Ancestral Lineage

In the capital, soldiers dropped their weapons and gazed upward. Some fell to their knees, whispering prayers to gods they no longer believed in, for surely this was a miracle.

Children pointed at the sky, eyes wide, as streaks of gold and red turned the night into an otherworldly dawn. Merchants abandoned their stalls to weep, not in despair, but in awe — knowing that such a shield could only mean war loomed close.

Far in the mountains, an old hermit-mystic watched, his blind eyes weeping tears of light. "A fox of fire and a vampire of storms… how strange. How perfect. Their harmony is the only thing keeping the heavens from breaking."

Reginald's hands trembled. He could feel the fire eating into his essence, each rune a law written with his very lifespan. His halo flickered dangerously, his tails dimming.

Jerry, meanwhile, spat blood — not summoned, but his own, boiling up from the strain of bending chaos into structure. His veins glowed with silver cracks, as though he might shatter from the inside.

Yet neither faltered.

Reginald's voice rose, steady and firm: "Order binds."Jerry's voice followed, ragged yet fierce: "And Chaos completes."

Their combined voices resonated across the land, echoing like a divine proclamation.

And the Barrier solidified — an eternal contradiction, shielding Anbord itself.

...

In a very high-class restaurant, two people sat facing each other, their table positioned near the vast panoramic glass wall that revealed the city below. They were at the very top of the restaurant, the crown jewel of a place known across the kingdoms of Anbord as Tasty Queen. It wasn't just a restaurant—it was a landmark.

From the outside, the building rose like a spire of polished obsidian and glass, a six-story marvel that seemed alive with light. Its facade shimmered with soft neon veins of gold and violet that pulsed like flowing circuits, giving the entire structure the impression of a living organism breathing within the heart of the metropolis. Hovering vehicles streamed past its hovering platforms, docking seamlessly along its levitating entry bays. At night, its crown—the top floor where the two sat—glowed like a beacon, a translucent dome of reinforced crystal that made it seem as though the stars themselves had descended into the city.

Inside, the restaurant's design was a fusion of elegance and futuristic brilliance. The floors were crafted from translucent marble that glowed faintly from within, each step leaving trails of faint light that vanished after a few moments. Tables were arranged in spirals, made from gleaming alloys interlaced with living wood, their surfaces shifting colors to match the mood of the diners. Holographic chandeliers floated above, refracting light into cascading prisms that painted the room in moving patterns, while soft orchestral music—blended with subtle electronic undertones—flowed through the space like a living river.

The waitstaff weren't ordinary either. Some were highly trained humans, dressed in sleek, form-fitting uniforms with glowing insignias, while others were humanoid constructs with synthetic skin and crystalline eyes that shimmered softly. They moved with flawless precision, trays floating above their hands with dishes that defied the rules of ordinary cuisine—meals sculpted into levitating shapes, beverages that shimmered as though holding miniature galaxies within their glasses, and desserts that released sweet, glowing mist as they were served.

Every corner of Tasty Queen radiated prestige. The walls weren't static—they were reactive panels that displayed shifting landscapes: a meadow on one wall, the rolling ocean on another, a starfield above, each slowly changing as though the restaurant itself traveled through realities.

And at the very top—where the two now sat—it was quieter, more private, reserved for those who could afford not just luxury, but the experience of exclusivity. From here, the entire city sprawled beneath them, a sci-fi utopia of lights, bridges, and towering spires. Drones zipped past, neon billboards shimmered across the skyline, and further beyond, the faint outline of ships ascending into the void could be seen.

Here, amid the fusion of modern refinement and futuristic wonder, the conversation about to unfold carried the weight to match its surroundings.

"Are you planning a rebellion, Prince?" the first to speak was a beautiful wolf woman with long white hair and smooth chocolate skin. Her figure was both powerful and regal, depicting what she represented and who she was. Emma Fenrir Duskhaven, the Queen of Fenrir and honored guest of the Emperor. Her tone was cold and void of emotions as she stared daggers at the Crown Prince of Anbord. She was prepared to say a big NO, if he proposed a rebellion. She was right to think that as it was common for her. Wolves fought for supremacy and rebellion was common. Plus, why would the Crown Prince invite him to such a luxurious place?

"Ahem! Cough! Cough! What do you mean, Queen Emma?" Regnare was seriously surprised at her thoughts.

"If you are planning a rebellion against your father, then count me out," Emma stated although she hesitated a bit in her tone.

"Why would I even do that? I have nothing to gain from it, and it is more than blasphemous!" Regnare almost screamed. He didn't ever think this conversation will start with Queen Emma judging him as some kind of rebellious son.

"Sorry for my aggressions. This is just suspicious, don't you think?" Emma said as she looked around.

"No need to apologize," Regnare hurriedly stood up and bowed towards Emma. "I apologize if I angered you."

Now it was Emma's time to be shocked. Although she was in position, higher ranked than Regnare, he was still the Crown Prince of an Empire. An Empire was way different from a Kingdom, and a recently established one like hers! What would people think if they saw this? This was more than enough to start a war between Anbord and Fenrir.

But before she could act, Regnare chuckled.

"Don't mind me, please. I didn't call you here to plan any stupid thing such a rebellion. I called you to give you something my parents and the council couldn't give you due to circumstances we are all aware of."

"Oh, okay? Is it perhaps related to the alliance?" Emma asked, already getting excited.

"Yes and no. The alliance is assured to be possible, but that isn't my mission here. My mission here is to deliver an apology from the council and the Emperor himself. He says he's sorry for delaying you and having to impose this lockdown on you."

"What do you mean?"

"Because of the looming threats, father has to do something. Sorry I can't disclose more information as I'm also in the dark about it. A barrier has been casted over Anbord to buy enough time for everyone to prepare for war. As guests, you cannot partake in the war and neither can we allow you to get hurt."

"This..."

"Because of this, you and your entourage would be officially given residence close to the Kael'Dri Household. Also, you will be given citizenship for the duration of the war with protection 24/7. Envoys would also be sent to your kingdom to inform and assist them in any way possible for the duration of the war."

"Why?"

"Why? I honestly don't know but I trust my parents enough to not question them. So please, feel free to live well in the empire," Regnare answered with a wry smile.

"Can I ask you a question?" Emma said.

"Sure. Please go ahead," Regnare answered, tilting his head in confusion.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I thought you perhaps had some attraction towards me."

"Ahem! Queen Emma, although you are a very beautiful woman, I have no interest or attraction towards you. In fact, I saw how my parents looked at you on our first meeting. I'm pretty sure there's something going on in the background. So, please pardon me if I insulted you in any way but, I have no attraction whatsoever for you," Regnare answered calmly, although inwardly he was holding himself from cursing a certain someone. She proposed this setting in the first place. No wonder the werewolf Queen began judging him early.

"I see. Thank you for your help," Emma said with a beautiful smile. She was very glad and happy for his answer.

"The pleasure is all mine," Regnare answered with a smile equally. 'I will definitely kill someone tonight!'

...

In a nicely decorated room, a beautiful girl could be seen rolling on the large bed in the room with laughter, tears streaming down her face out of pure joy. Her long, deep black hair was sprayed chaotically around her while her pale skin was tinged with a bit of red from the joy she was feeling currently.

"I'm pretty sure someone will murder me tonight! Ahahahahahahahahah!"