The throne room of Shadowhaven had become silent. Not peaceful. Not calm. Silent in the way a battlefield becomes silent moments before countless people die.
Purple-black tendrils crawled endlessly across the massive walls while shattered stone floated slightly beneath the pressure of corrupted Aether flooding the chamber. The air itself felt heavy enough to crush lungs.
At the center of the throne room—
Seris stood motionless.
Her silver hair fell messily across bruised shoulders while black puppet strings remained attached throughout her body like veins of corruption. Her rapier hung weakly at her side. Yet her body trembled. Not from fear, but from resistance.
Inside her head, voices screamed endlessly.
Kill them.
Kill the intruders.
Kill the traitors.
Kill them all.
Her fingers tightened violently around the rapier's handle. But she didn't move. Taren noticed first.
"…She's resisting."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "…I can see it."
Lio remained silent, but his grip around his blade loosened slightly.
Seris' breathing became uneven. The strings attached to her arms pulled forcefully.
Attack.
Attack.
Attack.
Her right arm slowly rose against her will. The rapier pointed toward the group. But then— it stopped. Her entire body shook violently as she forced the blade downward again.
"…Don't…" she whispered weakly.
The room froze briefly. Veyr sat upon the throne silently. He didn't even glance toward her. "…Pathetic."
Without turning— Veyr slowly raised one hand.
SHHHKKK—!
The puppet strings attached to Seris instantly pulsed with corrupted purple Aether. Seris' eyes widened.
"AAAHHH—!"
Her body arched painfully as the corruption surged directly into her nerves. The strings embedded deeper into her skin while dark Veil markings spread slowly across her neck.
Kael stepped forward instinctively. "HEY—!"
Cedric immediately blocked him with one arm. "…Stand back."
Renn's expression darkened completely. Seris continued trembling violently. The voices inside her head became louder.
Kill them.
Kill them now.
Moonveil does not hesitate.
Moonveil does not feel.
Moonveil obeys.
Her eyes watered. "No…" she whispered weakly. The rapier trembled in her hand.
"I…"
Another surge entered her body.
BOOOOOM—!
Corrupted Aether exploded outward from Seris violently. This time— she screamed. And Renn moved.
CRACK—!
Golden Aether detonated beneath his feet as he surged across the throne room instantly. The manifested armor around his legs burst with radiant energy while Lumindelle's evolved dagger glowed brightly within his grip.
Fast.
Faster than before.
His golden trail crossed the throne room like lightning itself. Straight toward Veyr. But Veyr simply raised his eyes slightly.
SHHHKKKK—!
Dozens of black-purple tendrils erupted from the shadows before the throne simultaneously.
CLANG—!
Renn's dagger collided against them violently. The impact shook the entire chamber. Golden Aether and corrupted Veil Arts exploded outward in opposite directions while cracks spread across the floor beneath Renn's feet. Veyr remained seated. Unmoving.
"…Still not learned your lessons.."
Renn gritted his teeth while pushing harder.
"She's not your puppet!"
Veyr's cold gaze met his. "She is exactly what I made her to be."
BOOOOM—!
Another wave of tendrils erupted instantly. Renn twisted sideways mid-clash, narrowly avoiding several attacks before spinning back into another strike.
CLANG!
Another collision.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Golden flashes illuminated the throne room repeatedly while Veyr intercepted every attack effortlessly through overwhelming combat experience alone.
Renn attacked faster.
Veyr adapted faster.
Every movement Renn made. Every acceleration. Every feint. Every shift in stance. Veyr understood immediately.
Cedric narrowed his eyes while watching. "…He's reading him."
Renn vanished again. "Aether Art: Piercing Collapse.!"
BOOM—!
The floor shattered beneath him as he accelerated directly toward Veyr's blind side. But before the strike landed—
SHHK—!
A tendril intercepted perfectly. Then another. Then dozens more. The throne room erupted into black destruction instantly.
Renn's eyes widened as tendrils exploded from every direction simultaneously.
Walls. Ceiling. Floor. Pillars. Even shadows.
SHHHKKKKK—!!!
Renn was forced backward immediately. Golden Aether burst repeatedly beneath his feet as he dodged countless attacks while retreating across the throne room.
One strike narrowly missed his throat. Another pierced through his sleeve. Another shattered the floor beneath him violently. He landed several meters away breathing heavily. Then—
He saw them.
Taren.
Collapsed against a broken pillar. Kael kneeling while gripping his bleeding side. Lio barely conscious beside shattered stone. Even Garrick— on one knee. And Lyra lying motionless beside him.
Renn froze. His eyes widened slightly. His gaze slowly sharpened. The throne room became quieter. Darker.
Veyr observed him calmly from the throne.
"Now you understand."
Purple-black Aether spread slowly around the throne. Renn's grip tightened violently.
"They fought because of attachment." Veyr's voice remained calm. "And now they suffer because of it."
Taren coughed painfully from the ground. "…Renn…"
Kael forced a grin despite the blood running down his face. "…Don't listen to that nonsense…"
Lio lowered his blade weakly.
But Renn's eyes no longer looked calm. Golden Aether slowly intensified around his body. The pressure changed.
Watching.
Renn took one step forward. Then another. Then—
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Golden light exploded throughout the throne room. The floor beneath Renn shattered instantly as overwhelming Aether surged outward violently from his body. The air itself trembled beneath the pressure.
Veyr's eyes narrowed slightly. "…That's it, Renn. Show me your pathetic downfall because of your beliefs."
Renn disappeared.
SHHK—!
He appeared directly before the throne instantly. Faster than before. Far faster. The golden dagger slashed downward violently toward Veyr's neck—
CLANG—!
A silver blade intercepted the strike perfectly. Silence.
Renn's eyes widened slightly. Seris stood between them. Her rapier locked against Lumindelle. Her silver eyes trembled violently. But her body moved flawlessly.
Like a perfect puppet.
Veyr slowly stood from the throne behind her. The strings suddenly tightened.
SHHK—!
Seris vanished instantly.
CLANG—!
Silver and gold collided violently. The impact echoed across the throne room as Renn barely blocked her thrust inches from his throat.
Sparks scattered between their weapons while Seris immediately twisted into another strike.
Fast.
Far too fast.
SHHK—! SHHK—! SHHK—!
Multiple silver flashes exploded around Renn continuously. Her rapier moved with terrifying precision, each thrust aimed toward fatal points—neck, lungs, arteries, heart.
Renn retreated while parrying desperately. Every strike felt heavier than before.
Kael coughed from the side while watching. "…She's insane, I can't track her moves anymore…"
For brief moments— Seris' blade slowed slightly before lethal strikes. A thrust toward Renn's throat shifted barely enough for him to evade. A slash toward his chest paused for half a second. Her body trembled repeatedly between movements.
Fighting.
Resisting.
The puppet strings tightened violently each time she hesitated.
"AAH—!"
Seris suddenly staggered mid-attack, gripping her own wrist tightly as if trying to stop herself. The rapier shook violently.
Renn's eyes widened slightly.
"…Seris."
BOOOOM—!
Corrupted Aether exploded from the strings again. Her body snapped forward unnaturally.
CLANG—!
Renn barely blocked another thrust. This time her attacks became more brutal. More desperate. As if the strings themselves had grown enraged.
SHHK—!
Her rapier pierced through Renn's shoulder guard slightly before he forced her blade aside. Blood scattered across the floor. Renn immediately countered with a slash— but stopped at the final second.
His blade froze inches from her neck. That hesitation cost him.
CRACK—!
Seris kicked directly into his stomach, launching him backward through broken stone. Dust exploded upward violently.
Taren struggled to rise from the ground. "Renn—!"
Cedric blocked him again. "…Don't interfere. Let Renn save her this time."
Even Cedric's eyes looked uncertain now. Because Seris wasn't fighting like someone who wanted to kill. She was fighting like someone trying not to.
Renn slowly stood again. Blood dripped from his shoulder. Golden mist flowed around Lumindelle faintly.
Across from him— Seris stood trembling. Her breathing uneven. Her silver eyes watery. And her rapier lowered slightly.
"…Why…" her voice cracked softly. The strings immediately tightened around her arms.
"AAAHH—!"
She screamed again. Veyr's gaze darkened slightly from the throne. "…How disappointing."
More tendrils spread from beneath the throne itself, feeding corrupted Aether directly into the strings attached to Seris' body. Her pupils trembled violently.
Kill him.
Kill him.
Kill him now.
Her body lunged forward again.
SHHK—!
Renn vanished.
BOOM—!
Golden Aether erupted beneath his feet as the manifested armor accelerated him instantly around her flank. Seris reacted immediately, spinning perfectly into another thrust.
CLANG!
Renn blocked. Twisted. Countered.
The throne room exploded into motion again. Silver and gold flashed endlessly across the chamber while shockwaves shattered remaining pillars apart.
Seris moved beautifully. Like a dancer forced into violence. Every thrust flowed seamlessly into the next strike. Every step carried assassin precision refined through countless years of bloodshed.
But hidden within her attacks— pain remained.
Renn noticed it now. Whenever he spoke, she hesitated. Whenever he refused to strike lethally, her movements slowed. Whenever the others called her name, the strings tightened harder.
CLANG—!
Their weapons locked again near the center of the throne room. Renn stared directly into her trembling eyes.
"We're here for you. I am here for you."
Seris' pupils shook violently. The rapier trembled. "…No, stop…"
"You're not alone anymore."
"Stop talking…"
"You don't have to fight this place by yourself."
Tears rolled down her cheeks instantly. And for one brief moment— the strings loosened.
Seris staggered backward suddenly. Her rapier lowered. Her body shook violently as she clutched her own chest.
"No…"
The voices screamed louder inside her head.
Moonveil obeys.
Moonveil kills.
Moonveil belongs to Black Petals.
"No…"
She dropped to one knee. The strings tightened again. Harder. Deeper.
Purple-black Aether spread across her veins violently. Veyr finally stood slowly from the throne. His expression no longer calm.
"…Stand up, Moonveil."
Seris trembled. But did not move. "…I said stand."
Still— she resisted. For the first time, Veyr looked irritated. The entire throne room darkened beneath rising Veil Arts pressure.
"After everything I gave you…" The strings violently jerked her body upright. "…you choose to be weak like them?"
Seris' eyes widened painfully. Renn immediately stepped forward— but Seris suddenly raised her hand.
Stopping him.
Silence filled the throne room. Then, very softly— Seris smiled.
A weak, broken, gentle smile.
"…Thank you…"
Everyone froze. Her silver eyes slowly looked toward Taren. Then Kael. Then Lio. Then Garrick and Lyra.
"…All of you…"
Tears rolled endlessly down her face. Renn's eyes widened. "…Seris?"
Then—
SHHK—!
The sound echoed quietly through the throne room.
For a moment— nobody understood what happened. Seris' body trembled once. Her rapier had pierced directly through her own chest.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Blood slowly dripped from the blade onto the shattered floor beneath her feet. Renn froze completely.
"…No…" Taren's eyes widened in horror.
Kael stood speechless.
Lio's blade slowly lowered.
Even Cedric looked stunned.
Veyr's expression changed instantly. The puppet strings suddenly trembled violently.
Then— One by one, they began disconnecting from Seris' body.
SHHK…
SHHK…
SHHK…
Like lifeless threads losing control. Veyr's eyes widened for the first time.
Seris slowly collapsed forward. Renn moved instantly.
BOOOOM—!
Golden Aether exploded beneath his feet as he caught her before she hit the ground.
Blood spread rapidly across his arms. Warm. Too warm. Seris weakly looked up toward him. Her breathing fragile.
Renn's hands trembled violently. "No— no no no—!"
Behind them— the puppet strings completely shattered apart. Veyr stared silently. His control gone.
Moonveil—
Gone.
And for the first time since entering the throne room— real rage erupted from Renn Valehart. Golden Aether exploded violently throughout the entire chamber.