A royal guard rushed inside the large, luxurious office space of King Helion Starfall.

The royal guard, Topher, the same one who had brought news to them the other time, went on his knees as he informed.... "I have brought terrible news, your majesties!"

Inside the room was King Helion Starfall, deep in discussion with his veiled ancestor, who was seated at the head table holding a cane, while Helion took a side seat.

With the guard’s announcement, both men already had a terrible premonition that it might be something about the fugitive Victor, whom they were both in the midst of discussing strategies to handle.

They both turned to the kneeling guard as Helion commanded....

"Quick, speak."

"Your majesties, the fugitive Victor has just broken his wife and daughter out of the underground dungeon, killing ten royal guards in the process."

"What ?!"

White Helion thundered in shock, the ancestor zapped out of the room at impossible speeds, leaving afterimages of himself behind.

After barely a minute, he walked at his normal pace back inside the room, leading with his cane.

"They are already gone."

"You..." he began saying, turning to the kneeling guard.

"Go bring a message to the assistant knight commander..."

"He should immediately empty the palace of all its standby soldiers and overturn every nook and cranny of this capital.... They can’t have gone far." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The ancestor commanded as the guard bowed low and ran out.

He walked back slowly to his seat, where the agitated Helion was waiting.

"How is this possible.... The enforcers....my father had planted several alerting artifacts in that entire space...."

"How come he keeps coming and going and doing as he pleases in our own palace!" Helion uttered, enraged with bulging muscles lining the top of his skull.

It felt like they were being made a mockery of by Victor, who had now robbed them twice.

Even the one leverage they had, his family, whom they had put on heavy watch and security, had also vanished, just like their wealth.

The ancestor said nothing for a few moments before he brought his hands and slowly proceeded to pull back his veil, revealing an old, withered face with a heavy moustache as white as snow dangling on top of his cracked lip.

His eyes were glossy and worn from use, just like the rest of his facial features. However, the most notable thing was that he was completely bald on the top.

Though enforcers are veiled from the public, it was different from the royal family, who knew who they were, or a few royal guards who were under binding oaths.

"I don’t think this matter is as simple as we first imagined...."

"And your father... he might actually be right for once," he said, stroking his furry moustache.

"Honored ancestor....you mean..."

"Yes. Someone must be assisting that Malverin. And they might be just as strong as I am..."

"Or...maybe even stronger."

Helion’s face was suddenly marred with dread.

Someone stronger than the ancestor would have fully crossed over into the transcend realm.

A realm where only two other kingdoms have those who have reached it. Making them the two top kingdoms.

Of course, there are rumors of reclusive ancient organizations that have those in that realm, but all that was based on speculation.

For those born in the world of Arleria, achieving transcendence was no small task.

Their ancestor was close to getting there, which would also soon put their kingdom on the same level as the other two.

But all that would be meaningless if Victor and his accomplice destroyed them before that time.

Their ancestor, the strongest in the kingdom, who was the leading symbol keeping the demon lord that borders their region in check, was now saying someone as strong as him must be operating with the former grand vizier.

But it still doesn’t quite make sense to Hellion...

"But, honored ancestor. If he really does have someone that powerful on his side.... Why go through all the struggle to be sneaky about it ?" Helion muttered in confusion.

The ancestor heaved in a large, heavy breath as he uttered in response.... "I really am not sure. But that’s the only explanation right now that would make all this make sense."

"Maybe this person is trying to avoid attention from the holy sea... Or is even on the run from there."

Hellion nodded thoughtfully at the possibility.

Unlike other kingdoms, the holy sea is rumored to possess several existences in the transcendent realm.

That’s why they’ve been able to maintain their position at the top of this world after several millennia.

If it were a fugitive from the holy sea, or from some powerful recluse group. Helion simply hopes they continue to act indirectly.

"What do we do now, honored ancestor ?. Do we.... Abandon hunting Victor down ?" Helion uttered dejectedly. But that was the only logical conclusion.

No one in their right mind would want to antagonize someone in the transcendent realm; that would be suicide.

"Have you lost your mind ?. Why would you ever stop hunting someone who stole all of our ancestral wealth ?" the ancestor replied curtly.

"But ancestor..."

"No buts. We must get what is ours..."

"Besides, no one has yet seen this elusive figure. So my analysis might just be wrong."

" We are starfalls.... We never concede!" he added with a fiery glare at Helion.

Helion nodded as the ancestor’s words resonated true.

Victor, for all they knew, might just be using a very powerful artifact at the transcendent level.

That an artifact would be able to accomplish all this was quite unlikely..... But it was a possibility.

As Hellion stood and made his way out of the room, heading for the throneroom.

He realised his mindset had changed quite a lot from when he was younger. He used to be very headstrong, but after suffering his still festering internal injuries from that battle, and after losing both his sons.....

Helion had always opted for the passive way, at least to keep his daughter safe.

But if all that Victor stole is not recovered, even with the duke’s assistance....

The people would soon riot as resources dwindle, and the mild starvation would go into overdrive...

"I need to find that madman.... I need to find him fast....."

"Before he ruins us all!."