Theron's eyes widened, burning with fury. Hearing the news, he shouted,
"Stop him! Don't let him escape! I don't care how it's done—do whatever it takes, just make sure he's dead!"
Elira, hearing the command, looking up—her gaze locked on Ivan hovering above, the Warp Stone glowing ominously in his arm.
He's already activated the Warp Stone, she thought. Stopping him now would be useless. Even if I act, the outcome won't change...
But no one escapes the eyes of Her Radiant.
She clapped her hands together, her body erupting with holy mana.
Her voice rang out like a bell:.
"By the grace of Her Radiant Mother, let the light find him. Illuminate the unseen
—
Lux Signare!"
Above, like a flash of lightning, Cedric appeared beside Ivan—his blade crackling with electricity, already in motion.
Ivan's eyes barely registered the blur before him, but his instincts reacted instantly.
He threw up a red mana barrier, a dome of shimmering energy snapping into place around him.
At the same time, he summoned a blood sword into his hand.
CLANG!
Cedric's blade crashed into the barrier—the impact sent cracks spiderwebbing through it, and in an instant, it shattered.
Ivan's teeth clenched as he raised his sword just in time—
CLANG!
Steel met steel. Sparks exploded in the air.
Cedric's silver eyes glowed.
He grinned through clenched teeth, his body radiating intense light mana laced with crackling sparks of lightning.
With a growl, he tightened his grip on his sword hilt and swung again—
The blade cleaved through Ivan's blood sword and tore across his chest, sending a burst of blood spraying through the air.
Ivan's neck began to glow faintly as a twisted smile crept onto his face. The Warp Stone embedded in his hand pulsed with radiant light.
He glanced down at Theron—his golden eyes burning, unwavering.
"Live for now, Galewyn," Ivan said, voice calm but cold. "Next time… I'll see to it you join your Queen."
And with that, his form shimmered—and he vanished, the Warp Stone flaring as he teleported away.
---
Theron stared at the empty air, jaw clenched tight. Mana surged around him in waves, heat radiating from his body like a furnace.
His hands trembled—not from fear, but fury.
"To think... a demon made it into my royal chambers," he growled, his voice low and sharp. "Killed my Queen… and escaped from the heart of the royal palace."
His eyes swept —over the Knights, the priest and priestess.
"You were right there. All of you. And still—that thing killed her. And got away."
He took a breath, shaking with rage, light and shadow flickering across his face.
"What good are all of you," he spat, "if you couldn't even kill it?"
Suddenly, Cedric appeared, dropping to one knee before Theron, his head bowed low in shame.
"Your command was clear, Your Majesty— to kill the demon, not let it escape. And I... I failed."**
His voice was steady, but heavy with guilt.
"I let it escape. I not only failed you, Your Majesty... I failed Her Highness."
He lowered his head further, unable to meet Theron's burning gaze, the weight of failure pressing heavily on his shoulders.
"I have no excuses. I stand ready to face whatever judgment you see fit."