Inside the Guardian Fortress.
Alice's eyes snapped open. Her chest rose and fell as she immediately reached out with her senses. The tremors, the distant booms, the surging energy outside—it was unmistakable.
"The battle… it's already begun." Her voice was soft but heavy with guilt. She pushed herself up. "I can't just sit here. This is happening because of me. I have to fight."
Her footsteps echoed in the hallway as she left the chamber. The fortress crew glanced up when she passed, bowing or offering hurried greetings, but Alice only lifted a hand and shook her head, urging them to ignore the formalities. Now wasn't the time.
At last, she stepped onto the outer deck. The horizon was aflame—spells colliding, golden light and black smoke twisting through the sky, the battlefield a sea of chaos and carnage.
