The battlefield lay in eerie silence, the dust settling after the chaos. High above, the last shimmering trails of energy faded as the top-level Kalarak vanished into the clouds, their forms swallowed by the endless sky.
Ariv, still kneeling in the scorched earth, felt his breath hitch. The one who stood before him was none other than Eryon—his presence alone radiating an overwhelming, divine force.
Eryon's hands lowered from the final gesture of his power, the air still humming with residual energy. His gaze met Ariv's for only a moment.
"Thank you… for saving me," Ariv whispered, his voice carrying both gratitude and awe. Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee, bowing his head before Eryon.
Around them, the stunned survivors began to murmur.
"Why did they target only Ariv?"
"Is he… important to the Majesty in some way?"
"The Queen's reaction… it was unlike anything we've seen before."
"But how did they even breach Atherion's defenses? That's supposed to be impossible…"
The speculation spread like wildfire. Confusion mixed with unease, as though the answer—whatever it was—might shake the very foundations of their realm.
Suddenly, Kaivara's voice rang out—firm and commanding.
"Silence."
All eyes turned toward him as he faced the Queen directly.
"How is this possible? Even though we, the greatest, are present here, no one should be able to inflict harm. Yet in our absence, it could have been fatal."
The Queen straightened, her expression solemn.
"Yes, Majesty. I will make the defenses stricter. Such a breach will not happen again."
Before Kaivara could speak further, Eryon's calm voice broke the tension.
"Let it be, Kaivara. Everyone makes mistakes. They are the humans of Atherion—unlike us, they are bound to err. We cannot hold them to the same standard. Let it rest, and proceed with the ranking."
The air lightened slightly, though the questions in everyone's minds remained unanswered. Still, the attention now shifted toward the next phase—the long-awaited ranking.