Once again, the crowd erupted into shouts and applause, consumed by a collective frenzy.The air vibrated with a toxic mixture of excitement and cruelty — as if every laugh, every word of contempt, fed the very atmosphere of the square.
While the people celebrated, the soldiers unlocked the crude device that kept me restrained. As soon as the chains fell, two of them came toward me again and, almost automatically, grabbed my arms once more — as if I were still the same weak and exhausted prisoner from just a few minutes earlier.
But something had changed.
When their hands touched my arms, both soldiers hesitated. My body no longer trembled. My muscles were firm, and my feet were rooted to the ground like deep roots. The posture that had once been bent and defeated now stood tall and imposing, and in my eyes burned something new — a calm, silent spark… but alive.
For a moment, the two soldiers looked at each other, confused. They felt that something was different, but the typical pride of the Light Dragons spoke louder."It's just imagination," they might have thought. "Nothing has changed."
But they were wrong. And soon they would discover how costly that small mistake would be.
We descended from the platform, and the leader of the guards took the lead, marching ahead with firm, heavy steps. The crowd parted along the path, murmuring between laughter and insults.To them, this was not justice — it was pure entertainment, a spectacle of humiliation.
Every look cast in my direction was a reminder of how deeply they despised not only who I was, but what I represented. And yet, what I felt was not anger — it was something deeper… almost a certainty.
For a long time, we continued walking toward Hellos, in a march that seemed endless.The metallic clatter of armor striking in rhythm with the soldiers' steps mingled with the voices of the people, the flutter of banners, and the distant echo of trumpets exalting Keltherion's so-called "glory". The entire city pulsed as if awaiting a sacrifice — and I, apparently, was the lamb.
But in silence, I knew: the prey had ceased to be prey. And in the arena, they would pay for everything.
As I was led beneath Lumina's golden sun toward the arena of Hellos, things within the castle were taking an increasingly dangerous turn. The wind blowing through the corridors felt heavy, dense — as if even the air itself feared what was about to unfold.
Aurëalis stood before Edgar, her eyes blazing like two stars on the verge of colliding into a supernova. The silence between them was suffocating, and each passing second felt like a taut string, ready to snap at any moment.
— The longer this goes on, the more danger Kyrion is in… — Aurëalis thought, her heart racing.
— I can't lose him… I WON'T LOSE HIM.
Her fists clenched, and a wave of energy coursed through her body, as a thin golden aura began to expand around her — soft, yet so intense that it distorted and heated the surrounding air.
— Tsk… Edgar, if you insist on standing in my way… then don't blame me for what's about to happen. — she said, her tone mixing anger, fear, and restrained despair.
Edgar remained motionless, his face serene and his gaze calm.There was something unsettling in his composure — a cold, unshakable certainty, as if he already knew the outcome of that confrontation… or at least believed he did.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Aurëalis vanished.
The floor where she had stood shattered under the surge of the released energy, and in an instant, she appeared before the butler, her clenched fist flying toward his face. The strike was too fast to be seen — a golden lightning tearing through the air.
Throughout the kingdom of Lumina, Aurëalis was known and regarded as the fastest being in existence. Her speed did not merely defy the laws of space — it shattered them. And what was most intriguing was that no one had ever understood how such a thing was possible, even after countless studies conducted by Lumina's scholars.
On the rarest of occasions, only the king, the queen, and a few trusted servants had witnessed the impossible: Aurëalis surpassing light itself.
So, to her, that strike was perfect — inevitable, inescapable, devastating.
However, when her fist was about to hit Edgar, something happened.
He moved his head suddenly, just a few centimeters, enough for the attack to graze past his face, leaving behind a trail of energy that split the floor and shattered the walls like glass under pressure behind him.
Aurëalis's eyes widened in shock, and before even touching the ground again, she retreated, reappearing exactly where she had been before the strike.
— You… dodged? — she asked, her voice wavering between disbelief and fury.
The butler merely adjusted his collar with the same unbothered calm as always.
— Yes. — he replied, emotionless.
A brief silence fell over the hall. Then Edgar raised his gaze, and a faint hint of sarcasm colored his voice:
— Why? Was I not supposed to?
Aurëalis took a step back, her eyes still locked onto him. And in that moment, she understood the mistake she had made.
Her father would never have chosen an ordinary man to occupy such an important position. So how could someone apparently so simple — without grand feats or notable divine power — have become the royal family's chief butler?
The answer was simple.
Despite his modest appearance and lack of brute strength, Edgar possessed something that made him equally feared and respected: a rare, ancient gift — an art so little known that it could turn even the most ordinary god into a threat to anyone.
Edgar was an Artifact Engineer — a god with unique abilities, capable of creating and manipulating sacred relics using his own energy, that of crystals… or even the essence of other gods.
Little was known about this power, but one truth was undeniable: a truly skilled Artifact Engineer could be as devastating as an entire army. And now, Aurëalis would have to face one.
— Damn it… but… how is this possible? — muttered Aurëalis, her gaze fixed on Edgar, who simply observed her in silence.
He sighed deeply, as if already expecting this outcome.
— Sigh… Princess, please… don't make this harder than it already is. Just return to your chambers. — he said calmly, in a tone almost paternal, yet carrying unyielding firmness.
— Tsk… Edgar, I already told you I'm leaving this place right now! — she retorted, her voice filled with impatience and her heart burning with fury.
— Then get out of my way, or I'll— Aurëalis began, but couldn't finish.
In the blink of an eye, Edgar was already before her, with his hand raised, ready to strike.
By pure instinct, she leapt backward, narrowly dodging the counterattack, as the air itself cracked with the force of his movement and the floor beneath her split open under the released energy.
Edgar then straightened slowly, returning to his impeccable, composed posture.
— Very well, princess. I'm impressed by your reflexes. — he said in a polite tone, though with a trace of irony that made her grit her teeth.
He adjusted his gloves with the same unshakable calm and continued:
— But, as someone who truly cares for your safety, allow me to offer some advice… Talking too much in front of an enemy can lead to unpleasant situations. Like this one.
At that moment, a small cut on Aurëalis's face began to bleed. She touched the wound, looked at the blood on her fingers, and lifted her gaze back to Edgar. Her expression, then, changed — the rage in her eyes gave way to something colder, deeper, and the flame that burned within her chest now blazed colder, but far more controlled.
At that moment, as she stared at Edgar, she was certain: that man — the one who had watched her grow, and who had served her family in silence for so many years — was truly no ordinary opponent. And if she wanted to reach me — if she wanted to save me — she would have to restrain her emotions.
Aurëalis drew a deep breath, allowing her energy to stabilize around her body.
— His speed… it matched mine? — she thought, incredulous.
— But how? Edgar never had enough energy for that…
The questions echoed in her mind until a memory surfaced from the depths of her thoughts.
Years earlier, on what seemed to be an ordinary day in the castle, Aurëalis was helping her father organize documents until, among the piles of scrolls and golden seals, one in particular caught her attention. It was different — marked with the royal seal of Lumina, and labeled "Confidential — of interest to the Light Dragons."
Curiosity, as always, spoke louder, and taking advantage of a brief moment of distraction from the king, she pulled the document closer and began to read.
It was a report compiling information already widely known about the Artifact Engineers — gods capable of creating and shaping sacred relics using their own energy, the power of crystals, or even the essence of other gods. But that was not the important part. Everyone knew that. What truly drew attention came next. The document mentioned that an Artifact Engineer lived within the castle itself, serving under the king's direct orders.
Aurëalis's curiosity grew stronger when she read that, making her eyes race through each line of text, searching for a name, a clue, anything that could reveal the identity of that mysterious god.But before she could finish reading, the sound of the doors opening behind her echoed through the hall.
Keltherion had returned.
In a swift reflex, she dropped the scroll and pushed it back into the pile of documents, recomposing herself in silence.
The opportunity had slipped away — and the secret, by a hair's breadth, had remained hidden.
Now, years later, that memory struck her mind like lightning. Her gaze locked onto Edgar once again — at the rings that glimmered on his fingers and the pendant around his neck, softly glowing with divine energy.
— Artifacts… Artifact Engineer… — she murmured, observing the relics Edgar always carried, remembering that day years ago when she had read the confidential document in her father's chamber.
— That's it… it's always been that. — she concluded.
Anger gave way to a bitter understanding in that moment.
— My father always changed the subject whenever I asked why he chose you as head butler, — she thought, clenching her fists.
— Now it all makes sense. These artifacts… these rings… that pendant…
Her expression grew cold — sharp as a blade.
— Edgar… you… why did you never tell me you were an Artifact Engineer? — she asked.
Edgar hesitated for a brief instant. His eyes widened slightly, but he soon regained his usual serenity.
— What do you mean? I don't understand, princess, — he replied, with the rehearsed composure of someone who lies without flinching.
Aurëalis, however, could already see right through him.
She kept her gaze fixed, unmoving, until the silence between them became almost tangible.
— Sigh… Princess, as I said, please, return to your— Edgar began, trying to break the silence and change the subject, but he couldn't finish his sentence.
In an instant — far faster than before — Aurëalis vanished again, leaving behind only a flash of golden light and the sharp sound of the air being torn apart.
Before Edgar could even blink, she was already standing before him.
Her gaze was fierce, and her fist, wrapped in pure, condensed energy, burned like the sun itself.And then, with overwhelming strength, she struck him head-on.
The impact was devastating. Edgar was hurled like lightning, crashing through columns and destroying everything around him until his body slammed into the wall at the end of the corridor, which collapsed in an explosion of dust and debris.
The impact of Edgar's body against the wall was so violent that it made the entire castle tremble.Windows rattled, the ground groaned, and for an instant, the sound of destruction echoed like a thunderclap.
— Cough… cough… — Edgar coughed, spitting blood as he struggled to rise.
— But… how… is this possible…?
The pendant he wore — a relic forged to nullify divine attacks — now hung broken, dangling between his trembling fingers.
— That artifact… it should have been able to block any god's strike… — he murmured, stunned, his voice trembling between disbelief and fear.
Then, from within the dust and ruin, slow footsteps began to echo. The sound was steady, heavy, almost hypnotic — the prelude to something inevitable.
From the veil of smoke, two glowing red eyes pierced the darkness. From there, Aurëalis emerged, with her silhouette wrapped in a golden light, and her gaze burning with silent, pure fury.
Edgar tried to move, but his body refused to obey. His motions were slow, disjointed — as if reality itself had lost its rhythm.
The rings on his hands, once pulsing with energy, and which earlier had allowed him to dodge Aurëalis's strike, now hung dim and lifeless, as their energy circuits had burnt out by the sheer force of the impact.
When Edgar finally blinked… Aurëalis was already there, near to him — so close he could feel the divine heat radiating from her.
— Agh… wh-what… is this…? How did she… do that? — he whispered, trying to retreat, his eyes wide with terror.
Aurëalis didn't answer. She simply grabbed him by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the ground, slowly, as though she were raising something filthy and worthless.
Her fingers closed tightly around his throat, crushing the air from his windpipe.
— Agh… P-princess… what… are you… doing…? — Edgar gasped, struggling helplessly to breathe.
— You said it yourself, Edgar… — she replied in a low, cold tone.
— Talking too much in front of an enemy can lead to difficult situations… like this one, isn't that right?
The sarcasm cut through the air like a sharp blade.
Edgar writhed, but it was useless.
— A-Aurëalis… we… we're only trying… to do what's best for you… — he said, breathless, his voice cracking with pain.
— We only… want your good…
Aurëalis let out a quiet, bitter laugh — a sound devoid of any joy.
— My good? — she repeated, with disdain dripping from every word.
— You all never cared about my good. You just wanted to use me, to sell me as a bargaining chip for your cursed plans.
She pulled him closer, until their faces were only inches apart.
Aurëalis's crimson eyes blazed, reflecting every ounce of loathing that had built up over the years.
— Anyone of you had never asked what I really wanted. You never cared. Yet, I always accepted everything in silence, all these years… But now you want to imprison me here, and KILL THE ONE I LOVE?! — her voice broke, trembling with a mixture of rage and sorrow.
The energy around her began to vibrate, making the ground tremble. The air warped, and a high-pitched hum filled the corridor.
— Tsk… You're not going to do this to me anymore, — she said in a low voice, heavy with hate.
— Not anymore.
Suddenly, her aura exploded, and a blinding golden light consumed the entire corridor, making the castle's columns quake.
— That was the last straw… ENOUGH! — Aurëalis shouted, her voice reverberating through the castle walls like divine thunder.
— Now you're going to tell me what you're doing to Kyrion, understood? — she demanded.
Her voice, though controlled, carried a living fury — raw, vibrant, and dangerous.
— And don't you dare try to deceive me, Edgar. Don't even think about saying he's not here, because I know he is. — she continued.
— So, if you don't want me to lose what little patience I still have… you'd better start talking. Otherwise, I'll find him myself — and it'll cost you. All of you.
Aurëalis then released him, allowing him to speak.
— Tell me, Edgar… where is he? What are you doing to him? — she repeated, cold and impatient.
As soon as he hit the floor, Edgar gasped desperately, sucking in air like a man emerging from drowning.
— Huff… huff… P-princess… you… really intend to continue with this insane idea? — he asked, struggling to compose himself.
Aurëalis said nothing. She simply stared at him — still, unblinking — with her gaze swinging between impatience and contempt.
— Huff… you don't understand, do you, princess? — he went on, in a tone almost pleading.
— A Void Dragon is not someone you should get involved with. They are despise bei—
The sound stopped abruptly.
A violent crash echoed immediately after, and for an instant, the world seemed to stop.
In a fraction of a second, Edgar's head — and the wall behind him — simply shattered into fragments of white and gold that scattered down the corridor like a silent rain.
Aurëalis stood where she was, motionless, her raised fist dripping with luminous blood that slid slowly between her fingers — where moments before, Edgar's head had been.
— If you're not going to tell me where Kyrion is… then you're useless to me, you worthless piece of filth. — she said coldly, without a trace of emotion in her voice.
Without wasting another second, Aurëalis turned her face slowly to the side and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
The air around her seemed to hold its breath, and a sacred silence fell upon the hall, so deep that even the dust floating in the air drifted slowly, as if afraid to disturb it.
— Damn it… where are you, Kyrion? — she murmured, her voice now filled with anguish.
And then, for the first time in a long while, she felt it again.
In a distant region, a convergence of familiar energies pulsed in a single direction. There, multiple presences could be felt — her father, her mother, Caelus Moonfang… and among them, one weaker, yet unmistakable. My energy. Moving slowly… being led toward the arena of Hellos.
Aurëalis's eyes widened when she felt it, and a brief smile of pure relief curved her lips.
— I found you… finally found you… — she thought, with her heart racing faster than ever, and her eyes teary.
— Kyrion… I've finally found you, my love.
For an instant, Aurëalis's exhaustion seemed to vanish, and, In its place, a new strength was born, forged from equal parts of hope and despair.
But then, something in her perception shifted.
— W-Wait… why is he going to Hellos? — she whispered, confused.
It didn't take long for her to reach the inevitable conclusion.
— No… it can't be… — she muttered, her eyes widening in horror.
— Those presences… all concentrated there…
Aurëalis gasped, feeling her chest tighten.
— They're going to try to kill him… it's the only explanation. — she concluded, while the expression on her face — once one of relief — turned into one of pure terror again.
Rage and fear exploded within Aurëalis like a storm.
— No… I won't let that happen! I CAN'T! — she screamed, her voice echoing like thunder throughout the castle.
Immediately, her energy surged with overwhelming force. The floor cracked beneath her feet again, the columns split, and golden light spread through the hall, making the air itself vibrate with divine pressure.
Curtains ignited, marble shattered, and reality itself trembled before the power emanating from her.
Her human form began to break apart. Fissures of light opened across her back, and from them, two colossal luminous wings burst forth, followed by a long, silver tail that shimmered like liquid light.
It was her semi-human form — the balance between divinity and flesh, where the celestial nature partially revealed itself.
— Kyrion… hold on just a little longer, — she thought, her heart tightening with desperation.
— I'm coming.
Aurëalis then prepared to take flight, gathering what little energy she still had into her wings.
But suddenly, just before she could soar, her body faltered. A wave of dizziness struck her, making the world spin, and her vision darkened for a moment.
— Damn it… what's… happening to me? — she thought, staggering.
Her wings trembled, threatening to give out.
Aurëalis steadied herself against the wall, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her temple.
— Tsk… I haven't slept… haven't eaten… and I've already used… too much energy… Tsk… I'm nearly… completely drained… — she thought, gasping for breath.
She then raised her eyes toward the horizon — her expression firm, and her gaze burning with resolve despite the trembling of her body.
— But that doesn't matter, — she murmured, with a steady and unwavering tone.
— As long as I can save Kyrion… nothing else matters.
Ignoring the pain — and whatever consequences might come later — Aurëalis spread her wings once more.
And with a roar that thundered through the corridors, she launched herself skyward, bursting through the hole she had made in the castle wall, and soared into the heavens in a deafening sonic boom — straight toward me.
The force of her departure devastated part of the castle, hurling debris and shards of stone in all directions. The nearest guards and servants were thrown against the walls, with many collapsing under the crushing pressure of Aurëalis's divine energy.
High above, she ascended swiftly through Lumina's skies, leaving behind a blazing trail of golden light that carved across the horizon — the mark of a goddess on the verge of collapse, driven only by love and desperation.
And as she tore through the heavens, a single certainty pulsed in her heart: she would destroy anyone who dared stand between us.