Chapter 74: Seige

The world shattered.

Splinters of timber. Shards of glass. Cinders erupting from the fireplace.

Niegal threw himself over Elena as shrapnel tore through the study.

Another blast.

BOOM.

The manor groaned under the weight of its own destruction.

"We're under attack!"

Niegal's voice cut through the chaos. He dragged Elena to her feet. Together, hand in hand, they summoned protective wards and sprinted through the broken halls.

The war table laid in splintered ashes.

WindSwept, their home, was collapsing.

They gathered the survivors, leading them down into the tunnels once more. But Elena stopped.

"You need to come with us," Niegal begged, voice raw.

But she shook her head.

"I can't."

Her hands trembled. Her magic sparked in her palms.

"I'm the only one who can hold them back."

Aurora stayed behind as well, healing the wounded with the Behike. Of Cheri, there was no sign.

Elena and Niegal emerged into the rain. But it was no escape.

They were surrounded.

Inquisition agents. Soldiers. Mana rifles and iron swords drawn.

Dozens of them.

Elena met Niegal's eyes.

He nodded once.

"I love you," they mouthed to one another.

And then-

chaos.

Steel clanged. Magic sparked. Bullets ripped the air. They fought like lions against a legion. Niegal's blade was a blur. Elena's magic flared around them in violet arcs.

But they were outnumbered.

A final blast, louder than the rest, threw them all backward. Debris rained from the sky.

Elena's ears rang. She stumbled forward, frantic.

"Niegal?"

She clawed through stone and blood.

Glass. Flesh. Fire.

And there he was.

Collapsed. A deep gash torn through his side, blood soaking the ground beneath him.

"Niegal!"

She pressed her hand to his wound, trembling with effort. Her magic stopped the bleeding… but he didn't move.

Not a word. Not a sound.

In his stillness, she saw Seamus. Cold. Gone.

Behind her, weapons raised.

A voice, male, sharp.

"It's over. Surrender, or die, heretic."

She turned, slowly.

Blood streaked her cheeks. Her eyes glowed like burning stars.

A single purple flash lit the sky.