Luminous's gaze darkened as he read the final clause, feeling utterly humiliated.
"He's my son!" Luminous snarled, his voice filled with anger. "There's no way I can agree to this!"
Magnus's killing intent only intensified, lightning crackling around him. The very air seemed to sizzle with electric energy, as if the sky itself were on the verge of exploding.
"Blood must be repaid with blood," Magnus said coldly, his voice low and deadly. "Actions have consequences. Ravensteins died, and so the Stellaris must die."
A suffocating silence fell over the area.
Zephyrion's eyes narrowed, and he began to speak, but Oberon subtly shook his head. Still, Zephyrion couldn't keep silent. "He's set to be the next paragon, isn't that too much?"
Oberon's gaze was firm. "It's better than losing the current paragon. His grandchildren have shown promise—there will be another."
Zephyrion frowned, unsatisfied with the situation, but he kept quiet. He cast a glance at Oberon, realizing what he had suspected earlier: Oberon was supporting Magnus in his own subtle way.
The smartest man in the human domain rarely got involved in political matters unless the domain itself was in jeopardy or there was something he wanted.
Thorne, who had remained quiet throughout, was no fool. He knew the situation was far from over.
As the tension grew, every eye turned to Luminous, waiting for his response. The sun's rays beat down on him, their brilliance a cruel contrast to his weakened, broken form.
He was the embodiment of the sun's power, and yet, at this moment, he lay helpless on the ground.
Seconds passed, and the weight of defeat hung heavy in the air. Finally, with clenched fists and a heart full of fury, Luminous muttered, "I accept."
The contract flashed, bursting into motes of golden light as Luminous accepted the terms, though his expression was filled with reluctant anger. He had no choice but to accept.
Oberon smiled faintly. "Good. Now we can—"
"You will also sign one."
Magnus's cold voice cut through the air as he turned his gaze toward Thorne Alverian, who had been standing silently at the side. The killing intent that had once been directed at Luminous now shifted toward Thorne, thick and deadly.
Zephyrion frowned as Oberon's subtle smile returned.
Thorne raised an eyebrow calmly. "What are you talking about?"
"Before arriving in Sector 6, your family waged war on us. You are just as responsible as the Stellaris. You will sign a mana contract."
Thorne's eyes narrowed. "I had nothing to do with that. It was—"
Magnus's gaze grew darker, his voice sharp. "Then I will address your son."
Thorne froze, his expression hardening. He knew Magnus was right. Even if he hadn't been directly involved, his son, Eleanor, had been the instigator.
If Thorne refused to take responsibility, Eleanor would be the one to pay for it. And knowing Magnus, there would be no negotiations—Eleanor would die on sight.
After a long moment of silence, Thorne spoke, his tone cold. "And if I refuse? You'll wage war on the Alverians?"
"Yes," Magnus replied bluntly. "But not now. I'll wait for as long as it takes for the Aegis shield to be completed, then wage war."
The air grew still as the two paragons locked eyes.
Everyone knew Magnus was not one for empty threats. If Thorne didn't comply, the war between their families would come, no matter how long it took.
Thorne remained silent for a moment, his mind racing with calculations. Then, with a deep sigh, he spoke. "Fine. But I won't relinquish my son's head."
Magnus nodded, and without hesitation, drafted the contract. It wasn't as severe as the one Luminous had signed, but it still required the Alverians to protect Atticus and to never attack the Ravensteins—unless they were attacked first.
Although the Alverian had participated in the war, they had caused next to no damage. In fact, they had been the one to lose greatly.
If it had been completely up to Magnus, the Stellaris and Alverian would be dead. However, it wasn't.
Luminous, his body still weak, began to laugh hoarsely, coughing between each breath. "Ha… What a sly bastard. He waited for me to sign the contract before asking you for one. Now, even if you gang up on him, my family will have to protect his cub."
The other paragons ignored Luminous's deranged laughter. Only a man driven to the brink would laugh after learning his son was about to be executed.
Thorne sighed again, nodding in reluctant acceptance as he signed the contract.
As the golden light of the contracts faded, it was as though the heavy shroud cast over the entire human domain had been lifted. Many of the onlookers, still staring in disbelief, watched as the paragons began to depart.
The devastation left behind was overwhelming. The terrain was unrecognizable. The once-flat plains had been scorched black, massive craters pockmarking the earth where the sheer power of the battle had torn it apart and the ground itself seemed to tremble, still reeling from the aftershocks of the titanic clash.
No matter how long they lived, no one who had witnessed the battle would ever forget it. It wasn't just a fight between paragons—it was the day two titans had collided, the day Magnus Ravenstein's true, terrifying power had been revealed.
As the paragons left, Magnus, Luminous, and the others made their way to Sector 3, where Helios Stellaris and the Stellaris elders and armada, which had been approaching the estate, stopped upon seeing the paragons arriving.
The sight of Luminous, beaten and weakened, sent a wave of shock rippling through the Stellaris family.
The sun was high in the sky, its rays beating down, and yet, Luminous wasn't healing. His molten form was dull, his once-blinding glow dimmed. The question echoed silently in their minds: Just how much had Magnus beaten him?
That shock turned into disbelief when they saw Magnus.
He stood tall, his body crackling with lightning that danced around him with ferocity. The clouds above rumbled ominously, responding to his presence like a god of thunder.
Not a single shred of injury marred his form. It was as though he hadn't fought at all. He looked untouched, while Luminous looked shattered.
The Stellaris warriors felt their hearts race as soon as they caught sight of Magnus. His killing intent surged through the air like a violent storm, pressing down on them.
Many of the warriors faltered, their knees buckling, while others outright lost control, their bodies trembling with fear. A few soiled themselves in terror, unable to withstand the weight of Magnus's presence.
As Magnus's eyes locked onto Helios, Luminous could only turn his gaze away, his hands clenched in silent defeat.
Without uttering a word, chains of lightning wrapped around Helios, rendering him unconscious in an instant.
Helios, still dazed, barely understood what was happening. His eyes searched for his father, but Luminous didn't have the courage to meet his gaze.
In a single heartbeat, Helios was gone, taken by Magnus without a sound.
The Stellaris warriors were left in stunned silence. None dared to move, none dared to speak. The sight of their paragon, beaten, and Helios, taken away, left them utterly shaken.
As the paragons gathered with Seraphina and the others, the conversation shifted from their battle to an even more pressing matter—the Obsidian Order.