The Mirce Lorde hurried back to the palace.
He could already feel it.
The connections he had with Sheen, Hades, and Spring had been severed.
"ARKANUS!!!" he roared the moment he burst through the palace doors.
Arkanus immediately approached him.
"My lord... did something happen?" he asked, confused by his master's sudden panic.
"Where are Tresvain and Owen?" the Mirce Lorde asked.
"They went to the town to search for the nobles," Arkanus answered.
"I see..."
A sinister smile slowly spread across the Mirce Lorde's face while staring at Arkanus.
An idea had just occurred to him.
.
.
.
"Tresvain, listen to me. We're being controlled by the Mirce Lorde. He erased our memories," Hades insisted.
Tresvain narrowed his eyes. "And you expect Owen and me to believe you? You two are traitors."
"We're telling you the truth, Tresvain," Spring said.
Owen's expression suddenly became serious.
"Tresvain..." he whispered. "What if they're actually telling the truth?"
Tresvain immediately turned toward him. "Don't listen to them. They're traitors. They're only trying to deceive us so that we'll turn against the Mirce Lorde."
"Owen... we're telling the truth," Aria said.
Owen hesitated.
His eyes moved between Hades, Spring, and Tresvain.
Who was actually telling the truth?
For the first time, doubt began to creep into his mind.
But Tresvain had already prepared himself for battle.
"Enough! Kill them!" Tresvain ordered.
The Querons soldiers immediately charged.
Titus moved first. "Come on!"
He rushed into the enemy formation, followed closely by Hades, Spring and Cedrick.
The battle erupted once again.
Tresvain attacked them without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Owen remained where he was.
He simply stood there and watched.
His fists slowly tightened.
He still couldn't decide who to believe.
Tresvain...
Or the people claiming that their memories had been erased.
.
.
.....
"My head hurts..." Sheen groaned.
His eyes slowly opened.
Lucas immediately looked at him. "Lord Sheen!"
Sheen sat up and rubbed his temples. "What happened?"
Lucas smiled slightly. "I managed to restore your memories. You lost them because the Mirce Lorde took control of you."
"The Mirce Lorde?" Sheen froze. "Wait..."
Then everything came rushing back.
The Querons had kidnapped him.
They had erased his memories.
He had become one of the Mirce Lorde's servants.
He remembered following orders.
He remembered capturing people.
He remembered the bloodshed.
And he remembered how many lives they had taken.
Sheen clenched his fists. "Tsk. He really turned me into a monster just like himself."
Xylon stepped forward. "Sheen, come with us. We're going to put an end to the Mirce Lorde's reign. We'll restore peace to Aznar."
Sheen looked at him skeptically. "And how exactly can I be sure you'll succeed, Your Majesty?"
Sheen was known throughout his district as a rebellious vampire.
Despite being a noble, he had little respect for royalty and rarely followed anyone's orders. He was a Count by blood, but he preferred living an ordinary life rather than behaving like a member of the aristocracy.
Xylon wasn't offended by his attitude.
Before he could answer, Xenon spoke.
"Were you not a Count? All noble vampires possess tremendous power. If we combine our abilities, we should be able to defeat him."
Sheen crossed his arms. "But what happens if he erases our memories again? Have you already forgotten about Nuccalev?"
The room fell silent.
Sheen had a point.
Nuccalev's ability was terrifying.
If they lost their memories again, all their preparations would be meaningless.
"Arden."
Everyone turned toward Xylon.
"He'll be our counter against Nuccalev," Xylon looked toward Arden. "They possess similar abilities. The only thing Arden needs to do is strike first."
Arden silently nodded.
"He also has another advantage," Heberlin added. "Arden is an anima. Even if his physical body disappears, he'll eventually return."
Sheen looked at Arden with interest.
"As long as Xylon continues to believe that Arden exists, Arden will continue to exist in this world. And because his existence is tied to Xylon's, Nuccalev won't be able to erase his memories simply by destroying his body," Heberlin said.
Sheen's expression changed. "So you actually have someone who can counter Nuccalev."
Xylon nodded. "Exactly."
Lilith stepped forward. "Then, Sheen... will you join us?"
Sheen looked at her.
For a moment, he simply stared.
Then a playful smile appeared on his face. "Well, if we're going to have such a beautiful lady accompanying us, I might as well join."
Yvess immediately shot Rasheen an irritated look.
Sheen burst out laughing. "Hahaha! What's wrong? I'm only telling the truth."
Lilith rolled her eyes.
Xylon sighed. "Enough. We have no time for this."
He turned toward the others.
"It's decided," his expression became stern. "We're going to the Throne Palace."
Everyone became serious.
"We'll take back our kingdom..." Xylon's eyes burned with determination. "And bring down the Mirce Lorde once and for all."
The vampires stood together.
.
.
.....
Everyone froze when Tresvain was suddenly engulfed in a dark aura.
His body began to grow larger.
Veins bulged beneath his skin as the darkness coursed through his body. His muscles twisted unnaturally, and his eyes lost their usual clarity.
"Tresvain... what's happening to you?" Owen asked, horrified.
But Tresvain didn't respond.
He seemed completely detached from reality.
"N-No... this can't be," Aria whispered.
Titus looked at her. "Why? What did you see?"
Aria's expression turned grim. "Tresvain is being controlled by the Mirce Lorde. He's giving him an enormous amount of power, but his body can't withstand it."
She stared at Tresvain in fear. "If he continues absorbing that much power, his body will eventually reach its limit."
"What happens then?" Cedrick asked.
"He'll explode..." Aria answered. "And when he does, his entire body will turn to ash."
"W-What?" Owen stammered.
Cedrick immediately looked at him. "Owen! Help us calm Tresvain down!"
Owen stepped forward. "Tresvain! Come back to your senses! Can you hear me?"
He tried to approach him, but the moment he got close, he was forced to step back.
The dark aura surrounding Tresvain was scorching hot.
"Tresvain!" Spring's voice echoed across the battlefield. "WAKE UP!!!"
Tresvain suddenly raised his hand.
A massive wave of dark energy erupted toward them.
"MOVE!" Titus shouted.
They quickly scattered.
The attack missed them and struck several Querons soldiers instead.
The moment the soldiers were touched by the dark energy, their bodies disintegrated into ash.
Titus stared in horror. "He's completely lost control."
"Tresvain!" Owen shouted again.
But Tresvain suddenly turned toward him.
His eyes glowed with darkness.
Owen barely had time to react before another attack was launched at him.
"Owen!" Hades quickly raised his hand.
The ground beneath Owen suddenly lifted into the air, carrying him away from the attack.
BOOM!
The dark blast slammed into the ground where Owen had been standing only moments before.
Owen stared down in shock.
Hades had saved him just in time.
Tresvain continued to grow.
The dark aura around him became denser and more violent.
His body trembled as if it were struggling to contain the power coursing through it.
Aria's eyes widened. "No..."
Everyone looked at her.
"He's about to explode!" she shouted.
Owen's face went pale. "N-No..."
He looked at Tresvain.
"He's going to die?" Owen asked Aria.
Aria nodded.
"If we don't get away from here, we'll die with him," she said.
"But we can't just leave him!" Owen shouted.
Hades turned toward him. "Owen, create a portal!"
Owen hesitated.
Then he reluctantly raised his hand.
A swirling portal began to form in the air.
"We're leaving!" Aria shouted.
But Owen continued staring at Tresvain.
"We can't leave him here," he said.
"There is nothing we can do for him anymore," Titus said grimly. He looked at Tresvain. "He's no longer himself."
Titus motioned for them to keep moving. "Go!"
Aria stepped through the portal first, followed by Cedrick and the others.
Owen shook his head.
"No..." he stepped toward Tresvain. "I'll stay with him."
Titus grabbed his arm. "Are you insane?"
"Let me go!" Owen shouted.
"I said we're leaving!" Titus said.
"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" Owen struggled desperately.
Titus's expression hardened. "Stop being so damn stubborn!"
He raised his hand.
A massive sphere of water suddenly formed around Owen, trapping him inside.
"W-Wait!" Owen pounded against the watery barrier. "Titus! Let me out!"
But Titus ignored him.
"You're coming with us whether you like it or not," he pushed the water sphere toward the portal.
Owen continued struggling inside.
"Tresvain!" he stared at his companion for the last time. "I'm sorry..."
Titus pushed him through the portal.
The portal began to close.
And when the portal disappeared—
BOOOOOOM!!!
Tresvain's body exploded.
A tremendous wave of dark energy swept across the district.
The explosion consumed everything in its path.
Houses were obliterated.
Fields were reduced to ashes.
Trees were uprooted and burned away.
Animals caught in the blast vanished in an instant.
The entire district was engulfed in destruction.
Nothing remained.
.
.
"No..." Owen collapsed to his knees.
Tears streamed down his face.
He stared blankly at the ground. "Tresvain..."
His voice trembled.
"No..." he shook his head repeatedly. "This can't be happening..."
He couldn't accept it.
Tresvain was gone.
Dead.
There was nothing left of him.
Owen lowered his head as tears continued to fall.
Aria slowly approached him.
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Owen..."
He didn't respond.
Aria's voice softened. "Let me remind you of everything."
Owen slowly looked up. "What...?"
Aria met his gaze.
The moment their eyes locked—
Owen froze.
His pupils widened.
Memories suddenly began flooding into his mind.
A different time.
A different life.
Before the Mirce Lorde.
Before the manipulation.
Before the lies.
Before Tresvain's death.
Images of his past began flashing through his mind.
And slowly, everything he had forgotten began returning.
The truth was finally coming back to him.
.
.
.
Xylon and the others were currently resting in the Third District.
After everything they had been through, they needed a moment to recover before continuing their journey.
But Xylon could already feel something familiar.
His children were nearby.
He could sense their presence somewhere ahead.
"Your Majesty, look what I found," Arden had just returned from one of the nearby houses.
He walked over to Xylon and handed him a handkerchief.
Xylon examined it carefully.
"This belongs to Aria," Xenon said.
"If that's true, then they must have passed through here," Zander said.
Zake leaned closer and sniffed it. "I can smell something else."
Everyone looked at him.
"There was a wolf with them. This handkerchief carries the scent of a wolf," Zake said.
Blake raised an eyebrow. "Were they kidnapped by a wolf?"
"No," Lilith immediately replied.
She took the handkerchief from Xylon and examined it.
"They weren't kidnapped. The wolf was traveling with them," she looked at the others. "It was an ally."
Xylon's expression softened slightly. "That's good. If they're nearby, then it won't be long before we find them."
Lilith suddenly became serious. "There's a problem, Your Majesty."
Xylon looked at her. "What is it?"
"I saw it in my vision," she paused. "Akuma and the others are heading toward the Throne Palace."
Xylon's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"
He immediately stood.
"We have to hurry. We need to catch up with them before they reach the palace," without wasting another second, Xylon headed outside.
"Your Majesty!" Xenon called.
But Xylon was already moving.
The others quickly followed.
They couldn't afford to lose any more time.
.
.
.
"Owen..."
Aria gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
Owen was sitting outside a small hut, staring blankly into the distance.
His memories had returned.
All of them.
He finally remembered who he truly was.
He was a Gate Keeper.
Years ago, he had inherited the position from the previous Gate Keeper.
His true name was Owen Paris. The disciple of the Old Gate Keeper.
With his ability to create portals, he could connect different worlds and dimensions—the Human Realm, Aznar Kingdom, the World of Emptiness, Hell, and even parallel worlds.
But the Mirce Lorde had discovered his power.
He had ordered his capture, erased his memories, and manipulated him into becoming one of his servants.
Owen lowered his head.
"I still can't accept that Tresvain is gone," his voice trembled. "He died without ever knowing who he truly was."
Aria sat beside him.
"Don't blame yourself," she looked toward the horizon. "Once we defeat the Mirce Lorde, Tresvain will have justice."
Owen forced a faint smile. "Thank you, Aria."
Of all the knights who had been manipulated by the Mirce Lorde, Owen had always been the kindest.
Even after losing his memories and being forced to serve evil, a part of his true self had remained.
And now that he had remembered everything, he was determined to make sure Tresvain's death would not be meaningless.
Suddenly, Aria's expression changed.
She closed her eyes. "I can sense them."
Owen looked at her. "Who?"
"Xylon and the others," she replied.
Aria had seen them in her vision.
They were also heading toward the Throne Palace.
She remained her eyes closed and concentrated, she began contacting them through telepathy.
They became quiet for a while.
Once done, she opened her eyes.
"I had already contacted Xylon through telepathy and informed him that we were on our way to the palace as well," she said.
Then she frowned. "But I could no longer reach Akuma. Something was blocking their connection. The barrier has become stronger. It's blocking all communication in the First and Second Districts."
Owen stood. "Then let's find them."
Aria shook her head. She looked ahead. "We don't need to."
Owen followed her gaze.
They were already approaching the boundary leading into the Second District.
Their groups were moving toward the same destination.
The Throne Palace.
The final battle is about to begin...