The battlefield had fallen silent.
The wind no longer felt calm—it carried tension, dust, and the aftermath of a brutal clash.
Amagi stood barely upright, his breathing heavy, his body covered in bruises. Every movement hurt. Every breath reminded him how close he was to collapsing.
Across from him—
Norio swayed.
The earlier confidence in his stance was gone. His movements had slowed. His strength, though still terrifying, was beginning to fade.
Blood dripped steadily from his wound.
But his eyes…
They weren't filled with rage anymore.
They were searching.
---
"…Why?" Norio spoke, his voice lower than before.
Amagi didn't respond immediately. He stayed alert, watching for another sudden attack.
But none came.
Norio took a slow step forward.
"Why did you… kill them?"
Amagi's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Norio's fists trembled—not from power, but from something deeper.
"My people… my cult…" he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You destroyed them."
For the first time since the fight began—
Norio looked… human.
Not a warrior.
Not a cursed mage.
Just someone who had lost something.
---
Amagi straightened slightly, forcing himself to stay conscious.
"We didn't kill your cult," he said firmly.
Norio froze.
The wind passed between them.
"…Don't lie," Norio muttered, though there was no real strength behind his words anymore.
Amagi shook his head.
"We've been dealing with Caldryn, with Vaelros, with the corruption spreading across kingdoms," he said. "We don't even know your cult."
Norio's eyes widened slightly.
Confusion replaced anger.
"…No…" he whispered. "That's not possible."
His breathing became uneven.
"They were gone… everything was destroyed… I thought…" his voice faded.
---
Amagi took a step forward, despite the pain.
"Think carefully," he said. "Who told you it was us?"
Norio's mind raced.
Fragments of memory.
Voices.
Orders.
A shadow behind everything.
---
"…Vaelros…" he said quietly.
The name felt heavy.
Too heavy.
---
His body suddenly staggered.
The strength that had been holding him up finally began to collapse.
The blood loss was catching up.
He tried to step forward again—
But his legs gave out.
---
Norio fell to his knees.
His breathing became shallow.
"…I…" he tried to speak, but couldn't finish.
Amagi watched closely, still cautious—but he could see it clearly now.
This wasn't an act.
Norio was done.
---
"…You were used," Amagi said quietly.
Norio didn't respond.
His eyes slowly lost focus.
The tension in his body disappeared.
And then—
He collapsed forward onto the ground.
Unconscious.
---
Silence returned to the battlefield.
The fight was over.
But the truth it revealed…
Was far more dangerous.
---
Amagi looked toward Gorath, still lying motionless in the distance.
Then back at Norio.
"…This war…" he muttered,
"…is worse than we thought."
---
Far away—
Beyond the mountains…
A certain wizard continued to pull the strings.
And now—
Another piece had just fallen into place.