The celebration in the outer courtyards of Zephyria had lasted exactly fifteen minutes.
The mortal soldiers had cheered as the golden sky of the Silver Citadel finally grew quiet. The Star-Kissed Elves had lowered their rifles. The Paladin-Mechs had powered down to standby mode. The war was supposed to be over.
Then, the alarms started screaming.
Lucifer sprinted back across the hard-light highway, moving with the terrifying speed of Zephyr's Grace. Elara, Lyra, and Isolde flanked him, their weapons drawn, racing toward the floating black mountain of Zephyria.
"The entire continent is cracking," Sarah reported frantically over the comms rune. The Oracle's voice trembled against the sheer volume of chaotic magical data flooding the Spire.
"Lucifer, the tectonic plates aren't just shifting. They are imploding. The molten core of the earth is being violently sucked upward toward the surface."
