Amidst the thick clouds of dust left behind by the mysterious figure's "stars," the royal palace turned into a labyrinth of fire and screams. There was no longer any room for diplomacy or law; the moment of weapons alone had arrived to carve a path to survival.
In the corridors leading to the secret laboratory, Romulius advanced like a silent hurricane. His movements were not random but professionally expert.
Romulius (Plunging his dagger into a gap in a guard's armor): "Meron! Get down!"
As soon as Meron responded, a glowing blade flew over his head, decapitating a marble statue behind him. Meron did not hesitate; he drew the short sword Kayan had gifted him and lunged toward a guard trying to recharge a handheld gravity cannon.
Meron (Screaming in rage): "For Meres!"
Meron leaped onto the guard's shoulders and drove his blade into the power unit on his back. The unit exploded, flinging Meron away, but the guard fell dead amidst electrical sparks.
Nirar (Firing a barrage of electromagnetic pulses from his glove): "Good performance, Meron, but don't be suicidal! Ortinus, cover!"
Ortinus advanced with his long Aether sword, fighting in a majestic, classical style. He didn't just strike; he channeled the sword's energy to create thrust waves that pushed attackers back.
Ortinus: "Romulius, Nirar... an elite platoon is approaching from the western bend. I'll paralyze them with a thrust wave; take the opportunity!"
Ortinus struck the floor with the blade of his sword, releasing a blue wave that made the guards stagger. In that instant, Nirar and Romulius darted forward like arrows, killing everyone in their path with terrifying coordination.
Meanwhile, Kayan had reached the foyer of the Grand Hall, where he faced the "Black Guard Squad," King Ragus's most powerful unit.
Kayan (In a voice that shook the place): "Soldiers of the Liberation Army! Do not retreat! The exit is behind them, and freedom is before you!"
Kayan charged through the guards, his blue sword tracing arcs of death. He moved with unbelievable speed, parrying laser fire with his blade and tossing enemies left and right. One of the Black Guard leaders, a massive man carrying a hydraulic hammer, blocked his path.
Guard Leader: "Kayan! Today your legend ends under my feet!"
Kayan (With a cold smile): "Our legends do not die... they only turn into a reality that burns your palaces."
Sword clashed with hammer, producing a massive boom that shook the hall walls. Kayan exploited the weight of the hammer, slid under the leader's legs, and stabbed him in the knee and then the chest, leaving him to fall like a collapsing mountain.
A bit further back, Darius and Picos were fighting their "own battle," which was not without chaos.
Picos (Pulling out an odd-looking arrow): "Darius! Get ready for the 'Explosive Glue' arrow!"
Darius: "Picos! Don't throw it near us! Last time it stuck to the wall for three hours!"
Picos: "Trust me this time!"
Picos shot the arrow toward a group of guards, but it hit a pillar and bounced back, landing between Darius's feet.
Darius (In panic): "What are you doing! Picos!"
The arrow exploded, spreading a green sticky substance everywhere. The guards stumbled into it and began to slip and slide hilariously. Nikos took advantage of the situation, picking them off easily while shaking his head in despair.
Nikos: "Darius, if we survive, I'm sending you back to training school from scratch. Picos, you... you are a hopeless case."
Picos (Kicking a guard stuck in the glue): "But it worked, Uncle Nikos! Look, they're dancing on the glue!"
As the palace shook due to the mysterious figure's "stars" still falling outside, the comrades finally reached the massive steel door of the laboratory.
Ortinus (Panting, wiping blood from his forehead): "Nirar, quickly! Decode the door! The walls are cracking; this unknown person will bring the palace down on our heads before we find the solution!"
Nirar (His fingers moving frantically over the control panel): "I only need seconds... the security here is stupidly reliant on power; I'll overload the circuit to burn out the lock!"
Behind them, the sound of heavy footsteps approached. The fight was not over, and the Royal Guard began to gather their final strength to reclaim control of the lower corridors. The comrades prepared to repel the last assault, while Kayan above carved his way through a sea of enemies, his eye on the fortified room where the royal family had entered.