Near the foot of the castle, John looked stunned at the explosion that happened as he dropped to the ground.
His sword, which was shining in red, also dropped to the ground.
As though a knight who tried his best had been cast away by a greater force.
His shining gold-black armor cast a huge contrast with the destruction all around.
Somewhat away, Marvis screamed as he pushed a headless knight, "What? Who did the explosion?"
Sethsi, Rio, followers of Kerin and Eleana, the golden knights all seemed to stop as the explosion ended.
Everyone was stunned. The blue mages kneeled to the ground as they screamed, "What has gone wrong? We failed to save them."
"The citizens... they... they are dead.."
Among all present, the princess who couldn't talk seemed to point to someone as though she was muttering barely with her mouth.
Sethsi and Marvis looked at her strangely. She seemed to be struggling, but her face had a mocking smile as she pointed to someone.
Marvis looked at her and he followed her fingers to the figure that was being pointed at among the survivors and the bodies of headless knights all over.
His pupils dilated as thoughts went over.
...
Inside the strange space,
The old man's smile faded as tears spilled from Veer's eyes. The old man sighed, "So that's how it was.."
Veer asked the old man as if in agony, "Old man, why am I feeling that.....something inexpressible..as if she had gone far far away..."
"When will this pain end?"
The old man didn't say anything as footsteps echoed....
Someone was here.
A voice echoed throughout the hall..
"So they really did that. Poor girl."
"Worry not. Young man....you can have me..."
"All of this will go away within a moment."
Veer's body trembled as he looked behind.
Stuffed in a veiled gown of darkness, a woman was there. Gentle light illuminated her characteristics. It was as if she was made of porcelain. Her long black hair fell down dimly illuminated. Veer felt nauseous as he looked at her hazy dreamlike eyes. Her words were like gentle whispers....that bore down on his soul.
She was the puppet master.
....
The puppet master slowly raised her finger at Veer. The old man tried to spring into action, but just with her motion of hand he was unable to move.
She touched Veer's forehead as his consciousness slowly started to fade.
Veer was falling very deep.
He was falling from somewhere to somewhere deep down.
Something seemed to gaze at him from the sky. As though countless mouths or eyes...
He felt horrible as though his body was getting twisted.
Then he heard a gentle voice.
"You are not suitable for the legacy.."
"Surrender it.."
"Your will.."
"Everything will end.."
"Your friends, your lover, your caretaker and .....your sister..."
"Everything shall be ok.."
The world around Veer seemed to vanish. Gone were the surroundings, leaving him in a state of darkness.
Veer's mind seemed to settle as he was letting go gradually.
Perhaps what she is telling is correct.
As the last sip of consciousness was wavering...countless pictures gradually came into his mind.....including some things he didn't remember at all.
"My son.....do you see the stars? When you feel loneliest, ask them to guide you....they are your kin..." said a strong man similar to him.
"You have a beautiful aunt.....when you turn sixteen mother will take you to her..to the realm of the great mystic tree..." muttered a lovely mature lady.
"You know, young master, Reissa is the happiest when she is with you ....haha....", a charming young girl said.
"Veer, do you really think this will work out.....my grandfather said...though the rune bag is one of the most sacred items in hiding, but I am just a novice," muttered a serious looking man.
"Veer, ahhhhhh...How will I survive...my own cousin, he killed father....Rio, how could he....." muttered a white haired girl.
"Veer, you know I ....nevermind," muttered a blond figure in violet shyly.
"Brother, brother,...where are you?" muttered a figure that seemed surrounded in hazy clouds, a hand, a gentle hand stretched his way.
Finally, there was a tremor as Veer's consciousness came back. He muttered a strange sound, "I can't..."
"I am their hope..."
.....
As he clutched the rune paper in his hand hard, blood gradually flowed from his hands into the paper.
Shining runes emerged all around in the strange space. The space started vibrating as though it was resonating. A presence, tremendous presence, was rising.
The puppet master's eyes dilated as she finally turned to the old man, "You..."
The old man was now perfectly walking as he muttered, "Thanks, young master,....today I will perform the pinnacle of star arts...young master...remember not everything a person says is true...same even for me....."
The puppet master shouted, "Stop..."
Veer was floating across the room as he suddenly disappeared. At the last moment, the puppet master noticed something..
Just when Veer was disappearing, something actually was clinging to his hand. The puppet.
"No..." she uttered....
The old man shouted
"Ahhhhhhhh, Soul weaving...."
Boom.....
...
Beyond the walls of Drudar, the demon again raised its huge sword. A mountain of darkness surged as hundreds of hands grabbed the demon sword in the queen's hands. As though a gigantic earthquake, the huge figure swung that sword at Clayren who was not backing away.
As the huge sword was coming for the tiny figure, something seemed to happen to Lythria's father.
Sylwen shouted as she noticed, "Leader...!!"
A snap.....
....
Moments ago...
Some memories from years ago were there in a man's eyes as he looked at the small figure unwavering.
Once a happy girl, unburdened by anything, a girl in love. The man remembered that last look she gave when he went away from her. A simple question hit him as he looked at the powerful yet seemingly dainty figure.
Would she survive this? He knew the answer. The queen's power strike was tremendous for that.
He murmured, "It's really a force by sacrifice..." as darkness seemed to strike the small figure.
A small whisper was heard by all the Mythria people, "Reality Snap..." just when the two swords met in the distance.
A boom....
A snap.
Finger snap.
Something erupted or changed somewhere as all the Mythrian people dropped to their knees.
"This..."
...
Back in Mythria, a gentle figure was standing gazing beyond the stars. Lythria's mother's hands were opened as a leaf fell from above. It was a leaf from the great mystic tree. The runes in the leaf shined briefly before it became an ordinary leaf.
She sighed, "So you still have her in your heart.."
.....
High above a castle or somewhere, a man was sitting in a huge place and suddenly frowned as he said, "Is this the rumored reality snapping?"
"So it still exists. Oh Clayren...you really are lucky..."
"At least this will stop that mad woman. No need to worry more about her."
Suddenly he narrowed his eyes as he looked at a different direction,then he started laughing,"Haha....Haha..Haha"
"That old man and her...really a fitting pair...."
....
Clayren slowly walked heavily as she dropped down.
What had happened?
She was hit by that tremendous blow? But she was same as usual. Everything was as though the same but changed or went back in time. As though different versions of past and present somehow merged.
The demon was actually somewhere back.
As though in daze there were growls coming from it. The number of joined puppets with the demon's body were somehow less. The darkness also seemed to clear slightly.
Suddenly her pupils dilated. Her hair glowed gently as she murmured"It was you? I didn't notice at first, but it seems it was really you. Only one person has the ability to do that in all of Neithleric region."
It was getting difficult for her to move. As she shouted again, "Was it you?" A hand placed on her shoulders.
Her burden and anger dissipated like clouds just with that touch.
She trembled as she asked, "Why now?"
"After all these years.."
Lythria's father sighed as he kept his silence, "..."
"Why?"
"Why did you go away that time?"