The battle raged in the corridors and halls of the castle. Asher's group had just eliminated several minions when, in the middle of the melee, Asher spotted a familiar silhouette. Black hair, a gaze he knew all too well. He called out:
"Miria…?"
The silhouette continued advancing without turning around. Asher, as if hypnotized, began to follow her, gradually drifting away from the group.
On the other side, Miria and her companions were finishing off the last adversaries when Bryan's group arrived.
"You okay?" Axel asked.
"We're not dead, that's something," Gale replied.
"But where is Asher?" Alix worried.
Everyone started looking around and calling for him. No answer.
Suddenly, Miria was struck by a violent dizziness. A vision assailed her: Asher following a silhouette that looked like her… his version from a past life. She came back to herself with a start.
"Asher is walking straight into a trap! Quick, we have to save him!"
They set off in pursuit.
Asher kept following the silhouette. It finally stopped. He approached, hesitant.
"Miria… is it really you?"
She said nothing. She only offered him a gentle smile. Asher was only a few meters away when a piercing voice rang out:
"Asher!!!!"
He turned his head. It was the real Miria.
"Miria…?"
"That's not Miria! It's a trap!"
At the same instant, the fake Miria drew a knife and lunged to stab him. Klaus leapt and threw himself on Asher to protect him. But the blade didn't touch him. Turning around, he saw Léana, from behind, who had stepped in. The knife had plunged into her.
The fake Miria immediately transformed into Vareck. He caught Léana as she fell, his face twisted with genuine pain.
"Why…? Why did you do that?"
Léana coughed up blood, a faint smile on her lips.
"You… you've done enough."
Miria and the others prepared to attack, but Vareck raised a hand.
"Not so fast, Asher…"
In a flash, Asher teleported away with Vareck.
"But why did he do that?" Bryan exclaimed.
Miria clenched her fists, her gaze dark.
"I suspected it… but now I'm sure. During the last attack, not only did he cause my mother's death… but he also managed to possess Asher."
"What do we do?" Ray asked.
"I'm going to go save him."
"I'm coming with you," Bryan said.
"Me too," Axel added.
"Me too," Eiden continued. "You'll need the most powerful to contain Asher… and fight Vareck."
Miria nodded. She was about to leave when Léana called her in a weak voice. Miria knelt beside her. Léana, supported by Klaus and Gale who were compressing her wound, held out a trembling hand.
"Miria… I… I'm sorry. For everything."
Then she signaled to Klaus. He pulled out the book she had entrusted to him earlier and handed it to her. Léana took it and held it out to Miria, still coughing blood.
"It's… Vareck's grimoire. I hope… it can be useful to you."
Miria took the book, nodded gravely, then turned to Klaus and the others.
"Take care of her."
With those words, she launched herself into the night with Eiden, Bryan, and Axel, determined to bring Asher back… and to end this.