Sanctuary: Safe Haven

As soon as Dravos stepped out of the portal, he was back again in the ruins of Clan Varran's arena. It had been a long day, and so much had transpired in such a short span. His body was weary, but his mind was still sharp and focused on what needed to be done.

Kargan, his son, was already waiting, nervously pacing back and forth. "I've been waiting for you, father!" Kargan called out, but before he could say more, Dravos levitated off the ground and flew away, leaving behind a stunned and disbelieving son. Kargan stood frozen, unsure of what to make of it.

Following Dravos out of the portal were Varya, Lira, and the rest of the elites. Their faces showed exhaustion, but their composure was intact. They looked as though they had just awakened from a long rest, rather than the grueling battles they had endured. Without a word, they bowed to Kargan, then dispersed in different directions. Only Varya and Lira remained with the clan leader.

"Sera, got get some rest," Varya said softly, her voice betraying the exhaustion in her bones. "It's been a long day, and you need it." Sera didn't respond, she too quickly went in her own way after Vera's words.

Kargan, still in disbelief, shook his head. "My father just returned, and yet he immediately left again. He has a duty to report to the clan on what happened, yet he flew off without a word! What is going on?"

Lira, ever composed, replied, "Time is short, Kargan. He has only one hour to stop any further bloodshed. Canna's forces are striking again."

Kargan's brow furrowed, his confusion deepening. "Striking again? What do you mean? Are those troops in white robes his?"

Both Varya and Lira nodded solemnly, but they remained tight-lipped about further details.

"WELL?" Kargan shouted, his frustration boiling over. He felt as though he were being kept in the dark, and his own subordinates were reluctant to give him the answers he needed.

Lira sighed, glancing at Varya before speaking. "They're like monsters in human clothing, Kargan. Ruthless, efficient. Their auras and skills alone are comparable to those of royal guards. They are not to be underestimated."

Kargan's face twisted in disbelief. "What are you saying? I thought they were just a few hundred troops."

Varya, her voice low and grave, spoke next. "Those were the troops. But the beasts—they're a different matter entirely."

Kargan fired question after question and Varya and Lira did their best to explain.

____________________

On the walls of the royal stronghold, Saint Dravos stood before King Aerys Khall. Gathered with the king were the rest of the kingdom's saints, including those from Clan Drakengarde and Clan Skarn. The upper echelons of the kingdom were all present, eager to hear Dravos' report.

"I have come to warn you all," Dravos began, his voice resonating through the grand hall. "Call off your forces now. Canna's troops will strike again in one hour. If they meet resistance, no one will be spared. They will die."

Murmurs rippled through the room. Some were skeptical, others indignant. One man, a noble involved in the kingdom's politics, scoffed. "We're supposed to fear an outsider like Canna? He's no different from the Black Thorn. He should be hunted down just the same."

Another politician chimed in, "We cannot allow someone like him to run free, especially after what has happened. We don't even know what his true intentions are."
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But the saints remained silent. Finally, the king spoke, his gaze fixed on the other saints. "What do you suggest we do? Is this Canna truly a threat to us?"

The saints exchanged glances before one of them stepped forward, a saint from Clan Drakengarde. "Canna's people are unlike any we've encountered. Despite being attacked from all sides by adventurers and clans, they only incapacitated those affiliated with the kingdom's forces. Every one of them, without fail, focused on killing the Black Thorn and knocking out the others."

Another saint, this one from Clan Skarn, nodded in agreement. "I fought against Vorgrim, one of Canna's top warriors. He could've fought with me several times over, but he didn't. His attacks were only meant to keep me at bay, while he focused on his true target."

The saint from Clan Drakengarde spoke again. "The white-haired man—Canna—he was fighting Solenne. I attacked him directly, but he didn't return my strikes. He dodged and intercepted, only attacking Solenne."

The room fell silent, the words of the saints weighing heavily on everyone. The political figures who had earlier called for Canna to be hunted down looked uneasy, but they still held their ground.

"Why should we show mercy to someone who hasn't sworn loyalty to the crown?" one nobleman argued. "If we don't act now, we'll regret it later."

Dravos chuckled suddenly, his laughter drawing the attention of the entire room. His booming voice filled the hall. "You still don't understand, do you?" He glanced around, his gaze locking on each person who had spoken against Canna. "I've delivered my message. If you want to send your soldiers to die, then be my guest." Dravos then started to walk outside the throne room.

The king's face tightened in anger. "Dravos, you dare speak like this? Come back here!"

Dravos, still walking towards the exit of the throne room, stopped and turned around to look at the king.

"You and your forefathers swore an oath of allegiance to this kingdom, Dravos!," the king's voice echoed through the hall.

Dravos' expression remained calm. "Do you know how long it took for Canna to map out the Black Thorn's entire network and hideouts? To plan and execute a strike that crippled an enemy we've been struggling to deal with for years?"

The king said nothing, his eyes narrowing.

"Three days," Dravos continued, his voice cold and steady. "It took him three days to do what we've failed to do for decades. He dismantled their operations, rescued their hostages, and killed their leader. Let that sink in."

Dravos turned once more, making his way toward the exit, his voice echoing in the hall. "As of today, I am no longer part of Clan Varran. Consider me an exile." He paused at the doorway, casting one final look back at the king. "I've found a better reason to fight."

With those words, Dravos left the room, his thoughts consumed by the memory of the people Flora had rescued—the broken, weary souls who had been saved by the sanctuary. He had seen something that day, something that had changed him.

Canna had given him a new purpose, and he was no longer bound by the chains of loyalty to a kingdom that couldn't see the greater good in what Canna was trying to achieve.

Dravos stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the cool night air. His decision was final.