The Fall of ArchenLand

Jarik grinned, tipping his hat forward, his voice dripping with mockery.

"I see. Seems there's no convincing you lot. Very well then."

Before anyone could respond—

A new presence materialized beside him.

The hooded figure.

The same mysterious Tracient who had been by The Shadow's side all this time. His form wavered like smoke, his cloak billowing faintly, revealing a glimpse of scales beneath.

Like Jarik, his mana signature was completely absent—as if he didn't exist.

The Narn Lords tensed, their breaths catching in their throats.

But Darius—

His eyes went wide with shock.

Why does he look familiar?

Memories clawed at the edges of his consciousness. A ghost from Narn's fall? A kin long lost?

The hooded figure finally spoke.

And when he did—

It was The Shadow's voice that came through him.

"I chose to compromise with you. I offered to spare your land if you gave me what I wanted. But instead—"

The air grew heavier, thick with an ominous stillness.

"You refuse... and threaten me instead."

The figure raised a single hand—

And a small, pulsing sphere of bluish-purple mana materialized above his palm.

It floated into the sky, expanding ever so slightly, its light casting grotesque shadows over the ruins.

Thrax's breath hitched.

"That's... the same attack that cost us Narn!!"

Talonir's sharp eyes flicked to Trevor.

"Trevor—!!!"

But Trevor was already moving.

He raised his true staff, Gözkıran blazing amber, preparing to nullify the orb before it could fully form

However—

The hooded Tracient appeared before him instantly.

Before Trevor could even react, a palm struck his abdomen.

A shockwave rippled through his body.

Trevor's breath left him in a single, sharp gasp.

His Grand Maymum form shattered.

His knees buckled, collapsing to the ground.

Darius moved to retaliate, swinging Baltacek in a wide arc—

But the figure vanished.

Reappearing back beside Jarik.

"Now..."

The hooded Tracient tilted his head slightly, watching the growing sphere.

"Behold the fall of your sanctuary."

Jarik laughed, delighted.

Tipping his hat, he mockingly bowed.

"It was nice meeting y'all. Don't know if we'll ever meet again, but..."

A breeze swept through the canyon, pulling back the Tracient's hood slightly.

For just a moment—

A pair of glowing bluish-purple eyes were visible.

A hint of dragon whiskers.

Darius froze in place.

"It can't be..."

But before he could say anything—

Jarik and the hooded Tracient disappeared.

__________________________

The pulsing sphere above them continued to grow.

The air around it warped.

A deep hum filled the canyon—

An all-consuming force, growing stronger with each second.

Thrax's voice was urgent.

"How do we stop that?! If it's the same attack used on Narn, then no living thing will be spared! Tracients, animals, plants—even the very land will be annihilated!"

Karadir's ears flicked suddenly.

"I sense mana signatures approaching. They're familiar—our army, the ones who were with Lord Kon! They're about to walk into a death trap!"

Kopa's expression twisted in anguish.

"Is there nothing we can do?!"

The Narn Lords stood frozen, watching as the doom of ArchenLand formed above them.

But—

While the others panicked, Adam and Talonir remained silent.

Adam's face was unreadable.

His mind was somewhere else.

He blinked.

Kon was staring at him, still weak from what had just transpired.

Beside him, Trevor lay barely conscious, breathing heavily.

Adam looked at them both for a long moment.

Then—

His expression hardened.

"We leave."

His voice cut through the tension.

"We retreat now."

Everyone turned to him in shock.

"I have just enough mana left to teleport everyone here away—but that's all I can do."

Daruis's eyes darkened.

"And my men?!" His voice trembled with raw emotion.

"You'll sacrifice my people just like that?!"

Adam didn't flinch.

Unexpectedly—

It was Kopa who spoke.

"People die in war, my King."

Darius whipped around to face him.

But Kopa's expression was firm.

"This is no different from any war. We have to make sacrifices. And I strongly believe that if your men were standing here now, they'd give their lives without hesitation, just as I would."

Darius's body sagged.

Kopa grasped his shoulder, steadying him.

Darius closed his eyes.

Then—

He gave a single, pained nod.

Adam took a deep breath.

"Kirin."

A surge of bluish-green mana erupted, enveloping the group.

However—

Two figures remained untouched.

Thrax. Talonir.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Daruis demanded.

Talonir offered him a sad smile.

"Forgive me, my King."

Thrax crossed his arms, standing firm.

"We choose not to abandon our home."

Talonir continued, his voice steady.

"As our King, you must live. So that one day, you can take back what is rightfully yours."

"We, the loyal servants of ArchenLand, will sacrifice our lives for you."

"And for our home."

_____________________

Kon struggled against Karadir's hold, eyes wide in horror.

"No!!! Master!!! Don't!!!"

Talonir's eyes glistened.

"Forgive me, Kon."

A single tear fell from his face.

And then—

They vanished.

Thrax and Talonir stood alone.

The orb pulsed violently above them—

Its final moments of expansion before it would consume everything.

Thrax took a deep breath.

Talonir manifested his bow, drawing a single mana-infused feather.

Their eyes met.

"Shall we, 6th Lord?" Talonir asked.

Thrax grinned.

"I thought you'd never ask, Lord 7th."

Thrax's mana surged, enveloping them both in his final act of protection.

Talonir drew his arrow.

"Varyas Command: Talon'un Emri."

His eyes glowed.

"Winds of Fate."

He released the arrow.

It collided with the orb—

Just as it exploded.

The entirety of ArchenLand was swallowed in light.

_____________________

Kon's army arrived at the borders.

They stood frozen—watching as the **blinding radiance consumed the land before them.**

And then—

The light **receded.**

Yet—

They still stood.

Unharmed.

Kon's general blinked in confusion.

"What... just happened?"

___________

Far away, from the mountains overlooking the Winding Arrow River, Jeth stood in silence.

The glow from the explosion reflected in his eyes.

And then—

The others appeared beside him.

The Narn Lords. The survivors. The last remnants of ArchenLand.

Jeth didn't turn to them.

His voice was low.

"I can't feel the 6th and 7th Lords' mana..."

The silence stretched.

No one responded.

Jeth tipped his hat forward.

"I see..."

A single tear slid down his face.

He tilted his head slightly upward.

"Take care of my friends, Asalan."