In the midst of the unknown, Tetra gripped her sword tightly, its edge gleaming faintly in the gloom.

  The blade’s tip stayed fixed on the bishop, a tall figure crowned with a gold-like mitre, his cassock blending seamlessly with the darkness around them.

  Her lips curled into a nervous smile, betraying the tension coursing through her veins.

  She risked a quick glance over her shoulder.

  “Can you walk, Your Majesty?!” The words left her mouth with more strain than confidence.

  Diana pushed herself upright, though her vision swam dangerously. She refused to let it show, forcing a steady nod.

  “We need to get out of here right now…”

  Behind her, Ella adjusted the weight of her unconscious twin on her back, tightening her hold.

  Suddenly, a burst of laughter ripped through the whole place, dripping with malice and scorn.

  The bishop took a single step forward, and the very air seemed to condense, pressing down so hard that the ground beneath them cracked with low, echoing fractures.

  The oppressive force vanished as quickly as it came but Tetra’s eyes went wide in alarm.

  From the shadows, massive tentacles shot toward her like living spears.

  She bit her lip, heart pounding, and swung her sword in a motion so fast it blurred.

  The blade sliced cleanly through the oncoming appendages before they could strike, the sound of severed flesh slicing through the tense silence.

  Diana grabbed Ella’s hand, pulling her along as they ran through the swirling smoke, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding.

  A tentacle suddenly shot out from the haze, aiming straight at them but Tetra reacted in an instant, her sword flashing through the air to sever it before it could strike.

  More tentacles sprouted, writhing like living serpents. Each she cut regenerated almost immediately, striking faster and more violently with every wave.

  Both Diana and Ella didn’t dare look back they ran knowing their lives depended on it.

  Then, Tetra came to an abrupt halt, pivoting sharply.

  She swung her sword in a wide arc, sending a shockwave rippling through the air that shredded the tentacles all the way back to the bishop.

  Yet with a slight, casual shift, he dodged the attack, untouched, his presence radiating menace.

  Diana skidded to a stop, confusion flashing in her eyes.

  “Tetra! Let’s go! We don’t have time to waste here!” she yelled in desperation.

  Tetra’s gaze met hers over her shoulder, calm and unwavering, a small smile tugging at her lips. She raised a thumb in reassurance.

  “No matter where we go, those freaking tentacles will follow.” Her eyes gleamed with resolve.

  “Leave it to me. Both of you go now!” Her voice rang steady over the chaos, confident even as the deadly appendages writhed around her.

  Their eyes widened in disbelief.

  “W-What are you saying?! If you stay, you’ll definitely die!! We have to run, once we reach the surfa—”

  Tetra stepped forward deliberately, her short black hair swaying through the wind.

  “There’s no need to worry and I’m not going to die, Your Majesty.” Her voice carried a quiet confidence as dark mist began to gather around her, thickening the air.

  Slowly, darkness clung to her form, twisting and curling until it shimmered like liquid ink. She glanced over her shoulder at them.

  The black mist enveloped her completely, and with it,

  Tetra’s appearance transformed. Her once-short hair now cascaded down her back, long and straight, and the sword in her hand had morphed into a massive black claymore, tainted and humming with silent power.

  Her gown, forged from pure darkness, hugged her form like armor, sharp and elegant, radiating authority. The air itself seemed to shiver under her presence.

  Her pale skin and deep, obsidian eyes bore into them, carrying a suffocating, undeniable weight.

  She raised her claymore slightly. “Go!”

  Diana’s eyes widened, stunned by the sight before her.

  S-She's so beautiful… she thought, caught in a brief moment of awe.

  Her reverie shattered as a tentacle burst from the ground, striking toward her with terrifying speed.

  One swing of Tetra’s massive claymore cleaved it cleanly in two, the force sending a ripple of darkness across the floor.

  Ella grabbed Diana’s hand, frowning sharply.

  “There’s no time to be spacing out, Your Majesty! We have to get out of here as soon as possible!”

  Diana shook her head slightly, starting to protest. “B-Bu—”

  Ella bit her lip, cutting her off. “It’ll be a problem for her if we stay any longer. She can’t fight while protecting us!”

  Diana’s eyes widened in disbelief. She turned to Tetra once more.

  “I order you not to die, Tetra!!”

  Tetra chuckled softly and gave a confident nod.

  Without another word, Ella and Diana sprinted toward the tunnel they had entered through.

  Leaving Tetra behind left a bitter taste in Diana’s mouth, but Ella had been right, if they lingered any longer, they’d only get in her way.

  Tetra advanced slowly toward Bishop Denise, a curved smile playing across her lips.

  The black-tainted claymore dragged against the floor, releasing a low, terrifying screech that echoed through the place.

  “We’ve been investigating the Cathedral’s secrets,” she began, her voice steady.

  “Ever since it rose in power, every problem seemed to follow. That’s why Leo-san suspected they might know something about it.”

  She paused, finally stopping when Denise’s figure came fully into view.

  Denise’s smirk twisted cruelly, dripping with malice.

  “We are the pillars of the Demon God who made a deal with Lethros. We have come to collect the debt he owes us. Yet strangely… he died, despite his granted immortality.”

  He tilted his head, feigning confusion.

  “Without him, our mission cannot be completed.” His hands gestured upward, catching the faint light that painted his pale skin with a ghostly glow.

  “That is why we will bring destruction to the Kingdom he truly loved!”

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  A harsh, rasping laugh erupted from him, reverberating through the whole surroundings. Then, abruptly, he fell silent, his gaze locking on Tetra with cold intensity.

  Tetra’s smirk widened, her eyes glinting with amusement.

  “Why suddenly stop laughing?” she asked, her tone mocking. “If you’ve come to destroy the Kingdom and its people, why not do it now?”

  Leo stood on the terrain of his office, his figure radiating an almost divine golden glow. His golden eyes shone brighter than usual, sweeping over the sky with a grave intensity.

  Slowly, he extended his hand and turned his palm upward.

  A soft, radiant light emerged at its center, thickening the air around him as sparks of golden energy flickered in and out, like tiny stars dancing in the wind.

  “Divine Dome,” he whispered, the words barely carrying over the hum of power.

  Without warning, the light quivered, coiling and twisting before soaring upward to the sky with a barely audible whisper.

  In moments, the light emerged on the vast, transparent golden barrier, stretching across the entire Kingdom.

  The glow bathed the lands below in a warm, ethereal light, a silent testament to the power that now watched over them.

  Leo then turned and walked into his office with measured, deliberate steps, each movement calm yet commanding, as if the very air bent to his presence.

  Denise growled, the sound guttural and sharp, like an irritating beast.

  “That despicable wretch, Leo!” he roared, clenching his fists and biting his lip until it whitened. “Because of him and that cursed dome he made we can’t do a damn thing!”

  From his back, countless massive tentacles erupted, lashing toward Tetra with deadly precision. She leapt aside, narrowly dodging the first strike, but more tentacles surged into the air behind her. With a swift, practiced swing of her claymore, she sliced them cleanly in half.

  Yet, the severed limbs regenerated almost immediately, pausing just long enough before hurtling at her again.

  Tetra’s eyes tracked each movement with unnerving focus.

  She dodged and weaved, her body flowing like water around the nonstop assault but there were too many, one tentacle slammed into her abdomen, sending her hurtling through the air like a cannonball.

  Wind screamed past her ears as she spun, her claymore carving the ground mid-flight to break her momentum.

  She landed with a heavy thud, boots digging into the cracked earth. Her gaze snapped toward Denise, lethal and unwavering.

  Every fiber of her being radiated intent. With a swift sprint, she surged forward, claymore swinging like a black comet, her deadly glare fixed upon the source of the chaos.

  She weaved through the relentless onslaught, dodging the tentacles lashing out from Denise’s back with lethal speed. As she pressed forward, she came to a sudden stop and swung her claymore. The tentacles didn’t merely split, it shattered into fragments, scattered across the ground like splintered wood.

  Tetra took a deliberate step, the impact cracking the stone beneath her, and then hurled herself at Denise with precision. Within striking range, she unleashed not one, but two devastating swings in rapid succession.

  When she landed safely, Denise’s form began to waver, his body slowly evaporating into nothing, yet his gaze remained fixed on her.

  A devious smirk twisted his lips.

  “You may have defeated me today,” he sneered, voice laced with venom, “but once that cursed dome falls, I will break you alive!” He let out a low, dangerous laugh as his form dissolved into the shadows.

  Tetra’s eyes followed him without a flicker of hesitation. No mercy, no hesitation, only pure, unrelenting madness.

  “Go,” she spat, voice cold as steel, “and keep hiding, you little rat!”

  When they finally got out from the tunnel, Ella’s eyes swept across the surroundings. They were still deep in the lowest area, but the air felt different strangely calm.

  The streets, once alive with the chaos of people moving in every direction, were now hauntingly silent. As they stepped cautiously through the empty roads, not a single figure stirred.

  Eventually, they reached Ella’s house, only to find it in ruins. The walls were smashed, roofs caved in, and debris scattered the streets. The ground was littered with unconscious barbaric people, sprawled across the roads like discarded dolls.

  Diana’s gaze sharpened, none bore wounds or cuts. They had been incapacitated with precision, struck in vital spots to force them into sleep.

  “W-What’s going on?” Ella mumbled

  They moved carefully through the wreckage, alert to every sound. Then, on top of a nearby house, a figure caught Diana’s eye.

  A teenager sitting lazily on the rooftop, yawning as if the devastation around him was nothing more than a trivial annoyance.

  Diana’s eyes widened in shock. “Alaric!” she shouted, urgency and relief crashing through her voice, and ran toward him, Ella followed her.

  Alaric froze for a heartbeat at the sight of her. Then, without hesitation, he sprang forward, landing gracefully in front of Diana.

  “Your Majesty… why are you here?” His voice shook slightly, laced with concern.

  “N-Never mind us! Go help Tetra immediately!” Diana grasped his sleeve, her face etched with desperation while her lips trembled.

  Alaric’s gaze shifted to Ella, who carried Emma on her back, but he noticed no sign of Tetra.

  Surprisingly, his expression remained calm. He exhaled slowly, a deep sigh that seemed to carry confidence rather than worry.

  “You don’t need to worry about her, Your Majesty,” he said, taking a measured step back.

  “H-Huh?!” Diana’s eyes flickered with confusion. “W-Why?”

  “Elean—” He pressed a hand to his mouth, pausing to collect himself before sighing again. “T-Tetra is one of Leo-san's personal subordinates. He trained her himself. She’s more than capable of handling it by herself. That’s why you don’t need to worry.”

  He turned his gaze to Ella. “Anyway, there’s something you need to know regarding your twin sister.” He began walking, and they followed him closely.

  “Apparently, your sister really did take one of the Marchioness’s precious accessories.”

  He paused, stopping in front of her. Slowly, he opened his palm, revealing the stolen accessory resting there, glinting faintly in the light.

  Ella’s eyes widened in disbelief, her lips trembling as she bit down hard.

  “M-My sister…wouldn’t do something like that!”

  Diana’s gaze softened, but her chest tightened. Her heart sank as she watched Ella fight to keep the tears at bay.

  Alaric’s expression remained calm, though his eyes were serious.

  “I know. I got it from your mother… I made her tell the truth.” He took a slow breath. “She forced Emma to steal one of the Marchioness’s expensive accessories.”

  Ella’s voice fell to a whisper, thick with disbelief and pain.

  “She… she made her do it? How could Mom put her in such a situation?”

  “She blackmailed her,” Alaric said simply, his tone heavy.

  Ella’s mouth fell open, sweat beading on her forehead. “B-Blackmailed…?”

  Alaric leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers.

  “It seems your sister already knows who your mother truly is. She understands your mother will eventually try to use you for her own benefit.” He paused, looking at her eyes directly.

  “That’s why your mother blackmailed her because she knows your sister would do anything to protect you.”

  He paused again, studying Ella’s face, gauging whether to continue. Her tears streamed freely now, but her eyes burned with a quiet, fierce resolve.

  Somehow, that fierce light brought him a small measure of relief.

  Diana took Ella’s hand gently, clasping it with both of hers. Her eyes glimmered like stars scattered across the night sky, sparkling so brightly that it made Ella’s chest warm.

  “As long as I’m here, your sister is safe. I will protect her, no matter what.”

  Diana whispered, pressing her hands between hers and leaning her forehead against her.

  “So… don’t worry.”

  Her lips pressed together, holding back the weight of her emotions, when suddenly, a small warmth joined theirs.

  She opened her eyes to see Emma’s yellow eyes glimmering faintly, a shy smile curling her lips.

  “T-Thank you so m-much,” Emma said softly, her voice quivering but saying the words clearly.

  Diana’s lips curved into a gentle smile, her heart swelling with warmth. Deep down, she knew Towa must be feeling the same as she did.

  “That… should be my line,” she murmured softly, her gaze softening.