THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

David emerged from the air, the faint shimmer of his dismissed [Nightveil Embrace] dissipating into the ether as he landed gracefully near the group. His boots touched the ground with a controlled elegance, his movements unhurried despite the palpable tension surrounding them. His presence drew the attention of Mariana, who looked up in surprise.

"David..." she murmured, her voice tinged with both relief and disbelief. She hadn't seen him since the chaos began.

David's gaze swept across the group. Luna stood composed but alert, her golden eyes briefly meeting his. Sir Richard held his sword ready, his demeanor as resolute as ever, while Mariana clung tightly to the Archon, her protective instincts evident. Elara lay in her arms, her pale skin marred by the grotesque dark veins, her chest rising and falling faintly.

Sir Richard stepped forward, his voice steady but strained. "I'm glad you made it through, De Gor, but there's no way out. That damn veil has sealed us in."

David approached the black veil, his eyes narrowing as he extended his hand to touch its surface. The barrier pulsed under his fingertips, cold and unyielding. He glanced over his shoulder at Yue. "Have you seen anything like this before?"

Yue hesitated, her brows furrowed as she shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. It's like nothing I've ever encountered."

David turned to Luna, who met his gaze with her usual calm. Her head shook slightly. "I can't bring it down. Not yet."

Kneeling beside the Archon, David's expression hardened, his mind racing. "I think I know someone who can," he said quietly, his tone laden with purpose.

Mariana shifted uneasily, her confusion bubbling to the surface. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice sharp as she watched David reach for Elara.

Shadows coiled around Mariana like snakes, restraining her movements. Her cry of protest was stifled as Sir Richard tensed, his sword scraping against its scabbard as he gripped the hilt. "Step back, David!" he commanded, his voice heavy with authority.

Before he could act, Luna raised her hand, and shadowy tendrils lashed out, binding Sir Richard in place. He struggled against them, his voice booming. "Release me, What are you doing?"

David ignored them both, his focus entirely on Elara. The dark veins snaking along her neck were spreading, the curse threatening to consume her entirely. Her breaths were shallow, her body trembling under the weight of the affliction.

"I hope I'm not too late," he muttered to himself. A faint tremor of hesitation passed through him as he bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood, a single crimson droplet tracing down his chin.

Leaning in, he closed the gap between them. His lips met hers in a gentle, deliberate kiss, the warmth of the connection a stark contrast to the cold aura of the curse. Shadows rippled around them, and the air seemed to hold its breath.

****

Number 3 sat calmly on his weapon, his metallic box-turned-seat humming faintly with the residual energy of its shield. The quiet was broken by a brilliant bolt of light striking from behind. The air trembled with its intensity, but as the strike neared, an invisible barrier absorbed its might, leaving Number 3 untouched. Without even turning his head, he spoke with a dry smirk.

"You've decided to show yourself," he said lazily, his voice carrying a mocking edge.

From thin air, Salomonis materialized, his golden eyes dulled, exhaustion etched into his features. The two magic circle constructs rotating beside him pulsed erratically, the intricate symbols within their glowing forms shifting like a puzzle in perpetual motion. Each rotation drained Salomonis' mana, evident in the trembling of his knees.

"Stop this madness," Salomonis bellowed, his voice filled with both authority and desperation. "You've lost! Whatever this ritual is, it ends now!"

Number 3 chuckled, finally deigning to look at his opponent. "Lost?" he repeated, amusement flickering in his eyes. "The Monarch was... unexpected, I'll give you that. But the Archon? She was never the only target."

Salomonis' face darkened, his fists clenched tightly. Memories flooded his mind—how he had sensed something was amiss mere moments before the attack. He'd stepped into the courtyard, his instincts flaring, only to see the black veil cascade over Lysora like a suffocating shroud. Casting a desperate analysis spell, he had been horrified to find it was not just a physical barrier but also a mana-trapping construct, designed to ensnare souls.

He had pushed his abilities to their limits, expanding his spell to pinpoint the nexus points fueling the veil. What he discovered chilled him to his core: rituals spread across the county, harvesting the souls of Lysora's citizens as they died. Despite his weakened state, he had fought tirelessly to disrupt the nexus, redirecting his mana to delay the rituals.

"You don't have the strength to stop this," Number 3 interrupted his thoughts coldly, raising his hand. A sudden surge of overwhelming aura flooded the space, cutting Salomonis' connection to his magic circles. The intricate constructs shattered, their fragments dissolving into nothingness.

Salomonis collapsed to his knees, his vision blurring as his mana reserves depleted entirely. Number 3 stepped closer, towering over him. "You've played your part, Salomonis. Now, it's time for you to rest. Chaos will not be stopped, and the Archon... must die."

As the nexus sites activated in unison, the veil trembled violently, pulsating with a sinister energy. Souls, glowing faintly, were drawn from the city into the dark nexus points, their anguished cries reverberating across the void. Salomonis crumpled to the ground, his breath shallow, his voice a whisper. "Forgive me, Archon... I've failed to protect your home."

Number 3 dismounted his weapon and looked skyward, his gaze distant yet resolute. "The end begins now," he muttered under his breath.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

****

David kneeling beside Elara, the Archon, his lips brushing hers as his blood sought to work its healing magic. Suddenly, a frigid sensation raced down his spine, freezing him in place.

"Y-you're defiling her!" Mariana's voice erupted, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and fury. "How dare you!"

Before her words could fully reach him, David pulled back, his attention snapping to something unseen. The disturbance in his eyes silenced her protest.

A scream broke the uneasy silence. Yue clutched her head, her voice trembling. "The energies—they're colliding! Something… sinister is tearing the fabric.....!"

"Mother!" Litty called, her small voice full of worry as she reached out to her. But Yue didn't answer, her focus locked on the mounting chaos.

Mariana turned to Luna, the strongest among them, only to see terror etched across her face. Luna's golden eyes, normally so composed, were wide with fear as she gazed upward.

Above them, the air cracked. A sound like shattering glass echoed through the space, and the world seemed to hold its breath as something monstrous loomed just beyond the fragile fabric of their reality.