The throne room erupted once more. Golden light burst across the shattered floor.
BOOM!
Renn disappeared.
He crossed the distance between himself and Veyr almost instantly, golden armored boots detonating beneath every step. Lumindelle's radiance trailed behind him like a comet as Lumindelle slashed directly toward Veyr's throat.
CLANG!
A wall of black tendrils surged from the ground, intercepting the dagger only inches away. But Renn never intended to attack alone.
"Kael!"
Above Veyr—
A crimson flash descended. Kael gripped his greatsword with both hands as blazing Aether engulfed the blade.
"Blade Art: Tyrant Breaker!"
BOOOOOOM!
The sword crashed downward with enough force to split the throne in half.
Veyr vanished. The blade shattered the stone where he had stood only moments earlier.
"Too slow."
He appeared beside the throne. But waiting there—
"Weren't aiming for your head."
Lio and Taren.
One from the left, one from the right. Blue and yellow Aether collided simultaneously.
"Astra Art—"
"Pulse Art—"
The two attacks crossed perfectly. For the first time, Veyr was forced to defend. Then— his eyes narrowed.
"...So persistent ..."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A concentrated wave of corrupted Aether exploded from his body. The shockwave blasted through the chamber.
Lio.
Taren.
Kael.
Renn.
All four were hurled backward as pillars collapsed beneath the pressure. The throne room shook violently. Dust consumed the battlefield. Yet before the smoke settled— A silver flash appeared.
Seris.
She crossed the distance without making a sound.
One thrust.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Twenty.
Her rapier became nothing more than silver afterimages. Every strike sought a vital point. Every strike sought Veyr's heart.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Black tendrils answered every thrust flawlessly. Not a single attack reached him. Veyr spoke calmly while deflecting another strike.
"...Not enough."
BOOM!
A tendril struck Seris's guard. The impact forced her backward across the broken floor.
"GARRICK!"
Without hesitation— Garrick ripped an enormous slab of broken stone from the ruined throne room. Veins bulged across his arms. With a roar, he hurled it.
The boulder screamed through the air. Veyr merely glanced upward. Several tendrils pierced through the stone.
CRACK!
The massive boulder exploded into hundreds of fragments before reaching him. Then—
Lyra emerged through the debris. Twin daggers flashed beneath the cloud of dust. She aimed low directly for Veyr's legs.
"...!!."
He leaped.
Black threads extended from the ceiling like spider silk. His feet landed effortlessly upon them.
Now he stood high above everyone. Looking down.
Like a king.
Silence filled the throne room. Then, a golden flash appeared behind him.
"...!"
Veyr's instincts screamed.
He turned.
Too late.
Renn had already arrived.
CLANG!!
The black tendrils barely intercepted Lumindelle. Even then— the force sent Veyr crashing back toward the ground.
BOOOOM!!
He landed heavily below. Stone shattered beneath his feet. Before he could recover—
Everyone moved.
Renn.
Kael.
Lio.
Taren.
Seris.
Garrick.
Lyra.
Seven attacks converged from every direction. Not one after another. Together. Perfectly synchronized.
Veyr looked around once. Then sighed.
"...Children."
His eyes glowed violet.
"...You still don't understand."
The entire throne room trembled. Every remaining tendril returned to him. Compressing.... Condensing.... Gathering. Until—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Dark Aura exploded outward. The blast swallowed everything. The roof of the throne room shattered completely.
Stones, steel, ancient pillars. Everything was blown apart.
Moonlight poured into the ruins for the first time in decades. The seven warriors were thrown across the battlefield. One after another...
Kael crashed through broken columns.
Lio slid across shattered marble.
Taren struggled to keep his footing before finally collapsing.
Seris was sent rolling across the floor.
Garrick shielded Lyra as both were buried beneath falling debris.
Cedric barely remained conscious.
Silence.
Only one figure remained standing.
Renn.
Golden mist drifted around him. Across the ruined throne room, Veyr slowly walked forward. His cloak fluttered beneath the moonlight.
"...You're persistent."
Renn raised Lumindelle. "...I'm not done."
Veyr looked toward the shattered ceiling. "...Neither am I."
For several moments... Neither moved. Then Veyr spoke.
"...I was once a man like you."
Renn remained silent.
"I fought to protect what mattered. My family. My friends. My people."
"I was the pride of Shadowhaven. The Veiled Council called me its future."
A bitter smile crossed his face.
"I had a daughter."
His voice became quieter.
"...Eris... The light of my life."
Moonlight reflected within his eyes.
"She had no talent. No gift for the blade, no affinity for Aether. But none of that mattered. I loved her more than this kingdom itself."
His fists slowly tightened.
"Then the darkness came. A strange Aether sickness. It devoured her body day by day."
"I begged."
"I pleaded."
"I searched every kingdom."
"No one helped."
"The Council feared the corruption. They feared my daughter would infect the city."
"So... They abandoned her."
"They left her to die."
Renn's expression hardened.
"So I killed them."
The words echoed without emotion.
"I slaughtered the Council."
"I slaughtered the nobles."
"I slaughtered everyone who chose fear over compassion."
Years passed.
"Then... I found them."
Renn quietly spoke. "...Serene and Seris."
Veyr nodded. "They looked exactly like Eris. My daughter."
"But Serene..." A faint chuckle escaped him.
"She was strong, too strong.... She wasn't my Eris."
His gaze slowly shifted toward Seris.
"But Seris..."
"So fragile."
"So helpless."
"So much like her."
"I finally found my daughter again."
Renn gripped Lumindelle harder.
"So I raised her."
"I trained her."
"I broke her."
"I erased every weakness."
"I even made her kill Serene. So she would never leave me."
Silence consumed the battlefield. Renn's voice came quietly. "...You're sick."
Veyr smiled. "...Perhaps."
"But then you came."
"You tried to take her away."
His smile vanished. "I won't lose my daughter again."
Purple-black Aether erupted around him.
"I'll kill every one of you."
"And Seris... will remain by my side."
"Forever."
Renn stepped forward. Golden Aether answered him.
"No."
His voice echoed through the ruined throne room. "She's not your daughter. She never was."
"You never loved her. You loved the illusion you forced onto her."
Veyr's eyes narrowed.
"She has people waiting for her."
"Friends."
"Family."
"A future."
"A name."
Renn pointed Lumindelle toward him.
"Seris isn't your puppet."
"She isn't your replacement."
"And she isn't your excuse."
A cold smile crossed Renn's face. "I'll free Seris from your twisted obsession."
"Even if it costs me my life."
For the first time, Veyr laughed.
"...Very well."
He slowly raised his hand. Black tendrils erupted toward the heavens.
"Then let us see who Seris chooses in the end."
Golden and violet Aether exploded across the ruined throne room.
The final battle had truly begun.