The box that Driko had left behind remained lying on the ground, containing within it a silver skull, and beside it, a stone concrete slab. As Amith moved to pick them up, Raiven ambushed him. Despite being occupied with fighting Blouran, his eyes had not left the box and the concrete. Amith responded quickly and drew his scythe—Boom—the echo of the blow filled the place.
Raiven was holding a sword hidden beneath his cloak; at first, it appeared to be a small dagger, but he suddenly extended it until it became a long sword. At that moment, the box rose into the sky once more, and the skull fell to the ground.
The violent battle that had been taking place in the stands moved down into the arena, and everyone ran after the skull and the concrete. Anyone who approached to carry either one was forcefully prevented. The skull rolled here and there until it finally settled beside Lilar, who tried to lift it, but the king interrupted him, saying:
"Do not dare to desecrate our legacy with your hands."
Lilar smiled, as if it hadn't already been desecrated. A bitter cold swept across the entire arena from the jar Lilar was carrying in response to the king's attack. Lilar struck with an ice-covered fist that collided with a long yellow spear the king held. The power of the clash intensified until all battles in the arena came to a halt, as everyone felt two terrifying auras emanating from the king and Lilar.
Lilar began to laugh mockingly:
"O king, do not let your anger influence you. Do you wish for your kingdom's doom?"
Suddenly, the king froze in place as if he had come to his senses, and the cold aura around him faded.
The battle resumed here and there, until Felix descended into the arena after ordering the princes to escort the queen to the palace and to protect the palace from any external threat. The four princes set off with the queen, leaving the arena in utter chaos.
Felix rushed into the arena and attacked those wearing black clothes. The battle was shocking, and Felix held a red sword encrusted with blue gems.
At that moment as well, Mihon descended into the arena and approached the concrete, picking it up. Blue Ran and his followers saw him.
Blue ran said angrily:
"So you're here, you bastard."
Raiven, Jack, Briley, and Reno—all five attacked together.
"Iron Spear," shouted Blouran as he struck.
Raiven, who was fighting Amith, said:
"Theft."
And launched another spear made of iron.
Jack and Briley attacked, one with a sword and the other with a hammer. Reno also attacked with his sword.
But suddenly, bones launched in opposition to all the attacks, forming a web-like structure of bones that blocked everything aimed at Mihon. Youray was defending him against all five, but he could not hold out for long. So Mihon pulled out the device that resembled Driko's, quickly scanned the concrete, then threw it to the ground and moved toward the skull.
In those few moments when Youray held off the attacks, he was wounded in the shoulder and immediately retreated.
Mihon rushed toward the skull, and noticed that Raiven and Felix were moving toward him. Raiven tried to attack, but Amith stood firmly and did not allow him to leave. As for Felix, he left the black-cloaked figures and charged with his sword to attack Mihon.
A purple gel began to fill Mihon's skin from beneath his cloak, then formed into a bloody red chain adorned with several purple eyes. There were also shackles forming around his neck. The chains wrapped around his hands to form a shield, and he struck with his fist. Felix's sword collided with Mihon's fist, and both retreated backward. But Mihon did not relent; he quickly regained his balance and charged again toward Felix, whipping several chains toward him like lashes. Felix retreated, smiling, but his smile quickly vanished when he realized Mihon was rushing toward the skull, leaving him standing like a fool.
Mihon's chains were only meant to keep Felix away from him; he was not truly fighting him because he had only one mission: to take the skull.
Felix's anger intensified, and he shouted:
"You turn your back on me!"
He ran swiftly toward Mihon, who dodged several people in the arena. Felix approached waving his sword. But when the sword neared Mihon's neck, the chains around the shackles on Mihon's neck spun, forming an additional shield. A loud buzzing sound filled the arena, then Mihon was thrown aside and crashed into the wall.
When Felix struck with his sword, a chain from beneath Mihon's sleeves shot toward the skull and dragged it toward him. It too slammed against the wall and fell to the ground beside him.
Youray saw that and rushed to attack Felix with great speed. Above Felix, white bone pillars appeared, causing the scalp of his head to tremble. He felt something terrifying and quickly retreated, and at the same moment, three bone pillars descended where he had been standing.
As for Mihon, some blood came out of his mouth after crashing into the wall, but he wiped it off and rushed toward the skull beside him.
As soon as he approached the skull, he stopped, and so did everyone else.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, strong winds blew, and the cold intensified. The sky had been clear a little while ago, but it turned into clashing black clouds with flashes of lightning dancing between them. A thunderous roar echoed in the sky; this sound's echo was heard by everyone in the empire.
The fighting stopped suddenly, and shocked expressions appeared on everyone's faces. One question began to echo:
"What is happening?"
Suddenly, a mighty aura descended from the sky, and everyone in the arena, the stands, and the city knelt on the ground — even Lilar and the king were no exception.
Lilar was stunned, and the mocking expression that had been on his face since the beginning changed:
"What is this cold aura? What is this thing?"
People began losing consciousness because of that aura. Men, women, the young, the old, infants, the elderly… everyone fell into a deep sleep. Even in the stands, some knights and Raiven's followers fainted, and only a few people remained conscious. The noise that had preceded the start of the festival turned into complete silence; even the animals were not spared from the effect.
Everyone's face in the arena turned pale. Suddenly, the skull rose three meters above the ground. It had been silver a moment ago, but now it radiated a glowing golden color.
Everyone who remained conscious in the arena and the city saw a strange calm and stillness—no sound was heard, not even a whisper. Then the skull spoke two words that shook the minds of those present:
"The Monolith — Chernobyl."
Everyone collapsed after hearing these two words, without exception. Their souls nearly left their bodies due to the intense pressure emanating from the skull. Some began vomiting blood, affected by the force of that mysterious pressure.