Death Dealer stepped through the gates of the Citadel.
The enormous doors groaned shut behind him.
Inside, silence ruled.
The chaos of battle remained outside—the thunder, collapsing stone, fire, and roaring skies—but within the Citadel, all was still.
Golden light shimmered across polished walls of white crystal. Massive pillars rose like towers to support the vaulted ceiling above. Ancient symbols glowed faintly on every surface, alive with sacred essence.
At the center of the grand hall stood the towering statue of Seraphine.
Her stone figure overlooked the chamber with calm authority—wings spread wide behind her, one hand lifted toward the heavens as if commanding storm itself.
Death Dealer stopped beneath the statue and looked up.
Even he could feel the pressure of the place.
The Citadel was alive.
Its essence flowed through every wall like blood through veins.
Then his gaze lowered.
Someone stood beneath the statue.
A girl.
Dressed in armor.
Motionless.
Waiting.
Nora.
Her silver armor reflected the sacred glow around her, but her body trembled slightly. Her breathing was shallow. To Death Dealer, she looked weak… fragile… barely able to stand.
He looked at her with mild annoyance.
"Girl," he said coldly. "Move aside… unless you wish to die."
Nora's fingers tightened.
Even half-awakened, standing before him made her soul shiver.
His presence was monstrous.
Overwhelming.
A Sovereign.
He radiated power so immense it felt like standing before a volcano wrapped in human skin.
And yet…
Nora bowed her head.
She forced herself to shake.
Forced weakness into her voice.
"My lord…"
Death Dealer narrowed his eyes.
Nora swallowed hard before speaking.
"Please… let me take you to the essence portal."
Death Dealer remained silent.
Nora lowered herself even further.
"Master Seraphine treated me poorly. I served faithfully… and gained nothing. If you take ownership of the Citadel… I am willing to serve you instead."
Death Dealer stared at her.
His gaze swept across her body.
Weak aura.
Damaged essence.
Barely any power left.
Nothing threatening.
He almost laughed.
Even if she tried to betray him, what could she do?
He was a Sovereign.
An awakened weapon could barely scratch him.
Even a male Ascendant striking with full force would fail to pierce his flesh.
And this girl…
was far beneath that.
"Lead the way," he said.
Nora nodded and turned.
Inside, her heartbeat pounded violently.
Because what she had said…
was true.
She was taking him to the essence portal.
But what Death Dealer didn't know…
was what lived there.
Deep inside the Citadel…
guarding the portal…
slept something ancient.
Something corrupted.
Something powerful enough to threaten even a Sovereign.
---
Outside—
the battlefield burned.
Rylan and Seraphine fought side by side against the two monstrous fire creatures.
The battle had become pure close combat.
No distance.
No retreat.
Only destruction.
One fire monster swung a flaming arm toward Rylan.
Rylan slid beneath it.
His palm struck upward into the creature's torso with earth essence compressed into crushing force.
The impact shattered molten armor across its chest.
The second monster lunged from behind—
but Seraphine was already there.
Her body moved like flowing storm.
She twisted in midair and drove her heel into the creature's face, sending it crashing through burning ruins.
Rain still fell around them in scattered drops.
Steam rose everywhere.
Their teamwork was flawless.
Rylan fought with pressure and force.
Seraphine fought with speed and storm.
Earth and weather.
Power and precision.
Together they moved like one.
One fire creature roared and unleashed a river of flames.
Rylan raised a wall of stone from the earth to block it.
The stone melted instantly—
but Seraphine shot through the steam before the flames could spread and sliced through the creature's arm with lightning-coated fingers.
It howled.
The second attacked from the side.
Rylan intercepted it, driving his shoulder into its chest hard enough to crack its burning core.
They separated briefly.
Both breathing hard.
Seraphine glanced toward the Citadel gates.
Something felt wrong.
Her expression tightened.
"Rylan…"
He turned while holding back one monster's flaming claws.
"Yes?"
"Should I use my awakened ability?"
Rylan's eyes sharpened.
"To kill both at once?"
Seraphine nodded.
"I haven't sensed Death Dealer outside for a while."
Rylan's expression changed.
He looked toward the Citadel.
Then toward the monsters.
Then he nodded.
"Wait."
He stepped backward.
Placed both hands forward.
And concentrated.
The air changed.
Every molecule around them began shifting.
Pulling.
Rotating.
Gathering.
The currents tightened until the battlefield itself seemed to bend around his will.
Then Rylan thrust both palms toward the fire monsters.
Invisible streams of controlled particles shot into their bodies.
The monsters roared violently.
Their flames flickered unstable.
Their internal currents disrupted.
Rylan gritted his teeth and shouted—
"Now!"
Seraphine moved.
Her eyes flashed silver.
Her fingernails elongated slightly—
then crackled with concentrated lightning.
Electricity wrapped around every finger like blades.
Then she infused more essence into them.
The lightning became brighter.
Sharper.
Violent enough to tear air apart.
She rushed forward.
Faster than thunder.
And plunged her glowing hand straight into the chest of the nearest fire monster.
Its body froze.
Then—
Seraphine seized control of the current Rylan had injected.
Lightning spread through the creature's entire body from the inside.
Its fire exploded outward.
BOOM.
The first monster collapsed.
Without stopping—
she turned and struck the second.
Electricity tore through its burning form.
The unstable current inside it erupted instantly.
BOOM.
The second fire monster exploded into ash and embers.
Silence.
Only falling ash remained.
Then Seraphine heard the whisper.
Soft.
Ancient.
Inside her mind.
You have destroyed two Fire Echoes.
Seraphine exhaled slowly.
Then closed her eyes.
She expanded her senses outward using the Citadel's aura.
Her awareness spread through halls…
through walls…
through towers…
through chambers…
searching.
Then—
she found him.
Her eyes snapped open.
"Rylan."
Rylan turned immediately.
Her voice was colder than before.
"Death Dealer is inside the Citadel."
Rylan's face darkened.
"Where?"
Seraphine's expression hardened.
"The essence portal chamber."
For one second—
both froze.
Then realization hit them.
Nora.
Rylan's eyes widened.
"Nora led him there?"
Seraphine didn't answer immediately.
But deep inside…
she already knew.
Nora hadn't betrayed them.
She had baited him.
And if Nora had brought Death Dealer to the portal chamber…
then she was gambling her life on whatever waited inside.
Seraphine's heartbeat quickened.
"Move."
Without another word—
both of them rushed toward the Citadel.
Behind them, ash drifted through the burning battlefield.
Ahead of them—
inside the depths of the Citadel—
Death Dealer stepped into the dark chamber of the essence portal…
unaware that something ancient had already awakened in the darkness waiting for him.