The covert team was pinned down by a barrage of plasma rounds. They had no choice but to retreat behind cover.
As they hunkered low, out of sight, Ziyue bellowed, “I’ll go around, you two stay here.” Her voice rang loud against the cacophony of the battlefield.
Burnt tal and smoke filled their nostrils.
Zetius gripped her shoulder tightly, pulling her closer. “Wait, it’s too risky,” he protested.
A faint smile tugged at her lips. “Really? I thought I was the danger!” she winked playfully at him, drifting away before Zetius could utter another word.
Ziyue scaled the vertical wall, her movent surreal, defying gravity, before disappearing from sight.
“You good, Zetius? Can you still fight?” Friederich asked, concerned.
Zetius nodded quickly. “I’ve exuded half my mana already. I’ll use it more sparingly this ti.”
“Alright. My regeneration is faster than yours. Let strike first — get it?” Friederich said, his expression solemn.
“Got it!” Zetius replied with a grin.
Soon, the gunfire ceased, replaced by horrific screams. Stray blasts rang out.
The dazzling duo exchanged a knowing nod before Friederich dashed forth with Zetius hot on his heels.
An energy blast hurtled towards Friederich. He spun mid-air, narrowly evading the attack.
“Lampos!” he chanted, harnessing the rotational force and hurling his blade before landing gracefully on the floor.
The Lampos spatha flew and slamd into the enemy’s chest. The body dropped with a heavy clank.
Friederich surged forward, pushing back the enemy line.
To the right, Ziyue was engaged in combat with multiple foes. It was chaos — punches and kicks flew in all directions. She backflipped, dodging a strike, then launched a volley of kunai.
One throwing dagger struck true, jamming into a bronze soldier’s throat with deadly precision. Another enemy reflexively shielded his neck with a gauntlet.
“Ah!” he groaned, yanking the blade out as adrenaline surged through him.
Ziyue rolled to the side, dodging enemy fire. She reached for the kunai strapped to her waist — empty.
“I’m out of kunai,” she grumbled, switching to close-quarters combat.
“Empyrion! Fire!” Behind her, Zetius aid and unleashed an infernal beam, hitting his energy shield, and knocking the enemy out cold.
In shock, the remaining enemies turned their attention to him, firing suppressive rounds.
Zetius ran and slid behind a tal barricade.
Ziyue shadow-stepped behind them, her blade gleaming with murderous intent.
Three quick slashes. Blood spattered everywhere.
She lood above the slain, breath a ghost upon her lips, her skin slick with sweat that shimred like moonlight on a grave — an eerie vision of death made divine.
Zetius poked his head out, spotting a sniper on a distant platform, their nozzle aid at her.
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“Ziyue! Sniper!” he shouted, frantically dashing forward.
“Huh—?!”
Bang!
Zetius tackled her away. A blunt force struck his shoulder like a kick. Ignoring the pain, he dragged her behind cover.
“Are you okay?” Zetius asked as she blinked at him in surprise.
His eyes swept over her, voice filled with concern. “Ziyue! Are you okay?” he repeated.
Snapping out of her daze, she nodded. “So~sorry, I’m fine. Just a bit tired. Zetius, you’re bleeding.”
She inspected the blood seeping from his shoulder. It appeared to be only a shallow graze.
“It’s fine. I’ll live. Ziyue, can you bait?” Zetius asked, his tone firm.
She nodded twice. “Yes.”
Monts later, the sniper spotted a female assassin dashing for cover to the left. He reflexively fired — and missed.
"Empyrion!" A beam of fire erupted from nowhere, searing through his chest. tal caved inward, warping and lting under the blast. His body lurched forward and tumbled lifelessly from the platform.
***
After a short while, non-combat personnel fled through the tal gate into the second chamber.
“Seal it!” the silver knight bellowed, commanding his subordinate.
A bronze soldier reached for the lever near the massive door—
Thud!
His body collapsed to the floor, a glowing blade embedded in his chest. It soon dissipated into mist, leaving behind a hollow wound.
The silver knight snapped his head towards the accessway. Three figures erged from the midst of the chaos — and none of them were from the Dunkelheit side.
“Stand down, knight!” Friederich roared, his eyes brimming with mana, glowing blades in hands.
The knight raised his hands in surrender and dropped to his knees. “Please, I yield.”
Ziyue approached him. “Then sleep!” She swept her leg, the kick arcing through the air.
It connected. The man was knocked out cold.
Zetius watched with pride, silently comnding her.
She returned a warm smile and shrugged.
“Let’s move. Aurelia must be close,” Friederich said calmly, motioning for them to follow.
The trio entered the mid chamber, where Aurelia’s cell stood isolated in the centre. The girl had her back turned to them.
“Caution,” Ziyue warned. The eerie silence hung like a hidden current.
They stepped forward. Their footsteps echoed against the cold steel floor.
Aurelia turned halfway, spotting her guardian. “Fried! I know it’s you!” she exclaid, joyful.
Then—
She saw him.
A white-haired boy with a majestic figure. His black arc coat fluttered elegantly as he approached.
For her, ti stopped.
His striking red eyes pierced straight into her heart. It skipped a beat — or several.
“Zeta!” she cried, incredulous. Her vision blurred as tears burst forth on their own.
How? She had seen Jack dead at the northern battlefield.
She’d known for a long ti — long before any proof — that Jack was always Zetius. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, his warmth and kindness lived on through Jack.
In that scorched forest, she held his shattered body in her lap — one arm and both legs torn away, a hollow shell of the man she once knew. Smoke and fire twisted in the ruins behind them like mourning wraiths.
Her heart had cried as tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto Jack’s face.
His dull, red eyes stared back.
Soulless. Lifeless. Cold.
But now, he stood alive. That sa charming smile on his face. Full of life. His vibrant eyes locked onto her.
“Aurelia,” he said, his voice the sa one she had replayed in her mind countless tis.
“I-I thought you were gone…” Aurelia stamred, her voice trembling.
“So… you always knew,” Zetius replied softly, nodding at Ziyue.
With a swift slash of her violet blade, the princess was freed from her captivity.
“Thank you, Ziyue,” Aurelia said, stepping out and rubbing her reddened wrists.
Ziyue frowned, arms crossed. “I’m impressed you already know who I am.”
“Of course. I’m very perceptive with nas and attire. You’re Celestius Jovian’s pri disciple!” Aurelia said modestly, bowing appreciatively.
Ziyue gestured. “Let’s—”
Ahem.
A man cleared his throat.
Their reunion was abruptly interrupted as a dark armoured knight stepped onto the far platform.
His black cloak fluttered as he gripped the handrail, confronting them.
“I admire your persistence,” the dark knight rasped.
Zetius stared up at him, eyes ablaze with vengeance.
“Rhok Wagner!” he roared, his voice echoing with divine fury.
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