Exelia didn't run.
She shot.
The instant she stepped out of the command building, the ground exploded beneath her feet. The demonic aura she had kept contained for months was unleashed without any care, forming a dark red trail that tore through streets, inner walls, and watchtowers as if they were paper sets.
Soldiers saw only a flash.
Then, wind.
Then, the sound arrived—late, violent, shattering windows and making alarm bells ring without anyone knowing why.
Exelia crossed the entire Kingdom in a straight line.
The rapier was already in her hand.
She drew it mid-motion, the metal singing as war runes ignited along the thin, deadly blade. The air ahead of her began to burn with friction; behind her, space seemed torn, as if reality had been pulled and dropped carelessly.
She surpassed the sound barrier.
She almost broke it.
To those far away, it looked like a meteor too low, too fast, too furious to be anything natural.
In the arena—
Elion felt it first.
"Kael—!"
