For a few seconds, inhuman shrieking filled the Inner Ring.
Then silence followed.
The demon ceased to exist... she has been dead for who knows how long. And only now was 'Her' consciousness that had persisted for millennia simply... ended.
Kaori's body collapsed forward onto the marble, free at last.
The dragon swallowed once, grimaced slightly. "Such a foul taste." He glanced down at the corpse. "A waste. She was such fine material."
Ishiki ran forward, dropping to his knees beside Kaori's body. This time, when he looked at her face, the wrongness was gone and only emptiness remained.
Yuki appeared at his side, both of them kneeling over their fallen friend as the other players streamed through the obsidian gates behind them—dozens now, maybe a hundred, all watching with wide eyes.
The dragon turned away from the scene, dismissing it entirely. His golden eyes fixed on the palace gates ahead... massive doors of solid gold adorned with intricate reliefs.
