The morning sun cast pale gold streaks across the broken walls of the Omega Outpost. The wind carried the scent of iron, ash, and pine—an odd mixture that marked the edge of two realms: human domain and devil territory.
I stood quietly near the collapsed archway that once guarded the southern watchpoint, my cloak wrapped tightly around me, my face masked with a black hood made of mana-concealing fabric. The hum of dark energy in the air was unmistakable.
A few steps behind me, Lilith tightened the strap of her own travel pack. Her face was calm, but her violet eyes held a deep tension—a mix of fear and determination. She was going home… but not in the way anyone should return to their birthplace. She was heading toward a fractured kingdom, a throne usurped, and a father imprisoned.
Just as we were preparing to leave, a soldier called out from behind the inner perimeter.
"Commander Eleanore! Special delivery from Tech Genesis!"
I turned instinctively, my eyes narrowing.
