The sun rose over Eldros Vale, casting golden light upon a city that had once been shadowed by eternal dusk. Stone buildings intertwined with living trees. Floating lanterns pulsed with soft magic. Children of every race laughed in the markets, and the scent of fruit pies, roasted meat, and spell-infused honey filled the air.
But at the heart of the bustling city, in the marble plaza of the newly built Unity Hall, a crowd had gathered.
They weren't cheering for Kai Dragon.
They weren't gathering for Nocthera.
They had come for someone else.
A young man stepped forward—only a little over five feet tall, lean but sturdy, with pale blue skin, fanged teeth, and glowing crimson eyes. He wore a cloak woven from both moonthread and shadow, and at his side hung a twin-bladed saber etched with both blood and starlight.
He bowed deeply to the gathered people. His voice rang out with confidence.
"My name is Valen Nightmoor… son of a vampire and an elf. Born in the ashes of the Wastes. Raised by both the light and the night. And I stand before you today not as a warrior…"
He raised his head, eyes gleaming.
"But as your future king."
---
The Making of a Halfling
Valen had been one of the first Halflings born after Kai restored the souls of the undead. His mother, Lady Serivale, had been a noble vampire priestess. His father, Caelen, was an Aether elf—a historian who had journeyed to Eldros Vale after the peace was restored.
Valen's early childhood was unusual. He drank blood and water with equal ease. He studied necromancy and holy magic alike. And by the time he was ten, he had already mastered four magic types: Blood, Necromancy, Light, and Spirit.
But Valen wasn't interested in war.
He wandered. He studied. He helped build.
And then, he listened.
He heard the cries of Ghoul merchants longing for political protection. He heard the Banshee seers begging for magical regulation. He heard the Draugr farmers desperate for fair trade with the outer realms.
Eldros Vale was peaceful—but not yet whole.
They had no leader of their own. No voice in the Grand Realm Council.
And so Valen decided to become that voice.
Not for glory.
Not for conquest.
But for the dream Kai had given them.
---
A King Emerges
Kai watched the speech from the balcony above Unity Hall, arms crossed, smiling faintly. Beside him, Queen Sylvaeon, Chief Ralya, and even Emperor Augustos leaned forward to listen.
"He's charismatic," Ralya growled. "Speaks like a chief."
"His presence carries weight," Sylvaeon agreed. "And a strange balance."
Augustos narrowed his eyes. "He's dangerous."
Kai shook his head. "No. He's ready."
Below, Valen continued.
"I do not seek to rule with a crown alone. I seek a council of reborn races, where Vampires, Draugrs, Halflings, Ghouls, Wights, Phantoms, Banshees, Wraiths, and Liches each have a seat—each have a say."
He raised his sword high.
"Let the old world of kings and conquerors fade. Let the new era be one of councils, rights, and unity!"
The cheers shook the plaza.
Wights banged shields. Phantoms flared their auras. Even the aloof Liches nodded in approval.
---
The Crown of Light and Shadow
Later that evening, in a private ceremony inside Kai's Pocket Dimension, the new Council of Nine assembled. Each race had sent a representative—some veterans of the past, others newly chosen by their kin.
At the center stood Valen, clad in ceremonial robes of both ivory and black. A silver circlet rested in Kai's hands—infused with Holy and Blood Magic.
"This crown," Kai began, "is not for dominance. It is a symbol of balance. Light and shadow. Living and reborn. Past and future."
He placed it gently on Valen's head.
"With this, I recognize you as the First King of the Reborn."
A soft light pulsed through the crown, responding to Valen's soul.
Magic accepted him. The land accepted him. Even the dimension itself hummed in harmony.
Valen turned to the council, tears in his eyes.
"We are not monsters. We are not broken. We are the future."
---
Dreams and Whispers
That night, as the city of Eldros Vale celebrated once more, Kai sat beneath a moonlit tree, quietly watching the stars.
He had thought his mission was complete. The realms were united. Peace had been achieved. A new generation had risen to take the mantle.
But then… he heard it.
A whisper.
Soft. Faint.
Not from this world.
Not from any world he knew.
A warning.
"They've seen your light… and they are coming."
Kai stood up slowly.
His golden eyes scanned the stars.
"…Who?" he whispered.
But there was no answer.
Only silence—and the gentle flicker of the stars beyond the edges of the multiverse.