They stood on the horizon overlooking the capital as it continued burning, suffering, and bearing the pain of the attack. The immense number of demons crowding the walls, battering it down relentlessly cackled and laughed with joy with every piece of the wall that they take down. They felt the pits of their stomach rumble in glee for the coming feast.

The men defending the city mustered all that they could, resisting those that were trying to assault them by raising the ladders.

"Pour the boiling oil! They're getting through!" One of them shouted, bathing in the blood of both his own allies and the blood of the demons that have sputtered on him. He panted, looking all around him. No one had heard his screams as the hungry and bloodthirsty faces of the demons became increasingly larger as they got closer using the ladder to ascend the wall.

His own allies were preoccupied, fighting back the oncoming horde, firing back volleys of arrows on the enemy, and saving each other from dying out as best as they could.

The sounds of their superiors shouting orders were being stifled as the cries and shouting of the other soldiers tried to overpower each other.

It was catastrophic, the first clash. The city had sent its finest men to meet the oncoming vanguard, but were beaten down easily by the demon's commanders who possessed a terrifying amount of magical energy, reducing the advancing soldiers to nearly half in an instant.

What followed was a simple slaughter to those that saw it from a safe distance.

The remaining were quickly surrounded by the enemy's cavalry and corralled like livestock. The they were killed on the spot for all to see. But the captain and his adjutant were brought up with large wooden logs fashioned into crosses, coercing the men behind the walls to give up their city.

They refused flatly, receiving orders to fire upon the hostages with their arrows, killing them without remorse. The battle continued for hours from the beginning of dawn, and has become a bloodbath ever since.

"What are those fools doing?!" Daphne cursed as she peered at the battlefield through a looking glass. She felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she saw the cruel passing of someone that those soldiers over the walls should have at least felt sorry for.

"It can't be helped," said Everett, stoically looking at the same place without so much as another expression clouding his face. "The man leading them knows that this is a losing battle. Even thinking of yielding an entire capital for the exchange of a couple unfortunate souls, it is unheard of. Thus the only logical way out is to execute them their selves."

"But that's too harsh of a fate to suffer."

"In this world, it is seen as the most merciful way to go. To fall prisoners to demons is a fate worse than death. I would have made the same decision if it came to that, and would not harbor anger to those who would do the same to me." He spoke bluntly, not tearing his eyes off the ensuing battle.

"Now, now. No need to cloud the air between you two with tension. We have an entire army with the morale surpassing the heroes of old. I think we need to strike soon." Albert spoke up as he came up from behind them.

"Does that mean that they're prepared, Albert?"

"Yes, Everett. Everything and everyone is prepared. Gino is helping me with my mage unit curently. But are you sure that you want to fight on the front, lady Daphne? That would be very dangerous."

"As I've said, I will fight like every other soldier in this kingdom. I have someone that I need to fight for. He is suffering; therefore I will suffer beside him and fight for his freedom myself. I owe all of this to him most of all."

"You've grown ever more mature, and stupid, Daphne," laughed Everett. "But rest assured, Albert. As long as I am by her side, then her life is secure."

Just as their reunion started to reach its fruition, a man came up frantically from a better vantage point. He rode upon a horse and perspired from his forehead down. His clutched his bleeding shoulder, grounding his teeth in resistance to the pain.

"Sir! I've come to report of the state of the enemy's left flank until the town of Asul."

"Give me the full run down, leave no detail unturned. Daphne, if you don't mind, will you alert the other generals that we are about to begin?"

She nodded and quietly went back to the vanguard.

"Understood!" said the scout, saluting with the stiff disposition of order. "There seems to be no reinforcements arriving for the enemy. The western territories of the capital are free from any approaching land or air units. My men and I believe that these demons sieging the capital are all of their forward units."

"Have the scouts sent to the Luvic wall returned yet?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. Should I lead a unit to come search for them?"

"There is no need. We can't delay this any further. This forward army is already immense. forty thousand demons all in all against a ten thousand strong army consisting of knights, soldiers, and mages who have the element of surprise on their side."

"Having second thoughts?" asked Albert.

"Far from that. I'm just itching with excitement. It's been a while since we've gone to a battle like this where the odds are against us. Never have I thought that I would live through such a thing."

"Yes, yes. Just be careful not to lose your mind again. You're starting to sound like a warmonger. I'd hate to see this beautiful city reduced to nothing but rubble. Besides, what I'm truly after is the successful and safe retaking of this so called Thalisean. My intrigue is getting to difficult for me to handle. And it would be in our best interest to save such a being from sure uncertainty."

"It's hard to believe that such an important person would be held up in this city. I'm skeptical, but we cannot dismiss it. However, it's true what Daphne says. If they are to know if he exists or not, and if they were to know that he is being held prisoner inside their own city, there would be riots, both from the side of the demons and the humans on an unimaginable scale."

"This is getting rather complicated, isn't it, Everett? But the men's morale is exceptionally high for something like a mere rumor. They will all stakes their lives for the slim chance that a Thalisean truly exists, and it will be a momentous occasion if we are to rescue him from peril. We humans are amusing and terrifying at the same time for things like that. Our empty devotion can drive us to do reckless and unthinkable things."

"Complicated or not, We will win. If we lose here, then it would be the same as losing the entire war against the demons. This will be for the salvation of many. Even if I have to stake my life for this success of this operation, then gladly. As long as it means that there will be a future for humanity."

"True. We have been backed to a corner quite spectacularly, almost as if the strings were being pulled from right beside us."

"That matters little now. Let us face this head on. We will grab hold of this chance and not let go of it until we are victorious."

"Naturally." Albert closed his eyes and gave a small laugh from under Everett's notice. "We all have a reason to fight."

They departed back and prepared for the great assault.

They began marching, dividing their light and medium cavalry units in half, positioning them diagonally for a hollow spear formation, striking and driving an open wedge upon the enemy's rear. Meanwhile, archers will fire volleys upon volleys on the bulk of the enemy's units in the middle, whittling them out as swiftly as possible.

Then following the cavalry unit with haste are the soldiers who were made to wear less burdensome armor, enough to allow their legs to carry them to the enemy's rear guard before they exhaust themselves.

Following behind that unit was the heavy cavalry, Everett Luxe's elite order of knights who are in charge of reinforcing and destroying the enemy's means of defense.

Everett thought about the men wearing light armor who will be sent to charge at full speed. When they get there, they will be left open even with their great numbers. Thus, to supplement that and give the men reprieve and a boost in morale, he positioned the heavy cavalry to the third wave.

But of course, while all this transpires, the main vanguard unit will have been advancing already, at a steady pace as to not wear themselves out. Here, the mage unit, led by Gino and Albert Foster march behind the heavy infantry, led by Everett Luxe, and Daphne Luvierre. They will take the front as the first wave exchanges with them.

That is the full composition of the all-out attack planned out by the true allied army. And it was quickly put into motion.

"Charge! Have at them and show humanity's will!"

"Fire volley! Second wave, be prepare and fire on my command!"

"Cavalry, follow my banner and strike true with your lances! Hold a single tight formation and don't lose sight of the one in front of you!"

They clashed against the enemy who scrambled to form up and counter the great offensive.

Their front lines and commanders were being preoccupied by the Alrifian elite guards, so their chain of order could not be followed right away. As a result, the enemy's ranks were thin, easily crumbling to the powerful offensive.

Then came wave after wave until the first had switched with the main vanguard, so that they could retreat, recuperate, and prepare for yet another assault.

The quick shift in the allies' army surprised the enemy who fell one by one, unable to handle the endurance of outlasting such a coordinated army. In a short time, they were already close to the enemy army's heart, the middle of it all.

But, in a quick turn of events, the demon army separated into two, the first half, consisting of a majority, continued the siege while the second half was made to fight them.

Though they were disorganized mere moments before, their ferocity had again been built up, and so have the composure in their pride. The weakened half of the demons' rear guard alone was more than enough to compensate for the mistake of their fallen brethren for their numbers still surpassed that of the allied armys'.

"Don't falter! Their numbers are meaningless. Don't lose sight of who you are, a man of Alrifer! Fear nothing and trample uncertainty with your blade and head held up high!"

It was a fierce battle where balance shifted back and forth. No clear winner could be seen as despite the gap in numbers, the mettle of humanity was one thing that drove them like madmen.

He looked from a vantage point close to the capital that hid his position. Though he felt the immense pressure of his own task, he was in awe of his allies' bravery to face such odds with their will alone. He never understood that in the ones who ridiculed his kind mercilessly, but here they are now, proving their worth.

He shook his head and faced the more daunting task of trying to get into the capital without being seen.

Daphne and Everett had given Aster the outline of the city's current defenses as they were surveyed beforehand. He knew that it would be impossible to join those men in battle as it would only cause a disturbance, so he had his own agenda.

He took out the plan of the city and looked at his way in. There, the city's defenses would be unguarded seeing as they were too gracious in strengthening one point of the city's defenses. It made sense, and at the same time, it didn't.

"Here," he pointed out, glancing back at the wall and at the map, making a mental outline of what he should do.

Though most of the city's soldiers were occupied with a primary directive of defense, there should still be guards roaming the ramparts and the streets. It would be best to avoid any conflict or encounters with anyone, including civilians as he would most likely be apprehended with haste.

His one objective was to get Zach out as fast as possible, and that was ingrained into his mind. If Daphne and the others were to fail, then it would fall to him to secure the fate of the one he calls a friend.

"Don't worry, Zach. I'm coming for you. Just wait a bit longer." He muttered and began his plan to infiltrate the city unnoticed.

"There. How are your wounds? Do you think you can manage to walk by yourself?" asked Lia whom gently brought me down from my bindings.

"I have no other choice. I'll just have to bear it through till the end. Let's go before they find us here. Maris, what's happening outside now?" I asked.

"For now, nothing has changed. The demons are still attacking, but I fear that they will soon destroy the gates and kill many once they enter."

"Then I have to do something about that. I can't let that happen."

"Reconsider, Zach. You're not even in a condition to hold a weapon, let alone fight. We should make escaping our top priority. We've gotten this far, we cannot waste this chance." Lia urged, becoming the voice of reason.

"I have a duty to uphold. I know I've been trying to avoid it by raising reasons like my weakness and lack of training. But now, that has to change, I have to change. I can't rest when there are people waiting for help."

"Then you will never get any sort of rest when you go through with this. My goodness, who knew you were so hard-headed as well."

"Are you disappointed in me once again, Lia?"

"No. In fact, I think I see you in an even better light now. If you're that adamant about it, then I will help you. With the time I spent saving my energy, I have recovered enough to fight on even ground. You can depend on me to keep you safe."

"I-I'm sorry, but I cannot do anything to help you," spoke Maris. "I'm powerless. I know that this is beyond me already. But I want to try and help somehow, but I don't know if I will make a difference anyway."

"You helped take care of my wounds, Maris. If it weren't because of your efforts, then I don't know how long I could have lasted under her torture."

"But I'm the reason that you were sentenced to this cruel punishment in the first place."

"You don't need to take the blame for that. It is of my own choice that I decided to go. Now, enough bearing the weight of my own pain. You've done enough for now. Stay somewhere safe while we do something about this." I placed a hand on her shoulder and reassured her with a smile before leaving.

I dragged my body, that felt like it was made of lead, towards the exit of the dungeon. Along the way, Lia would often help me as I would stumble and almost fall to the ground.

"Take it slowly and steadily. Don't force it too much. You haven't had much time to adjust."

"You're right. I feel a strong pounding pain on the back of my head, my limbs feel like they're attached to something heavy, not to mention my body, which feels like dead weight. If I'm going to fight, then I need to be able to wield a sword at least. Tell me, what do you know of the demon, Hobris?"

"Enough to serve as intel for when we needed to go and defeat him. Demon lord Hobris is an incarnation of the darkness within an old ancient's heart. He can take advantage of it as long as the vessel is weak and is unable to overcome his trance. Once he has taken over a vessel, the vessel's soul is pushed out without a place of refuge, eventually starving it and leaving it to fade as nothing."

"His new vessel, King Georgios. How much of a threat is he now with that body?"

"I have heard of how King Georgios is a man of battle. Demon lord Hobris can take full advantage of that and still use his arsenal of magic. Every Demon lord is equipped with a special power. Most of the time it is magic, of which they may share an affinity to."

"Tell me about the time you fought him."

"He wielded a scythe. His skill in that alone made him a force to be reckoned with. I couldn't fight him on the same terms for my head as well became blurred with something. I can't quite explain it myself, sorry."

"No, that's alright. Every bit helps immensely. Then how about his vessel back then?"

"He was not using a vessel. In fact, he tried to take over Sir Hark's body, but failed. It appears that Sir Hark has a strong will that prevented him from being taken over. But still, his soul was pushed out from his own body, and that was how he was left vulnerable, and killed. However... there was something peculiar that happened after that. I can't quite remember if it was true or not... No, nevermind. It can't be anything unusual."

"I see. Thank you, Lia."

It took me some time to stomach this, but I tried to not let my rage take over. Right now, I know that he is my enemy. He took someone precious from me, therefore I will avenge him. I don't think I can be silenced until I succeed.

"The Demon lord has control over the elements of the dark. But it is a peculiar type of darkness. One imbued with a certain degree of dark magic that can be deemed formless. One that opposes the light. We would do well to be weary of such ploys. He is skillful and sly with it."

"Then I will keep that in mind. But against him, I must be victorious. I cannot fail, otherwise, Sir Hark's name won't ever be in peace, nor will my conscience. Will you lend me your help in defeating Hobris?"

"You don't need to tell me that, Zach. It is an honor to fight beside a Thalisean brave enough to face his demons."

"Well then, let's go, shall we?"

During my time here, biding our chance to get free, Maris had provided Lia and I with information about what was happening above ground. She also healed my wounds out of guilt for her actions that led up to this, but in truth, it was both out of our hands.

She informed us that most of the guards that were stationed in the castle were mobilized for the defense of the city seeing as without help from the main army, the gates and the walls holding them off are bound to crumble soon. It was only a matter of time until they got in, and we were right in the thick of it.

I wonder what Daphne and the others are doing right now? Are they safe at least from an attack such as this?

Nevertheless, with fond thoughts of them in my mind, we continued forth, using a backwards route that will allow us to exit through the underground sewage system, then leading up to the plaza, as safe as it can be from the castle where Hobris most likely awaits the destruction of the city.

"Shh! I can hear someone."

Lia stalked the walls and kept close to them the moment we descended the staircase leading to the secret exit in the dungeon.

I listened closely and heard their voices as well.

"Hurry up! We need to close this before we leave, otherwise, there might be some breakouts. We can't have that now."

"Alright, Sir. With this, there should be no way that they're getting out without the key."

"Good. Now, let's depart before the damned wall breaks down. We'll need every man to slaughter those demons, and show who's on top of the food chain around here."

There were two of them, well-armed with swords and spears. They wore sturdy looking armor that's not too light nor is it too heavy.

With the direction they're going, a confrontation is imminent. If we want to avoid them, then we'll have to go back where we came from. But we can't waste time like this. Worst comes to worse, I'll have to deal with them myself.

But before I could even move, Lia spoke.

"Leave this to me. Save your energy for later."

She slowly walked into the light of the torches and kept her hand on the hilt of her weapon, a normal sword taken from the dungeon's armory.

The two of them immediately became weary and drew their weapons.

"Halt! Who's there?" asked the one who must be the commander.

He was met with silence as Lia had no intention of speaking from the beginning.

"An intruder, huh?" he muttered, rotating his shoulders as a form of warming up. "Hey, you. Be on the ready. There seems to be someone who wants to escape."

"Y-Yes Sir!" he said, unsheathing his weapon with a trembling hand.

Looking at Lia, her aura started to change. A current of electricity, a beautiful flushed red color, was cascading and surrounding her. Her demeanor changed as well. She was silent, infallible, and steadfast. An extreme aura of focus reverberated around her.

"What? A mage? Hmm, I guess it doesn't matter. As long as you bleed, then it's all the same as the others."

He charged as quickly broke the distance between them. He was unusually quick with his equipment, ignoring that state of his. He cleaved downwards, stomping on the ground with a loud roar.

But Lia stood there and received the heavy attack. A high-pitch, ringing noise resonated as the two weapons clashed, but then came the standstill.

Despite her small frame, Lia stood firm and unmoving against her much larger opponent. He too noticed it and narrowed his eyes, figuring out the answer to the question in his mind.

"A Half-breed?"

Lia's eyes flared up, and the discharge of electricity around her became a fierce waltz of ferocity. The man backed away upon seeing this and cursed under his breath.

"Stay put, rookie. You'll only be dead weight."

Without waiting for an answer, he again tried to charge at Lia, but this time taking a cautious approach.

"Forgive me, but we cannot waste our time with simple battles." Lia spoke, taking a stance. Electricity distorted and cackled around her. She disappeared almost instantly, in the blink of an eye.

The large bulky soldier was hit with by unseen force, stopping his momentum dead in his tracks. He himself was surprised at the sudden disappearance of his target, but there was no time to react. The moment he lost focus was the moment that he lost.

Immediately after the soldier was hit from the front, Lia reappeared from behind him and delivered a lethal attack, drawing her sword along with the flow of her body, fluidly cutting through.

She glanced behind her and saw the trembling soldier, disappearing once more only to reappear in front of him, delivering a strong jab at the man's gut with the palm of her hand, discharging what seemed to be a non-lethal amount of electricity.

The soldier fell along with his companion, and silence returned.

"Come, let us continue," she said, taking the keys from the soldier and unlocking the gates.

We arrived at the damp and rotten smelling sewer, seeing an unguarded ladder in the middle. Torches lit up the way, but some were doused with how cold and damp it was here.

"We're almost out, Zach. Now we just need to climb this ladder. But allow me to go first. I'll check the surroundings and make sure that it's safe for us."

She hailed me to go up and so I did, arriving at the scene of an eerie silence.

Maris said that this led up close to the outer district near the commercial business district where we're supposed to go to.

Knowing that an attack is coming, I'm not surprised that people would evacuate to somewhere further into the city.

"Can you hear that?" asked Lia, closing her eyes and focusing her hearing towards a direction further in.

"What is it?"

"There seems to be a large group of people causing some kind of a ruckus over there. I hear screaming and the sound of a large band of people."

"You can hear that far away? I can't even hear anything from where I'm standing."

"It is part of the gift that comes in our blood. Now let's continue. We will find out soon enough."

We walked around the silent and empty streets devoid of people. The various shops and stores were left abruptly abandoned, the streets were littered with all kinds of trash and junk, but they all seem safe, apart from those building still being erected as they were destroyed from a fire that the people of the slums caused, that was from the time Aster and I tried to escape, said Maris who saw how it developed.

Who knew that my actions would lead to such ruin.

We came to an empty armory. Maris had given us a spare key as she knew the owner and thought that she would not mind if we borrowed some quality arms to protect ourselves with.

I wore a light set of armor without the helmet and a polished sword which was light but sharp. I could see my reflection upon it, but was immediately put off by how messy I looked. It was a given, but then again, that matters little right now.

"Do you think the cape is necessary?" I asked Lia, whom wore a light set of armor as well, slightly identical to mine.

"I think it fits you just perfectly. You're quite dashing to look at. Besides, we're matching. We both have capes."

"That's good to know. But now I think it's time to confront Hobris before it's too late."

"As I've said, I will follow and protect you. If you still choose to go down this path, then I'm going to keep my promise. Let us go, Zach," she flashed a smile.

"Right."

To our great surprise, the moment we took a step outside was the time where small groups of people started running towards the gates leading to the inner districts of the city.

"What's happening?" I asked a passerby who took notice of us.

"The gate's been broken! Demons are just pouring in! The soldiers aren't letting the people from the slums evacuate to the inner distracts, so there's a riot back there! They're all going to die if nothing is done!" He resumed his pace and quickly left our field of vision.

I clenched my fist and felt torn. But there was a clear decision that I had to make.

"What do we do now, Zach?" asked Lia.

"We're going to the outer district. Hobris can wait for a while. What we need to do now is resolve the conflict there and allow the civilians to enter the district before the worst comes."

"I thought that you would say that, and I'm relieved that you did. Very well. Let us go then."

But by the time we had arrived there, it was already too late.

The demons stormed the city's outer district and ravaged every part of it as if they were in a frenzy.

Many died as they were close to our grasp. We couldn't save them, but did the best that we could so that some would be able to escape.

It was worse than we initially thought.

The guards of the city prohibited the people of the slums to enter the district just because they were not needed, and would clutter the parts of the cities reserved for the ones they deemed necessary. The demons took full advantage of the fact that they were clustered together and began a massacre on epic proportions, sparing no one, not the youth, the old, women, or even infants.

The slums were turned into a massive bloodbath all because some people could not let go of their pride, allowing their own views to take importance above all others. It was a gruesome and disgusting sight that I tore myself away from.

"Zach, there's more of them coming this way. We need to move, otherwise we'll be surrounded."

We ran frantically towards an alley in the slums area.

As we're both not too familiar with the designs of the place, we ran everywhere just to escape the oncoming horde chasing us as their next victims.

I had begun starting to get used to fighting once more as with the help of the mark, I was able to get back on track right away without needing to adjust for a long period of time. And for the most part until now, the mark had been functioning as normally as it would, giving me a small amount of power to fight the demons with.

They were massive beings, and a mixture of quick, and cunning. Their numbers alone were a terror, so moving frequently was needed.

Among the field of demons, there were no signs of the city's soldiers fighting, almost as if they've been wiped out already.

Lia's abilities kept us safe for the most part. It just showed how much experience she had and how strong she was to put it to use.

It was a sight to see as she weaved like an unseen flash of light, waltzing from one point to another with grace and elegance in her step. Her cape fluttered as she twirled and freed bolts of electricity. The silence as her blade struck was unbelivable.

"Let's move once more, Zach! They've started setting fire upon the slums area. With most of the houses being clumped together, and their material being flammable, it will spread quickly. We need to find a way out."

I looked around and saw fire starting on the far end of the slums area where we came from. Sure enough it was coming at full speed. It would be disastrous if we were to get caught in the middle of that.

"Wait, I can hear something. Keep an eye out for me."

I closed my eyes and breathed, focusing my senses to my ears so that I could further hear that peculiar sound.

"Help! Please, someone, help us!"

I tracked down the cry to a dead end near what seemed to be the exit of the slums. There, a man wearing a soldier's armor was lying on the ground with a terrible wound on his leg. There were two others, the other having a wound on his shoulder. The two held long sticks in their hands, trying to stave off a demon who cornered them.

Lia immediately sprang into the offensive, striking it lethally from the back without it noticing.

But her weapon was lodged into the beast's coarse back, making it hard for her to pull it out easily. It growled and turned abruptly, knocking Lia away in a fit of rage. She was unable to finish it, but the demon was clearly damaged and was on the verge of dying.

I ran for it and evaded to the side when I saw it strike its spear towards me. I took a breath in and upped my pace, circling around it, slashing at the back of its leg, forcing it down. I then took hold of the single horn on its head, pulling it towards me, and sliced its throat as deep as I could.

It fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Are you alright? You had me worried there for a second" I asked, extending my hand towards Lia.

She dusted herself off and laughed wryly. "I got too complacent. I'm sorry, I won't let it happen again."

"That'd be for the best. I wouldn't know what I'd do if something were to happen to you."

"Flatteries already, lord Thalisean? I'm honored to receive such treatment."

"What's with the sudden formalities? No. I meant it. Even if you're strong, that doesn't mean getting hurt is alright with me. I'll pull my weight as well, so try to keep yourself out of harm's way for me."

She nodded, then we approached the three people lying down due to fear and exhaustion. They trembled due to the fact that they were still standing even after an encounter with a demon face to face.

"Are you alright? Can you stand?" I asked him, reaching out so that his companions could take a good grip of his shoulder.

"Am I alright? You look worse than I am. Just where on hell did you come from?" But to answer your question, barely. The name's Anri. You two took care of that thing, thank you. I thought I was dead for sure, but these two helped me out," he said, taking my hand in a disgruntled manner. "Everything is falling apart, this whole city is a mess. It'll be only a matter of minutes before we're all dead."

"I'm glad to see that you still have the energy to move, Anri. My name is Zachary, and this is Cornelia. Is there any way to stop this?"

"With only you two, I doubt it. The army's been wiped out and scattered. I was from there until we had orders to retreat into the middle district, but that's gone too. Soon, it'll be just a damned place filled with demons. Their two commanders are monsters on every aspect. We don't have anyone that can match them."

"Zach, he's right. We can't take them all out by ourselves. We need to do something that's within our grasp." Said Lia with a watchful eye on our surroundings. "If we take up too much time, there won't be anyone left to save."

"Then Hobris must come first."

"Exactly."

"What are you two planning?" asked Anri.

"Before this gets out of hand, we'll cut it down from its roots, then we'll have a chance. Do you know any place that is safe to leave you to?"

"The gates to the middle district! There should be a checkpoint there guarding everyone that was fortunate enough to seek refuge in time."

"Then that's where we're going next."

We escorted the three of them until we arrived at the gates leading into the middle district. Only, there wasn't anything left.

Countless of bodies of both innocent and armored people lay strewn across the pavements and streets. Blood was spilt everywhere, and the sign of a clear struggle was apparent by sight.

"Damn, the checkpoint's been raided. There's nothing left of them!" cried out Anri in despair, as well as his two companions from the slums. "Damned demons! I knew people from there!'

Demons littered the grounds, catching sight of us almost instantly. They turned their attention and called out to the others beside them, surrounding us with their large numbers.

"More than ten of them. Zach, we have to hold out and protect them," said, Lia, already taking a stance, placing Anri and the others behind her.

"Agreed. If you find it too difficult to continue, then leave it to me. I already have half a mind to put this mark to good use."

"I will keep that in mind," she let out a smile of reluctance and narrowed her gaze.

There were five on my end, and five on hers. They were mostly composed of large, bulky demons with horns resembling monsters closely, and demi humans with sharp weapons and other deadly peculiarities.

"Are you two insane? There's no way you two alone can defeat these demons! They're different from the normal bunch. It'll take ten of us to beat two of them."

"Then we'll have to show you that we're a cut above the rest, Anri."

I siphoned a small portion of energy from the mark, allowing me to run fast enough to jab my sword into one of the demon's bodies. I placed my right hand on the wound after pulling out my sword. The demon's wound started to burn and sizzle, including its whole body. The demon roared out in pain, giving me my chance to slice at its neck, felling it.

I parried attack after attack once the others had surrounded me. With the keen sense of instinct I was bestowed, I managed to avoid being wounded to a serious degree. But the lack of practice in me allowed for some of their attacks to go through.

With a series of furious movements fueled by anger and frenzy, I used it to my advantage. They were wide open for the most part, granting me the prerequisites for a fluid finish as I found my way around their lines of sight easily enough.

"Unbelievable. Just what are you two, Half-breeds or something?" said Anri in awe of what he had seen. "You really did take them out by yourselves. Can't blame a guy to be skeptical."

"What if we are? With the way you sound, you wouldn't seem to be bothered if that were the case."

"I wouldn't be. I don't have a grudge against them."

As things started to mellow down once more, demons arrived in much greater numbers than before, doubling in a single moment. It became a tall hurdle that I have to overcome. But that meant unleashing a good amount of potential from this mark.

"Let's keep up the pace, Lia. It might seem bad, but we can't let this much stop us."

"Of course, that's a given. But seeing as I'm going to be too occupied to give you support, I implore you to use the Heraldic mark."

"I'll give it some thought," I grinned, getting ready to face them. The situation was not something for me to take lightly nor laugh at, but I couldn't help but grin at the thought of finally being able to put myself to use, protecting people.

But just as I was about to sprint with all I had, the sound of a rhythmic march came from behind the demons, directed towards the south to where the outer district is.

A small, punitive force had their weapons up and were charging at the demons, engaging them as they closed in on our position. And among those where a large, bulky man who wielded a halberd in one hand and a tower shield that's almost as tall as him. He cleaved and pierced his way through, decimating the demons with his ability both as a warrior and a strategist, calling out commands which were quickly followed by unit he led.

"Second unit, shield wall! First, divide into two and intercept targets!" They rushed the ones that Lia was supposed to face, surrounding them and leaving them no inch to escape from. And in that instant, they perished.

The man in charge ordered his men to solidify their hold on this point, in which they quickly formed groups to secure the area. Then he stepped forward along with some surprisingly familiar faces.

"Zach!" she cried out, running straight to me with a tight, suffocating embrace with what seemed to be all of her strength.

"It's truly you! I knew that you were alive, I never doubted myself even with the temptation of evidence! But what happened? What did they do to you, your face is covered with scars and bruises!"

"Daphne?! What are you doing here?"

"We are here for you, son of Erinn. I suppose you already know what that means, correct?" said the man wearing the grand dark armor, wielding the halberd.

I looked to Daphne for an answer, but she tried to avert her gaze.

"Forgive me, Zach. But I had to tell them so that there was a chance for you to at least be saved. It sounds selfish, but they needed a reason to fight. I will take the blame for this, so if you are angered, them direct it to me," she said weakly.

"Then your intentions were good. I can't be angry at you for that."

"What are you planning to do now, Thalisean?" he asked, stating it clearly for all to hear. Without the need to look around me, the stares of the soldiers and all around us were pointed at me. It was a nerve-wracking title to carry, but I had to at least dignify myself and not let it overwhelm me.

"What I was meant to do. Free this kingdom from the grip of demons. Come, Lia. Let us finish this," I beckoned to her, giving a slight smile to Daphne, then starting towards the castle. There was really no need to drag on my time with her. Now that everyone here knows, it will begin to spread, no doubt. I fear that the worst will happen, and it eventually will. But when it does, I will be prepared.

As I left the gates, I heard Anri yell out. "Wait just a darn second! You're the goddamned Thalisean?!" His words ended there. He couldn't speak due to the fact of shock. No one around us looked to believe me either.

"Zach, please wait! I won't allow you to go alone! I will join you," Daphne urged.

"There is no need for that at the moment, lady Daphne. If you will allow me, lord Thalisean, then I will be your entourage. There is still much that is needed to be done here, so the general Luxe and lady Daphne will be enough to handle that."

I turned and saw a man wearing old looking robed carrying a book on a chain with him on his side, and was guided with a tall oaken looking staff with a shimmering blue crystal on top. He looked wise beyond his years, not to mention his long white beard that was until his neck.

"Ah, but forgive my impudence," he bowed his head. "My name is Albert Foster, a mage. My title is not important as yours, but I am the third of four in the council of Arch-Magni. I have no doubt that my expertise can be of use to you."

"I know it is my duty to do this. But for the sake of many, I would like to do with as few companions. I can't hope to bring others knowing that there is only death and suffering. It is what I was created for, so let me handle this."

He looked at me silently and intensely, almost as if he were processing his thoughts inside his head.

"Nonsense!" he cried out, snapping out of his own world. "It would be an honor to die beside a Thalisean such as selfless and willing as yourself! However, a mage of my caliber has the burden of living for the sake of others, therefore, I shant shame my name by losing to demons as brutish as these. I have resided in this city as well, calling it my second home. Will you grant my request?"

"I have no authority to hold you back or tell you what to do. But please take care of yourself. You may expect a lot of me, but I know very little of my own abilities."

"It is duly noted. Now, shall we get going? I'm sure that those two commanders are brewing up a storm."

"Commanders?" I asked.

"Yes. The army that attacked the city was led by two powerful commanders. It is a shame that we did not stop their advance into the city, but their sheer numbers made it difficult to fight such a battle."

"What are they like?"

"I shall tell you on the way."

"Then for the time being, Everett and I will settle things here and catch up to you as fast as we can. Zach, please be careful," said Daphne.

"I will."

"Quite the spectacle you two had made," remarked Lia quietly.

"She was one of the companions that we arrived in Alrifer with."

"So, is she something more than a companion?"

"... Well, a friend."

"Is that all?" she persisted.

"Well, yes."

She sighed. "Then I almost feel sorry for her. But at the same time, as horrible as it might sound, I'm quite relieved."

"Why is that?"

"Nothing that you need to know, Zachary," she quipped.

"It seems that even in these dire situations, you both have light characters. I am quite relieved. It is joyous to see such a young Thalisean, and not one so uptight as they were said to be in the past. You seem to be approachable than those spoken of in the books," said Albert from my side.

We began our march towards the inner dwellings, seeing the second part of the massacre that left off from the slums.

"How terrible. But it seems they quickly had their amusement and left for the castle. That is where most of the refugees are. We must hurry. It is not too far."

"Tell me, do you truly consider that I am one even when not having seen any proof?" I asked, estranged by his amount of confidence in knowing what I was only through the words of someone he follows.

"I have cultivated myself, enough to see and sense irregular energies present in beings. However, even if there are many of these so-called irregular beings, yours is masked almost as if the energy itself is in a realm beyond the understanding of human knowledge. But you stand out in a particular way that led me to this conclusion."

"Then I won't question you any longer and will welcome the aid with open arms. It will be dangerous, after all. I know it's foolish to want, but I want to end the bloodshed here. And the one who began it all is the king impersonator himself."

"The king himself? Do you mean King Georgios?!" he said, appalled by the sudden revelation. He stopped in his tracks and took his time to absorb such information. "How did you reach such a conclusion."

"Lia can tell you better than I can."

Thus she explained what she had known, every part that I had heard from her as she and her group chased Hobris around the kingdom of Alrifer, and until to the very capital where she was sure her life would have ended.

"How deceiving! A demon, donning a human's likeness! And it's horrifying how their two wicked personalities intertwined. That must be why I could not discern the two of them apart. This is a massive blunder on my part as a mage of the Arch-Magni. Then that means he is the one leading this invasion. His arrival marked this terrible moment."

"Yes, sadly. But I cannot remove myself from committing such a sin on my part. Because of my shortcomings, he has succeeded and plunged the kingdom into terror. I was to follow him and put an end to his terror, but as you can see, I have clearly failed."

"Worry not, Miss Cornelia. It is not the end yet. We will redeem this kingdom of its error and way with our strength. He has not succeeded yet, not while the Thalisean walks the very grounds that he has tainted, isn't that correct, Master Erinn?"

"Thank you for your confidence in me, but I cannot be sure of what will happen. All I have to do is place my hopes on the teachings I have been given, this power gifted to me, and to my own will."

"I am sure that there is no mistake in the creator's part for giving you such a daunting task. He is not such a bring who can be selfish at times like these, nor does he do anything without purpose. There must be a reason to everything that he does, that much I fervently believe. Now, let us steel ourselves for I feel the energy of a horrid being amidst our path."

It was until then that we found ourselves looking at an even worse image of horror.

People lay dead, scattered on the floor, blood drenched the dry pavements, their mangled corpses were being ravaged by demons mercilessly why those that were surprisingly still alive watched in terror, surrounded, in fear of being next in line.

Maris?! Is she safe? Are just one of the things I thought about. I don't know where she could have gone, but I fear for the worst.

Two figures stood on the top of the stairs, looking down a lone figure who looked to be injured a great deal. However, he still stood strong, standing with his fists clenched.

There were bodies of countless of demons around him as he panted, looking at the unbelievable carnage that he himself had caused.

"Still standing?" said one of them. A demon with muscular, lean build, an arrogant, and an overbearing smile that looked down on others without it needing to be states. His brutish personality was matched by his crass words and the way his legs down were stained with blood. His top was bare and toned

"Would ya look at that?!" he leaned in a bit closer to see. Who knew that a damned Half-breed had this much fight in him? You guys are weak, disappointing pieces of trash," he said to his own people, spitting at one of them.

"Aster!" Lia and I yelled out, taking his attention.

"You two, thank god you're safe," he said as his legs gave up on him, forcing him to kneel with his remaining strength. I ran up to him and carried him back to where Lia and Albert stood.

"Lord Foster, do you have anything that could help heal my brother?" asked Lia as she tended to Aster.

"I will cast a spell of rejuvenation onto you, young one. Your energy will return, but you must take a short rest," said Albert, creating a lush, cleansing green light in the form of small orbs which surrounded Aster and slowly merged with his body.

"What are you doing here anyway, Aster?" I asked.

"I was trying to find you, but it's nice to see you too, Sis," he laughed, coughing up blood.

"Save it, Aster. You'll be back to normal soon. Put up with it for now, please."

"Don't look too serious now. Fine, if you say so. I have something to settle with these two anyway... But your sword, Zach, that guy has it," he said, pointing at the brutish looking demon.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Ruining my fun without even my say so. You're pretty arrogant, let me tell you that. And It pisses me off badly," he laughed with a maniacal smile. He leapt into the air and landed softly on the center of the wide plaza. "I think it's time I had my fun."

"Please be wary of this being, Master Erinn," said Albert, taking a step forward. "He is one of the two commanders who led the advance and forced their way into the capital. Their abilities are rather impeccable, but nothing to be feared."

"Talking awfully confident, are you old man? I suppose you won't think that once I slowly snap your brittle bones one by one. You're a mage, aren't ya? I can sense it. You're not an ordinary old waste of space as well. This'll be entertaining." He started stretching his body, warming up for what was to come.

"He's not the only one you're going to fight," I stepped up. "Plus, you have something of my possession, my sword. I'd overlook it if you gave it back to me now."

"Who do you think you are, smug looking trash? You talking about this piece of junk?" He brought out my sword from its sheath and used it as a cane to stand on one leg with.

I felt irritation in the shame he was bringing upon my father's sword that I almost lashed out at him with everything I had. But I should not forget that I had companions with me.

"So? If you want it, then pry it from my cold dead hands." He started, opening his arms and mustering up two balls of flame from his hands. The intense aura around him shook the ground and impeded my own body from moving. So, to counter that, I drew more power from the mark, knowing just how dangerous this one is because of his presence. It is obvious that I will have to exceed the limit of what I usually draw from the mark.

"The name's Gorzt, lower Ivaas. Here's to hoping that you entertain me," he flashed a bright, sadistic smile.

Albert unleashed a barrage of icicles by tapping the end of his staff into the ground, creating a circle that faced Gorzt.

He dashed towards the icicles, throwing one of the fireballs unto the ground to melt them, also creating a strong explosion that masked his image.

Lia readied her blade and discharged an electric current around her body like a shroud, looking up at the image of Gorzt in the air, conjuring another ball of energy on his free hand. She disappeared, reappearing only inches before the demon, ready to unleash her attack. But he smiled at her, as if he was expecting such a thing to happen.

He bashed his forehead onto her, bringing her down to the ground.

Albert responded by softly chanting and casting his spell, coating Lia in a purple, thin cloak, allowing her fall slowly to the ground until she recovered enough to stand by herself.

However, the demon had not finished with his act. He threw the ball of fire in his other hand with an unforeseeable amount of strength and speed that Lia and I were unable to see it in time.

Opening my eyes, we were surprised to see ourselves unscathed. But in front of me was a blue dome coating the area around us. I glanced behind only to see Albert clinging to his staff with sweat profusely falling from his forehead. He was close to falling, but avoided it.

"Albert! I yelled out to him running to help him stand in which he brushed me away with his hand.

"No need to worry, Master Erinn. I was simply overwhelmed by the power of his spell. It nearly overwhelmed me. It will take some time for me to get used to this again, but if you place your trust in me, then I will perform until every fiber of my being turns to ash!" He stood up with roaring defiance, strengthening the barrier to get rid of the left over flames surrounding it.

"Not bad for an old man," remarked Gorzt. But am I disappointed. If it weren't for this walking fossil, then you two would have been dead already. Let that sink in for a bit, huh?"

"Alright, Albert, please pull the barrier down. I need to pull my weight as well." I focused my sight on him and held the hilt of my sword tightly with my left hand.

I rushed, slicing at him with an immense amount of pressure under my feet gained from the mark's power.

He met me with my father's sword, using it with his skills in magic, firing spears made of flame with in impeccable amount of accuracy and speed, not chanting, nor doing any sort of ritual. It was with a snap of a finger, or the simple heed of a call that his power came. But that didn't lessen my resolve in the least. I responded with a flurry of my own attacks, matching his speed at every turn.

Terrifyingly enough, no matter how fast I became to slash at him, he became even faster, almost as if this were his game that we were playing, and that every time I gained momentum, he would be a step further from me.

I tried to pierce straight knowing that he would evade by dragging his body backwards, so I followed through, only to stop at the sense of another impending attack from my blind spot.

He recovered by attempting a kick from my sides, an elegant twirl by a bloodthirsty brute. I blocked with my sword, using my right elbow as a means of stopping it, but the sword broke easily as the back of his foot smashed right through.

Upon kicking me, he had readied another ball of flame in his hands and motioned to throw it. I crossed my arms in an effort to protect myself from harm, but nothing came.

Instead, I saw Aster gripping the demon's arm, an electric current surrounding him, along with Lia, whom had eyes fiercer than any demon around. Her sword had cut a shallow wound on Gorzt's side, but he blocked the rest of it with his weapon, parrying her to the side.

"Oh? And I thought that your turns were already over. I'm surprised. But don't think this is enough to beat me-"

Just before he could finish his words, Aster sent a paralyzing amount of electricity through it body then shook him by driving a crunching blow to his face, sending him towards Albert, whom prepared a spell, creating a circle that formed around Gorzt as he finished rolling along the ground.

"This prison ought to keep you grounded for a while. I created it especially for you demons," he said.

"Here, I think this belongs to you. Glad to see you doing alright even when you're half dead," said Aster, handing me my father's sword which filled the hole in my heart.

"Thank you, Aster. For bringing this back, and returning for us. I had almost given up hope, but I'm glad that you came through."

"No time for reminiscing, you two. Our task is not yet finished," said Lia, whose sight was directed at Gorzt, who stood, laughing hysterically.

"This is good! I thought it was over, but you proved me wrong. I was close to yawning, honestly, but I'll give you that. Now the fun begins! But, it won't be as fun for those who end up dying, just so you know."

As he finished with a terrifying grin, his aura drastically went up to a spine chilling degree. The drive for death in his aura was overwhelming as if nearly suffocated me.

He touched Albert's barrier cage and triggered an electrical discharge of energy that coursed through his entire body. But he didn't so much as flinch at it, even as his arm had passed through the barrier, all burnt and decomposing.

"What?! How is this possible!" said Albert in clear astonishment. "You should not be able to escape such a prison with a high magic density and concentration, let alone it is set to shock you until death if you attempted to escape! But how?!"

"Ease up, old trash. Don't think that this paper-thin barrier can keep me cooped up. I could break it with a single punch. Useless," he said, passing through until his entire was body was across, all burnt up.

But he engulfed himself in flames and came out looking brand new and back to his old state. His wound was gone, and all that remain was his grin.

Just then, an earth-shattering descent shook the ground behind us, revealing a tall, bulky demi-human wearing thick, heavy armor. He wielded a golden hammer which was imposing enough.

"You finally joined in the fun, Tarvis? Then this doesn't look all too entertaining anymore. It'll be over before it even starts," he said smugly.

The giant named Tarvis didn't make any kind of introduction, quickly striking at Aster, who didn't see the large demon move in the first place. There was a blast of wind from where he stood, as if that split second was all that stood between us noticing, and him to move.

Aster managed to cross his arms. But that didn't stop the impact as he was sent flying to a wall, smashing it with his back.

Lia, whose eyes became piercing, disappeared with a single step, reappearing behind Tarvis, slicing at his back by spinning twice in a swift fashion that made it impossible to see the first one. She then disappeared once more and returned in front of him, crouching, making her look miniscule in comparison. She sliced and cut, flashing in and out at an astonishing rate, becoming undiscernible by the eye.

But, Tarvis stood there unmoving, taking the attacks without flinching. It was until Lia dealt a stunning blow with a bolt of lightning, which came from her hand as a fierce burst of power that Tarvis made his move.

His body contorted as he unleashed a roar, grabbing Lia by her face with a swift movement and negating the discharge of energy, dispersing it like in itch. She was caught, flailing around her weapon helplessly, releasing a static shock of lightning to no avail.

She began screaming in agony as Tarvis began tightening his hold on her face, imminently crushing it.

With adrenaline rushing to my head, I allowed the mark to burn bright, to expulse the raging luster held within.

Dozens of images filled my mind, and I felt true isolation as my mind drifted into a plane of pure white radiance, where not a single smear of darkness could be seen.

The fierce light beckons to its master, the emperor of light, the destined bringer of salvation, the brilliant candescence that was seen upon the first day.

I am you, and you are me. We are one in the same, yet we share the same odd destiny. Abide by the light and accept it without regret!

An overwhelming amount of power surged through my body. It continued pouring in, overflowing without a place to be contained.

I knew what to do, the incessant voices inside my head clamored on and on, revealing to me the way I must tread.

To believe in the path of the light and prevail as it is my own will. There will be nothing else left other than my unwavering dedication, resolve, and belief, that the light is the way to all.

"Unhand her, demon!"

Tarvis glanced at me with clear disinterest, but soon gave me his full attention as he eyes trailed towards two places, one at my eyes and the other at the mark glowing on the back of my hand.

Gorzt also took heed of this and became speechless. I felt their spirits waver, but during the silence, their powers steadily rose despite the clear fear in their souls. They were restless.

I moved to take advantage of their confusion, running faster than what they could see. I connected my sword with the mark's power and light, imbuing it with the same attribute used to damage them, they very thing that they fear, the punishing radiance that is the Herald's light.

I slashed upwards at Tarvis' arm, wounding him, not feeling any resistance from his durable defenses. I then unconsciously forged a bright, white flame from my right hand and curled it into a fist, slamming it into Tarvis' gut. He was sent back a few meters, as I thought from someone of his weight and status, he held on quite effectively.

It was strange as those actions felt like they were being transmitted from somewhere, giving me the urge to act on impulse. It still felt as if I had control over my own body, but it was half.

Strange images of which I had never seen, and instructions of which I had never heard of before crowded the confines of my head and told me what to do, showing me what to do. Then al that was needed was to not doubt it and act. If it meant that it would give me the means to my strength and the safety of my allies, then I will follow.

These fragments, they contain information of various people's lives and tragedies, but I don't ever recognize having lived through any of these. Just whose thoughts are these, what I'm seeing?

It's all too strange, reliving them all within the span of a few seconds.

"Is this some kind of joke?" said Gorzt in agitation. "Are you trying to play the tough guy act? Cause this isn't amusing in the slightest. If anything, it's getting on my nerves. Makes me wanna bash your head in, you know? Trying to imitate someone that every single demon in this continent despises is a pretty bold thing to do."

His flamboyant and impulsive attitude took form of a rage-filled, composed monster. His breathing was calm and collected, but his eyes seethed death and destruction. The fire burning on his hand grew stronger that I could feel the heat on my skin.

"Or," he started once more. "Might you be the real deal?"

With a smile, he blasted forth in an instant, Tarvis behind me descending with his hammer raised up high.

I was brimming with energy, limitless amounts of it. An exhilarating feeling that enhanced every sense of my body. I could see, and feel their presence.

Let us test the waters, then.

The fighting between the two of us was fierce. I was amazed at the pace I had to keep up with. I found no difficulty in trying to match them, more so as I exceeded them with every clash.

However, they were not ones to give up so easily. They kept getting stronger and stronger as if they had no limit to their strength.

The plaza became a wretched sight to behold. Everything around it was destroyed, buildings were torn down, fire engulfed the flammable materials surrounding us. But even through all of this, the demons that broke through rampaged still.

It again went on for a while until I was suddenly taken aback by the limits of my strength. Not the power being bestowed upon me, but the limits of my own body. I felt every part of my being ache strenuously from a heavy amount of pressure. It was overwhelming, and heart-wrenching, as if I was being torn into two.

I retreated a few steps and clutched my beating heart. It raced at a speed that was erratic and dangerous, making me lightheaded as I forcibly took in air I was so desperately needing.

I was getting weaker. I could not handle the strength I was being given, so the energy is simply overflowing. There was nothing to contain it in.

"Finally giving up? You manage to surprise me at every turn, but now, I'm satisfied. Fake or not, whatever you call yourself, you sated my lust for fighting. But, that's all you're good for now. If I let you heroic types roam free, then I'll risk you being stronger in the future. Better get rid of a pest before it festers completely."

He stood before me and readied a ball of fire, scalding my skin with the intensity of his anger. He had scars all over his body, both bloody and beaten, just as much as I am. Along with Tarvis, I was astonished to see that I had done this much against the two of them. I was satisfied, but not completely sated.

"Have fun in the afterlife." He said.

Just before he could release it, a blast of energy blew him away, crashing him to a wall.

"You must not lose here, Sir Erinn! I will hold them back as best as I can. You need to stop the one leading them. I will have no regrets if I am to perish here. I have seen a sliver of your light, and that is enough for me." Albert said, focusing his eyes on both of them with a will-filled expression. I could feel his bravery being shook in the face of such adversaries, but he remained strong, standing with his frail body.

"He's right, Zach. These two are trouble. I made the mistake of not going all out when I had the chance. Now, I'll have to repay them the favor." Aster dragged his body towards Albert and stretched out his body, which bled from some places. A wry smile was painted on his face.

"I cannot shame myself in the face of such a being. Zach, I urge you to leave before I let myself be lost in the frenzy of battle. It would be a shameful sight if you were to see me in that way." Lia managed a laugh. She used her sword as a cane and held herself up.

I had no choice. It felt like I had not that much left in me. But, I might not need that much to face Hobris, the one leading this attack. I cannot tell his strength from words alone, but that means I cannot hold back. I will need to draw out this mark's full potential if I have a chance of winning.

With a heavy heart, I decided. "Alright, I'll end this. Please, all of you, stay safe."

As I made my way towards the castle, Tarvis and Gorzt tried to delay me, rushing at a blink of an eye. But, Aster and Lia intercepted them from even landing a single hit on me.

I narrowed my gaze and ignored everything else. If I wanted their suffering here to end, then it will end by my hand. But if I fail, then... I don't even want to dwell on failure.

Father, Mother, Sir Hark. Lend me your strength to overcome this trial. Now, I shall display this strength that had been kept dormant inside me. I will accept it for the sake of everyone relying and clinging onto that small glimmer of light they call hope. If need be, I will carry their burdens until my last breath. But for now, all I need is your guidance.