As soon as ZeronLenardKhazad-Dar
The Dwarf Kingdom guards, alerted by King Borin's immediate return and the urgency of the war council, rushed to their posts. King Borin and Jai had predicted that if their plan to lure Zeron was successful, the war would break out immediately, forcing the toughest siege the Dwarf Kingdom had ever faced. Guards reinforced the outer defenses of all towns under the King’s dominion, but the main thrust was heading for the capital.
Zeron teleported himself and his key companions—Lenard and the four Tier 5 elemental masters—directly to the King's Palace within Khazad-Dar. Their arrival was not subtle.
A colossal impact shook the entire capital city. Houses trembled, stone streets cracked, and the very air compressed and vibrated violently. This was the combined spiritual pressure
Inside the palace, Zayn
"What is this Vortex
(Note: Vortex
King Borin, standing in the palace foyer, immediately gestured to Minister Brokk
Borin then turned his attention outward. He could see the advancing columns of the Shadow Ledger troops pouring into the capital's outer districts. Among the commanders, he recognized faces he had not seen in years: his own brother and cousins
Borin forced himself to calm his racing heart, his brown eyes
Borin stepped forward, breaking the terrifying silence of the Vortex
Zeron laughed—a loud, hollow, and chilling sound that echoed through the palace walls. "See, Father? If I am like this, you and your family are the reason!blue eyes
As Zeron spoke, a new figure stepped forward from the advancing Shadow Ledger army. This was a dwarf with brown skin, striking white hair, and black eyes
King Borin stared at the figure, his political instincts screaming at him to halt the war. "Younger brother!" Borin called out, his voice filled with desperate hope. "Zevan!
Borin tried to compromise, pleading with Zevan to stop the war. Borin knew Zevan wanted revenge for Linston Town, but a full-scale war here would lead to the collapse of the entire kingdom. Zevan and the Shadow Ledger commanders, however, refused to listen, spitting insults and demanding Borin's surrender.
As the negotiations failed and Zevan was about to give the order to begin the siege, disaster struck inside the palace.
Little ArthurMorisa
Little Arthur, upon seeing Zeron’s striking blue hair and chilling blue eyes
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
JaiVortex
James and Zayn
Jai held the boy tightly in his arms, his disguise face close to the child's. "What happened, Arthur? Why are you running outside?"
Little Arthur, shaken and pointing his small hand at Zeron, said in a voice filled with utter confusion and shock:
"Big Brother, that person with blue hair and blue eyes is my father!"
Jai, James, and Zayn froze. The blood drained from their faces. The enemy commander, the murderous leader of the Shadow Ledger—ZeronLittle ArthurZeron, having heard the childish declaration, turned slowly. His blue eyesDominance
Zayn
JaiTier 9 Imperial CoreCrown Prince of the Human Kingdom
Zeron’s sneer returned, colder than before. "A past life is irrelevant, Arthur. The boy means nothing to me. But thank you for confirming my suspicions. You two are even more valuable alive than I thought."
King Borin, watching the exchange from the palace steps, felt the true nature of the crisis. He knew Zeron's greatest fear was Beatrice. If Zeron killed Arthur or James, the Human Queen would dismantle the Shadow Ledger, ending the war before Zeron could achieve his goals. Borin had to leverage this fear to gain time.
Zevan began to explain the horrific truth of Zeron's return, his voice hollow and devoid of emotion.
"After the King killed Zeron and left his body to be consumed by the mountains, we, the devoted few, performed the forbidden ritual. We channeled the energy of the Shadow Ledger and the VoidDeath GodDominance—did return."
"But Zeron's original dwarf body was too weak. The new, ancient spirit was far too powerful; it would have detonated the corpse instantly. We needed a host. A strong vessel to contain that monumental soul."
Zevan's gaze turned dark, filled with the guilt and cold necessity of their past actions. "We began searching for the perfect vessel—a Master whose body possessed high elemental compatibility and immense spiritual fortitude. We encountered the target in a remote mountain forest—the very parents of your young ward, Little Arthur
"His father, AlexTier 4 MasterFire, Dark, Space, and VoidBellaTier 6 MasterWater and Void
"We understood the risk," Zevan continued. "A Tier 4 and a Tier 6 together were a dangerous pair. We planned meticulously, sending a large strike force: two Tier 4 Mastersthree Tier 5 Masters
"Alex was stronger than any of us anticipated. Driven by the protection of his family and the raw power of his unusual elemental mix, he fought with absolute ferocity. He held off all five Masters for two grueling days
"He finally died, not in defeat, but in peace, having ensured his wife and child had enough time to flee. He was the perfect, resilient vessel."
"Once Alex was dead, we used a combination of forbidden artifacts to prepare his body," Zevan revealed. "The key artifact was the Soul-Anchor Gem
"The second, more crucial artifact was the Aetheric ConduitZeron's soul
"This process transformed the physical shell. The Tier 3 coreTier 5 spiritual Dominance
"And that, Prince Zayn," Zevan concluded, his voice laced with triumph, "is how we created the weapon that will end your family's reign."
The devastating backstory was complete. Jai, James, and Zayn
Zayn could only stammer, the shame of his previous doubt now completely replaced by rage. "So, my brother is a grave robber! A thief wearing the mask of a hero!"
"Call him what you will," Zevan retorted, turning his back. "The hour is almost up. We will meet at the outer gates. May your resistance be swift, Prince." Zevan warped away, his final message delivered.
The hour was indeed almost up. The three princes turned toward the exit, their mission now deeply personal: they had to defeat the man who murdered Little Arthur's father and stole his identity.
The war between son and Father has finally started!.
