“Don't cry, listen to me. You can never show them that you're weak, the world we live in preys on those who make themselves vulnerable. Your gift is also your curse. Because of that, you will work harder and train harder than anyone in this kingdom. You may not understand now but I assure you, one day you will. I pray that when that day comes, you will also forgive me for putting this burden on you.” It's been three weeks since the death of King Anapan. Like all the great dragon kings, his body was cremated in the throat of the dragon, a long cave with its openings shaped like a dragon's mouth opened wide. The entire kingdom was flowing with black banners and bells were ringing, signifying its grief for the loss of its great king.The ashes were kept in a crimson vase with golden dragons flowing around it as if guarding the king, they were placed inside the crypts underneath the castle. It was placed on top of a pedestal and below it, the king's armor stood sentry while holding his sword. His name etched on stone and placed on the pedestal. The crypt was dark and cold yet warmed by the freshly lit lanterns for the recently departed king. There he will rest with his father and forefathers, whispering in the dark about what has been and what will be.

Atop the crypts, hooded figures conspire in the shadows. “The old king is dead, the new one will be soon enough. But not yet, not yet..” The taller figure spoke. “And what of her wife?” The shorter figure asked. “They should have stayed out of this. The peace treaty was an unexpected hiccup, she should have been my wife! And she will be!” The taller figure roared. “The new king will either die by my hands or by the hands of her own people. It all depends on her wife's decision.” The figures vanished as the cold wind howls.

Kim was stricken by the death of her father, yet she cannot mourn as much as she needs. She is king now and they are at war. The darklings are closing in on the Wall and she has been busy preparing the men and evacuating the towns around it. She read King Arkom's letter over and over again.

“Your Grace, I am sorry for the loss of your father. He saved my life, his sword slashed death away from me and for that I am truly grateful and sorry. I shall honor his memory by helping you defend Dhiratva and purge the land of this dark beings. Pardon my absence, I must return to Vithara. The attack on us in the riverlands made me realize the power of this beings, I must prepare Vithara. I need to educate my men on how to defend themselves and I will educate you as well. The darklings know about our strategy, how they knew about it, I'm not really sure. We cannot fight them on the fields, man to man combat is futile. We must fight them near our walls. They use ambush tactics and they always attack in the dark, they take advantage of their natural camouflage and their speed. The lit walls will give them no cover and limit their movement. Another thing Your Grace, the creature that killed your father was a black knight. He was stronger and more intelligent than all the hordes. It seems to me that he is this Dark Necromancer that we are looking for. Fire seems to weaken him, that is all I know for now. I pray this counsel will help you defend Dhiratva until I come back with a much larger force. I left General Van and a hundred men as personal guard to my family. Please take care of them while I'm gone. Again, Your Grace, I am truly sorry for your loss. He was family too. Signed, Arkom of House Kurma King of Vithara.”

The fact that Van was always with Pie burdened her chest more but she needs to prepare. The enemy is at their doorstep, she cannot afford any distractions. She was at the Wall and she can't go back to the palace yet, Zee and his father is with her, they called upon the banners of the Dhiratvanian Lords, all with great numbers of hosts behind them.

The palace was not any different from the Wall, the servants stench with fear. The thought of war on their doorstep made them restless, as well as the lords and ladies in the court. Pie feared more. Upon the news of the King's death, Kim seemed very different. She understood her, yet she felt lost. They spoke very little about the issue because Kim was always in war councils, the generals demanded her attention day and night. On the eve of Kim's departure, Pie took on the courage to confront Kim. “Kim, don't shut me out. You know I love you right?” Pie hugged Kim and rested her head on her chest. “I know that Pie, it's just that.. for now, I cannot weep, I cannot be weak. The people look up to me now and war is upon us. I'm sorry Pie.” Kim wrapped her arms around Pie and kissed her passionately, she untied Pie's gown and laid her on the bed. She got on top her and spread Pie's arms, she held both her hands their fingers in between of each other and kissed her lips, then her neck. Pie squirmed upon Kim's kisses an she lets go of Kim's hand and wrapped them around Kim's body, her nails buried on Kim's back. Their bodies heat up, the cold weather in the mountains didn't seem to cool down the lovers' passion. The next day, Kim left for the Wall and has been there ever since.

It was the eve of Kim's fourth week in the Wall, the snow fall is unforgiving and the moon and stars were nowhere to be seen. Kim wore her red and gold armor with her black fur coat, she walks around the wall, watching every movement below it. Suddenly, out of nowhere, black arrows start to rain on the wall, many of it failed to hit anyone. Kim ordered her archers and infantry men to get ready, on archer shot a flaming arrow into the air and landed on oiled hays that were placed along the wall, fire spread within seconds revealing the enemy's number. Kim then ordered to shoot on of the catapults loaded with a vase with burning oil, the vase flew hundreds of yards away and lit the filed at the back. Horror struck Kim and her men when they saw the thousands of darklings, around them and in the middle was the Black Knight. Fear turned into anger “Archers.” Kim said to Duke Keenan and he shouted the command “Aaaarchers!” Quickly, the archers lit their arrows and draw them with their bows. “Ready lance and infantry, followed by cavalry. Boy, fetch me my horse.” Kim gave the command to Zee and to the squire behind him. Zee looked at Kim with disbelief and gave the commands to the generals on the ground. Kim looked fiercely at her enemy, yet she focused on this Black Knight. “Loose.” She commanded. The archers rained fire on the darkling, about half of them fell and burned, yet in a matter of seconds they stood back up. They howled like wild things and the Black Knight commanded them to advance, yet the wall of burning hays seemed to obstruct the darklings. The gates opened and the army positioned themselves in turtle formation. The Black Knight shouted a command with a language unknown to anyone. The darklings' fear of fire suddenly disappeared and they all advanced on the the army. As they close in, the archers keep shooting flaming arrows at them, while the darkling archers shoots at wall too, killing two to three men at a time. The darklings clashed on the shields of the soldiers and they started to pound at them, the soldiers pushed them back and slashed them with spear and sword. On the left and right flank, the cavalry charged in, pinning the darkling in the middle. Kim was on horse back, she slashed her way through the darklings until she found the Black Knight. She tried to slash it but it caught her sword, causing her to fall from the horse. The Black Knight held Kim's sword, now she was only armed with her dagger. The Black Knight unmounted it's horse and walked towards her and threw her sword at her feet, it then signaled Kim to get the sword then it unsheathed its black blade. The Black Knight stood almost as tall as Kim yet it seemed larger, then they started to clash their swords. Kim tries to keep up with her enemy, its strength was not human, its hits sway her arms like a large hammer. Then she was caught off guard, it cuts through her right arm's armor. She was bleeding, the wound seems to burn, she grunts and remembered her father's words when she broke her arm in sword play when she was a child “Don't cry.. You can never show them you're weak.” Her eyes became fierce and her body fueled with anger and rage, she grabbed her sword with her left hand and raised it, the Black Knight advances and she found a shattered burning oil jar, in a split second, she bathed her sword in the flames and slashed it at the Black Knight's head. The blade went through like hot knife on butter and decapitated the Black Knight. Its head fell on the ground followed by the body, the darklings howled as the soldiers continue the to strike them. Kim walked towards the head and removes the visor. She saw a boy, years younger than her, it shocked her yet she felt no remorse. “He killed father and many of our men.” She thought. She then looked at field that was bleeding with black and red, the sun was rising and the enemies are dying. “It was a good day.” Kim whispered then she fell on her knees, the wound has taken a toll on her. The soldiers carried her back to the Wall and to the royal physicians, they gave Kim sedatives and cleaned her wound. “Your Grace, the Queen will want to hear this news from you. A few days in the palace will do you good. You earned it.” Zee said to Kim. “I miss Pie as well. Ready my horse for departure, I will leave this evening.” Then one physician came out of the room “The King is going to live!” He shouted. The soldiers raised their arms and started cheering, Kim could hear them like music in her ears, it made her smile.

In the darkness of an old castle ruins, anger and hatred filled its halls. “This was not supposed to happen! You said they did not have that information, you were at the war council! Now your brother is dead and his blood is on you.” “Father I will make this right, I'll strike Kim's heart. I know how.” Then both of them recite in a prayer in the old necromancer language, souls flow in the ruins and aroka jivas rise from the earth. The battle has been won yet the war in not over.