Lukas crossed the gates of the Dmond Mansion with heavy steps.

The morning sun was already high, bathing the gardens in warm golden light, but his body felt as though it carried the weight of the entire sleepless night.

Every muscle ached, every joint creaked, and his eyes burned as if they had been rubbed with sand.

Tilbo walked beside him, his metallic carapace reflecting the sunlight in silvery patterns. The giant ant also seemed exhausted, its antennae lowered, its movements slower than usual.

Prata silently moved through the shadows of the trees, her silver body nearly invisible among the trunks. Astra remained quietly perched on his shoulder, her golden eyes half-closed.

The smell of smoke and burnt flesh still clung to his clothes, a bitter, persistent odor that seemed to have seeped into his skin. He knew he would need a long bath to get rid of it.

Aurora was the first to appear at the mansion’s main entrance. Her violet eyes widened when she saw the state of her son, his clothes stained with soot, the deep dark circles beneath his eyes, his posture bent from exhaustion.

Without saying a word, she hurried down the steps and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"Thank the heavens, you came back unharmed," she murmured, holding him tightly against her chest.

Judite came right behind her, barefoot and with her hair still messy from sleep, a pillow mark visible on her cheek.

"Lukas! What happened? Is Father alright?"

Lukas let out a long, weary sigh. Together, they entered the main hall, where the scent of fresh bread and hot tea had already begun to spread. The dark wooden furniture looked more welcoming than ever.

"The night was... intense," he began, sitting heavily in a chair.

"The rats attacked in great numbers. Hundreds. Maybe thousands. But Master Thorne’s traps and the earth wall he created held them back. Father and the others didn’t even have to fight directly. Almost everything was handled through magic."

Aurora served him a bowl of hot broth and placed fresh bread before him. Her movements were calm, but the concern on her face was unmistakable, a subtle tension around her eyes.

"And your father?"

"He decided to stay in the village with Master Thorne and the guards. He probably won’t return today, not even tonight. They need to keep the defenses strong to stop the horde from advancing closer to the mansion. The Rat King is testing our strength."

Judite’s eyes widened, but Aurora gently placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her with a soft touch.

"Is he alright?" his mother asked quietly.

"Yes. Tired, but alright. Thorne too. The traps worked even better than we expected."

They talked for a few more minutes. Lukas answered what he could, avoiding the more horrifying details so as not to frighten his sister.

He did not mention the charred corpses, the agonizing squeals, or the smell of burnt flesh that still seemed to cling to his nostrils. Aurora listened attentively, nodding from time to time, her fingers intertwined in her lap.

When he finished the broth, Lukas felt his eyelids grow as heavy as lead.

"I’m going upstairs to sleep," he said, slowly getting to his feet.

"I can feel my body begging for rest. Staying awake all night has taken its toll."

Aurora gently stroked his white hair, her soft fingers undoing the tangles left by the wind and exertion.

"Go. Rest as long as you need. I’ll take care of everything here."

Lukas climbed the stairs with Tilbo, Prata, and Astra following close behind. The wooden steps creaked beneath his feet, while beams of golden sunlight streamed through the windows.

The moment he entered his room, he closed the door, removed his boots, and collapsed onto the bed. The mattress felt softer than ever, the sheets cooler than ever. Exhaustion overcame every thought. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

While Lukas slept, the mansion remained busy.

Aurora went down to the kitchen, where Helga, the head cook, was already at work. The sturdy middle-aged woman stirred a large cauldron as fragrant steam spiraled upward. The aroma of vegetables, meat, and herbs filled the room.

"Helga, we need to prepare food to take to the village," Aurora said, with the calm authority of someone accustomed to organizing emergencies.

"Clavor, Master Thorne, and the guards have been there since yesterday. They need something warm and nourishing."

"Leave it to me, my lady," Helga replied with a firm nod.

"I’ll prepare a hearty stew, fresh bread, cheese, and dried fruit. I can also send some herbal tea to help them recover their strength."

The two worked side by side for nearly an hour. The kitchen became a center of activity, with pots bubbling, knives chopping vegetables, and the sound of bread being kneaded.

Aurora helped pack everything into large baskets, adding clean bandages, burn ointments, and a wineskin filled with diluted wine.

Once everything was ready, she decided to deliver the food herself.

"I’ll go," she told Helga.

"I want to see my husband with my own eyes."

Accompanied by two armed servants from the mansion, Aurora followed the trail toward Hill Village. The closer they came, the more the air changed. A heavy smell of burning, blood, and death lingered on the wind, so thick it almost seemed tangible.

When they reached the edge of the village, the sight made her stop.

Hundreds, no, thousands, of rat corpses were piled outside the earth wall. Charred, pierced, crushed bodies. Macabre heaps rose like small mountains. Smoke still drifted lazily from some of the corpses, and the ground was stained dark with dried blood.

Aurora felt a chill run down her spine. Her hands tightened around the basket.

Clavor spotted her from afar and quickly climbed down from the wall. Despite the obvious exhaustion on his face, deep dark circles beneath his eyes and more pronounced wrinkles, he smiled when he saw his wife.

"Aurora... you didn’t have to come personally."

"I did," she replied, handing him the basket.

"You all need to eat and recover your strength."

While the guards and Thorne gratefully accepted the food, Clavor gently pulled Aurora aside.

"Don’t worry," he said, taking her hands in his.

"Today was relatively peaceful. The defenses held. But tonight will be harder. The Rat King now knows all of my traps. Even so... we’ll endure. By tomorrow morning, Count Hark should arrive with reinforcements. Then we’ll be able to hunt down the creature itself."

Aurora looked once more at the sea of corpses, fear plainly visible in her eyes.

"Take care of yourself, Clavor. Please."

"I always do. Go back to the mansion. Take care of the children. Lukas needs to rest. He stayed awake the entire night."

Thorne, who had just finished eating, stood up and immediately returned to work.

This time, he wasn’t reinforcing the same traps. The mage was creating new ones. Deeper trenches engraved with different runes, chain-collapse traps, and denser fire barriers. His mastery over Earth and Fire was being put to the test once again.

Aurora remained for a few more minutes, watching her husband and the old mage. Then, with a lighter heart though still worried, she said her goodbyes and returned to the mansion with the servants.

The sun continued its journey across the sky. Lukas slept soundly in his room, unaware of the activity surrounding him.

His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and his eyes moved rapidly beneath his eyelids, dreaming of something he would not remember upon waking.

Tilbo rested in the corner, his metallic carapace gleaming faintly. Prata wove a protective web across the ceiling, her silvery threads forming intricate patterns. Astra slept beside the boy’s pillow, her head tucked beneath one wing.

The room was silent, illuminated only by the sunlight streaming through the window. None of the three beasts stirred. No sound disturbed Lukas’s rest.

The true darkness was yet to come, but for now, Dmond Mansion maintained its fragile peace.