"The central district," Zephyros says, his voice low and deliberate, as he sits in his chair. The chair spins slowly in the empty white room, its walls covered in chaotic scribbles, cryptic signs, and shapes—pyramids standing out prominently among the chaos.
He stops spinning, the chair creaking faintly. "I suppose it is time for the elimination of the Free Dominion," he murmurs, more to himself than anyone else, his words carrying a chill that cuts through the room.
A tube suddenly materializes in the room, its sleek surface gliding through the white void. Two figures step out—a man, bound in chains, thrashing and screaming with his face obscured, and a humanoid dragon, towering and imposing. The man collapses to the floor, writhing, his pleas echoing in the sterile space.
"Please, please!" the man screams the instant his feet touch the ground. He collapses, rolling frantically as if trying to flee an unseen terror.
Zephyros watches him, his expression unreadable, his gaze distant, as if the man's suffering is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
One after another, more tubes hiss open, disgorging their occupants into the sterile gloom. First came the woman who had met Azarias—her expression unreadable. Then a high-ranking church official stepped forward, his presence instantly commanding the room's attention. The stern and unyielding head of Transportation for Nexus followed close behind.
They kept coming: ministers, directors, commanders. Twenty-seven figures in total, each a high-ranking official drawn from across the city's sprawling bureaucracy.
"My disciples of many," Zephyros says, his voice cutting through the tension. He pushes his chair back, the legs scraping against the floor until it hits the wall. He stands, his frown deepening.
"The best way to destroy the Free Dominion," he begins, his tone measured, "is to spark a light—"
"A light that will diminish the darkness," the twenty-seven chant in unison, their voices blending into a single, ominous resonance.
Zephyros raises his hand, and the room dims, shadows stretching across the walls. From his palm, a large orb emerges, its surface shimmering with a bright, shining blue. It projects the view through Kar's eyes—Kar, who moves with mechanical precision toward Anna and the others.
"Aether is currently unconscious," Zephyros says, his voice dripping with disdain. "Is there anyone else who would join the fight?"
The room falls silent, the tension palpable. Mirakos drops down from Zahra's back, his claws extended, his silence more menacing than any words.
Zephyros's voice cuts through the stillness—not through Kar this time, but to himself. "I wouldn't expect Karnall to bring them here, walking right toward me. God waits; mortals follow. Come to me, girl." As he speaks, Kar's voice overlaps, his words echoing Zephyros's. Zareth and Daelano turn their attention to Kar, their hands instinctively gripping their blades as a spike of heart-wrenching aura emanates from him.
"Zahra, I choose you," Kar says abruptly, his tone devoid of emotion.
Zahra's eyes widen, panic flickering across her face. "What? No, no, I really can't fight," she stammers, sweat beading on her forehead.
Kar continues, his voice cold and unyielding, as Zephyros's lips move in sync. "I know. You could say this is a trial—a trial of worth, of dominance, of—"
Zahra cuts him off, her voice trembling as memories flood her mind. She thinks of Ondor and Altan, standing before the altar, their words echoing in her ears. "Face this trial like your life depends on it—because it does," Altan whispered.
The memory shifts—she sees herself entering the fluorescent altar, surrounded by flowers, the demon's gaze piercing through her. "You are chosen! You are blessed! You are a Sage's child! You are—" the demon declares. "Cursed," Zahra thinks, the word bitter on her tongue, before the demon can finish.
"Demons lie," Ondor's voice echoes in her mind. "They lie because the truth doesn't exist yet. They lie about the truth that hasn't appeared yet. They lie of the future truth. They twist what hasn't appeared into something you fear." "They just lie," Altan adds, his grip tightening on his spear.
Kar's eyes widen as he remembers seeing Zahra just an hour ago. His surprise is fleeting, quickly replaced by a dark, twisted grin—not on his face, but in the depths of his soul.
Zahra looks at Kar, her voice hesitant. "Are you from my city?" I don't trust him, she spits in her mind. "No," Kar replies, forcing a smile. "But I would very much love to visit it."
"The worst part of killing demons is their endless screams," Altan's voice echoes in Zahra's mind. "After you kill one, it still lingers. Forever." Zahra's smile fades as quickly as it appears, her expression hardening as she watches Kar.
Anna crouches low, the space around her distorting with heat that isn't there. Elara's gaze remains fixed on Aether, her eyes unwavering. She wants to run to him, but first, she needs to deal with the blind old man. Ugilovich strikes Aether's chest again, the impact reverberating through his body.
Aether's eyes flicker toward the group, his voice weak but defiant. "I'll allow three more. I do think he was the strongest—not the leopard-looking kid, though, no kids," he says, his words trailing off into a sigh. Mirakos remains silent, his claws extended, his eyes locked on Ugilovich.
"Zahra," Zephyros says, his voice cutting through the chaos as he closes the orb. "Keep the chained man here, and you can change back to your original form. The rest of you, leave. Your next objective is to look for the longest-standing member in each major institution of each district—not the surface members. They always have a cult." His words are slow, deliberate, as the twenty-seven begin to vanish into tubes.
"My original form, or the dragon?" the humanoid dragon asks, its voice deep and resonant. "Dragon form," Zephyros replies, his tone unchanging. "And who is he?" He gestures to the man still writhing on the floor, his fear palpable. "The current direct descendant of Rigor and Valen in the central district," the dragon replies, its form shifting, scales rippling as it transforms into a massive, six-winged red dragon. "I always liked that form," Zephyros says, closing his eyes as if savoring the moment.
"Anna, Elara, you—" Zahra begins, her voice faltering. "Zahra, I wouldn't want you to tell me your skill set in the presence of everyone here," Anna interrupts, a slight frown playing on her lips. "And without Aether, so you aim to actually attack him with Elara. I'll deal with the sensations. He is blind, after all."
"Alright," Zahra says, her voice unexpectedly firm as she accepts the plan. Her eyes narrow, determination flickering in their depths as she prepares for what's to come. "If Aether trusts her, I think I can too," Zahra says, already stretching as Elara takes the first stance, walking toward Ugilovich.
"Oh my! Look, everyone—three girls—" Ugilovich tries to say, but a green spear is sent directly toward his face, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Do people really want to see three girls fighting?" Elara says, her tone serious but laced with mockery.
"Fast," Ugilovich mutters, instantly dodging the spear. But before he can react further, Zahra is already at his left, her eyes flaring a bright yellow. His leg gives out beneath him, and he stumbles, confused. Why? He doesn't know yet. Somehow, he manages to stand, swinging a punch toward Zahra. He feels dizzy. He turns his head slightly to see Anna with one hand raised, her expression focused as she subtly alters one of his senses.
"They're…" someone in the crowd begins muttering. "They're really good!" another voice finishes, and the crowd erupts into cheers. Teenagers—even using their skills—are beating the absolute crap out of Ugilovich.
Zahra charges in again, while Elara summons two shields and hurls them toward Ugilovich. Zahra leaps onto one and into the air, using both legs to deliver a powerful kick to his face. Ugilovich stumbles, stunned for a moment, just as Anna rushes in to deliver another double kick to his face. He goes down—or so he thinks. His sense of direction is altered for a split second, and instead of falling, he lurches upward. Wham! The kick sends him reeling.
His anger brews, but Elara is already huffing heavily, her stamina waning. Zahra's glowing eyes begin to dim, and Anna struggles to hide her fatigue. Both Zahra and Anna rush Ugilovich again, but this time, he overpowers them easily. As he shoves Anna aside, Elara emerges from the chaos with one final double kick to his face, staggering him just long enough for Zahra to grab his finger and twist.
"Huh," Ugilovich grunts, dropping to the floor. "I admit it. I lost," he says, his voice carrying a mix of frustration and reluctant respect.
The crowd erupts into chaos. "No way! Ugilovich lost to a bunch of girls!!" they scream, their voices a cacophony of disbelief and excitement.
Zareth watches from the sidelines, his gaze shifting to Aether's unconscious body on the floor. He drops to his knees, wanting to go to the boy, but Daelano is already one step ahead. She reaches Aether first, scooping him up effortlessly. "A new snack," she says, turning to Zareth with a sly smile. Zareth curses under his breath, the swords hovering around his body now slightly piercing his skin as his frustration mounts.
As Daelano turns away, Mirakos runs toward her, his small frame bristling with defiance. "Hey! Leave big bro alone!" he shouts, his voice cracking with urgency. "I'm taking him to the infirmary," Daelano replies, her smile never wavering. "Ugilovich will show you to your team's quarters. Go now. Aether… will… come… soon…" she says, her words trailing off as she vanishes into the crowd, leaving the others to process the chaos of the moment.