Remus Thrall dropped dead before he even knew he was in danger.
A blade, silent and invisible, had already done its work.
The chamber erupted in chaos.
The remaining Consortium members shouted for backup.
Soldiers flooded the dungeon, weapons drawn—
But they couldn't take a step forward.
Castiel stood motionless, bloodied, broken… but breathing.
Then—
Clink.
His shackles fell open on their own.
The air shifted—heavy, electric, unholy.
"Retreat!" one soldier shouted, his voice cracking.
They had come to subdue a man.
What they saw now was not a man.
Lysandra Kaldir didn't hesitate.
She drew her twin pistols—cutting-edge prototypes forged by Aurelia Dravos herself. Sleek. Silent. Deadly.
She fired.
Castiel vanished.
Then—
He reappeared.
Behind her.
"Too slow."
One clean motion.
Her head hit the floor before her knees did.
Tabbarrok Vellini collapsed to his knees.
Wheezing. Trembling.
"This… this is how we die? After everything we built?"
His voice cracked with disbelief—
Greed had built the city. But it was their greed that sealed its fate.
Castiel towered over him now.
Expression unreadable.
He raised his sword.
A breath away from Tabbarrok's heart—
Boom!
A force slammed into Castiel, hurling him across the room.
Stone cracked beneath the weight of his body.
"That's enough."
The voice was smooth. Sharp.
It cut through the chaos.
"These souls belong to me."
Greed had arrived.
He stepped into the chamber like a man taking the stage—
Refined suit. A silver pocket watch ticking.
Eyes glowing faintly.
The remaining Consortium members stood frozen.
Not out of loyalty.
Out of terror.
Castiel rose slowly from the cratered wall.
His swords floated behind him—
Not in his hands,
But orbiting his back like ghostly wings of steel.
The air turned dense. Suffocating.
Two monsters stood across from one another—
Both calm.
Both waiting.
But only one would walk out of that dungeon unchanged.
Greed took a slow step forward, the silver snake-shaped handle of his cane gleaming under the dungeon torchlight.
"You come here. Steal my Durnium. Terrorize my men. Kill my assets."
His voice didn't rise—but each word weighed heavy.
"Just how much are you willing to take from me, boy?"
Castiel's breathing had slowed. His expression, now calm—eerily so.
"Evil like you roams this earth freely..."
He stepped through the dust and ash, blood still fresh on his coat.
"I aim to destroy it all."
A silence fell.
Greed grinned, almost amused.
"How noble."
He tapped his cane twice—tap, tap—and the ground beneath them rumbled slightly.
"But tell me, Castiel... When you're done purging evil... what will be left of you?"
The floating swords behind Castiel responded with a low hum, as if they too were contemplating the question.
Castiel narrowed his eyes.
"I don't care what's left of me. I was never trying to save myself."
Greed's grin faded. Something ancient stirred behind his gaze.
"That's what makes you dangerous."
He lifted a single finger. The shadows in the room twisted—reaching toward Castiel like claws made of memory and doubt.
"Let's test your resolve... Eidolon King.
The shadows swallowed Castiel whole.His vision turned to black.
When he opened his eyes, he was standing in a twisted mirror of Velarion—burnt to ash, children's laughter warped into cries, the waterfall behind him dried to jagged stone.
Greed stood beside him, hands clasped behind his back like a curator of torment.
"Welcome to the truth beneath your hope,"
he whispered, voice echoing across the false landscape.
Images flickered like broken memories:
– Zera screaming as fire devoured the village.
– The children's bodies turned to stone.
– Castiel standing over them… with blood on his hands.
"This is what you'll bring," Greed cooed in his ear. "You fight for justice, yet wherever you go, death follows. You left them. You failed them."
Castiel trembled. His swords—floating behind him moments ago—were gone. He looked at his hands.
They were soaked in blood.
"You're not a savior. You're a curse."
Greed circled him like a vulture.
"All those children you swore to protect... they'll die because of your pride. Just like Briarhelm. Just like Spiegel Cross. History repeats itself—and you're the knife that cuts hope in two."
Castiel fell to his knees, eyes wild with horror.
"No… I'm trying to change that… I'm trying to—"
"You're trying to erase guilt, not evil."
Greed's smile widened. "You fight demons outside because you can't face the one inside."
A mirror appeared before Castiel.
He saw himself—but twisted, monstrous. Glowing red eyes. Drenched in Durnium. Wings of blade and flame. The image raised a hand… and smiled.
"You can end this," the mirror version said softly. "Join me. Accept what you are. You don't need to suffer. Just surrender."
The shadows thickened, creeping into his mind like rot.
Greed knelt beside the trembling figure of Castiel, who still stared into the mirror of his corrupted reflection. His breath was shallow. The screams of Velarion echoed in the distance—distorted, endless.
"The world is too big a place to save,"
Greed whispered, his voice like silk soaked in venom.
"Save your tiny part of it… and stay out of everyone's business."
The words slithered into Castiel's mind like a parasite. They sounded… reasonable.
The images of Zera, the children, the village—they reappeared, but this time peaceful, safe. In Greed's illusion, they were laughing, eating, playing under a sun that never scorched.
"You could have that again. You could keep them safe. No war. No pain. Just surrender the sword. Let the world burn if it must. But your corner of it… it could be beautiful."
Castiel's body relaxed for a moment. His fists loosened. The blood on his hands faded in the illusion.
His reflection in the mirror smiled.
Greed's illusion deepened.
The golden light grew softer. The world slowed.
And then—
She was there.
Standing barefoot beneath the olive tree, dressed in white, smiling. Her eyes… her eyes. Castiel's breath caught in his throat.
"Mariel…"
His knees nearly buckled.
"She can come back again,"
Greed cooed, slithering behind him, a serpent in human skin.
"You've tasted loss. I can undo it. One word from you… and she lives.You can have it all."
Castiel staggered forward, trembling.
Mariel opened her arms.
"Come home, love."
His hand reached toward her. Inches away. But then—
Her smile twitched.
Wrong.
Too wide.
Too perfect.
Her eyes flickered… and for a heartbeat, they were Greed's.
The illusion cracked.
Castiel stepped back.
"No…" he whispered. "No."
He clenched his fist, trembling.
The illusion around him wavered.
"Nothing… brings back the dead."
And in a single breath, his will surged—
The false world shattered.
Light returned.
Chains clattered.
His swords rose like wings behind him, humming with fury.
"You lie, demon!"
CRACK.
The illusion shattered into nothingness.
Castiel's eyes snapped open—burning gold.
His swords hovered like a halo of vengeance, circling him with a metallic hiss. The stone beneath his feet fractured from the pressure of his presence.
Greed blinked. Too slow.
BOOM!
Castiel's fist connected with Greed's gut, hurling him through the ceiling like a cannonball.
The walls trembled. Debris rained down. Screams echoed from the Consortium as dust consumed the room.
Castiel launched upward—a blur of rage and righteousness.
Above the city, in the cold air under moonlight, Castiel caught up to him midair.
"You lie. You manipulate. You rot the world from its core—"
CRACK!
A punch to the face.
BOOM!
A blow to the ribs—shockwaves rippled out, windows shattered for blocks.
THOOM!
An uppercut launched Greed even higher, clouds parting as if terrified.
With each blow, the sky shook.
Velmont below was awake now. Lights flickered on. People looked to the heavens.
A storm of fists rained down.
And in each strike was wrath—
born of justice.
"You stole my people."
CRACK!
"You fed on the weak."
BOOM!
"You made them believe evil was salvation."
THOOM!
Greed, battered and cracking, let out a primal growl. His form twisted and pulsed, preparing to strike back.
But Castiel was not done.
He grabbed Greed by the collar midair, staring into his fractured eyes.
"I am the reckoning."
And then—
He dove.
Dragons of light followed.
And the descent was a comet of holy fury, straight back toward Velmont's heart.
WHOOSH—CRACK!
In an instant,Greed vanished.
SLAM!
He reappeared behind Castiel, slamming him from the sky with a thunderous impact. Castiel's body cratered the cobbled streets of Velmont, stone and dust erupting like an explosion.
Before Castiel could move—
WHAM!
Greed hurled him into a wall.
SMASH!
Then into a tower. Brick and glass rained down.
Greed hovered above the destruction, eyes gleaming like molten gold, form shifting—his true demonic shape beginning to bleed through: six black wings of smoke and bone, his voice a chorus of twisted whispers.
He floated down slowly—cold, calculated.
"Fool," Greed growled, now standing over the battered Eidolon King.
"You think you're justice? You think you're hope?"
BOOM!
A crushing stomp to Castiel's chest, cracking the pavement beneath.
"You cannot save everyone!"
BOOM!
Another stomp. Blood on Castiel's lips.
"You cannot save these children!"
Greed bent down, gripping Castiel's face, forcing him to look into his glowing demonic eyes.
"And you will not stop the Master's emergence."
CRACK!
One final blow—fist to face—like a meteor strike, sent Castiel crashing through the ground itself.
The streets shook.
Dust clouded the air.
Castiel let out one final cough of blood.
His body lay broken in the shattered street, steam rising from his wounds.
Greed turned away without another word, brushing dust from his suit like nothing had happened.
The remaining members of the Consortium stood frozen—terrified, silent.
"Greed…"
Morel's voice cracked.
"We found him. The man who took the Durnium."
He clutched the serpent tattoo on his arm, sweat trailing down his brow. His eyes met Greed's—pleading, desperate.
Free me from this, they begged silently.
But Greed barely turned his head.
"Did you retrieve the Durnium, though?"
His tone was dry, disdainful.
Uninterested.
Morel's breath caught in his throat.
He had used people like this all his life—discarded them the moment they were no longer useful.
Now, it was his turn.
His vision blurred.
The realization hit him:
This… is what he had become.
He dropped to his knees.
The midnight bell struck.
DONG!
The sound echoed through the ruined streets of Velmont like a death knell.
Then the serpent on his arm slithered—its body expanding, unraveling from ink to flesh.
Morel watched in horror as its scales shimmered, growing longer, thicker, alive.
The snake raised its head to meet his gaze.
And with a hiss, it spoke:
"Your three days have passed."
Morel didn't scream.
He didn't run.
He only bowed his head—as if ashamed of his life.
The snake unhinged its jaw.
The last thing Morel saw was Greed walking away, never looking back.
Then—
SNAP!
The serpent consumed him whole.
Just then —
CRACK!
The midnight sky tore open-up above Castiel's still body.
A small winged beast emerged from the dark void above.
"Found you." It screeched.
Castiel's body was hauled through the tear in the sky instantaneously.The tear in the sky repaired itself as quickly as it had been torn open.
The remaining members of the Consortium and the scouts and the rest of Velmont citizens were left dumbfounded.
They watched in disbelief.
Castiel was gone.
The children couldn't be saved - he failed his mission.
Velmont – A Few Moments After the Commotion Died Down
Smoke drifted above the broken streets. Dust settled on shattered walls and bloodied stone. The city had fallen silent, as though holding its breath in the aftermath of a storm it couldn't comprehend.
Then—
A voice rang out from atop the balcony of the Consortium Citadel. Calm, smooth, trained in charm.
Felix Halloway.
The public face. The liar in velvet.
Dressed in a pristine coat untouched by ash, he smiled down at the dazed crowd, arms spread wide like a shepherd welcoming his flock.
"Citizens of Velmont," he called out,
"What you witnessed tonight... was a rare disturbance."
He paused, letting the echo of those words ripple through the square. Eyes flicked to the bloodstains. The destroyed tower. The skies that had torn open.
"Yes, something unnatural entered our city. Unknown forces threatened our peace—our way of life."
His tone darkened just enough to stir fear—then lightened again with a breath of false warmth.
"But rest assured, we are investigating. You are safe now. And you will continue to be."
He stepped back, hand raised toward the golden banners above him, emblazoned with the emblem of Velmont.
"Do not panic. Do not despair. Your leader—our protector—Greed—has everything under control."
Some clapped. Some bowed their heads. Most just stared, too numb to feel anything.
Behind Felix, out of sight of the people, the remaining nine Consortium members stood in a shadowed hallway—faces pale, silent. Some looked out over the balcony. Others couldn't meet each other's gaze.
They had seen Greed's true form.
They had seen Castiel fall.
And they knew…
Everything had changed.
Eastern Woods – Dawn
The mist clung low to the forest floor, weaving between twisted roots and dew-covered leaves. The sky blushed faintly with the promise of sunrise, but the woods remained dim, shrouded in silence.
Aurelia Dravos stood beneath the crooked boughs of a blackwood tree, arms crossed, her coat drawn tightly against the morning chill. Her eyes scanned the tree line with sharp precision.
Footsteps.
Not from the path—no, from behind.
She didn't flinch.
Victor Arkham stepped into view, his youthful face dimmed by caution. He was the youngest of the Consortium, but not the weakest. His eyes burned with thought, always two steps ahead of the words he spoke.
"You weren't followed?" Aurelia asked coolly.
"No one even noticed I left," Victor replied, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "They're all still drunk off Greed's victory."
Aurelia arched a brow. "If that was a victory."
Victor handed her another note—smaller this time. Sealed with wax. Aurelia opened it carefully, her eyes darting across the contents.
After a few moments, she whispered:
"So it's true… the Eidolon are real."
Victor nodded.
"And if Greed is this powerful now… only an Eidolon can stop him."
A raven cawed in the distance.
Aurelia's expression twisted into something dangerous.
"Castiel only lost because he was fighting alone.We have to harness this power for ourselves.Only then can we be free from Greed's shackles.My grandfather's journals were not nothing after all."
Victor hesitated. "You're sure? If we do this, we're turning against the others. Against Greed."
Aurelia folded the note, eyes cold. "I didn't become a scientist to serve monsters."
She turned, her boots crunching frost-bitten leaves.
"We meet again in two nights. Bring only those you trust."
Victor lingered, looking up through the trees at the gray morning sky.
"The Consortium is crumbling, isn't it?"
Aurelia didn't look back.
"No," she said. "It's already broken. Now we decide who gets to build what comes next."
Eastern Woods – Minutes Later
Victor remained beneath the blackwood tree, the cold still biting, Aurelia long gone.
Then—
a voice creaked through the trees, ragged and low.
"I knew you were planning something."
Victor froze.
A figure emerged from the fog—leather coat draped in shadows, a long scar across his cheek.
Korvus Brey.
His boots crunched softly over dead leaves as he approached.
"Been watching you two," he rasped.
"Secret meetings. Passing notes."
Victor didn't move.
"Going against Greed?" Korvus scoffed, tilting his head.
"That's ballsy."
Then, without warning, his tone dropped—flat and cold.
"I want in."
Victor blinked.
"…What?"
He'd expected a threat, a blade, a report straight to Greed. Not this.
Korvus stepped closer, invading his space, reaching out casually to adjust the collar on Victor's coat.
"You heard me."
His breath fogged between them.
"You and Aurelia—whatever it is you've found… the way to fight him, keep the spoils, flip the damn board—I want in."
His voice was half-whisper, half-threat.
"I'm tired of being Greed's dog."
He locked eyes with Victor, the smirk returning.
"You and I? We didn't claw our way into the Consortium. We inherited it. We were born into golden cages, and now we can finally break out."
He took a step back, turning, his coat fluttering like a shadow trailing behind him.
"Get me out, Vic."
A sly grin over his shoulder.
"And next time—don't meet under blackwood trees. They echo."
Then he vanished into the mist, leaving Victor stunned… and unsure who exactly was on his side anymore.
Then—
Just beyond the trees, on the opposite edge of the clearing…
A shadow shifted.
Silent. Motionless until now.
Something… or someone… had been watching from the start.
And as the last of Korvus's footsteps faded, the shadow slipped away into the forest—unnoticed.