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Malakar and Kaelus materialized in a swirl of dark energy, reappearing in front of Vesper, Zareth, Nyxara, Selene, and the unconscious Neraxis. Each of the captured captains—Doran and Daichi—along with Zeraxis Prime was confined within shimmering Spectral Rune Cages, their once formidable auras now dim and restrained.
Malakar’s calm gaze swept across the battlefield before falling on Neraxis’ slumped form. Without hesitation, he approached and placed a hand on Neraxis’ chest. A faint glow surrounded them as Malakar absorbed his essence, shaking his head. “Neraxis... how useless you were.”
The remaining members of The Eclipse Sovereignty stood silently, awaiting Malakar’s next move. He turned to them, his expression unreadable. “Let’s head out,” he ordered.
But before they could move, a thunderous voice boomed across the field. “UMBROS!”
Queen Nia Kasumi descended from the heavens, her celestial aura blazing brighter than ever. The air shimmered as waves of radiant energy spread outward, healing the fractured earth and restoring life to the desolate battlefield. Her hands glowed with the power of Cosmic Radiance Healing, and in a miraculous display, she reversed the devastation of Chaos Cascade. The ruined Fort Vigilance was restored, and its residents revived, their injuries erased as though the destruction had never occurred.
As the members of The Eclipse Sovereignty turned their attention skyward, Queen Nia’s voice rang out with unrelenting fury. “You have done enough... FEEL THE JUDGMENT OF THE CELESTIALS!”
With that, Nia raised her arms, summoning Celestial Judgment. Beams of radiant light descended from the heavens, striking the ground in a massive circular blast. The impact created a blinding explosion, and when the light faded, a colossal 100-mile-wide crater remained where the beam had struck.
The members of The Eclipse Sovereignty stood at the center of the crater, unharmed, their dark auras flickering. Nia descended gracefully to the edge of the crater, her gaze sharp and unyielding. “Do you feel that?” she yelled out. “Your immortality is no longer present. The Celestials have spoken.”
Zareth was the first to react, his voice laced with anger. “What did that pesky brat just do?”
Kaelus closed his eyes momentarily, assessing his essence. “Whatever she did, she’s right. It’s gone.”
Malakar, however, remained composed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Temporarily. She must have found a loophole to sever the connection. It’s clever, but ultimately futile. I, however, still retain mine.”
Before he could continue, Nia interrupted, her voice a cold command. “I hope you can swim…” With a wave of her hand, she filled the entire crater with Celestial Water. The radiant liquid shimmered, brimming with purifying energy, but before it could take effect, it vanished instantly.
Nia’s eyes narrowed as she observed a strange aura surrounding Malakar. He smiled, his calm demeanor unwavering. “A valiant effort, Lady Nia, but pointless. We would love to stay and entertain you further, but Eclipse Xero waits for no one.”
A massive shadow enveloped the members of The Eclipse Sovereignty, and as it receded, they were gone—along with the captured Doran, Daichi, and Zeraxis Prime.
Nia stood frozen, her light dimming as the weight of failure bore down on her. The pain of loss swelled within her, and she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “How could I let this happen...?” she whispered. “I’ve failed them all...........”
.......silence occurs for a couple seconds
A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, warm and comforting. “Get up,” a soft voice said. Nia looked up to see Seraphina standing beside her, a calm smile on her face. “A queen must not show weakness in front of her people.”
Nia allowed herself to be helped to her feet, her tears drying as she steadied herself. Seraphina introduced Saber, explaining his connection and the Six Regions. “I know your pain,” Seraphina said, her tone empathetic yet resolute. “Revenge will come, and soon.”
Seraphina continued, “While Saber and I were on our way here, we encountered a Tenebrax Demon disguised as a spellmaker in the underground transit system. We followed him to an open area where he summoned a strange portal. It wasn’t like the ones used by The Eclipse Sovereignty—it was different. We followed him through and discovered something astonishing. The portal led not to another dimension, but to the heart of the Land of Spade—right in the center of the Main District, beneath the Council’s Hall, but in the shadows.”
Nia’s eyes widened. “And how do we access it again? If it required a special portal…”
Saber stepped forward, his Saber of Reverberation gleaming faintly. “Echo Imprint,” he said simply. “When the demon summoned the portal, I reflected it without him noticing. I can recreate it, though it will only be at half its original strength and usable just once.”
Nia nodded, determination rekindled in her eyes. “Then what are we waiting for? If that’s where they’re retreating to, we’ll catch them off guard and end this.”
Seraphina smiled, her flames flickering around her. “To retrieve Elara, Doran, Daichi, and Zeraxis.”
With that, Saber raised his Saber of Reverberation and activated Echo Imprint. The portal materialized, swirling with dark energy. Without hesitation, Queen Nia, Seraphina, and Saber stepped through, venturing directly into the heart of The Eclipse Sovereignty’s realm.
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