456: Unforgiven Fires

Location: Tavara – Western Citadel Ruins

The wind howled across the scorched remains of what was once the Western Citadel—one of Tavara's oldest bastions. Now, it lay in rubble. The air stank of burning steel and shattered stone.

Victor stepped over the fallen marble statues with Nora at his side. She had changed—not just mentally but spiritually. Her aura was different now. Sharper. Radiant. Dangerous.

"Everything they feared in me…" she muttered, looking at the ruins. "They should've feared you more."

Victor scanned the horizon. "They were always going to come for us. Dominion operatives. Seraphim defectors. The old world order—they want their control back."

"But we're no longer their pawns," Nora said, gripping his hand.

Suddenly, an explosion burst from beneath the debris.

A figure emerged—tattered robes, half his face burned, eyes glowing like embers. Damien and the others arrived seconds later, weapons drawn.

"General Azrael," Damien hissed. "One of the last executioners from the old Seraphim Council."

Azrael sneered. "You've destroyed more than cities, Damien. You've undone centuries of equilibrium."

"You call tyranny equilibrium?" Nora snapped. "Then you're right—we did undo it."

Azrael extended his charred arm. The sky cracked as fire rained down, controlled by a Dominion artifact embedded in his flesh.

Victor moved first.

In a flash, he activated the residual Seraphim implant in his chest—blasting forward with force that collapsed the very air around him. Nora followed, weaving a shield that protected the rest of the team.

Steel met fire.

Light clashed with darkness.

The battle wasn't just physical—it was history, vengeance, and unforgiven blood made manifest.

Azrael screamed. "You are abominations!"

"No," Victor growled. "We are evolution."

With a thunderous roar, he drove the final blow through Azrael's chest—shattering the Dominion relic within him. The fire stopped. Silence fell.

Azrael's body disintegrated, leaving only scorched ground behind.

Nora looked around the battlefield. "One down. Dozens to go."

Victor turned to Damien. "We need to hit the Council before they regroup."

Damien nodded. "Then we set the fires next—this time, in their house."