Chapter 21: The King and His General
The alarm bells of Nox Aeterna rang across the ancient city.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Guardians rushed to the city walls.
Caelum immediately took command.
"First Legion, defend the eastern gate!"
"Second Legion, protect the Royal Palace!"
Thousands of ancient guardians moved with perfect discipline.
Abster looked toward the city entrance.
"The Black Legion..."
"They're finally here."
The expedition hurried outside the palace.
Instead of a battlefield...
They found something unexpected.
The Black Legion stood in perfect formation beyond the city's gates.
Thousands of soldiers dressed in black armor waited silently.
Their banners fluttered in the wind.
Yet...
Not a single soldier advanced.
At the front of the army stood one familiar figure.
General Gruk.
His massive sword rested on his shoulder.
When he saw Abster...
He smiled.
Gruk stepped forward alone.
Caelum immediately drew his sword.
"Stay behind His Majesty!"
Gruk raised one hand.
"I did not come to fight."
The ancient guardians murmured among themselves.
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"Then why bring an army?"
Gruk answered calmly.
"To show respect."
The massive goblin general stopped a few meters before Abster.
Then—
To everyone's astonishment...
Gruk knelt.
His sword was planted into the ground.
He lowered his head.
"My Sovereign."
"I greet you once again."
The entire plaza fell silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Garrick whispered,
"A general..."
"...kneeling?"
Helena looked just as stunned.
"This doesn't make sense."
Abster stepped forward.
"General Gruk."
"Why are you doing this?"
Gruk raised his head.
"Because I swore my loyalty to the King of Nox Aeterna."
"I have never broken that oath."
Abster frowned.
"But we've never met."
Gruk smiled sadly.
"You haven't."
"But..."
"He did."
Fragments flashed through Abster's mind.
A training ground.
A younger Gruk.
Two warriors crossing swords.
Laughter.
Then the memory vanished.
Abster instinctively held his head.
"...Again..."
Before anyone could speak—
A powerful wave of mana swept across the city.
Everyone looked toward the sky.
A black portal slowly opened above Nox Aeterna.
Lightning crackled around its edges.
From within came a calm, familiar voice.
"You've made him remember..."
The portal widened.
A tall man wearing elegant black armor stepped through.
Long silver hair flowed behind him.
His crimson eyes held neither hatred nor anger.
Only regret.
The moment he landed—
Every member of the Black Legion knelt.
"My Lord..."
Caelum's expression hardened.
"Lord Zarek..."
Abster stared silently.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
Seeing Zarek didn't fill him with fear.
It filled him with sadness.
Zarek looked directly at Abster.
Then...
He smiled warmly.
"Welcome home..."
"My oldest friend."
The words echoed through the plaza.
Everyone stood frozen.
Friend?
Even Elena looked at Abster in surprise.
Zarek slowly removed the black gauntlet from his right hand.
Then he did something no one expected.
He knelt.
The ruler of the Black Legion bowed his head before Abster.
"My King."
"I have waited one thousand years..."
"...to apologize."
A stunned silence followed.
No one understood.
Why would the feared Lord Zarek...
The man believed to be the greatest threat to the world...
Kneel before Abster?
And apologize?
Far above, in the Celestial Realm...
The Twelve Gods watched in silence.
Chronos closed his eyes.
"The truth..."
"...can no longer be hidden."
End of Chapter 21