In the royal palace, where nobles and representatives from every corner of the continent had gathered, tension thickened the air. The High Priest of the Holy Empire stepped forward into the center of the grand hall. His robes shimmered faintly with divine embroidery as he raised his staff.
With grave solemnity, he spoke.
"After darkness consumes the sun, the Tower of Madness shall rise… and with it, the world shall plunge into catastrophe."
A hush swept through the chamber, followed by a chorus of gasps. Shock gripped the nobles like frost. Whispers filled the hall like rustling leaves. Duke Prolando De Katulo, a noble of repute, broke the silence.
"If this prophecy is true… then the world stands on the brink of annihilation."
The High Priest nodded. "One thousand years ago, Ashra—the god of time and space—betrayed the gods. His creations were sealed away. But now, the madness he left behind will awaken… and it will destroy everything."
The murmuring grew louder. The King, seated at the high dais, scowled and raised his voice. "Enough!"
His words thundered through the hall. The nobles instantly fell to silence, bowing in apology.
Once order returned, the King turned to the High Priest. "Is the ritual ready?"
"It is nearly complete, Your Majesty. Only time remains."
Duke Prolando stepped forward once again. "Your Majesty, does this mean… the heroes from another world will soon arrive?"
The King nodded. "Yes. They are the key to stopping what is to come."
Meanwhile, Elsewhere...
Inside a moving carriage, Prince Kuzuki clenched his fists in fury. The death of Sona—his intended bride—had not only cost him his plans but also his honor. Worse, his older brother, the Crown Prince, had punished and humiliated him for the debacle.
"That damn subordinate…" he muttered. "Killing her was not part of the plan…"
He glared out the window, eyes narrowed with vengeance.
"To lose her, and to be disgraced like this… I'll find whoever is responsible."
He turned to his general. "Track them down. I don't care what it takes."
"Yes, Your Highness," the general replied.
Kuzuki exhaled, trying to calm the fire in his chest. "It's only a matter of time… before I find a way out."
In the quiet outskirts of Feroa village, two figures—Rain and Kasandra—marched with a small rescue team toward a known dungeon site.
Kasandra's voice broke the silence, laced with pain. "Do you think she… could still be alive? On the 20th floor?"
Rain didn't answer right away. Then he looked ahead and replied, "If she is dead, we'll give her a proper burial. But we can't give up hope yet."
Kasandra lowered her gaze, her voice trembling. "If only I had been stronger…"
Suddenly, a guard came running toward them, panic in his eyes.
"A dungeon—!"
"Dungeon?" Kasandra echoed, confused.
"The dungeon… it's gone! It disappeared!"
Gasps spread through the team. Rain's mind spun.
He remembered something—his butler once told him stories about Ashra's Temples. When conquered, these cursed ruins vanished. Those who entered gained access to demonic energy—banned by the Holy Empire and tied to Ashra's betrayal.
Rain muttered, "It can't be…"
He sprinted toward the site, Kasandra calling out behind him.
Where the dungeon once stood, only stone ruins remained. Rain stopped and stared in disbelief.
Kasandra arrived shortly after, concerned. "Rain, what's wrong?"
Then her eyes followed his gaze—and widened.
There, lying unconscious among the rubble, was a girl.
She had cat-like ears and a tail.
Sona stirred in her sleep, caught in a strange dream.
She stood across from a figure—Ultra—who pointed silently behind her.
"Logan," he said.
Turning around, she saw another automaton. Logan.
A bell tolled.
She woke up coughing, head pounding in pain. "What… happened…?"
As her eyes adjusted, she noticed something strange in the mirror.
Her reflection had ears… and a tail.
"What is this!?" she shouted.
Rain entered. "Oh—you're awake."
"What did you do to me?!"
"Nothing! I swear!"
"You're lying!"
"I swear I didn't do anything!"
She glared at him, unconvinced. "Why do I feel like… I'm forgetting something?"
Kasandra arrived soon after. Together with Rain, they discussed the current state of things. The prince's plot was more twisted than they expected—he had tried to use Sona and her sister Dema for some unknown reason. Thankfully, the Crown Prince had punished him for his recklessness.
Then came the harder question.
"Sona," Rain said, "what really happened in that dungeon?"
She hesitated.
Should she tell them?
Should she admit that she was Arry—the goddess of time, daughter of Ashra, considered a traitor and destroyer by the world?
She couldn't risk it. Not when her sister's life was at stake too.
Kasandra noticed her silence and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to remember everything. What matters is… you're alive."
Sona gave a small nod.
"Is this tail real?" Kasandra asked, giving it a playful tug.
Sona yelped. "Stop that!"
Kasandra giggled. "Such a cute cat."
"I'm not a cat!" Sona exclaimed.
Rain cleared his throat. "We need to keep her identity hidden. If the prince finds out she's alive, we're all in danger. So let's disguise her."
Kasandra nodded. "She can pretend to be someone else."
"Like who?"
"Me!"
"What?!" Sona blurted. "First a butler, now a slave? I hate collars!"
"It's fake!" Kasandra said with a wink.
"Fake or not, it's still humiliating."
After much convincing, Sona finally gave in. "Fine. But only temporarily."
Kasandra hugged her. "Thank you."
Rain sighed in relief. "At least we're safe for now."
That evening, Sona returned to her home. As she opened the door, her sister Dema rushed into her arms.
"You're back… I knew you'd return!"
They held each other for a long time.
Meanwhile, Rain spoke with Juragan. "How are the villagers?"
"No deaths. Some injuries and damage, but they'll recover," the steward reported.
"Good. And no word of Sona's survival?"
"None. Your secret is safe."
As Juragan left, Rain looked toward the academy's future. His thoughts darkened.
That prince will pay.
The next morning, Sona and Dema stood on a cliff, gazing at the village one last time.
"This place kept us safe," Sona said softly.
She took her sister's hand.
"Tomorrow, our new journey begins."
The sun dipped below the horizon.
A new chapter awaited.