A Few Hours Ago…
Everyone struggled desperately to break free from their cages, but no matter what they tried, nothing worked.
"I don't know how the town is holding up," one of them muttered anxiously. "And on top of that, Davi's using Demon Art…"
"Did he give Dareth that Demon Heart?" Arcane thought to himself, eyes narrowing. "But how? And why?"
By now, the guards watching them were laughing among themselves.
"Right now the town must've already turned to ashes," one of the Blacktroops members sneered. "And look at you clowns—stuck in cages, helpless to do anything about it."
"What did you just call us?" Rahzei barked, rage flaring in his voice.
"There's no point in yelling," the guard mocked. "No one's coming to save you." He turned to walk away—then suddenly stopped.
Blood gushed from his neck. He collapsed to the ground without a sound.
Everyone froze.
"What the—?!" one of the guards shouted, but before he could finish, his throat was slit clean open. One after another, the guards dropped, their bodies falling lifelessly to the floor.
"Everyone, stay alert! There's an intruder here!" the last guard shouted—only to be silenced seconds later.
Then, from the shadows, a familiar voice echoed softly:
"Are you guys okay?"
Everyone's eyes widened.
Standing before them was Aeron.
"A-Aeron?!" they all exclaimed in disbelief.
"What happened to you? How did you survive?" Miren asked.
Aeron tried to remember what happened then.
A Few Moments Earlier…
When Dareth's fist struck Aeron, the impact slammed him hard against the wall. Pain exploded through his body, but he forced himself to move. Gasping for breath, he reached for his ability—to slow time and create distance.
But something was off.
The world didn't slow.
It stopped..
Everything—everyone—was frozen still, like statues suspended in time
"What's happening…?" Aeron muttered, glancing around. He had never seen this side of his power. The air itself felt heavy and still, like the world was holding its breath.
He realized one thing—if he stayed, he would die.
Spotting a half-collapsed doorway, Aeron darted through it, every movement feeling like it echoed in eternity. Once he was out of sight, time resumed.
Later, when Dareth and his men left the cavern, Aeron crept back out. He used the faint flicker of his power to slip past the remaining Blacktroops and silently eliminate them one by one.
"I hid behind a doorway after the impact," Aeron explained, trying to sound casual.
"How did you move without them noticing?" Miren asked, eyes narrowing.
Aeron avoided his gaze. "Let me get you out of the cage first."
"It's impossible," Miren said. "Even we couldn't break these cages. They're made to resist the strongest mana—"
Before he could finish, Aeron gripped one of the iron bars and pulled. The cage bent under his strength.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
He tore through the cages one after another, freeing them all.
"Let's move," Arcane said quickly. "We need to get back to town—fast."
Durein clasped his hands together. "Summon."
From the shadows, a bat, a snake, and a spider appeared. They scurried off through the tunnels. Moments later, Durein's eyes flickered.
"Found the exit."
Everyone ran. The tunnels shook as they moved.
But suddenly—
Aeron shoved Zorayel aside. Beneath him, a dark hole opened up.
"Aeron!" Zorayel shouted as Aeron fell into the void. The hole vanished instantly.
"Where did Aeron go?!" Arcane demanded.
"I didn't think Lord Dareth would make such a careless mistake," a calm voice said from the shadows.
A dark hole appeared on the cavern wall. A man stepped out—white hair, sharp suit, and the presence of someone who had killed many times before.
It was Lico, a member of the Blacktroops. His special ability is he can summon blackhole to travel. He is also a martial art expert. He is deadly in close combat.
"The cage was resistant only to mana," Lico said, smirking. "But a person without mana could easily break it."
"Where did you take Aeron?" Arcane snapped.
"That boy will become troublesome if he goes with you," Lico replied coolly. "So, I'll be keeping him… for now."
Arcane lunged forward, but Lico opened another dark portal beneath him and vanished before Arcane could reach him.
"Tch!" Arcane clenched his fists in frustration.
"We don't have time to chase him," Allesio said sharply. "The town's need our help."
"I'll go after Aeron," Allesio said.
"I'll come with you," Arcane offered.
"No. You need to go with them," Allesio insisted. His gaze said what words couldn't — You're the only one strong enough to face him if he's truly using the Demon Heart.
"I'll help search for Aeron," Durein said, but Allesio shook his head.
"They'll need your summons to escape the tunnels. Stay with them."
Durein nodded and summoned a floating eyeball that glowed faint blue. "This will lead you to the surface. Follow it to the town."
"Got it. Don't die on us," Everyone said said.
"You better return with Aeron" Arcane said before leaving
Everyone rushed out, following the eyeball.
Present Time…
At the edge of the town, where the citizens were desperately trying to escape through the barrier of darkness that sealed them in—chaos reigned. Screams, the clashing of metal, and the roars of monsters filled the air.
"Inpenetrable Shield!" Ysera shouted, raising her hands as a brilliant golden barrier surrounded the townspeople. It blocked the oncoming barrage of dark projectiles and slowed down the advancing entities and monsters.
"Everyone, this way! Move quickly!" Arceal called out, guiding the terrified crowd through the smoke and ruins.
"Can you see anything?" Ysera asked, her voice strained from maintaining the barrier.
"My foresight isn't working properly… I need a little more time!" Arceal replied, his eyes glowing faintly but flickering out.
"I don't think we have that much time," Ysera said through gritted teeth. Cracks began to spread across her shimmering shield. With a thunderous shatter, the barrier broke, sending ripples of light through the air. She immediately summoned another—then another—each one weaker than the last. Sweat rolled down her forehead.
"You have to hurry!" Ysera yelled, forcing more mana into her spell as the monsters pressed closer.
"The dark field is gone!" Miren shouted from a distance. He had managed to dispel the barrier that trapped the town.
"Everyone—move! Now!" Miren ordered. The crowd surged forward, rushing toward the open path.
But then—
"Where do you think you're going?" A cold, mocking voice echoed through the air.
A whip made of spinning sword shards cracked against the ground ahead of the fleeing crowd, tearing through stone and earth like paper. The townspeople froze, trembling in fear.
"Over there!" Arceal pointed toward the trees.
Perched on a high branch, with his sword coiled around his arm like a living serpent, stood Fury. His crimson eyes gleamed with excitement as the twisted blade hummed and rattled in anticipation.
"Leaving so soon?" he said with a sinister grin. "But the real fun's just getting started."