticed Zilean fully. Her voice, filled with wonder and a trace of nervousness, whispered to Celestine, "This… this is your uncle, Princess? He's so… strong. Almost too strong…"

Celestine smiled warmly, still safely shielded beneath Zilean's ink-stained cape. "He's the guardian of the kingdom, Aria. My father's younger brother, Lord Zilean. You're witnessing true power."

Zilean chuckled lightly, amused but modest. "You flatter me, Celestine."

Aria stared at him reverently, quietly murmuring, "Then thank the gods you're here with us, my lord."

Kaiser, though, remained tense and cautious, paranoia gnawing insistently at the edges of his thoughts. Yes, the prince had helped them, slaughtered hundreds of enemies instantly, protected Celestine personally, yet Kaiser trusted nothing blindly, especially not such incomprehensible power.

His crimson eyes narrowed slightly, studying Zilean carefully, mentally cataloging everything he could—armor design, posture, weaponry, even the way Zilean subtly turned to shield Celestine from potential threats.

Every gesture screamed power, authority, and certainty of his strength, yet there was tenderness there, too, genuine care for his niece. It unsettled Kaiser deeply. A man capable of slaughtering armies in mere moments, who yet valued life and family this much, was a paradox he struggled to comprehend.

Slowly, Zilean turned to Kaiser, gaze hidden beneath his inscrutable helm, yet Kaiser felt measured, seen fully in every strength, weakness, and hidden secret.

"Kaiser Dios," Zilean spoke quietly, thoughtfully, "A fascinating man, with quite a unique reputation. My niece seems to trusts you, which makes me curious."

"Curious?" Kaiser replied carefully, voice steady despite his racing heart.

"Indeed," Zilean nodded slowly. "About your intentions, your ambitions, your true nature."

Kaiser's mind raced. He forced down his tension, letting only a mask of polite confidence show on his face. Still, some part of him couldn't help but voice the question. "If I may, Lord Zilean—how does Your Majesty know my name?"

The silence that followed was thick, taut. Zilean studied him for a long moment, visor glinting in the last dying rays of the sunset. For a moment, it was as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Then, unexpectedly, Zilean let out a low, rolling laugh—a sound like iron shattering stone, yet tinged with a certain wry warmth. "Well asked, Kaiser. I am… unusually well connected. When you sit at the right hand of a king, and serve the realm as its shield, you develop quite the network. But in your case, I first heard your name in reports after you survived a duel with the Maw of the Kingsguard."

He tilted his head, almost curious. "Surviving that is no small feat—even if Maw is… not the brightest of my brother's hounds, he is strong enough to split a city in two with his bare hands. Most men would have been torn apart in moments."

Kaiser felt a jolt of surprise—again, another time someone spoke of him as if he were being observed from behind an invisible curtain. His mind chased through the memories of that night. Had he used his real name in front of the Maw? Or had word spread through the grapevine—someone pressured, bribed, or simply careless? Or was it Maestro? The freak had called out to him in ways only a man who knew would.

The paranoia curled around him again, but he masked it in a nonchalant shrug. Zilean, still regarding him thoughtfully, seemed content with whatever answer he saw in Kaiser's eyes, for he nodded once, slowly, as if to himself.

At that moment, Celestine stepped forward, breaking the silent tension with the urgency of someone who had no time for royal decorum. "Uncle—what are you doing here?" She hesitated, eyes bright with hope and a sliver of fear. "Were you sent by Father?"

Kaiser barely suppressed a smile. 'Thank you, Celestine,' he thought, grateful she'd asked the question burning in his own mind.

But Zilean's response was softer than expected. The enormous man knelt down even deeper, lowering himself with surprising grace until his gleaming helm was a level below Celestine's. Gently, with the ease of a favorite uncle, he swept a smear of ink from her cheek.

"No, not for your father's sake," Zilean said, his tone almost fond. "I came because word reached us that a Soulless man was in Logshare. I am here to recruit him for the War-den."

Celestine blinked, her mouth forming a silent "O." It was a detail Kaiser himself had never heard before, and it set his mind spinning—the War-den? He filed it away for later, another piece in the ever-growing puzzle.

But Celestine's priorities were different. "Please," she said, voice trembling slightly. "Uncle, Elsie—she—" She shook her head, unable to finish, then grabbed at his armored wrist, trying to drag the titanic man toward the battered house behind them.

The result was… comical. Celestine, for all her power and poise, could not so much as budge Zilean by a hair, yet he played along, allowing himself to be "pulled" after her like a particularly obliging mountain. The sight was so ridiculous, Aria, still panting and wild-eyed from the battle, had to leap aside as Zilean passed, grinning despite herself.

"Let's go," Celestine insisted, all but dragging him, "If anyone can save Elsie, you can. You have to try!"

Aria fell in behind, her bow clutched in one hand, the rescued child still slung across her back in a makeshift harness. She was visibly anxious, her free hand flicking to her side, checking her arrows, her cape, her hair—anything to burn off nervous energy.

Kaiser, left in the sudden quiet, turned to the shattered rooftop where Ivan and his nine clones still stood, each cradling an unconscious villager rescued during their own run through the village. Ivan looked so stunned that for a moment, Kaiser doubted he would ever come down. With a curt gesture, one that was half impatient, half encouraging, he beckoned Ivan and the clones to descend, and after a flurry of awkward movements, they did, the clones lowering themselves and their burdens carefully to the muddy ground.

"Don't just stand there, Ivan," Kaiser called, voice back to its usual razor-sharp bite. "Get those villagers to safety. Move."

Ivan nodded furiously, still looking as if he might drop at any second, and hurried to comply. The real Ivan shot Kaiser a nervous look, as if expecting another explosion of violence at any moment.

Inside, the battered house was a mess—walls stained with ink, floors slick, and the air heavy with the coppery tang of blood and the cloying stench of Sol. At the center, Elsie lay inside of her painting.

Celestine dropped to her knees beside her. "Uncle, please, you have to help her."

Lord Zilean knelt on the far side of the fallen girl, careful not to let his massive frame collapse the entire floor. He studied Elsie for a long moment, long enough for even Celestine's breath to catch in her throat, before he placed one huge, gauntleted hand against the canvas.

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