(Lincoln POV)
The wind was thick with mana as I stood at the broken edge of the plateau. The border had finally begun to breathe again.
Troops poured in—rank 2s, mostly. Infantry, light casters, skirmish teams. Enough to hold the line. Enough to stop another devil like the general from pushing past.
Not enough for Sephtis.
But this wasn't about him anymore.
I turned toward Kali. She stood behind me, cloak fluttering in the breeze, her expression unreadable.
"You're healed," I said. "Keep up."
Then lightning cracked from under my feet.
and I was gone.
King Hadrian's Hall | Human Capital – 1 Second Later
A thunderclap rocked the marble.
Soldiers at the door reached for weapons—too slow. My boots struck the floor of the High King's chamber before anyone fully registered the sound.
I kept walking.
Across the mosaic-tiled hall, past ancient golden pillars, toward the raised throne where King Hadrian sat. His crown of twisted runesteel glinted beneath the high windows. His robes were silver mixed with red armor.
Ten seconds later, Kali emerged from a shadow behind one of the pillars, breath steady, gaze focused. She stepped beside me, ignoring the glares from every guard in the room.
They obviously didn't like devils. Even bonded ones.
Didn't matter.
I stopped a few paces from the throne and bowed—not low.
"Your Majesty. We have a problem."
Hadrian didn't blink. "King Gimli and King Beren aren't present. You'll have to settle for me."
"I'd prefer you anyway. The dwarves are stubborn and the elves are to cocky."
Hadrian gave me a look. "Speak."
I nodded once.
"A devil crossed the southern border. Not a general. Something else. Stronger. He could react to me."
Hadrian straightened slightly, interest piqued. "React?"
"He was slower. But not by much. He took a lightning dash, lost an arm, and still smiled through it. He threw Kali like she was a rank five caster."
A murmur rippled through the guards.
Kali stepped forward.
Her tone was even, but her presence was sharp—like a blade unsheathed.
"His name was Sephtis. I grew up alongside him."
The guards bristled. She ignored them.
"He's one of four devils chosen from birth to surpass everyone else. Raised not to rule, but to kill. They were stronger than me even before the Æther bond."
She glanced at me, then back to Hadrian.
"There are three others. Draga, Lamashtu, and Valac. All stronger than any devil we've met. Each bonded to their continent's Æther. Sephtis was just the first to cross, he was always a rule breaker, he most likely wasn't allowed to cross the border."
Hadrian leaned forward slightly and looked at kali.
"And you're sure that they are stronger than any other threat?"
"Beyond doubt. Their mana is….Dense. Like pressure in your bones. Only two of them are stronger to my knowledge, the devil king and the demon king."
"And Lycian?" the king asked quietly. "The one who deceived Annabel. He was raised this way too?"
"Yes," Kali said. "But with a different purpose. He was made to infiltrate. A weapon in a pretty mask."
Hadrian sat back.
He was silent for a long beat. Then said, dryly:
"There's not much we can do yet. We're not ready for open war with that. Not if they're bonded like our Ætherbound are."
I didn't argue.
"Clear the borders," the king continued. "Speak with the Nymph Tribes. They'll be the first to fall—if they're smart, they'll retreat to our land and give us their support."
He stood—his tone sharpening like tempered steel.
"The rest will fall to the students. To the new Ætherbound. And to our rank ones. If they can't get strong fast enough…"
His gaze locked on mine.
"…then I'm afraid you'll have to level most of the earth, Lincoln, to save what's left."
I didn't blink.
"…Understood."
I turned toward the tall windows of the throne room. Far above, in the shimmering sky, the floating platforms I'd raised pulsed with magic. Like stars tethered to the earth by power alone.
And there.
At the center platform—her silhouette marked by stillness.
Annabel.
Training. Pushing her limits. Preparing for something she didn't even know was coming.
My jaw tightened.
Sephtis wasn't the last. He was the first.
And if the others were stronger?
Then we were already running out of time.