All that remained from that attack were the dungeon entrance door and floating rocks in that void. On one of those rocks, the barrier protecting Enrico and Valença shattered. Behind them, farther away, was the blue rose that had been protected by Val'Drakar's summons.
"Is this outside the dungeon?"
Valença asked, being held protectively by Enrico. She noticed it and took the opportunity to stay closer.
"Yes..."
He wasn't surprised, since he had already seen this void in the original story. Noticing that Sairao was flying in the distance, he focused his eyes. Valença also noticed and did the same. Val'Drakar stood atop a rock looking upward, raising his sword as a new strike charged. His armor began to emit fire from within. Pointing his sword, lava flowed out and combined to form a lava giant.
Sairao used his magic to form a dark red spear. Upon throwing it, the spear pierced the lava giant, making a hole in its stomach and heading straight for Val'Drakar. Deflecting the spear with his sword, he punched the air in Sairao's direction. The lava giant, now with a hole, mirrored Val'Drakar's movement, hitting Sairao and sending him flying.
In midair, Sairao stopped and began summoning a portal that sucked the lava giant inside. Shortly after, he summoned several others. Val'Drakar realized what Sairao was about to do and immediately ran toward Enrico and Valença.
"You two need to leave the dungeon now."
"But what about you?"
Val'Drakar placed his hand on Valença's head and looked at Enrico. He hadn't told them, but now it was time. He summoned thousands of statue soldiers to slow Sairao down and crouched. Enrico already seemed to suspect what was happening.
"I'm a dungeon boss, so I can't leave and don't even have the necessary capacity to exit a dungeon..."
From the moment he learned from Ylrie that neither he nor his comrades could enter that sphere, he understood his purpose—his purpose was to grant freedom to Lyrielle and the others so they could be happy. Valença began to protest, but Enrico interrupted her with a sad look. He hadn't spent much time with the Nartheis before him. In fact, he only met him at the beginning, and afterwards it was just a shell that accompanied Val'Drakar during these days. Enrico had only heard a few words from Val'Drakar, but they were enough to know he was a great person, even as just a statue. Enrico wished he had been in the original story to help more, but Val'Drakar had only been mentioned by that druid.
"He's right."
"But..."
"Valença, if there were a way to save him, I would... the only way for him to survive is by defeating Sairao so he can stay here. And if we remain, we'll only get in his way..."
He looked at her seriously, so Valença lowered her head, sad and frustrated. Enrico understood the feeling but had to stay calm now. He wanted Val'Drakar as an important ally for the future and was sure they'd become friends if everything went well.
"Very well, Lord Enrico."
Val'Drakar was satisfied, especially seeing Enrico's frustrated expression. He was sure this boy didn't want to lose anyone, but it was necessary so not just those two could survive—but all the Dark Elves sealed in the sphere as well.
Behind him, several statues were destroyed, and from the portals created behind Sairao, several Dark Elves emerged—not the failed ones, but the traitors. Val'Drakar looked at all of them angrily, especially Valdir, who, despite being defeated by Vaelith, had survived. Val'Drakar picked both of them up in his arms and ran toward the portal, using the charged impulse Enrico had learned by watching him during training.
"Forgive me. I wanted to teach you something in return, but there wasn't time, milord."
"You don't need to apologize. If it helps you against Sairao, take more of my magic."
Sairao was already behind them, with the Elves close behind. He closed both hands in front of him, and several creatures appeared around them, transforming into stakes that managed to pierce Val'Drakar's armor.
Stomping hard on the ground, Val'Drakar pushed forward toward the door, while Sairao sacrificed more creatures to increase his own speed. Val'Drakar tried to go faster but was hit in the back by an exploding creature. To keep them from being caught, he threw the two forward and stayed behind. Enrico caught Valença in the air and began his own charged impulse.
"I won't let you get past me, Sairao."
Sairao stopped in front of Val'Drakar and snapped his fingers, making all his Dark Elves increase their speed and rush past. Val'Drakar tried to stop them, charging his sword with fire magic, but Sairao appeared in front of him with a look of disdain.
"You won't get past me, statue."
Running at high speed, Enrico increased his pace. He was just a few meters away, but he felt he would be caught, so he started thinking of a plan. Valença, looking back, prepared to attack them with magic—even though it likely wouldn't work due to the sheer number, more than a hundred. Valença stopped when she saw something.
"Enrico, look..."
Looking back, he saw several blue roses rising into a barrier that closed around the Elves. In front of the barrier, a blue rose had turned into a Dark Elf woman.
"Wait, isn't that the fourth boss?"
"Wait—the fourth, I forgot you mentioned that..."
Valença was surprised, but Enrico looked at that elf, feeling an atmosphere unlike any other being he had ever seen. It was a strange feeling—like a mother caring for her children. Without wasting more time, Enrico sadly bid farewell to the two and entered the door with Valença, managing to escape. He left a final message.
"I promise I'll repay you both someday..."
Seeing they had escaped, Sairao exploded in rage, pointing at the elf with eyes full of murderous intent.
"You damn failure. Weren't you supposed to be dead?"
Val'Drakar slashed Sairao's back, making him feel pain. Sairao summoned several creatures to pierce every part of Val'Drakar's body, bringing him to his knees as he looked at the woman's figure disappearing.
'Was it an illusion?'
"No, it wasn't, Val'Drakar."
He felt two hands on his shoulders. Looking back, Ylrie was there, eyes closed and bleeding, but smiling—a smile he hadn't seen in decades.
"Did you see the future? Then tell me, will Lyrielle and the others be saved?"
"I didn't see much of the future, but I saw a true hope, Val'Drakar..."
Val'Drakar stood with difficulty. For him, those words were enough to keep fighting, even with the battle already lost. Sairao appeared in front of him with a dark red spear, striking and sending him through several rocks. Now pointing the spear at Ylrie, he tried to pierce her.
"Sorry, but I ceased to exist when I used that barrier."
The spear passed through her harmlessly. Ylrie was beginning to disappear. She had used her last drop of magic in the past to create this situation, and now that final drop was gone.
"Val'Drakar, you still have a promise to fulfill from the start of the battle, don't you?"
"Yes."
Val'Drakar appeared behind Sairao, landing a strike that shattered the rock below and made Sairao bleed—but it wasn't over yet. Transferring his very last drop of mana, he combined his two magics. The sword exploded with the power of fire and lava. When it came down, it could be said a small sun was created. Sairao raised both hands, using all three of his magics to create a black shield with red markings. When the sword touched it, the shield broke completely as if it were nothing and also sliced off Sairao's entire shoulder, making him scream in agony.
"AAAAHHHHH"
Sairao retreated and noticed Laflez's body beginning to fall apart—his time limit was up, and he could do nothing more. Frustrated, he created a portal to return all his Dark Elves to the barrier where they were and went with them, hatred on his face. Since facing that being, he hadn't felt such humiliation and now wanted them to suffer more. But since both were already finished, instead of trying to torment someone at the end, he had to come up with a new plan to recover the Elves. Val'Drakar looked at the wound he had left.
'I said I'd leave a mark... this is the spell I created especially for you over the years, Sairao...'
Seeing Sairao leave, he began to fall apart. The name of that spell was "The Guardian's Last Flame"—a magic that affects the very essence of whoever is struck, and by the time they realize it, it's already too late.
"I regret nothing."
"And you shouldn't..."
Realizing his master was still there, he felt relieved that she would remain with him until the end. As his body disintegrated, he said the name he never allowed himself to say to her in all their years together.
"Thank you for staying with me until the end, Lady Ylrie..."
Ylrie was surprised for a moment but then gave a sad smile as she watched Val'Drakar turn to dust. Even in the final moment, he still called her master.
"At least you added my name, Val'Drakar..."
She looked at the door that was beginning to disappear, remembering the last vision of the future she had. In it, Lyrielle was on the ground, having just been released from the seal. Looking up, she saw two people, maybe a year or two older than her, their faces covered by the sunlight—a girl with long brown hair in the back, and a boy with golden hair and a small smile on his lips.
"Welcome to the original world."
Those two were an older Enrico and Valença, who had reached the level needed to open the seal. Ylrie clasped her hands together, tears falling along with her blood, and gave one last smile. She hadn't seen their final fate, but that was enough—after seeing so many worlds where all her sons and daughters died.
"Thank you... thank you so much for taking care of my children..."
The door disappeared, and she too began to vanish into petals, making that empty place return to having nothing. Well, almost nothing—some blue rose petals still floated through the space, left behind by Ylrie's disappearance...