The footsteps stopped just outside the broken stone doorway.
For a few seconds, the only sound in the room was the heavy, pained breathing of Elias and the low, static-like hum coming from Hiroshi's shadow body. The dust in the air seemed to hang still, caught between the darkness of the chamber and the faint light growing in the hallway.
Then, they entered.
Aria led the way. Right behind her was Marcus and Kenji. Marcus was wearing a white robes, spotless, contrasting sharply with the soot and blood that stained the room. Kenji was wearing his armour.
Behind them came the heavy clank of metal.
One after another, Royal Knights filed into the chamber. Their silver armor caught what little light was left, creating a sea of metal that quickly filled the back half of the room. There were more than a hundred of them, an entire company of the King's elite, sent to ensure the job was done.
