Shrouded from below by a curtain of clouds was a small valley of verdant green. Waterfalls cascaded down from the mountain that surrounded the valley on all sides and ran into a gentle river that cut through the center of the valley. Flower petals dropped down from the branches of bountiful fruit trees, coating the green grass in a layer of pink and orange. It was an idyllic scene ripped straight from a fairy tale.

Built off to one side of the valley was a tiny village. It was more of a spattering of a few dozen houses than any proper civilization. No roads could be seen heading in or out of the valley. It was a place completely cut off from the rest of the world.

“Welcome to Bellator,” I said with a big smile as the tiny town came into view.

“This is what we came here for?” Charly asked in disbelief, “Even our village back home was bigger than this.”

“Do not judge Bellator by its size. The waters here run deeper than you think.” I replied with a shrug.

“Stagnant, rotten water,” Sebastion mumbled as he looked at the city in the distance, “I had hoped I would never return here.”

“Don’t be like that Sebastion. This is still your home after all. Even if you do not want to admit it, there are still people here that care about you.

I heard Sebastion mumble something obscene under his breath. His face was dark and for a moment it felt like he might attack me but after a few seconds, his bloodlust faded. He fell silent and did not say anything more.

I shrugged at Sebastion’s attitude and turned to Donte. “Keep the Dragon’s Nest below the edge of the mountains. We will walk the rest of the way. This is a place of peace and a giant floating island would disrupt that.”

Donte nodded and the island bumped up against the edge of the nearby mountain before coming to a stop. Everyone was interested in why I wanted to come here. So, I allowed them to follow me as I walked down the mountain into the valley. Even Sebastion followed though, it was clear he was hesitant. If I did not know any better, I would even say he looked scared. Nine outsiders suddenly appearing in the village would cause more disruption than I would like but I could not think of a reason to refuse them from tagging along.

“It is so quiet here,” Donte said as he walked beside me, “I thought most domain warriors became kings and generals. Why would they come to a place like this?”

“To hide,” Sebastion said gruffly.

I rolled my eyes at Sebastion and interjected. “The war with the Demons has raged on for over a thousand years. However, not everyone can be like my teacher, who is consumed by his mission. Most people cannot handle the decades or centuries of carnage and death. I built Bellator as a respite from the endless horrors of war. Others followed me here, men and women who hoped to build some semblance of a life away from the bloodshed.”

“Then the people here are all veterans of the Thirteen Divisions?” Dad remarked in surprise.

“Originally, yes.” I replied, “But Bellator has existed for nearly three hundred years now. Many children like Sebastion have been born here. People come and go as they please so, I have no idea how many actual veterans are here now.”

“Not that they would be much help if they were,” Sebastion said.

“Why is that?” Donte asked.

“Many of those that come here are… broken,” I replied slowly, “We can heal their bodies but only time can mend their souls. They suffer from what they have seen and what they have done. That is part of the reason why it is so important to maintain the peace here. Just remember from this point onwards do not act violently, no matter what.”

As I spoke, we descended the mountain and entered the valley. Flowering trees surrounded us on all sides. Birds sang songs to each other that echoed through the branches. Despite all the troubles that plagued my mind, I felt all my stress fade away as I walked. Memories of happier times flashed before my mind as I remembered a small girl's smile. I could almost hear Lucia's laughter through the rustle of the trees.

“I spent many years here as well,” I said as I reminisced about the past, “When I died, it often took a year or two before I could regain my full strength. I always came here during that time. When the war became too much for me, this is where I retreated. It is more of a home to me than the palace ever was. Sometimes, I wish I had never left.”

After some time walking through the beautiful forest, the village came into view. The river from the nearby waterfalls ran right through the center of the town. The houses were small but all very well made. Many of them were painted in bright colors that stood out from the sea of flowers nearby. It was a tranquil place but I could understand why Sebastion hated it here. It was a small town where nothing ever changed. He was not wrong about it being stagnant. It was how I designed it; a moment forever frozen in time.

A child that had been playing nearby openly stared at us as we walked past. It was likely we were the first outsiders he had ever seen before. Soon, many others also began to notice us. The young people looked at us as if we were exotic animals, while the elderly just scowled at our passing as if we were intruding on their day.

As we passed by the first of the houses, I spotted a middle-aged man sitting on his front porch. His eyes were empty as he stared into space mumbling to himself. I paused and picked a flower from a nearby bush. Walking over to the man, I placed the flower in his lap. The man did not acknowledge my presence but that was ok. I gave the man a bright smile and patted his hand three times before returning to my family. They looked at me strangely but I did not feel it was necessary to explain.

I led everyone to the only building in town that did not look like a house. It was a bright red two-story building with blue pillars on either side of the door. I had always thought the design was garish but getting the old man that owned it to change anything was like pulling teeth. I had given up trying to convince him of anything ages ago.

I pushed open the door to reveal a brightly lit tavern. Spotless empty tables and chairs dotted the room near a crackling fireplace. There was only a single other person in the tavern. It was not the old man I was expecting, but surprisingly a young girl in her mid-teens with auburn hair and bright green eyes.

However, my surprise was nothing compared to hers when nine strangers entered the building. “W—welcome to the Drunken Folly,” She stuttered. It was likely the first time she had ever uttered those words to a stranger.

Without waiting for the girl to say anything, I walked into the tavern and took a seat near the fireplace. Everyone except for Sebastion followed me inside. He instead stood in the doorway, looking down at the floor. I could see the indecision on his face.

It was only when the girl spoke again that he was broken free of his reverie. “Um… we serve food and alcohol for the town… is there something you want?”

“Plum wine,” I replied.

Dad looked at me with a disapproving glance. “Wren, you are still too young to be drinking hard alcohol.”

“This is a special occasion, plum wine,” I said firmly as I stared unflinchingly back at my dad.

“One glass will not hurt her,” Mom said as she laid her hand on Dad’s knee.

“Fine, one glass.” Dad relented with a sigh.

“I will also be staying in the jade pavilion,” I said to the girl.

“The what?” The girl asked in confusion.

I rubbed my temples in annoyance as the girl broke the template and did not reply as she was supposed to. It was clear she had no idea what I was talking about.

“Never mind,” I mumbled.

The girl looked at me strangely before explaining to everyone what the tavern had available. There was a variety of food but we had come before lunch so none of it was prepared yet. As the girl explained the menu, Sebastion stared at her intently. It was clear the intensity of his gaze was making her uncomfortable but Sebastion did not seem to care. As she was talking, he finally spoke, interrupting the girl.

“Where is the old man?”

“My dad is currently in the orchard. I can get him if you want.” The girl replied as she shuffled back anxiously.

“Your… Dad?” Sebastion said as his eyes went wide.

An awkward silence filled the room as the girl nodded nervously. It was interrupted when a door at the back of the tavern slammed open.

“I can’t remember the last time we had guests from out of town,” A loud voice bellowed out through the tavern. A man that looked to be in his seventies burst into the room with raucous laughter. At first glance, he was a pudgy man with a bit of a gut but when you looked closer, his arms were well defined with bulging muscles. He had a balding crown of auburn hair and a face with a striking resemblance to Sebastion.

The man had entered the tavern full of smiles but when he laid eyes on Sebastion all his mirth dropped away. “You brat, after fifty years, you have the nerve to just show up on my doorstep!”

“It is good to see you too,” Sebastion replied coldly.

“Dad, who is he?” the girl asked curiously.

“Tia, go wait in the kitchen,” the man said gruffly.

The girl looked scared as she scurried into the back of the building. The old man had his hands balled into fists as he approached Sebastion. “I thought I made it clear you were not welcome here anymore.

Sebastion did not speak as his domain filled the room. The old man did not back down as a domain of his own clashed. Under the pressure, one of the nearby tables splintered into a shower of broken wood.

I scowled in annoyance as I cleared my throat. “If you are going to fight, do it outside the valley.”

The old man paused as he turned to look at me. “You brought outsiders, Sebastion?”

I sighed and shook my head. “Bring me plum wine and the key to the jade pavilion.”

The old man’s eyes went wide as he looked at me. “What number is the key?”

“Thirteen.”

The old man’s domain disappeared in a flash as he knelt down on the floor. “Welcome back, Aurielle.”

“Do not bow to her,” Sebastion said as his face darkened.

The old man completely ignored Sebastion as he continued to kneel. “I hope you will forgive my previous outburst. I did not expect you to be with my sorry excuse of a son.”

Sebastion gave an annoyed grunt as he crossed his arms and looked down on his father. I felt a headache forming as I watched the two interact and motioned for the man to rise before tensions got worse.

“It is good to see you, Dom. I only wish it was under better circumstances. I am afraid I am here for a call to arms. Envy is attempting to invade the realm once again.”

The old man, Dom, grimaced as he rose to his feet. “So, the war drags us back once again. There are not many of us left to answer the call but unlike a certain someone… we remain loyal.”