The clash of white and green light raged above the ruined kingdom, tearing through the clouds in violent bursts that shook the heavens. But then, at last, the rhythm of the battle changed.
The two distant figures faltered.
A final collision split the sky open with a blinding flash, and both Yajin and the Angel King were hurled downward, trailing streaks of light like falling stars.
They hit the land with a crash that rolled across the plains like an earthquake.
The ground buckled. Dust erupted in a towering plume. The shockwave rippled through the grass at the Sages' feet.
Eiden narrowed his eyes. "They have landed."
The dust slowly thinned, revealing two silhouettes standing amid the shattered earth. Both figures rose to their feet, shoulders heaving, their auras flickering like dying flames struggling to reignite.
The Angel King's wings hung low, feathers dimmed to a dull silver. Yajin's green aura sputtered around him, crackling weakly as he steadied himself.
They faced each other in silence, chests rising and falling with heavy breaths.
The Sages watched from their vantage point, unmoving.
Selyndra's hands tightened at her sides. Morvath's blade remained planted in the ground. Vaelus's emerald eyes narrowed with restless anticipation. Iris stood with her cloak brushing her legs, gaze locked on the two kings. Seraphaine's eyes observed. Dravien's ears twitched, tail frozen behind him.
The sun was gone now.
The sky deepened into a heavy, starless blue as the last traces of daylight bled away. The world dimmed, shadows stretching long across the plains.
Then the moon rose.
Slowly.
Silently.
Cold and pale.
Its silver light washed over the land, turning the broken kingdom into a field of ghostly ruins. The sky darkened fully, swallowing the last hints of color until only the moon remained, hanging above the world like a watchful eye.
The Sages stood in the quiet, waiting.
Waiting for the moment the night demanded action. Waiting for the moment the kings would move again. Waiting for the moment Eiden would speak.
Below, Yajin and the Angel King stood in the moonlit dust, breathing hard, their power dimmed but far from gone.
Night had taken the sky.
And the true battle was about to begin.