Morning light washed over the Northern Kingdom. From the balcony, Tavari watched the streets below. The people were alive — but barely. Bandages wrapped heads and arms. Some walked with support. Children limped instead of running. His chest tightened.

  The king and his two sons approached quietly. Both princes looked at him with warm admiration. Tavari noticed, then gently looked away. Serena and Joseph stepped beside him. Without a word, Tavari handed his sword to Joseph, then raised his hands. Threads flowed from his fingers.

  They drifted across the city like soft silk, weaving through streets and homes. Wherever they touched, wounds sealed, pain faded, breath steadied. Broken bones straightened. Tears turned into laughter. The kingdom slowly came back to life.

  Tavari’s breathing worsened. The threads trembled. His legs weakened. He nearly collapsed. The crown prince caught him and helped him into a chair, giving him water. The king stared in stunned silence.

  Then the doors burst open. “My king! Two hundred White Gods are approaching — and a woman and a man walk behind them!” Tavari froze. The Watcher’s words returned to him. Cassia… and the demon.

  Serena saw his face change. “What is it?”

  He smiled gently. “Stay inside.”

  Outside the gates, Tavari stepped onto the battlefield. His soldiers followed — but before they could pass him, threads erupted into the sky, expanding outward to form a massive luminous dome over the entire kingdom. Nothing could enter. Nothing could leave.

  Inside, Serena slammed her hands against the barrier. “TAVARI! OPEN IT!” Joseph struck it with his sword. Soldiers shouted in panic. Tavari looked back one last time. “A true master dies for his people.”

  Serena’s voice broke. “DON’T YOU DARE—!”

  He turned, and the ground trembled as the two hundred White Gods charged.

  Tavari moved first. Threads shot forward like glowing whips, slicing through the nearest enemies before they could even react. Two charged from the right — their legs were wrapped mid-step, pulled into each other until both fell in a heap. He spun, stepping over the pile, and extended his hands. Threads shot forward in spirals, striking the airborne attackers before they could land.

  Three approached from the left, leaping over fallen soldiers. Threads caught their wrists and ankles, pulling them down mid-air and twisting their bodies violently before they hit the ground. He pivoted, dodging an arrow volley that clanged harmlessly against his moving threads. His steps were deliberate, weaving between the enemy like a dancer, but every movement drained him further.

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  A group of ten rushed together, thinking to overwhelm him. Tavari spun his body, letting threads slice between them, separating each attacker. One tried to strike from behind — a thread wrapped around his neck, yanking him back violently.

  The soldiers watched in awe and fear. Tavari’s body shone faintly under the strain, veins on his temples visible, breathing ragged. His threads glimmered weaker with each attack, the dome above flickering faintly as if feeding off his energy.

  As he cut through wave after wave, he noticed the two soldiers who had disobeyed him earlier among the enemy ranks. Their heads fell cleanly as he moved, punishment and mercy intertwined in his swift strikes. Two of his men, however, had fallen earlier — their sacrifice weighed heavily on him. He pressed forward.

  Finally, only two figures remained: Cassia and the demon. Tavari lunged with all the strength left in his body, blade aimed for Cassia’s neck. Threads shot out for defense — but they faltered. Cassia’s power twisted them back against him. In an instant, his arms were bound, bones snapping as the threads constricted him like steel.

  He fell to his knees. The demon stepped forward calmly, placing the Celestane Chain around his neck. Power vanished. The threads fell limp. His aura dissipated entirely.

  Inside the dome, Serena screamed. Joseph dropped to his knees, striking the barrier. The king and soldiers froze in horror. Tavari forced his head up one last time.

  “DO NOT OPEN THE BARRIER! LIVE!” His voice cracked. “LIVE!” He collapsed, chained.

  Far away in the Western Kingdom, the gates shook under monstrous impact. Beast-like figures poured in — human shaped but wrong, muscles shifting unnaturally beneath the skin. Arie shouted, “Form ranks!” Soldiers locked shields. The first impact tore the front line apart. The second shattered two shields and dragged soldiers out screaming. The third — they countered. Spears struck low while rear soldiers cut high. The formation tightened, slowly pushing the creatures back outside the gate. Fifty Tower soldiers fell, brutal deaths across the battlefield. Exhausted survivors sealed the entrance. Sarah collapsed from wounds and was carried away. Raphel’s wrist hung broken.

  Then footsteps echoed. Vaelie walked through smoke with two towering beast-children carrying a sealed black cage. He smiled. “How are you all? … Ooo, not well.”

  Matt’s anger exploded. “You tried to kill my sister!” He charged. Arie and Raphel followed. “Secure the gates!” Arie ordered the remaining soldiers. They attacked together. Vaelie didn’t block — he watched. Matt punched — Vaelie mirrored the movement and hit harder, ribs cracking. Arie slashed — Vaelie mirrored his stance, snapping his leg. Raphel grappled — Vaelie reversed the hold and slammed him unconscious. Each exchange made Vaelie stronger. Arie’s arm broke. Matt collapsed. They lay defeated. Vaelie crouched beside Matt.

  “Do you remember the one you loved… Stephen?” The cage opened. Inside lay Stephen, unconscious. Matt’s face went pale. Arie couldn’t breathe. Across two kingdoms, hope disappeared.

  Back in the North, Tavari knelt chained as Cassia watched silently. Inside the barrier, people cried his name but could not reach him. The battlefield waited, and far beyond both kingdoms, something was about to move.