With the eclipse shattered and her domain collapsed, Lyra fell from the sky.
She landed in the center of Talagra's ruined streets, the impact cracking stone outward in jagged lines. Her shadow-wings dissolved into drifting ash as real sunlight touched her again.
For a moment—
Silence.
Around her stood what remained of the city guard and the Intelligence Department knights. Bloodied. Exhausted. Armor broken. But still standing.
Still raising their blades.
Even weakened... she was still a Seven-Star.
Killing them now would be effortless.
Two blades of condensed shadow formed in her hands.
Without hesitation, she moved.
She vanished from sight.
Reappeared before the nearest line of knights.
Her swords descended—
And were stopped.
Steel screamed against steel.
Asuma stood before her.
His body was battered beyond reason. Bruises darkened his skin. Blood ran freely from cuts along his arms and face. The demonic aura around him flickered unstable, threatening to collapse at any moment.
But he held the line.
"How much more will you kill?!" he roared.
Her red eyes stared into his.
"Enough," she replied coldly, "to gain my father's attention."
She forced him backward with brute strength, then unleashed a relentless barrage of sword strikes.
Asuma blocked.
Parried.
Countered.
Each clash sent shockwaves through the street, kicking up dust and shattered stone. Wind spiraled violently around them as their blades carved trenches into the ground.
To the survivors watching—
It no longer looked human.
It looked like two demons dueling for dominance.
Amira reached the forming circle of stunned survivors, Leon beside her.
Her heart pounded.
His aura—
It was spiraling dangerously.
She couldn't tell where Asuma ended and something else began.
Urillia stood just behind her, royal knights nowhere in sight.
Only Amira remained at her side.
And for once—
That was enough.
Mid-clash, Asuma felt it.
Urillia's aura.
He broke eye contact with Lyra and turned toward the princess.
A fatal mistake.
Lyra's blade flashed toward his neck.
An arrow whistled through the air.
Leon's shot struck her sword, diverting it just enough.
Amira lunged in, spear crackling, forcing Lyra back a few steps.
That split second was enough.
Asuma moved.
He rushed to Urillia.
And without hesitation—
Grabbed her by the waist.
Gasps erupted around them.
Touching royalty without permission was a crime punishable by death in Azel.
But Asuma did not care.
He didn't even think about it.
"Princess," he said urgently, holding her firmly, "I can only save Latriys with your help. Please. Save her."
Urillia's golden eyes widened.
Save her?
She believed she had already worsened everything by breaking the seal.
But the look in his eyes—
There was no doubt.
No hesitation.
He was willing to gamble everything on this.
Including his life.
She made a decision.
She allowed it.
Asuma ignited fire beneath his feet and launched them forward.
Lyra reacted instantly, summoning shadow-hands that burst from the ground and air alike.
They lashed at him.
He weaved between them at impossible speed, flames accelerating his momentum, blood-wings flickering behind him.
"Princess!" he shouted. "Hold your hands out!"
They burst through the final wave.
Urillia extended her arms.
The Draak Eyes ignited.
Golden light flooded her pupils, transforming them into ancient, draconic sigils.
They collided with Lyra.
Urillia's hands struck the demon's chest—
And the world changed.
Golden chains erupted from thin air.
Not shadow.
Not light.
Something older.
Sacred.
They wrapped around Lyra's arms, legs, horns—slamming her to the ground.
The chains burned.
They hissed against her skin, searing through shadow and flesh alike.
Lyra screamed.
Not a monstrous roar—
But a sound layered with pain.
The Noctyrix thrashed violently, cracking the ground beneath her knees.
The chains tightened.
Symbols lit up along their length—ancient covenant script.
Urillia gasped.
She could feel it now.
The pact her great-grandfather forged.
The seal.
It wasn't just binding the demon.
It was tearing the Noctyrix away from the host.
And it hurt.
It hurt so deeply that even Urillia felt a tremor of fear.
Lyra howled as the chains dragged her lower.
The red eyes flickered.
The monstrous aura began destabilizing.
Asuma stood before her, breathing heavily, barely able to remain upright.
"Latriys..." he whispered.
For a fraction of a second—
Through the burning chains and collapsing shadow—
One red eye softened.
And somewhere beneath the monstrous exterior
A girl was still fighting.