I Died and Became a Noble's Heir

Chapter 288: The impending Storm

On a hill overlooking Sorne’s valley, far enough to be safe but close enough to see clearly, a luxurious tent had been erected.

Inside, Cassius Sunblade sat with his wife Lady Sunblade, their six-year-old daughter Violet, and their eldest daughter Aurora.

The tent’s interior was more comfortable than most noble manors, with cushioned seating, refreshments that wouldn’t have been out of place at a royal feast, and magical enchantments that maintained perfect temperature regardless of outside conditions.

But the tent’s main feature was the massive

projection showing Sorne’s walls and the approaching mercenary army, rendered with crystal clarity through magic that cost more than most families earned in a lifetime.

Cassius himself was everything one would expect from the head of House Sunblade.

His hair was golden blonde, his features carrying the kind of refined beauty that came from centuries of careful breeding.

At his side, a massive lion lounged with the casual confidence of an apex predator.

The creature’s mane shimmered with golden radiance, and its eyes held intelligence that transcended animal awareness.

A bonded beast, the result of House Sunblade’s legendary taming abilities.

Lady Sunblade was no less impressive, her own light magic creating a subtle halo that made her seem to glow even in the tent’s already well-lit interior.

She held Violet on her lap, the child’s blonde curls bouncing as she tried to understand what they were watching.

And Aurora...

Aurora Sunblade sat slightly apart, her expression distant despite being present. She was beautiful in a way that transcended mere physical appearance.

Her features carried an ethereal quality. She was wearing a white dress that made her hips pop out. And clung to her large breasts and firm ass.

No matter who you were, everyone knew Aurora Sunblade. Perfect face, skin tone, and figure. She was every man’s dream.

But her eyes held sadness that no amount of beauty could conceal.

She hadn’t spoken in years.

”Papa, what are we doing here?” Violet asked, her voice carrying innocent confusion. ”Why are we watching those men march?”

Cassius smiled at his youngest daughter, his hand gently stroking the lion’s mane as he considered how to explain. ”We’re here to watch Jack, sweetheart. To see how he responds to being threatened.”

”Jack Kaiser?” Violet’s face lit up with recognition. ”Aurora’s betrothed? The boy who was sleeping for a long time?”

”That’s right,” Cassius confirmed, his eyes tracking the projection with the focus of someone who’d fought in enough wars to understand what he was seeing.

”He woke up not long ago, and now his home is under attack. We want to see if he’s someone worthy of your sister.”

Lady Sunblade’s hand found Aurora’s, squeezing gently. Their eldest daughter’s expression didn’t change, but her fingers tightened in response, communicating without words the way she’d learned to do.

”Worthy how?” Violet pressed with the persistence of a child who needed everything explained. ”What makes someone worthy?”

”Strength,” Cassius replied, his tone becoming more serious. ”Not just physical power, though that matters. But strength of character. The will to protect what’s important. The courage to face overwhelming odds without breaking.”

His gaze shifted to Aurora, seeing the question in her eyes that she couldn’t voice.

”And we’re here to see if he’s someone who can break curses that shouldn’t exist. If he has the power and will to challenge even divine afflictions.”

Aurora’s hand moved to her throat, fingers tracing the skin where her voice had once resided before the curse had stolen it.

Her eyes held hope mixed with resignation. She’d heard promises before from healers and mages who claimed they could restore what was lost.

None had succeeded before.

”The curse on Aurora wasn’t natural,” Lady Sunblade explained to Violet, though her words were really meant for Aurora herself.

”A god’s punishment for something that wasn’t her fault. It would take someone with divine blessing, someone with enough power and determination, to even attempt breaking it.”

”And you think Jack can do it?” Violet asked with childish directness.

”We’re here to find out,” Cassius replied simply. ”If he demonstrates the kind of power I witnessed before. If he shows the will to protect his family against impossible odds, then perhaps he’s someone capable of the impossible.”

The projection showed Marcus’s forces continuing their advance, the distance between armies shrinking with each passing moment.

Sorne’s defenders held their positions, their discipline impressive despite being outnumbered more than two to one.

But there was no sign of Jack Kaiser on those walls, no purple or white lightning crackling in defense of his home.

”Where is he?” Lady Sunblade asked quietly, her voice carrying concern. ”Surely he knows his territory is under siege. Why hasn’t he appeared?”

”Perhaps he’s frightened,” Cassius suggested, though his tone indicated he didn’t believe it. ”Or perhaps he’s planning something that requires patience rather.”

Aurora’s hand moved with practiced gestures, the sign language she’d developed to communicate carrying meaning her voice no longer could.

Her parents understood immediately, having spent years learning to read her silent words.

”She says he’ll come,” Lady Sunblade translated for Violet’s benefit. ”That someone who killed a dragon wouldn’t hide from mercenaries, no matter how many.”

Cassius nodded his agreement, his eyes never leaving the projection. ”Then we wait. And we see if Jack Kaiser proves himself worthy of joining our family, or if we need to reconsider arrangements that were made to a dear friend.”

The lion at his side rumbled with anticipation. Its tail swished lazily, disturbing the luxurious carpets that covered the tent’s floor.

And on the projection, armies drew ever closer to the moment when war would begin in earnest and Jack Kaiser’s absence would either be explained or become damningly significant.

Aurora’s eyes stayed fixed on those distant walls, searching for any sign of the young man she’d been promised to, wondering if he would be the one to finally break the curse that had stolen her voice and left her trapped in silence.

-------

Dark clouds gathered overhead with unnatural speed, rolling across the sky like ink spilled across parchment.

Octavia stood on Sorne’s eastern wall, her golden eyes tracking the approaching storm.

Beside her, Celeste shifted her weight, one hand resting on the pommel of her sword as she watched Marcus’s forces continue their advance.

The mercenaries were perhaps half a mile out now, close enough that individual faces could be distinguished through the morning haze.

”Those clouds weren’t there five minutes ago,” Celeste observed grimly. ”That’s not natural.”

Octavia’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile but carried satisfaction nonetheless.

A soft sound escaped her throat. Celeste was close enough that she heard the noise and turned to face her sister.

”What’s wrong?” Celeste asked, her hand tightening on her sword hilt. ”What do you know that I don’t?”

”He took his sweet time getting here,” Octavia replied simply, her gaze never leaving the storm clouds that continued building with impossible speed.

The darkness overhead intensified, purple lightning beginning to dance between clouds.

The air itself seemed to vibrate with barely contained power, making the hair on every defender’s arms stand on end.

Then the sky split open with a defining crack.

A beam of pure white light descended from the heavens like divine judgment, so bright that defenders had to shield their eyes or risk being blinded.

The beam struck the ground between Sorne’s walls and Marcus’s advancing army with enough force to shake the earth itself.

”BOOM!”

Dust erupted from the impact point, creating a massive cloud that obscured everything for several seconds.

Marcus’s forces stumbled to a halt. Horses reared and screamed, their animal instincts recognizing divine power even if their riders couldn’t.

On Sorne’s walls, every defender held their breath, weapons forgotten as they stared at the dust cloud slowly settling to reveal whatever had arrived.

And in that dust, a hooded figure emerged.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[WARNING: Multiple entities are watching you!]

[7 different locations are casting observation magic]

[Divine attention focused on your position]

[Recommendation: Demonstrate power worthy of such interest]