In a landscape barricaded by rolling hills and jagged terrain, the golden glow of late evening draped the kingdom in weary light, the sun’s dying rays scattering like wounded embers across shattered towers and blood-stained waters.
The grand palace of this kingdom—once the jewel of artistry with its jade domes and gilded spires—still stood, though not unscathed. Massive claw marks raked across its marble walls, as though some colossal beast had tried to peel away its glory. Windows that had once poured light like blessings were now blackened sockets, their stained glass shattered and strewn into the river below like broken prayers.
The bridge, still spanning proudly across the emerald waters, bore the weight of recent battle. Statues of heroes and generals, once guardians of peace, were chipped and scarred; many had lost arms, heads, or their entire forms, toppled into the depths by vicious claws and monstrous fury.
On the great bridge leading to the grand palace, a few defenders who had protected the city sat in exhausted silence. The mangled corpses of monsters lay scattered across the streets, draped over walls, their blood painting a grotesque palette of horror.
It was a terrible sight. Surviving soldiers limped through the wreckage, gathering bodies, while commoners helped where they could—everyone busy with one task or another.
But those who sat were too drained to move.
Among them was a boy whose body looked carved from bronze stone, perfect in every muscle—a masterwork of the dead stars themselves. He never hesitated to flaunt his sculpted form, though now several wounds wept blood across his frame. Deep blue hair matched his piercing blue eyes, and dried blood streaked down one side of his face.
He lay sprawled on the stairs—or what remained of them. The stone steps had been crushed so thoroughly they formed more of a slope than proper stairs.
Beside him sat another boy with the same azure hair and eyes, but this one was lithe and ethereal. He too bore wounds across his slender frame.
Finally, the muscled one spoke.
"Have you seen Father?"
The lithe one remained silent for a heartbeat, then strained to answer.
"He... mentioned something about ensuring the Prince’s safety... I think?"
The muscled brother sighed and gazed ahead. Beyond the ruined stairs stood a fountain carved with cranes spiraling through rushing water—half the birds now lay in pieces. The basin itself was a pitiful sight.
But as he watched, the fountain basin suddenly exploded, hurling white stone shards in every direction.
The muscled youth instantly threw out his hand, conjuring a shimmering shield that covered the entire stairway. Debris clattered against the barrier and bounced harmlessly away.
The lithe boy and the other wounded defenders slowly rose, dark grimaces etched on their faces.
The slender youth bit his lip.
"Blessed stars, we barely held the city..."
His brother stood beside him, waiting for the dust to settle.
After the monster invasion, everyone was spent. But they wouldn’t surrender their home without a fight.
As the dust cleared, footsteps emerged from the haze, resolving into human forms.
The muscled defender tilted his head slightly while the others readied themselves. Despite their battered bodies, their eyes blazed with lethal intent.
These warriors were prepared to die.
The lithe boy stepped forward, extending his hand to summon a sleek, massive sword resembling a claymore. The others conjured their weapons as well, filling the air with crackling sparks.
However, the muscled youth frowned as he recognized someone in the approaching crowd. He raised his hand.
"Wait!"
His brother turned to him.
"Brother, wha—"
"Lady Annette, is that you?"
The group emerging from underground was vast—like an entire city’s population still filing out behind the first wave. At the forefront stood Annette, Helena, Zeek, and Hara, with other citizens following. Ayu and Myu were absent, having taken a different route for their separate mission.
The lithe boy looked confused at first, then his eyes slowly widened.
"Oh! Lady Annette—the one you said was hot!"
Instantly, the muscled youth shot his brother a murderous glare.
Seeing the familiar face, Annette stepped forward with a slight smile.
"Arlem. Good to see you again."
Arlem chuckled sheepishly.
"Likewise, Lady Annette. Please ignore what my brother just said."
Annette turned to the younger boy with an amused smile.
"Of course it’s no surprise that I’m hot—I have fire running through my veins."
Her smile faded as she surveyed the kingdom’s devastation. Then she returned her gaze to Arlem.
"Would you mind taking me to whoever’s in charge here? And tell me what happened along the way?"
Arlem nodded, but in that instant, his brother stepped between them, glaring at Arlem while eyeing the lady with suspicion.
"Surely you’re not thinking of taking her to the Prince..."
He faced Annette and looked beyond her at the crowd.
"We should clarify why they’re here first. Our nation has suffered terrible losses today—we’re on edge. After sending requests for backup to the alliance and getting no response, we have every reason to believe this could be another trap."
Annette studied the boy. He resembled Arlem in every way except for his lean build and sharper features.
Arlem tried to caution him silently.
"Listen, Jakim, these people would never hurt us."
Jakim whirled on his brother.
"It’s been months since you last saw them, brother. Don’t be naive. Your paths may have aligned when you were all trapped in the Dark Continent, but the moment you stepped out, those paths diverged. If they’re here to exploit our downfall—to conquer us and kill our prince because you led them to him—how will you redeem yourself?"
He looked away for a moment.
"What am I even saying..."
He returned a piercing gaze to his brother.
"There is no redemption for such a thing. I will be the one to kill you."
Arlem sighed, clearly fed up. But he turned to Annette and asked with weary patience.
"Lady Annette, please... what’s going on?"
He gestured toward the crowd behind her.
"Why are you here with all these people?"
Annette studied Jakim, a faint smile playing on her lips. Then she shifted her gaze to Arlem and leaned her weight onto one leg.
"There’s a massive siege engulfing the entire continent. The military is crushing every nation systematically. Those backup requests you sent? They probably went unanswered because they never arrived. The Central Plains are in chaos, Arlem, and nobody knows the full scope of it."