The Great Salaria Empire — Secret Escape Tunnel.
The narrow stone passage stretched endlessly forward in the flickering torchlight. The air was damp, smelling of cold earth and ancient dust.
Gerald was sprinting through the tunnel at a breakneck pace. Rhine, only eight years old, was tucked under his arm like a piece of luggage.
"Put me down—!!"
Rhine struggled violently, his small fists pounding uselessly against Gerald's armored back. "I have to go back! I have to find Father and Mother!!"
Gerald didn't slow down, but he let out a long, heavy sigh. "Your Highness... please. Do not let the Emperor's sacrifice be in vain." His voice was low, vibrating with the effort of the run. "You are the last hope of the Empire."
He hesitated for a heartbeat before adding, "The magical legions... we cannot stop them. If we could—the Kingdom of Stellara and the Kingdom of Aetherion would not have fallen one after the other."
Rhine's struggling slowed, his body going limp for a second. Then, in the next breath, he began to sob even harder. "But... but... Father... Mother..."
His words were broken, jagged fragments of a heart being torn apart.
Gerald remained silent for a moment. Then, he forced a smile onto his face—though there was no one in the dark tunnel to see it. "Stop crying. The Emperor is a descendant of the Sun God himself. He will win. I'm sure of it."
He deliberately adopted a light, breezy tone. "Once he's finished winning the war, we'll head back. I promise. Two days, at most. We'll wait for them to finish cleaning up the palace, and then we'll go home."
Rhine shook his head violently, tears spraying into the dark. "I don't believe you..." His voice was thick with grief. "I've never seen Father look like that... He looked... so sad..."
Gerald's expression darkened. He forced a strained chuckle. "That's only because—because he's worried about all the mess the fighting will make in the palace. He hates it when the floors get dirty."
Rhine reached out and grabbed a handful of Gerald's cloak, screaming through his tears.
"Don't lie to me! I'm not a baby anymore!!"
The only sound remaining in the tunnel was the frantic rhythm of heavy footsteps.
Gerald said nothing more.
After a long silence, Rhine spoke in a small, trembling voice.
"Gerald..."
"You're really strong, aren't you?" He lifted his tear-streaked face. "Go back and help Father. Please... I beg you..."
"I promise—I'll do whatever you tell me from now on. I'll never be disobedient again... I'll do all the laps... just please..."
Gerald came to a sudden halt.
The silence in the tunnel was absolute, heavy and suffocating. He stood still for a long moment, then slowly lowered Rhine to the ground.
"Haaa..." He ruffled his messy hair, letting out a weary breath. "I really can't win with you, can I?"
He knelt, bringing himself level with Rhine. "Tell you what. If you promise me one thing—I'll go back and save the Emperor and the Empress." He held up a single finger. "Even if they refuse to leave, I'll tie them up and drag them back myself."
Rhine froze. He vigorously wiped the tears from his eyes. "You... you mean it? For real?"
Gerald nodded with a smile. He detached a heavy coin purse from his belt and pressed it into Rhine's small hands. "I'm a man of my word. You just have to do exactly as I say."
He pointed toward the darkness further down the passage. "Keep going straight. When you reach the very end—head in the direction of the setting sun. When you find the second village, hide there."
He patted the heavy purse. "There's money in here. If you get hungry, use a little to buy food."
Rhine clutched the purse to his chest. He hesitated, asking in a whisper, "I... I promise. But... will you really come back with them?"
Gerald gave him a thumbs-up, his grin looking exactly like it always did. "When have I ever lied to you?"
With that, he spun around.
He sprinted back the way they came, his figure disappearing into the gloom. The sound of his footsteps faded rapidly until the tunnel returned to its cold, stagnant silence.
Rhine was left entirely alone. Clutching the bag of coins, he stood in the dim passage—looking for all the world like a lost child.
Inside the throne room, the Sun Emperor was visibly shaken, his eyes locked onto Selphira.
"Vesperis..."
His voice was low, laden with a sudden, crushing realization. "Could it be the lineage recorded in the ancient texts—the Clan of the Witches?" His pupils constricted. "You... you are a Witch!?"
Selphira blinked in surprise, then suddenly clapped her hands together in delight.
"Wow—" She beamed at him, her smile radiant and terrifying. "As expected of the Emperor of the Great Salaria Empire. You guessed it the moment you heard the name."
She tilted her head, as if recalling a distant memory. "You're much sharper than the Astral King or the Celes King. I dropped so many hints, and yet those two didn't catch on until the very end."
The Emperor's expression grew grimmer. He tightened his grip on the sword of flame; the fire along the blade flickered and surged like a solar flare in his rage.
"The Witches... history says you have never interfered with the thrones of men," he growled. "Why? Why reach out and stain this world with your touch?"
Selphira blinked innocently. "Oh, dear. To be honest, I'm not actually all that interested in politics."
She looked up at the towering, vaulted ceiling of the hall, twining a lock of black hair around her finger. Her tone was as light as if she were discussing the afternoon weather. "It's just that... the list of things I want keeps getting longer and longer."
She gave a small shrug. "And eventually, I realized that if I don't rule this world, it's quite difficult to get my hands on all of them." She offered him a guileless, sweet smile. "And the easiest way to rule the world... well, it seems I have to become its only Queen."
The Sun Emperor's eyes widened in sheer horror.
"Just to satisfy a singular, selfish whim—" His voice erupted like a clap of thunder. "You would annihilate countless nations? You would tear apart millions of families and leave them homeless and broken!?"
He glared at her, his fury radiating heat. "What is it that you truly want!?"
Selphira tilted her head, looking as if she were genuinely trying to solve a difficult puzzle. After a long moment of silence, she offered an honest answer.
"To tell you the truth... I'm not really sure myself."
She gave him a wide, innocent smile. "And so—I thought I'd just take everything first. I'll search through it all slowly. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually."
The Sun Emperor's fury finally reached its breaking point.
"You madwoman—!!"
He let out a primal roar. His foot slammed into the stone floor, shattering the tiles.
BOOM—
Golden flames erupted instantly. He became a living sun, a blinding comet of fire charging toward Selphira. His blade radiated a brilliance that turned the entire hall into a crucible of white heat.
"Even if it is no longer for my Empire—for the sake of all humanity, I must strike you down here!!"
Selphira let out a soft, weary sigh, as if dealing with a persistent inconvenience. She raised a single finger.
"——Shadow-Eater."
The black light expanded in a sudden, violent pulse, like the opening maw of an abyss. A tide of darkness surged toward the Emperor, hungry and cold.
However, the Sun Emperor's expression did not waver.
"BREAK!"
He swung his sword in a massive arc. The solar fire exploded with the force of a supernova, a tidal wave of flame crashing into the darkness. The black veil hissed and splintered under the golden heat, turning to ash and cinders.
The Emperor's silhouette burst through the flames, his speed accelerating. His blade was leveled directly at Selphira's heart!
In that heartbeat—Selphira spoke a single, cold word.
"Repel."
It was as calm as if she were shooing away a common fly.
BOOM—
An invisible force erupted with the impact of a physical hammer. The very air seemed to solidify into a wall of iron. The Emperor was thrown backward violently, his body crashing into the stone steps before his throne. Stone fragments sprayed into the air like shrapnel.
"Your Majesty!" the Empress cried out, rushing forward to help him up.
The torchlight in the throne room continued to flicker wildly, but Selphira stood perfectly still. It was as if she hadn't moved at all.
She watched the Emperor's battered state, tilting her head as if observing a fascinating new phenomenon. She murmured softly to herself:
"Interesting... 'Shadow-Eater' was actually nullified?"
She tapped her chin with her fingertip, her brow furrowing slightly. "Interesting... was it a spell-breaker? No... the structure is completely different."
Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, the Emperor struggled to his feet with the Empress's support. He tightened his grip on the sword of flame, his teeth gritted in pain.
"Vile Witch..."
"What was that just now?"
Selphira looked up abruptly, her eyes shining with the excitement of a child who had just discovered a new toy. "How wondrous... I simply have to know."
"It is better that you don't," the Sun Emperor replied with a cold sneer. The golden radiance on his blade flared with blinding intensity. "It is the legacy of the Solarel bloodline—the Divine Flame of the Sun God's descendants."
He leveled his sword at her, his voice like a clap of thunder. "The Divine Flame purges all evil—and you are no exception!"
Selphira gently stroked her own cheek, her gaze becoming increasingly intoxicated. "The Sun God... the Divine Flame..." she murmured, her lips curling into a slow, wide grin. "I want it. I want it more than ever now."
"Arrogance!"
The Emperor roared, raising his sword once more. The fierce Divine Flame surged along the blade like a living sun. "This is the holy fire bestowed upon humanity by the gods; it shall not be profaned! Witch—be turned to ash right here!!"
Selphira grinned, as if she had just heard a particularly amusing suggestion. "Haha... well then, I suppose I'll just have to take it from you with my own two hands."
She remained exactly where she stood, her hands hanging loosely at her sides. She watched with a playful smile as the Emperor charged her time and time again.
It was true that the flaming sword could easily shatter her spells. However—every time she casually whispered an incantation, a new obstacle was instantly born.
Stone walls erupted from the floor. Spikes materialized out of thin air. Serpents of fire coiled around his legs. Blades of wind shrieked through the hall.
An endless, suffocating layer of magic tangled the Sun Emperor in its web. And through it all, the Queen of Lunaris had not moved a single step.
In stark contrast, the Emperor was forced to sprint across the vast hall, desperately searching for an opening. His flames cleaved through the magic again and again, yet he could never truly close the distance.
His strength was beginning to wane. Cold sweat dripped from his brow, and his breathing grew heavy and ragged.
"I see how it works now."
Selphira suddenly let out a laugh of realization. "Your Divine Flame can indeed dispel magic itself."
She raised a single finger. "But against the physical matter created by magic—it only has the effect of an ordinary fire."
The Emperor's heart sank. A cold, ominous premonition began to bloom in the depths of his soul.
Selphira raised her hand and flicked her wrist, as if brushing a speck of dust from the air.
"Earth Spikes."
BOOM—!
The ground shuddered violently. Countless jagged pillars of rock erupted from the floor like a pack of frenzied beasts, lunging toward the Sun Emperor with lethal precision.
The Emperor was forced to leap backward, suspended in mid-air for a heartbeat.
"—Earth's Embrace."
Selphira's voice was as soft as a whisper in one's ear, yet it carried the weight of a death sentence.
RUMBLE!
Two colossal hands made of compacted soil surged from the ground, snapping shut from the left and right. They aimed to crush the Emperor while he was airborne and unable to change direction.
CRASH—!!
A dull, heavy thud echoed through the hall.
At the exact moment the earthen palms were about to collide—
BAM!!
A heavy fist struck out like a thunderbolt, shattering the massive stone hand into a thousand pieces! Mud and rock sprayed in every direction. As the dust settled, a towering figure landed firmly on the ground, standing as a human shield before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty! I have returned to escort you!"
"Gerald!?" The Emperor looked at him in shock. "Where is Rhine?"
"The Prince has safely evacuated through the secret passage," Gerald replied without turning his head, his fists slowly clenching. "I am here to lead you and the Empress to a breakthrough."
The Emperor remained silent for a moment, letting out a soft sigh. "You should not have come back..."
Across the hall, Selphira tilted her head, curiously eyeing the newcomer. "Are you a descendant of the gods as well?"
Gerald slammed his fists together in front of his chest, his knuckles popping like gunfire. He offered a rugged grin. "Sorry to disappoint you. I'm just the First Warrior of the Salaria Empire—a common human."
He slowly raised his guard, his gaze sharpening. "But, if you underestimate me... you're going to regret it."
The moment Selphira heard the words "common human," the interest in her eyes vanished, replaced by a dull boredom. She shook her head in disappointment.
"Oh, just a mortal..." She sighed softly. "What difference can one more make?"
Her gaze drifted back to the Sun Emperor.
"Now then, Your Majesty~" She offered a faint, playful smile. "Do stop struggling. Let's bring this to an end."
She raised her hand casually. The air vibrated with a sudden, sharp hum. Countless stones coalesced in mid-air, spinning at high velocity before raining down like a localized hurricane of shrapnel.
"HRAAAGH!!"
Gerald let out a fierce roar, slamming a foot forward. His iron fists struck out like repeating thunderclaps!
CRACK! BANG! SMASH!
Each punch shattered multiple flying rocks with surgical precision, turning them into harmless dust. He single-handedly carved out a zone of safety amidst the storm, shielding the Emperor and Empress behind his towering frame.
Selphira's brow twitched slightly in surprise.
"Oh? You actually blocked all of them?" Her lips curled into a slow, intrigued grin. "You are... quite interesting, after all."
Gerald shook the dust from his knuckles and let out a cold snort. "Thanks for the compliment."
He moved in a blur, reaching down to scoop up a handful of shattered stone fragments from the floor. "But—I don't have time to play games with you."
With a violent snap of his arm, he hurled them back.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
In that instant, the dozens of stone shards were transformed into lethal projectiles, whistling through the air at staggering speeds straight toward Selphira.
But even as the shards flew, Gerald didn't wait to see if they hit. He spun around, grabbing the Emperor with one hand and shielding the Empress with the other, bolting toward the side exit at a dead sprint!
Before the flying stones could even reach Selphira, the shadows rippling beneath her feet surged upward, forming a solid wall that swallowed the projectiles whole.
Selphira gave a soft, melodic chuckle. "Trying to leave?"
She shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."
She pointed a single finger at the floor, her voice as light as a passing breeze.
"—Arboreal Chamber."
RUMBLE!
The ground split open with a violent crack. Thick, gnarled vines and massive branches erupted from the earth, coiling and thrashing through the hall like a nest of berserk serpents. In the blink of an eye, the wood wove itself together, transforming the once-grand throne room into a colossal, enclosed dome of living timber.
The branches twisted and tightened against one another, the eerie creak-and-groan of their rapid growth echoing through the now-darkened space.
Selphira offered an elegant, knowing smile.
"This 'house' has a mind of its own, you know—it heals itself." She propped her chin on her hand, her tone inviting, as if suggesting a new game. "Why don't you try and see? I wonder how long it will take you to break it."
"Is that so?" Gerald's lips curled into a defiant grin. "Then I'll be happy to show you."
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he was already charging toward the original exit! He drew back his right fist, pouring every ounce of his explosive strength into the strike.
BAM!!
The punch connected with a thunderous roar. The thick wooden wall was instantly blasted open, leaving a gaping hole as splinters and debris sprayed into the air.
However—in the very next heartbeat, new vines and branches began to grow at a frenzied pace. They wove themselves together like a wound knitting itself shut, covering the breach. Within just a few breaths, the wall was restored to its original state, as if it had never been touched.
Selphira began to float slowly into the air, hovering above the chaos. She looked down at Gerald, a flicker of genuine amusement finally dancing in her eyes.
"You really are quite entertaining," she chuckled softly. "Go on then. Let me see your performance."
She stretched her arms out languidly, as if she were just waking from a nap. "It happens to be time for my afternoon tea, anyway."
Snap.
With a flick of her fingers, an elegant, ornate chair materialized out of thin air behind her. Selphira sat back composedly, leaning comfortably against the backrest while suspended in mid-air. Somehow, a delicate porcelain teacup had appeared in her hand.
The faint, floral aroma of tea began to drift through the cavernous wooden chamber. She took a graceful sip, her gaze fixed on the figures below as if she were watching a stage play.
"Drinking tea while watching a clown dance..." She let out a delighted laugh. "How absolutely pleasant."
Below, the Sun Emperor raised his flaming sword, unleashing the Divine Flame against the encroaching vines. The fierce, holy fire instantly consumed the wood.
But the vines reacted with terrifying biological intelligence. The plant matter actively extended the burning sections away from the main structure and then snapped them off—sacrificing the flaming branches like a lizard shedding its tail to survive.
The Divine Flame soon lost its targets as the severed branches fell away.
Gerald's brow furrowed. He reached down and retrieved a fallen knight's longsword from the floor, testing its weight with a quick flick of his wrist.
"It seems—" He straightened his back slowly, his eyes narrowing. "We'll have to deal with this Witch first before we can even think about escaping."
The Sun Emperor remained silent for a heartbeat, then stood up with renewed resolve. Fire ignited once more along his blade, casting long, dancing shadows across the wooden walls.
"There's no other way," the Emperor said in a low, steady voice. "It's a good thing you returned, Gerald. We still have a chance."
Gerald glanced toward him. "What is the plan, Your Majesty?"
The Emperor's gaze locked onto Selphira, who was still hovering gracefully in mid-air. "My Divine Flame can nullify the structure of her magic itself." He tightened his grip on the hilt. "As for the physical matter those spells create..."
He looked at Gerald. Gerald offered a rugged, dangerous grin, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his sword.
"Leave that to me." His eyes were like tempered steel. "With my steel and fists providing the path for your flames..."
He slammed the tip of the knight's sword into the floor for a moment of focus. "We'll send this Witch straight to hell."
The smile on Selphira's face never wavered. She lightly swirled the tea in her cup, her tone as gentle as if she were inviting old friends to a gathering.
"If you surrender now—" She squinted her eyes, letting out a soft, melodic giggle. "I might actually consider offering you a cup of tea."
"I am the First Warrior of the Salaria Empire!" Gerald suddenly wrenched his sword from the ground, leveling the point directly at her. "I do not know the meaning of retreat!"
The Sun Emperor likewise raised his flaming sword, the holy fire roaring with renewed fury. "For the sake of all humanity—I will never surrender to a monster like you!"
Selphira tilted her head, looking from one to the other, her smile deepening into something predatory.
"Is that so?" She let out a soft, mock sigh. "Then I suppose there's nothing else to be done."
She propped her cheek on her hand, her tone sounding like she was announcing the opening act of a grand opera.
"In that case—perform for me. Dance until your hearts break for my amusement."
She snapped her fingers with a light, crisp sound.
"Guardian Knight."
A complex magic circle suddenly ignited upon the floor, its intricate runes glowing with an eerie light. A low, vibrating resonance hummed through the timber-walled hall. From within the radiance, a towering figure slowly materialized—
It was a knight mounted upon a powerful warhorse. Both rider and steed were encased in heavy, midnight-black plate armor. The visor was shut tight, revealing no face within, yet from the jagged chinks in the armor, a thick, mist-like black ichor seeped out.
The suffocating scent of death began to saturate every corner of the chamber.
And beside the knight—the colossal spider, which had been lurking in the shadows, slowly reared its body. Its eight spindly legs unfurled with a sickening, rhythmic grace. Its crimson compound eyes flickered in the dark, locking onto the Sun Emperor and Gerald with predatory focus.
The very air seemed to thicken, turning viscous and heavy.
Selphira took a delicate sip of her tea, her laughter soft and melodious.
"Afternoon tea is such a fleeting pleasure," she whispered, a playful glint in her eyes. She gave a languid wave of her hand.
"So—let the performance begin."