The silence between the two lasted no more than a breath.
But in that breath, Edrik made a decision.
He would not allow that smile to remain.
White flames exploded around his body like a burning dawn. Unlike ordinary fire, they didn't crackle—they silenced the air. The light didn't flicker; it dominated. The sky above Athenion became a vast milky sea, and the artifacts orbiting the Monarch began to spin faster, tracing perfect geometric circles.
"Kneel." Edrik's voice wasn't a shout. It was a decree.
The impact came first as spiritual pressure. An invisible wave swept across the field before the gates. Stones vibrated. Dust rose in circular spirals. Soldiers on the walls clenched their teeth, feeling their very resolve being tested.
Strax didn't move.
The ground beneath his feet sank a millimeter.
Just that.
Edrik descended completely.
