The monsters charged.
Thousands of them.
They poured through the broken walls of Kalburg like an endless tide of death, their footsteps shaking the ground beneath the kingdom. Skeletons marched beside towering Golems. Karagnists moved among the chaos, while enormous Titangolems crushed everything in their path.
The people of Kalburg ran.
They screamed.
They pushed past one another in desperation, desperately searching for somewhere—anywhere—they could escape.
The beautiful kingdom that had seemed so peaceful only hours ago had become a nightmare.
A kingdom of blood.
A kingdom of death.
Noah stood motionless inside the ruined throne hall, staring through the shattered window.
His eyes followed the fleeing citizens below.
Then he saw the monsters.
His breathing became unsteady.
,,Heinrich: Oh my God...
Noah's hands began to tremble.
,,Noah: This...
His voice cracked.
,,Noah: This is all my fault.
Karoschi immediately looked at him.
,,Karoschi: Noah—
,,Noah: No...
A tear rolled down Noah's cheek.
,,Noah: It's my fault.
Another tear followed.
Then another.
Noah desperately tried to wipe them away, but his hands were shaking too badly.
,,Noah: Thousands of innocent people are going to die because of me...
His voice became quieter.
,,Noah: All those people...
He looked down at the streets.
Families were running.
Children were crying.
People were screaming for their loved ones.
And Noah could do nothing.
,,Noah: If I had never brought you here...
His voice broke completely.
,,Noah: If I had never dragged all of you to Kalburg, none of this would have happened!
,,Noah: You wouldn't be here!
,,Noah: These people wouldn't be dying!
His eyes were filled with tears and anger.
,,Noah: IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?!
Everyone froze.
,,Noah: FIRST YOU SAVE ME FROM DEATH!
His voice echoed throughout the ruined throne hall.
,,Noah: THEN YOU FOLLOW ME!
,,Noah: YOU WATCH EVERYTHING I DO!
,,Noah: AND THEN YOU TELL ME TO KILL HIM!
Noah clenched his fists.
,,Noah: HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE?!
Silence.
Heinrich looked at him in confusion.
,,Heinrich: Who are you talking about?
Noah turned toward him.
,,Noah: That damn masked bastard!
His breathing became heavier.
,,Noah: The one who's been following us!
,,Noah: The one I told all of you about!
,,Noah: The one none of you believed existed!
Karoschi slowly approached him.
Noah didn't move.
Then Karoschi placed a hand gently on his shoulder.
,,Karoschi: Noah.
Noah looked at him.
,,Karoschi: Listen to me.
Noah's eyes were still filled with tears.
,,Karoschi: This isn't your fault.
,,Noah: But—
,,Karoschi: No.
Karoschi's voice was firm.
,,Karoschi: Nobody could have prevented this.
He looked toward the destroyed city.
,,Karoschi: This was going to happen eventually.
,,Karoschi: Whether we came here or not.
Noah stared at him.
Karoschi's expression softened.
,,Karoschi: But we are here now.
He tightened his hand on Noah's shoulder.
,,Karoschi: And that means we still have a choice.
Noah slowly raised his head.
,,Karoschi: We can put an end to all of this.
,,Karoschi: It won't happen today.
,,Karoschi: It might not happen tomorrow.
,,Karoschi: It may take years.
Karoschi looked directly into Noah's eyes.
,,Karoschi: But trust me.
,,Karoschi: If we stand together...
,,Karoschi: We can end this.
Noah remained silent.
For several seconds, he simply stared at Karoschi.
Then he wiped the tears from his face.
He took a deep breath.
And slowly stood straight again.
,,Noah: All right.
His voice was still shaken.
But there was determination behind it now.
,,Noah: Then we need to save as many people as possible.
Heinrich suddenly pointed toward the courtyard.
,,Heinrich: Look!
They all turned.
Hundreds of citizens were running toward the area behind the castle.
,,Heinrich: They're all heading behind the castle!
Noah immediately understood.
,,Noah: There might be another gate back there!
He grabbed his sword.
,,Noah: If there is, we can get them out through it!
Karoschi nodded.
But before they could move—
Heinrich froze.
His face suddenly changed.
,,Heinrich: Uh...
He pointed toward the ruined walls.
,,Heinrich: Guys...
Five enormous humanoid creatures were approaching the walls.
They were unlike anything Noah had ever seen.
Their bodies were massive and strangely shaped.
And where their right hands should have been...
There was nothing.
Instead, a gigantic flame floated in the air.
The flames burned unnaturally bright.
Heinrich swallowed.
,,Heinrich: Karoschi...
,,Heinrich: What the hell are those things?
He pointed toward their floating flames.
,,Heinrich: And why is there a giant floating fireball where their right hands should be?!
Karoschi stared at them.
For once...
He had no answer.
,,Karoschi: I...
His expression became serious.
,,Karoschi: I don't know.
He slowly tightened his grip on his sword.
,,Karoschi: I've lived for two hundred years.
His eyes remained fixed on the five creatures.
,,Karoschi: And I've never seen anything like them.
Meanwhile...
Far beyond the broken walls of Kalburg—
Mimic stood among the invading army.
Lilithra approached him.
Jo sat upon her hat, watching the chaos unfold.
,,Lilithra: The Ignitors are in position.
Mimic smiled.
,,Mimic: Perfect.
His eye moved toward the distant kingdom.
,,Mimic: But I need you to do something for me.
Lilithra tilted her head.
,,Lilithra: What is it?
,,Mimic: Take your Hell Beetles and go to the second gate behind the castle.
His smile widened.
,,Mimic: Make sure as few people as possible escape.
Lilithra grinned.
,,Lilithra: Understood.
,,Lilithra: Come on, Jo.
Jo immediately jumped from her hat.
,,Lilithra: Go find your siblings.
,,Lilithra: We've got work to do.
Mimic suddenly stopped.
His expression changed.
,,Mimic: Father.
A voice answered from his head.
,,Karag: What is it?
Mimic looked toward the battlefield.
,,Mimic: I can feel it.
,,Mimic: Finn is dead.
A brief silence followed.
Then Karag spoke.
,,Karag: I know.
Mimic looked surprised.
,,Mimic: You knew?
,,Karag: Of course.
Karag's voice remained calm.
,,Karag: But the five Ignitors are in position.
Mimic looked toward the enormous creatures.
,,Mimic: Then what are your orders?
,,Karag: Burn Kalburg.
Mimic smiled.
,,Karag: But make certain Noah survives.
Mimic's expression immediately changed.
,,Mimic: What?
,,Mimic: Why?!
His voice became angry.
,,Mimic: He stabbed me in the eye!
,,Mimic: You can't seriously expect me to just let him live!
Karag's voice suddenly became colder.
,,Karag: You will let him live.
Mimic fell silent.
,,Karag: I have something far more interesting planned for him.
,,Mimic: As you wish, Father.
Back in Kalburg—
Mimic raised one hand.
The five Ignitors immediately turned toward him.
They waited.
The entire battlefield seemed to pause for one brief moment.
Then Mimic lowered his hand.
,,Mimic: Fire.
The Ignitors raised their enormous right arms.
The floating flames moved toward their faces.
Heinrich stared at them.
,,Heinrich: Guys...
,,Heinrich: What are those things doing?
The five Ignitors inhaled.
Then—
They exhaled.
FWOOM!!
Five gigantic waves of fire erupted toward Kalburg.
The flames swallowed the streets.
They consumed buildings.
They engulfed homes.
They turned the kingdom into an inferno.
,,Johann: NOAH!
Noah, Heinrich, and Karoschi turned toward the courtyard.
Johann stood below with Anna, Perfidus, and Princess Leyla.
,,Johann: Anna, Perfidus, and I are taking Princess Leyla to the back gate!
,,Johann: We'll meet you there!
Noah nodded.
,,Noah: All right!
,,Noah: Be careful!
Johann smiled.
,,Johann: You too!
Then he turned around.
The three of them hurried away with Leyla.
Behind them—
The fire continued spreading.
The entire city was burning.
The screams of the people echoed through the streets.
Noah's heart sank.
,,Heinrich: Shit!
He looked around desperately.
,,Heinrich: How are we supposed to get to the gate?!
,,Noah: There has to be another way out.
,,Noah: The castle must have a back entrance!
The three of them ran.
They raced through the corridors of the castle.
Smoke began filling the halls.
The heat grew stronger.
Every second mattered.
They turned another corner.
Then—
Noah stopped.
An open door.
Beyond it was the outside.
,,Noah: There!
,,Noah: Go!
The three ran toward the exit.
They were almost there.
Almost free.
Then—
Something moved.
A shadow burst from a nearby room.
It leapt directly onto Karoschi.
,,Karoschi: GHHH!
Noah spun around.
,,Noah: KAROSCHI!
Then—
Another hand emerged from the darkness.
Then another.
Two more figures slowly stepped out.
Noah froze.
His heart began pounding.
They looked like them.
Like Noah.
Like Heinrich.
Like Karoschi.
But they were horribly mutilated.
Their bodies were torn apart.
Their faces were twisted.
Their skin was pale.
Their eyes were empty.
Noah's breathing stopped.
The creatures slowly turned toward him.
,,Hollowed Noah: Flesh.