With the possibility of The Remnant's appearance, Marin met up with Valak, and both of them began to prepare the location of the feast.

Before, Rion was going to hold the feast within the Redwood Den, but after Marin and Valak's further consideration, they decided to create an area just to hold feasts or events where both the elites of Redwood Basin and the members of Redwood Den could meet up.

For this reason, a location about a kilometre north of Redwood Basin was selected because it was mostly flat and was filled with nothing but redwood and whitewood trees.

The trees were cut down, and the workers under Arok chopped them into beams and planks. Similarly, hides of various beasts were sewn together to cover the roof.

While at Rion group's spot, his group members, Lara and her friends, were preparing the meals that would be served during the feast.

But none of them knew where Rion was.

—

Twigs and dried leaves crunched under Rion's quick steps as he walked through the heavy southern forest.

His eyes were sharp with fury, and his hands were clenched into tight fists.

"Why use a body that can't even speak?" He asked in a voice tangible with anger.

The figure before him halted and turned to look at him.

That person was The Remnant who were inhabiting the body of a mute child.

Suddenly, purple veins began to bulge around the child's neck and lower jaw, and the sound of cracking bones came out.

Rion's eyes turned deadly, and veins bulged across his face as it contorted into something ugly because of his uncontrollable anger, but he didn't attack; instead, he just stood there... watching hopelessly.

The Remnant hadn't turned the child into a complete vassal, so he was still alive, though his consciousness was in a coma, or so Haden had said.

<Calm down, Rion.> Haden's voice echoed in his head, and he tore away his gaze from The Remnant.

Haden could kill The Remnant's current body; he had killed many children who had been turned into the cursed by the dark king sixty-four years ago, after all. But Rion had stopped him from doing so. Unlike the cursed, this one was still alive.

The sounds stopped a few seconds later, and The Remnant opened and closed their mouth a few times before they spoke, "As... thou... wishest."

The words came broken as if someone was speaking after a very long time.

Hearing those words, Rion's expression darkened even further, and he asked, "Why are you doing that?"

The Remnant turned around, continued their steps and answered in a youthful voice, "Doing what, exactly? I merely punish the faithless who have forgotten the purpose of their existence."

Rion's anger was suddenly dwarfed by confusion. He stepped closer to them and asked, "Faithless? Forgot the purpose of their existence? What are you talking about, you bastard?!"

They didn't react; instead, they gave him a gentle smile, and before long, both of them reached the periphery of the purple fog forest.

He stopped.

They stopped as well and turned around to look at him.

"What troubles thee?"

He glared at them and snapped, "Why'd you call me out here if you aren't going to answer me?!"

Their eyes gleamed with hidden emotions, and they spoke evenly, "The price of knowledge is heavy; my very existence is testament to it and..." They turned around and added, "Thou art not yet worthy of the answers thou seekest."

'What does he mean?' He wondered and fell silent.

They continued in their steps and said, "Come — Follow me."

He clenched and unclenched his fists before he began to follow behind them.

The withered ground cried under their steps as both of them walked further inside the purple fog forest, and a few minutes later, his gaze landed on the kareths that stood in their spots like some profane statues.

Suddenly, they spoke, "Long before any of this, I had a place I called home. I had Mother, my siblings, and my people. But I have none of it now… I have nothing left but my final duty."

'Is he talking about the revenge of the Mother?' Rion wondered but didn't ask anything, as there was no point in asking.

He glanced at them and said, "Do you think after listening to your sob story, I'll forgive you for what you have done to the Dhaevrak?"

The Remnant chuckled and commented, "Forgive me? Why would I seek forgiveness from a child? Art thou the Judge? The Monarch?" They glanced at him and added, "Forget it not — for to me, thou art nought but clothing… more useful than most, yet still no more than that."

Rion's eyes widened, and he mumbled, "Did you just say The Monarch?"

They stopped in their tracks and looked at him with an impassive gaze before they muttered in a sharp tone, "Do not pry into matters beyond you."

'What the fuck?!' He cursed inwardly, and a troubled expression appeared on his face.

'What should I do? They are my first clue to know about my bloodline.' He thought worriedly, and their words pulled him out of his thoughts.

"We have arrived at the place."

Rion frowned and looked around himself, but nothing was different from the usual lifeless grounds of the purple fog forest.

The Remnant raised his hand.

Fwoomf!

Ghostly purple flames appeared on their palm, and seeing that, Rion commented, "Is that aura...? No... It's different. What is that?"

They didn't say anything; instead, they mumbled, "Let us first rid ourselves of the useless eyes."

The ghostly purple flame blazed fiercely and flooded out of their palm.

Rion's instincts suddenly went erratic, and he poured out his aura, but before he could do so, the purple flames engulfed him.

At the same time, a loud explosion rang out at the southern peak, and the sky began to bleed red as Haden poured out his aura.

But just as Haden was about to move to save Rion, a voice reached him.

"Let us battle once more, descendant of war."

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