No trust anymore.

Erebus climbed the worn stone steps, each one bringing him deeper into the dark, stifling air of the upper floor. Jafar followed closely, carrying the limp form of Nemesis in his arms. With every step, the stench of rotting bodies grew stronger, pressing against them like a suffocating weight. When they reached the landing, they saw why: the floor was littered with the bodies of nobles, each lying still and silent.

Jafar knelt beside the nearest figure, checking for any signs of life, but he already knew the truth. He looked up at Erebus, his expression bleak. "Every one of them was sacrificed by Iblis. He drained them—sucked the life from their bodies to restore his own power."

Erebus glanced over the corpses, watching as their skin darkened, decaying before his eyes. He felt a pang of concern as he noticed Jafar's own body showing similar signs of rot, but he couldn't dwell on it. His priority was Luciana. She lay in the arms of darkness, her vitality ebbing away, and he knew he had to get her out of this place.

He felt a dampness spreading on his left arm. Blood—his wounds were reopening, or so he thought. But he pressed forward. They had barely begun climbing the next flight of stairs when imperial guards suddenly blocked their path. Jafar pulled Nemesis close, sheltering her with his cloak, then unleashed a torrent of energy that erupted into purple and red flames, striking down the guards instantly.

Jafar stiffened as he took in the guards' bodies sprawled on the ground. "Master, they're being controlled," he warned. "Their energy is contagious—emitted through their eyes. Don't let them get too close."

Erebus nodded, moving through the aftermath. When the final guard fell, his own battered body nearly gave way. Jafar reached out, but Erebus brushed him off, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself up the last of the steps. Finally, they emerged into open air, only to find themselves staring into chaos.

Pillars of black smoke rose from the ground, bright orange embers dancing in the thick air. The stench of blood and burning flesh filled his lungs, memories of the Abyss of Blaze flashing through Erebus's mind. Jafar looked around, horrified. "We're too late."

Erebus's gaze moved to the sky, where the protective veil that had once shielded the demons from the sun lay shredded. Screams echoed around them as demons fell, burning under the harsh light. Only a few managed to withstand the searing sun.

They hurried toward the imperial palace, its grand structure engulfed in flames. Citizens ran in every direction, some desperate to escape the light, others falling under enemy attacks. "Amanecerian troops have invaded! Fight them back!" a soldier's voice shouted as he led the charge.

But Erebus pulled Jafar toward a narrow alley. "We're taking a detour."

Jafar stumbled after him, confusion in his eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Just follow," Erebus answered, weaving through the crowd as screams rang out around them. Shadows of archenemies loomed in the chaos, slaughtering demons as they fled. Soldiers fired back at the invaders, bodies falling where they stood.

"How did it all fall apart so fast?" Jafar muttered, batting away a desperate hand that tried to cling to his cloak. Everything had been peaceful just days before, but Erebus knew better—peace often signaled the calm before the storm.

"We're close," Erebus said as they reached a small building tucked into a back alley, untouched by the chaos outside. He pushed the door open, startling the customers and the guild owner inside.

The guild owner looked up, his eyes widening as he took in the bloodied figure before him. "If it isn't our old friend, the former lad of the guild," he said, his voice laced with surprise.

But Erebus cut him off. "Is there a physician here?"

The guild owner frowned. "What's the emergency, lad?"

"Anyone with medical knowledge will do," Erebus replied, voice tight with urgency. Jafar, watching closely, sensed a desperation in Erebus he had rarely seen.

The guild owner's face softened slightly. "There's one—a nurse, though she's inexperienced."

"That's more than enough. And I need a room." Erebus pushed past, heading for a room he knew to be the guild master's quarters.

The guild owner followed, a mixture of agitation and confusion on his face. "Lad, what's going on here?"

Erebus entered the small room, found the bed, and gently laid Luciana down, the guild master following him in. But as he took in her unconscious form, the guild master's protests faded.

"What…? Who is she?" he finally asked.

"My wife," Erebus replied without hesitation. Then he motioned toward the boy in Jafar's arms. "And that's my son." Erebus took Nemesis from Jafar and put him on the bed beside Luciana.

Jafar asked the owner about the nurse and left the building.

The guild master's jaw fell. "What? You, married? And a child?" He shook his head. "The man who swore he'd never marry, even if the woman were the richest in Wahrheit?"

A tired smile crossed Erebus's face, pulling at the scar that split the corner of his mouth. "My own blood tried to take them from me," he said, his voice bitter. "Those I trusted betrayed me."

The guild owner went silent, glancing toward the window where the black smoke curled into the sky. He looked back, his face set as he placed a bundle of ointments and bandages on the table. "Lad, I'll admit—I didn't think much of it if something happened to you back then. Money was my priority. But seeing you like this, carrying your family…" He looked Erebus in the eye. "It made me realize you trusted me enough to come here. Don't go saying you've no one left."

He reached out, clapping Erebus on the back. Pain shot through Erebus's body, but he held still as the guild master glanced toward Nemesis. "Your boy needs you. Don't forget that." he washed off his body with clean clothes. It stung him sending waves of fresh pain at every stroke.

At that moment, Jafar burst into the room, nearly dragging a middle-aged woman in a nurse's uniform. "Master, I found her."

The nurse froze, eyes darting from Erebus to the injured figures around her. With steady hands, she set down her supplies and went to Luciana's side. Meanwhile, the guild master positioned himself by Erebus, picking up cloths and bandages as he started to clean his wounds. Each pass of the cloth against Erebus's torn skin sent fresh pain rippling through him, but he forced himself to stay still, teeth gritted against the ache. His concerns still lingered with her.

The guild master worked in silence, carefully applying ointments and wrapping wounds. Finally, he looked up, his gaze settling on Erebus. "Lad, you've always been a fighter. But remember—you're not alone. Not now. Your family here needs you even if the world rejects you."

Erebus nodded, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around Nemesis, holding him close. Whatever else he had lost, he had them—his family. And as long as he had breath, he would fight for them.