The world answered their clash with a scream.
The instant Zero's blade met Aamon's claw, a pulse of pure destruction rippled outward. The shockwave tore through the palace walls, raced across the cursed plains, and hit the battlefield like a falling star. The crimson clouds above twisted violently, splitting into spirals of black and gold.
Kaelion was the first to react. He slammed his sword into the ground, planting his stance as the surge of energy crashed into him and his soldiers. Dust and flame swept through the field, tossing armored men like leaves.
"Shield formations—now!" he roared, but even his voice was drowned by the roar of wind.
The Saintess barely managed to raise a barrier of divine light. It flared around her, forming a trembling dome that shielded dozens of soldiers. Yet, cracks began to spread across it almost instantly, golden threads snapping one by one.
Her lips trembled as she whispered a prayer. "This… this isn't mana from this world."
