In an old chapel by the cemetery,
where vines crawled across the stone walls,
where moonlight pierced through shattered stained-glass windows,
and wild grass covered the forgotten floor—
Lillian lay in the center of the hall.
Her eyes opened slowly.
Where... am I?
She sat up.
In front of her stood a single desk.
And on top of it Robert.
Sitting elegantly.
Gazing through the broken roof, eyes fixed on the stars.
"Robert!"
Lillian called out.
He turned to her, eyes filled with worry.
Then he leapt down to her.
She ran to him.
He caught her in his arms.
"Lillian, listen," he said.
"He's broken the rules.
Nemorak...
He's planning to devour the whole town.
I need to stop him."
"But—"
Lillian grabbed his arm tightly.
"Tell me first—what are you?
Are you really a beast?"
Her voice trembled.
Robert looked away.
His voice dropped.
"Yes...
I'm not any better than him.
Me and Nemorak...
We were playing a game.
And the prize... was this town."
Her grip loosened.
She stepped back.
But Robert didn't let go.
His arm still held her—firm, but gentle.
"Are you going to eat us all...?"
she asked, voice breaking.
She couldn't look him in the eyes.
Robert's hand slowly lifted her chin.
Guided her gaze to his.
His eyes were soft.
Full of sorrow.
Full of love.
"Not anymore..."
He gently took her hand.
Placed it over his chest.
"Can you feel it?"
Lillian's breath caught.
His heart beat.
Beating fast. Alive.
"Not only did you make me fall in love with you,
but Lillian...
You made me grow a heart.
And now, my heart...
It only beats for you."
Her eyes shimmered with tears.
Robert stepped closer.
"Lillian... I love you.
I'll kill Nemorak for you.
I'll bring peace back to your town.
I promise."
She just stared at him.
Overwhelmed. Torn.
Half of her wanted to run.
The other half...
wanted nothing more than to stay.
Then—
Robert leaned in.
He lifted her chin.
Her hand still pressed to his chest.
His other hand wrapped around her wrist.
His lips drew close.
She didn't move.
Her heart raced.
And when his lips touched hers...
She let them.
She closed her eyes.
Surrendered.
Melted into his arms.
They kissed.
Deeply. Softly.
Heavy with everything unspoken.
Then he pulled away.
With a whisper, he said,
"I need to go."
He gently cupped her face,
Stared at her like it might be the last time.
"Wait for me here."
And with one leap—
He soared through the broken roof.
Vanished into the night sky.
Leaving Lillian standing
In the middle of a cold chapel. Alone.
She looked up at the sky,
But her hands still felt his heartbeat.
Her lips parted.
As a prayer, she whispered—
"Be safe... Robert..."
A tear fell down her cheek.
Dripped to the ground.
But she couldn't stay.
She ran.
Out of the chapel.
Following the trail of smoke he left behind.
Outside...
The town was covered.
A thick, swirling cloud of black smoke loomed overhead.
It pulsed like a heartbeat.
Alive. Hungry.
And at the center of it—
a shape.
Robert passed through the fog,
rising toward the sky.
On the rooftop of smoke,
he called out—
"Nemorak! Stop it!"
The smoke twisted.
And slowly,
a figure formed.
Tall. Shifting.
Eyes burning red.
"Ah... so here we are, finally, my friend."
Robert narrowed his eyes.
"No. From now on—we are enemies."
"What? Is it because you hate losing...
Malvier?" he hissed.
But Robert—
he hissed back.
"No. I just hate your dishonesty.
You've already lost, Nemorak."
He lunged at him.
The smoke clashed together,
like a bear fighting with a tiger.
Thunder roared in the distance.
From the town below,
they could only see storm and lightning up in the sky.
In the center,
Wesley and the others gathered.
The wind was strong,
yet no one could see
anything...
Except for one girl—
Reana.
She pointed her finger to the sky.
Her lips murmured,
as she narrated the battle,
every single move they made.
But one word she said
made everyone terrified.
"Robert's going to die."
Up in the sky...
Robert clawed at Nemorak.
Tearing his shadow.
Slowly breaking him.
He gained the upper hand.
He pinned Nemorak to a corner of the sky,
where the smoke couldn't protect him.
But
Nemorak asked,
"Are you certain, old friend?
Killing me... is that what you really want?"
Robert hesitated.
But he had already made up his mind.
"Yes..." he said slowly.
"I don't need to keep a friend who stabs me in the back."
He raised his fingers for a final slash.
But Nemorak whispered,
"Or... is it because of the girl?"
Then Robert felt it—
his heartbeat.
It was strong. Painful.
Every beat tearing inside his chest.
"Lillian!" he gasped her name.
And in that heartbeat
Nemorak's claw
pierced through his chest.
With his hand,
he grabbed Robert's heart—
still beating.
And he pulled it out.
"Well, well... looks like this thing's grown on you.
And it's made you weak."
"You should thank me.
Because I just saved you...
from this attachment."
He crushed it—
face full of satisfaction.
"NO!"
Robert screamed.
He lunged at him blindly.
But it only made things worse.
Nemorak tried to rip the shadow from Robert's body.
But Robert held onto it.
Then...
Nemorak fully went inside Robert's body.
Robert lost his ability to fly.
He choked.
"Well, Malvier... I'm not as bad as you.
I'm not going to kill you.
But I will let you watch
as I devour the whole town...
just like Severin wanted."
He tossed Robert back in the direction he came from.
And began forming a thick shadow cloud
to cover the whole town.
"Robert!!!"
Lillian screamed
as she ran toward him.
The wind grew stronger.
The night darker.
"Robert!"
She searched for him,
her eyes scanning the forest.
On thick grass...
she found him.
Crumpled in the middle of a small bridge,
by the riverbed
not far from the city.
"Robert!!!"
She dashed to him.
He was barely conscious.
His eyes, unable to see clearly,
flickered.
"Lillian..."