Cruel Sacrifice

Overwhelmed by pain, chilled to the bone, and cloaked in the weight of humiliation, Lucien finds himself descending into the icy embrace of the ocean depths.

His limbs, feeling as though encased in an unyielding glacier, tremble, the aftermath of a tumultuous shockwave of untamed mana.

His thoughts, once clear as day, are now a swirling fog, the aftermath of a powerful mental blow that echoes within his skull, leaving his sight blurred to the point where all he can discern is a crimson streak darting across the heavens, in pursuit of an ominous shadow.

"Are we done like this, Lust?" Still reeling from the impact, Lucien leans on the support of his most unwavering ally, hoping her wisdom can cut through his disorientation.

"NO!" Her fervent declaration reverberates within his consciousness. "Yes, we were caught unawares by that onslaught, but you possess the strength to rise again, to battle anew!"