Agrest lowered himself onto the throne. The hall felt unnaturally still; no guards, no courtiers—just him and Arvaris. The golden banners above barely stirred, though the windows were open to a restless wind.
"Well," Agrest said at last, fingers drumming against the armrest, "you gathered information on this Leo, didn't you?"
Arvaris strolled across the marble floor, hands clasped loosely behind his back. "Yeah. When I went out with the junior knights I collected everything I could. What about you? Was your plan to secure that land—the one with the cave—successful?"
Agrest gave a thin, disappointed smirk. "No. We failed. But it wasn't in vain. At least now we know how powerful he really is."
Arvaris stopped mid-stride, brows lifting. "How's that?"
"First," Agrest said, "he's using goblins to his advantage."
That made Arvaris actually turn, his usual easy expression vanishing. "You noticed that? How?"
"Leave it," Agrest replied, waving a hand. "I noticed a number of things. For example—he's definitely created some kind of domain to communicate with them. Those goblins wouldn't serve a human just because he's stronger or persuasive. No… he's speaking with them directly, binding them somehow." He leaned forward slightly. "Anyway, what about you? Did you find anything else? His companions?"
Arvaris let out a slow breath, almost a sigh. "No one's strong enough to match you except Leo himself—and even he might not be able to. But there is someone who could become a threat to both of us."
Agrest's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"A witch," Arvaris said, "living in the forest. Old magic. Dangerous."
The king frowned in thought. "That witch… the one in the forest on our border with the old kingdom, correct?"
"Yeah," Arvaris confirmed. "She could be troublesome."
"Would she be able to defeat you?"
Arvaris's lips curved faintly. "No. Not a chance. A thousand years of experience still can't beat us."
Agrest sat back, considering. "Then what's next? Our plan?"
Arvaris tilted his head. "You thought of one?"
The king nodded, rising from the throne with deliberate slowness. His robes whispered across the marble as he began to pace. "Yes. We need to bring Zycrist to our side first. He's one of the kings of space and time in this universe, and to reach him we have to take that land. But we also know the king of Rustalia is trying to ally with Leo. The Zycrist of Rustalia suffers from temporal disruption, and for that he needs two people who can solve the problem—first, Leo himself. Second, the king, who is Khronokai."
He stopped and turned back toward Arvaris, eyes glinting under the light of the high windows. "That's why everything we do next has to be precise."
Agrest's gaze slid sideways, fixing on Arvaris with a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"You're going to betray the King of Rustalia," he said, voice low and certain.
Arvaris hesitated. "Are you sure about that? He's strong. Turning on him this early… that's going to be troublesome."
Agrest chuckled, the sound echoing off the marble pillars. "No. Our main goal is Leo. If we get him out of the way, everything falls back into place. You'll be the one to kill Leo, his friends… and that witch."
Arvaris let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "Are you joking? I can't handle them all alone. And what about the king? You can't just ignore him."
"Who said I'm ignoring him?" Agrest's grin sharpened. "I've brought a few… special guests for that king."
He snapped his fingers. The massive doors of the throne room swung open with a deep groan. Three figures entered, their footsteps measured. The first was a hulking man whose sheer presence bent the air around him. The second, a woman draped in almost nothing, her clothing more suggestion than garment, every movement deliberate, predatory. And between them skipped a small girl, pale hair spilling over her shoulders, a ragged puppet dangling from her hand as she whispered to it with a sing-song lilt.
"They," Agrest said, his voice now carrying a proud edge, "will handle the king. Meet the strongest assassins of the underworld."
All three bowed in unison, their eyes flickering up toward the throne—cold, murderous gleams hidden in their pupils.
Arvaris gave a low whistle. "So you've been planning this from the beginning, huh?"
"You could say that." Agrest's smile didn't fade. "And after they kill the king…"
The three assassins' expressions hardened, the playful lilt gone, replaced by killing intent.
"…they'll come to your aid," Agrest finished. "Don't worry. I'll send your army as well. And then our plan will succeed."
The vast hall fell silent except for the distant rattle of banners in the wind, the weight of conspiracy hanging heavy between them.
Back in the present—
The air trembled under the force of their battle. Lili's dark magic writhed like a living storm, countless shadowy tentacles lashing at Arvaris from every angle. He darted between them, cloak snapping in the wind, but one brushed his arm, leaving a thin red scratch across his skin.
He hissed through his teeth and retaliated with a flurry of slashes that ripped the air apart. Lili danced away, her movements fluid, her shadows relentless. The forest around them cracked and shuddered with every exchange.
Tch… I can't touch her in that spiritual form. My strikes just pass through… but there's one thing that will work here.
Arvaris's eyes narrowed. In a single heartbeat he stopped retreating, pivoted, and drove his palm into the ground. A wave of pressure exploded outward.
"Al Dabura!" he roared.
A ripple of distorted energy pulsed through the clearing. The very air thickened and began to tremble. Lili's eyes widened—the dark tentacles froze for a split second.
She felt it then. Not just his power but the entire space bending. The aura of the battlefield itself shifted, turning heavy and oppressive until it pressed on her like invisible chains.
She tried to dodge, to phase, but the aura closed in from every direction, striking her like invisible spears.
Arvaris exhaled sharply, sweat beading on his forehead. His voice came low, almost a growl.
"Yes… I can't defeat you in your spiritual form. My own spirit magic is too weak. But the aura around us—this battlefield—is equal to us both. It listens to me now."
His smirk was cold and thin as he straightened, eyes scanning the treeline.
"Just a little more. Those three bastards should be here any minute after killing the king…" He paused, frown deepening. "But come to think of it… where's Leo? Why isn't he here yet?"
A flash of unease crossed his face, the first crack in his composure.
"Wait—does that mean he's…?"