A man looked behind to see the blue figure rising up the steps. As he put on his helm while gritting his teeth, his eyes seemed to blaze. He had white hair, just like Eleana. As he looked around at the rows of armed knights, he suddenly sighed and pulled out his sword—but just as he tried to move again, he became rigid.
Internally, he started screaming…
"Just how much more…?"
"Just how much more…?"
"I became a villain to my own family…"
"Why… can't I have my own freedom…?"
"Why…?"
"Oh, Eleana… forgive me…"
Slowly, he became completely rigid, like a dutiful guard protecting the castle.
He was the leader of the arranged knights—a strong golden wall beside the blue mages.
…
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Drudar's walls, in the brutal battlefield—
A huge demon manifested by the Queen of Braevan stood there, puppet strings spreading all over its body. The masses of dead knights slowly began standing up—some crawling toward the huge one-eyed demon.
The earlier massive hand that everyone had battled was now concentrated as the hand of the giant figure. Darkness still stirred all across Drudar, but a major part of it now moved above the figure, forming a mountain of darkness in which two eyes glowed eerily. As the mass of undead knights merged, it became a colossal moving figure that seemed to devour everything in its way.
Clayren's gaze was filled with shock and melancholy as she raised her emerald sword. This time, she chanted, "Emerald Might…"
Runes in the huge sword crisscrossed, forming complicated translucent symbols as the blade grew in size once more.
From a distance, it seemed like a small figure raising an unimaginable mountain-like sword, clashing with a mountain of darkness that had eyes.
The demon slowly raised its pale sword. It glowed yellow. Yellow threads appeared in massive numbers, connecting to something beyond the darkness, as though a higher consciousness was controlling it.
Clayren subtly looked around the battlefield and saw many dead puppets—once part of her team. Time seemed to stop as the two swords drew closer.
Just before the swords clashed, a huge void erupted, from which screams echoed. A black void formed and vanished as a group of people fell from it.
They landed some distance away from the clash. Everyone was beautiful, with pointed ears, but they seemed ragged.
Sylwen shouted, "Dodge—!"
A massive blast wave tore through Drudar as the entire kingdom shook once more.
The group from Mythria was sent tumbling back dozens of yards away. Even the broken walls nearly collapsed.
Lythria's father was the only one still standing. He said in a grave voice, "Someone really set us up…"
"If I hadn't been there, you all would have been dead. The queen could have captured your spirit souls and gained infinite healing…"
…
Meanwhile, Clayren vomited blood as her body began to break apart. Just one strike from the headless demon had nearly shattered her sword, and her form was torn open. She had already been pushed to her limits multiple times that day. Now she had almost gone past them.
The giant demon slowly walked toward Clayren—one step at a time.
Thump… thump…
Each step sent reverberations across the battlefield.
More soldiers were pulled into its legs as it became a moving mass of devourment.
Clayren lifted her gaze and looked ahead. As the demon came closer, she looked around the battlefield.
She realized something.
"O King… just how much more…?"
She felt something—loneliness.
No answer came this time. The device might be broken, she thought.No. It wasn't the device. It was her.
She had been abandoned.
But why?
As the thumping continued, she barely raised herself.
Bloody and battered—
Her eyes suddenly narrowed, as though she had completed the puzzle.
Slowly, she rose.
"I will not fall…"
"For I am the last of my lineage… the Emerald Race…"
"As the past memories slip away, I realize…"
She began advancing.
"It was never about Eryssa, was it…?"
She looked back, as if she could see the castle—the vast, majestic Drudar Kingdom she had served for years.
Then she screamed.
A blinding emerald light erupted as her body began to shake.
She started running against the thumping.
A voice echoed from the other side—
"So… you realized…"
…
Some time earlier, as Eleana woke up, a pair of arms hugged her tightly. It was Lythria. Still dazed, Eleana looked at her as Lythria sobbed gently.
Eleana snapped back to herself and looked at Lythria.
The door opened. Kerin entered, followed by the others.
"It's good to have you back," Kerin said with a relieved sigh, dropping to the ground.
Revel and Temur chimed in, "Finally, the leader is back."
Eleana frowned, perplexed. "Where are the others? Where is he? And… where is Eryssa?"
They looked at one another as Lythria began explaining.
Eleana's face grew graver with every second.
"You mean to say Veer was separated… lost underground… Kerin brought me here… Eryssa and the other princesses are missing… the castle is being guarded… John is holding out by himself… and Sythris…"
She placed a hand on her head as she slowly stood.
Suddenly, she paused.
"Something tells me… you're not saying everything, are you?"
Kerin looked at Lythria awkwardly as Lythria shook her head and murmured, "It's nothing… nothing…"
Revel began crying quietly in the back.
"Tell me," Eleana demanded.
Kerin remained silent. Eleana shook his shoulders, but when he didn't respond, she turned to Lythria.
"You tell me, or I'm going to Veer first. I'm not doing anything else."
Lythria sobbed softly. "It's about Kerin… They imprisoned me and forced Kerin to hand over his precious artifact so he could rescue me and heal you…"
Eleana's body trembled. "Who… who was it?"
Her gentle, shining eyes now held fury.
Lythria whispered, "…It was her. The lady you told me about."
"And… and Knight Rio…"
Shouts suddenly echoed from outside.
Everyone rushed out.
"Let's find them—first, Eryssa," Eleana said with a sigh. "Thank you, all of you."
The others nodded. Confidence slowly returned as they moved.
…
Meanwhile, hundreds of citizens ran in a frenzy. Loud earthshaking noises, violent vibrations, and strange darkness filled the surroundings.
A knight beside John asked, "Sir, have our decisions made them panic even more?"
John sighed, his face emotionless. "They would die even faster if we didn't tell them."
"Let's—"
Clang—
A massive sound rang out. Another quake followed. Panic spread further.
John listened to the cries of doom, lost in thought.
"Captain! Captain!"
"Huh…?" John snapped back.
He took a deep breath. "Help them. I'm going to meet Rio and give them passage."
He addressed the others. "The hand demon has risen again. Someone is fighting it—we need to hurry."
"Help as many people as you can. I'm permitting entry into the castle. Follow me if you want."
Sethsi spoke up. "Is that really a good idea? Can't we march them somewhere else?"
John sighed. "Look around. Do you think they'll listen? And where—your kingdom?"
"Just try to stay alive and help others."
He spurred his horse forward.
The others watched as Sethsi muttered, "Knight Laren… that sound just now…"
Laren nodded. "It's Clayren, Commander."
"Let's follow him."
They issued orders to the Golden Knights and followed John.
Rhaelle asked Nyelle, who was beginning to stand, "Should I follow too?"
Nyelle replied, "Who will watch the captive?"
Rhaelle glanced at the beautiful, trembling princess of Braevan and nodded. "Let's move slowly."
…
As John approached the castle gates, he murmured while looking up, "Oh, Caria… what happened? Did they get you too…?"
He shivered and moved forward.
This time, the blue mages cleared the path.
He approached Rio at the castle wall.
"So, cousin of my beautiful friend," John said mockingly, "will you let the citizens pass?"
A thunderous clang echoed as the Golden Knights drove their weapons into the ground.
Two powerful figures stood apart. A breeze passed.
"To the banquet hall," Rio said.
John nodded with a sigh.
He glanced north, where Drudar Castle met the vast North Sea. "What is it waiting for?"
The sea undulated endlessly.
John turned back and unfurled a projection artifact.
It glowed, and his voice echoed everywhere—
"Everyone, proceed into the castle. Go only to the banquet hall."
People began arriving just in time.
John sat near the gates.
A little girl whispered, "Mummy… the castle… are we staying there? It's so beautiful…"
"Stop—hurry up," her mother urged.
An old man muttered as he passed Rio, "Even if it isn't salvation, seeing the inside of a castle is a lifetime privilege."
John watched joy, fear, anguish, and relief pass across their faces.
Then a voice rang out—
"Everyone, stop!"
"I am in charge of the Drudar War Army. I command everyone not to enter the castle walls!"
Eleana arrived, her figure softly glowing. Lythria, Kerin, and the others followed.
Rhaelle, Simon, and Nyelle arrived as well, with the captive princess.
John's eyes lit up. "You're awake. That's good."
Then he frowned. "What do you mean they can't enter? Where should they go?"
Eleana raised her sword. White light illuminated the darkening sky.
Panic erupted.
"We have nowhere else!"
"The castle will save us!"
Murmurs spread as the Golden Army stepped forward.
John approached Eleana slowly. "Why are you raising your sword?"
"John," Eleana said, "you know something. Where are Sythris and Caria? What did the King tell you?"
John snapped, "Kerin, you bastard—what did you tell her?!"
Kerin sighed. "Explain, John. If it's bad, we'll follow—but we deserve the truth."
Nyelle staggered forward. "Caria? Sythris? They were just with us…"
Sethsi added, "I may be from the enemy side, but you know far too much for a Golden Knight."
John snapped, "Isn't it obvious? I'm a secret knight! Why do I have to explain myself?"
"I'm following orders."
He muttered angrily at Kerin, "Can't you take a hint…?"
Kerin collapsed to his knees. "No… no… it can't be…"
John shouted, "It's over! Everyone—go to the banquet hall. Only the banquet hall!"
As if compelled by divine will, the people rushed inside.
The gates groaned.
Slowly—
The sky darkened, as if something devoured even the darkness.
A massive object pierced the heavens.
It descended.
John whispered in horror, "Kerin… you bastard… you imagined it… now they're here…"
"Caria has already been controlled."
Eleana shouted, "What is happening?!"
Everyone looked up.
A massive crash followed—Bang.
The object struck near the gates, killing many.
It resembled a gigantic cross towering over the castle hills.
A headless humanoid figure was etched into it, at least three stories tall.
Smaller figures clung to various parts of the X-shaped structure.
Kerin whispered, "It's… the Headless Church…"
"Oh, Veer… where are you…?"