The hall trembles under the chaos. The severed remains of Akihiro still lie scattered when the girl steps forward—her aura dark, her laughter chilling. She is Evela. With a casual motion of her hand, Akihiro's head is dragged back to her by unseen power. She lifts it, smirking cruelly, and in one swift motion she crushes it to pulp. The wet crack echoes through the chamber, sending a shiver across every fighter present.
"Akihiro…" Kitbash's eyes blaze with fury as he dashes forward, daggers in hand, but just as his blades rise to strike, a firm hand halts him. Frostkeeper.
"Not now," Frostkeeper whispers.
From the far side of the battlefield, Queen Theodera enters, her regal presence cutting through the despair. Her golden grimoire floats before her as her eyes harden.
"Evela," Theodera says coldly, "I know why you are here. But your delusions will end here—and it will teach people like you why none should dare disturb us."
She chants, the grimoire glowing, and golden spears erupt around Evela and the zombies, locking them in.
But Evela only grins, her manic laughter piercing the air. "Delusions?" she taunts, before hurling a black dagger. It streaks through the air, shattering the golden spear and flying straight toward Theodera—
—but Frostkeeper raises his hand, time itself bending. The dagger halts midair, reverses course, and slams back into Evela's neck.
Blood trickles down her throat, yet she laughs louder, unhinged. "Oh, Frosty… our leader loves you. Let us kill that bitch—and join us, Frosty!"
Her words drip venom.
Before she can move again, Michi roars, his claymore blazing with wrath. His forehead mark shines violently as he leaps high, crashing down with a slash that severs both of Evela's arms. Metal and flesh spray across the floor.
Evela stumbles but smirks, her voice rasping: "Now it's my turn. You don't know how many zombies are here… and all of them are living bombs. Tick tock, tick tock… and here… boom!!"
A wave of panic surges as the horde begins to vibrate, their cores primed to explode.
"NOO!" Frostkeeper shouts, reaching forward.
But Theodera raises her grimoire, her face serene with resolve. Golden spears shoot forth, enveloping every single zombie, locking them in stasis before they can detonate. Her voice trembles with authority.
"Let me do this. It is my duty as Queen and protector of this kingdom. And if I die today, Frostkeeper… you must leave this kingdom. Free yourself."
"No! Don't! It's too dangerous!" Frostkeeper cries, his powers flaring in desperation.
She looks at him, her body already fading from the overwhelming strain. With a soft, pained smile she whispers, "I know… but it is my job. And… I know you love me."
"No!" His voice cracks. "I'll never leave you—because… I love you!!"
The hall stills as his confession rings out. Theodera's smile grows faint, sorrowful. "I know…"
With a final cry, she unleashes a torrent of her power, the golden light swallowing the zombies. Their bodies ignite and shatter into nothingness under her sacrifice.
But new hordes pour in.
The exhausted fighters rise once more. Kael, Noir, Ravien, Junia, and Tieu rush into the fray, steel clashing, blood spraying.
A zombie lunges at Kairo, tearing into his right arm. His scream echoes as blood splatters. He stumbles, vision blurring—before Anastrelle's grimoire blazes and blasts the zombie apart, saving him.
Nearby, Nathaniel Boston is dragged down by a cluster of the undead. He swings his scythe desperately, cleaving some, but more bite deep into his flesh. Their teeth tear through his face, ripping chunks of skin and muscle, blood pouring freely. His left eye bursts under gnashing jaws, then his right, his screams curdling the blood of everyone watching. His face is shredded until only torn flesh and bone remain. Yet still he swings his scythe, blind, refusing to fall.
"NNNGHHHHH!" His voice breaks into agonized cries as he fights in darkness.
Ravien charges, slicing the monsters down, while Kitbash stabs through the remaining zombies, tearing them off Nathaniel's body.
Tieu drops beside him, tears in her eyes as she frantically casts her healing spell. Golden light weaves over his torn body, stabilizing his breathing, sealing his shredded wounds. The same magic spreads to Kairo, closing the bloody stump of his arm.
Theodera falters, her body shimmering as she begins to vanish from the overuse of her power.
"Stop! You can't do this, it's killing you!" Frostkeeper begs.
But before she can collapse, Michi acts. His forehead mark ignites, his claymore glowing with lust power. He conjures arrows of energy and shoots them into Theodera. Instead of piercing, they bind her powers, controlling and sharing the burden. The raw force flows through him, splitting the weight of her spell. Together, their combined strength shatters the horde in a storm of destruction.
One by one, the zombie robots fall silent, nothing left but scraps and dust.
Frostkeeper moves forward, his blade drawn, its tip pressing against Evela's throat.
"This ends now," he says coldly.
But Evela only grins, blood still dripping from her wounds. With a scream that rattles the entire hall, she cries out:
"ALL HAIL AURAN COVENANT!!"
Then, in a single shocking motion, she lunges forward—driving Frostkeeper's sword through her own neck, slashing it open with a spray of crimson.
Everyone freezes in stunned silence as her lifeless body falls at his feet, her laughter still echoing in the darkened hall.