Chapter 388: Discovering The Strange Man (Fixed)

Piers and Katherine walked together toward the a point in the citadel where they could both speak more privately.

Katherine stared out at the horizon with a distant expression as though finding a way to begin.

After a moment of silence, Piers who had been waiting gently then asked, “What’s wrong?”

Katherine didn’t answer right away.

Piers continued. “I noticed it during the battle too. You stayed on Qasag’s back the entire time and didn’t engage directly, not even once. And that is very odd even for you”

Katherine turned her head toward him, with a smile on her lips. “Oh, you saw that?”

Piers reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Of course I did.”

She leaned into his touch, her smile growing just a bit. Then she took a breath and said it.

“I’m pregnant.”

For a moment, Piers didn’t move. His hand remained on her cheek, but his eyes went wide. He blinked, then again, as though trying to process what he had just heard.

“Are you serious?” he asked in gentle tone.

Katherine nodded. “Elena confirmed it.”

Piers’s shocked expression held for another second. Then his face broke into a slow, disbelieving laugh. The laugh turned into a giggle, then grew louder until he threw his head back and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“I’M GOING TO BE A FATHER!”

His voice echoed across the area, even reaching towards the point where there was an ongoing feast.

Katherine’s eyes went wide, and her face turned red. She grabbed his arm and hissed, “Shut up!”

But Piers was grinning. He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “Why would I shut up? This is the best news I’ve ever gotten in my life!”

Katherine shook her head. “You’re impossible.”

Piers laughed again, then pulled her into a tight embrace and held her there for a long moment.

“I can’t believe it,” he murmured. “We’re going to have a baby.”

Katherine didn’t respond right away. She stayed in his arms, but her expression grew more serious. When she finally pulled back, there was worry in her eyes.

Piers noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?”

Katherine hesitated, then said quietly, “I’m worried I won’t know how to be a mother.”

Piers frowned. “What do you mean?”

She looked down at her hands. “Selene and I… we didn’t have a great one growing up. I don’t know if I’ll be any better.”

Piers placed both hands on her shoulders and made her look at him. “You’re going to be fine.”

Katherine shook her head. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do,” Piers said. “Because I know you. You’re strong, you’re caring, and you never give up. You’re going to be an amazing mother.”

Katherine’s eyes softened, and she felt the tension in her chest ease just a bit. She managed a small smile. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Piers said. Then he grinned. “And besides, if you ever need help, I’ll be there. We’ll figure it out together.”

Katherine let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Then she nodded. “Okay.”

Piers pulled her into another embrace, and this time, she didn’t pull away.

——

When they returned to the Ravens Grave table, Piers was still grinning like a bumbling fool.

The moment they sat down, he stood back up and raised his cup high. “Everyone! I have an announcement!”

The entire table turned to look at him.

Katherine’s eyes went wide. “Piers, don’t—”

But he was already speaking. “Katherine and I are going to have a baby!”

The table erupted into cheers and applause. Elena clapped her hands together, beaming. Aeris let out a loud whoop. Rin grinned and raised her cup.

Oliver, who was sitting across from them, laughed and said, “Your loud shout earlier pretty much told every continent already.”

The table burst into laughter.

Katherine shook her head amusingly.

Piers sat back down beside her, still grinning. He leaned over and kissed her temple. “See? Everyone’s happy for us.”

Katherine couldn’t help but smile.

——

As the night deepened, Adam stood from the high table.

The moment he rose, the entire gathering fell silent and every eye turned toward the All-Father.

“Once again, Champions of the Holy Grail War,” he began. “You have fought well, and Tomorrow, Stage Two begins..

I know that the kingdoms of Valaross already understand how Stage Two will proceed. You will face each other in battle, kingdom against kingdom, until only two remain.”

Kings and rulers exchanged glances and Champions leaned forward in their seats.

Adam raised his index finger,

“But I am adding one more rule,” he said. “After the first round of battles, the kingdom with the most impressive victory will be exempt from the second round. They will be sent directly to the final match.”

The crowd erupted into shocked whispers.

Adam’s voice continued through the noise. “The second round will then determine the victor who will face that kingdom in the final battle.”

Oberon’s eyes narrowed as he processed the announcement.

Adam’s voice rang out once more. “The battles for Stage Two will begin at noon tomorrow. Prepare yourselves.”

Then he sat back down, and the feast resumed.

But the atmosphere had changed. The champions were no longer just celebrating. They were already planning.

——

Far from the Citadel, in a pocket dimension that existed somewhere at the edge of the universe, Zephron was floating in midair.

Around him, a translucent orb of distorted space held him in place. He couldn’t move nor couldn’t speak, and could only watch.

A short distance away, Aiden floated as well, seated in a meditative position. His eyes were closed, and his expression was calm.

Beside him, the green pendant that had once belonged to Zephron hovered in the air. It glowed faintly, pulsing with energy.

Aiden had spent the past several hours analyzing the pendant. He had studied its structure, its magic, its connection to the Ninth Ruler.

And now, he was doing something more.

He was tracking it.

The pendant’s concealing effect was powerful, but it wasn’t perfect. Every enchantment left a trace, a residue of energy that could be followed if one knew how to look for it.

And Aiden knew exactly how to look.

He extended his consciousness outward, following the faint thread of energy that connected the pendant to its source. It was like tracing a line through the void.

For a moment, Aiden’s awareness touched something.

A presence.

A massive, overwhelming presence.

It was the same greenish mass of energy. The Ninth Ruler.

But the moment he made contact, he was violently forced out.

Aiden’s eyes opened up, and a grin spread across his face.

He knew the Ruler was resisting his track. He could feel the pushback, the force trying to sever his connection.

But he also knew something else.

This wasn’t the Ninth Ruler’s world. This was the Seventh Universe. And here, Aiden had the advantage.

She couldn’t keep resisting forever.

Aiden closed his eyes again and returned to the track.

——

In a different part of the world, where the strange man walked through an abandoned ruin.

His black robes trailed behind him as he moved, and the green pendant around his neck glowed .

Then, suddenly, a voice spoke.

It was the same feminine, layered voice he had heard before. The voice of the Ninth Ruler.

“My servant,” the voice said. “You must return. Now.”

The man stopped in his tracks. “Master?”

“The King of Dragons is onto you,” the voice said. “He has obtained a piece from a miscreant I left behind long ago. I cannot resist his track for much longer. You must flee.”

The man’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The voice continued, “He is pushing all his power against my influence, and there is only so much I can do from here.”

The man nodded. He reached for the pendant around his neck and stretched his hand forward, preparing to open a portal.

A swirling green portal began to form in the air before him. It opened just a crack, then suddenly slammed shut.

The man’s eyes went wide. He tried again, channeling more energy into the pendant.

The portal flickered, then collapsed.

“What’s happening?” the man said, his voice rising with panic.

There was a long pause. Then the voice spoke again.

“It’s too late,” the Ninth Ruler said. “The Dragon King has locked space in his universe.”

The man’s eyes widened in horror.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

——

A/N

Despite how slow this got. I want to genuinely thank you all who have actually followed it to this point.

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