Solaria burned behind them — a cathedral of ash and collapsing screams.
Arman watched from the smoking ridge overlooking the ruined city. His new wings — massive, shifting storms of flesh and flight — curled around him like a throne.
Lyra stood close, her silver-veined eyes reflecting blazing fire. "We've claimed Solaria… but the Empire has countless cities."
Arman smirked. "Then they will fall countless times."
The brood cheered — their hive-song echoing in the dead wind. But beneath the triumph, a strange silence lingered. Arman sensed something — a pulse of holy light far beyond the horizon.
Something… watching him.
🌙 A Warning From Above
A sudden explosion of pure white energy erupted from the sky — like the moon itself had cracked open. The swarm recoiled; their chitin smoked where the light touched them.
Arman's wings snapped shut, forming a protective cocoon around Lyra and his brood. His skin burned — the crown welded to his skull pulsing with dark fury.
From the beam of light descending through the clouds…a figure emerged.
She floated with wings made of shimmering feathers — each feather carved from living light. Her armor shone with runes of celestial origin. Around her, three dragons of radiant energy coiled like serpentine suns.
Her voice thundered with divine authority:
"Plagueborn Arman — kneel before the Lightborne Empire."
Arman's eyes narrowed. "You must be the one they send when God grows afraid."
She landed — her presence warping the world around her.Her golden eyes locked onto his.
"I am Princess Seraphina Vale, heir of the Holy Synod.Daughter of the man you slaughtered."
Arman cocked his head. "Ah. Cassian's last mistake lives."
Lyra stepped forward, blades raised, but Seraphina's gaze froze her mid-motion.
"You corrupted my father's corpse with your infection," she hissed. "You will burn for that sin."
At her signal, one of the light dragons roared — its breath a beam of divine fire shooting toward Arman.
The ground erupted into molten glass.
Dust settled.
Arman was gone.
🦂 The Monster Evolves
Seraphina scanned the smoke — heart pounding. "Where is he?"
A whisper breathed against her ear:
"Behind purity… always hides fear."
Arman slammed her into the ground so hard the earth cracked outward like spiderweb fractures. His swarm lashed at the dragons — each insect dying instantly upon contact with holy light.
He roared — wings unfolding in all directions like a galaxy of wings.
The entire battlefield vibrated.
Seraphina pushed him back with a pulse of divine energy.They faced each other — titan vs. titan.
"You can't win," she said breathlessly."You're a disease."
"I'm a mirror," Arman answered."And this world hates its reflection."
He sprinted — the swarm forming spearpoints around him.
⚔️ Clash of Godhood
Seraphina's dragons struck — their light scorching everything they touched. Arman's swarm adapted — forming crystalline exoskeletons resisting the burn for a few precious seconds.
They collided mid-air.
Light and plague.Holy and unholy.Creation and corruption.
Every impact was an apocalypse in miniature.
Seraphina shouted a prayer — a rune blazing beneath her feet:
"Sanctum Solis!"
A column of sunlight shot upward — swallowing Arman whole.The ground trembled.The swarm screamed in shared agony.
Lyra watched in horror — her king disappearing in the blinding inferno.
"No…" she whispered.
🔥 Resurrection of the Monarch
The blast died.
Smoke billowed.
Seraphina steadied her trembling hands. "It's done…"
A heartbeat.Two.Three…
Then — a crackling sound.Green lightning splitting the smoke.
Arman rose — flesh charred and healing simultaneously.His eyes blazed with newfound power.
"I learn…" he growled."And I Evolve."
Holy fire still clung to his body — glowing like runes carved in his veins.
Seraphina staggered back. "No… that's impossible—"
Arman stepped forward, wings spreading wide — now threaded with lines of radiant energy stolen from the holy blast.
"You tried to burn the swarm," he said, voice layered with a thousand whispers."So the swarm stole fire."
The dragons attacked again — but this time, the swarm devoured their light.
Seraphina gasped — fear finally touching her divine composure.
He dashed forward, grabbing her by the throat — lifting her like a fallen star.
Her crown cracked.Her dragons flickered.Her power trembled.
Arman leaned close, voice soft yet venomous:
"Tell your Holy Synod — a new god rises."
He hurled her into the shattered walls of Solaria's cathedral — stone exploding upon impact.
Before she could recover, he vanished into the swarm — leaving her alone with ruin.
💔 Princess of Ash
Seraphina collapsed to her knees — chest heaving, tears mixing with blood.
Her father's sword lay near the rubble — broken.
She clutched the blade to her chest, breathing through a sob.
"Father… I failed you."
Light dragons curled protectively around her, fading in and out — barely holding form.
She looked toward the sky — flickering stars obscured by swarm-infested clouds.
Her whisper was both prayer and curse:
"If he is a god…Then let me be the one who slays gods."
The vow branded itself into her soul — a glowing sigil forming over her heart.
The holy capital would not just retaliate.
It would hunt.
🕸️ The Monarch Watches
From miles away, atop his war-beast, Arman stood watching her through the echo of the swarm — through the eyes of a single surviving insect perched on the cathedral wall.
He smiled.
"Good," he murmured."Let her grow stronger.Let her gather armies.Let her bring her gods."
He closed his fist — the spy insect crushed into dust.His wings unfurled wider, gleaming with stolen divine light.
"The stronger the enemy…the greater the evolution."
Lyra approached, concern etched in every movement. "Are you wounded, my king?"
Arman looked toward the burning horizon — the future itself trembling before him.
"No," he said."Now… I am only hungry."
He pointed toward the heart of the Empire.
"Let the swarm feast on civilization itself."
The Brood screamed their war song —and marched toward destiny.