ONE WHO DEVOURs LIGHT: ZARELLE ARC

Thunder growled above Lumisgrave.

The ash-colored sky cracked with black lightning as the rift above the capital flared wide. What had once been a battle against goblins, imps, and shadow stripes… had now become something far more primal. The air was too heavy. The mana around the battlefield warped. Even the ground seemed to sink beneath invisible pressure.

And then—

He rose.

ZARELLE — the beast-warlord of the Abyss, towered above all with molten red eyes, spiked bone-armor fused into his skin, and claws like daggers forged from devoured souls. He stood upon a throne of obsidian skulls carried by twisted demons. As he stepped forward, the throne melted behind him into shadow.

Every Mythic-ranked knight — even the most battle-hardened — froze.

Even the Zeniths watching from above shifted uneasily.

ZARELLE's voice was not spoken — it invaded.

> "So… you are what they offer me?

Cracked hearts… trembling spirits… and a sleeping vessel?"

His steps cracked stone. The Voidwalk skill distorted space behind him. Abyssal Rats parted before him like obedient pets, snarling but silent.

Nirela Quen stepped forward, moonlight glowing on her hands, though fear shimmered behind her pale eyes. "We hold this city… you will not take it."

ZARELLE tilted his head slowly.

> "You? You want to call someone but he is not coming?

This world… is not for dreamers."

Before she could react—he vanished.

CRACK! ZARELLE appeared behind Nirela in a burst of Abyssal Phase, striking with a backhanded claw. But Tharion Vale was faster.

"EARTHWALL STRIKE!"

A wave of stone burst upward, blocking the blow. ZARELLE shattered it with ease, but it bought time.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

Suddenly, the Mythics were everywhere:

Tarric Vohl blinked midair with Thunderstep and slammed his hammer into ZARELLE's shoulder.

Zhalya Neris unleashed Blood Sight and sent cutting blood arcs toward his legs.

Malrik Envor carved runes into the sky, sending Runic Bombs exploding on impact.

Seris Vahla unleashed waves of toxic wind, burning at ZARELLE's chest.

Caelis screamed, "NOW!"

Caelis Morvayn's Frostbind Spikes erupted from the ground, trying to trap ZARELLE.

> "An impressive orchestra," ZARELLE whispered, "But I've danced to better screams."

He detonated his aura in all directions. A Pulse of Ruin blasted outward — not just force, but soul-wounding pressure. Tarric was flung across the courtyard. Zhalya coughed blood. Seris collapsed to one knee.

Yuna Solthrae's healing pulse burst out to stabilize them — barely.

From the sky descended a silver flash.

Elira Saelwyn, Zenith Knight of the 3rd tier, stood in gleaming armor, her hair flowing like silk threads of moonlight, her eyes glowing with calm judgment. She radiated presence like a queen of battlefields.

She drew her blade, Evanblight, and pointed it toward the beast.

> "You threaten my people. You walk on sacred ground.

I will not let your filth stain our world."

ZARELLE tilted his monstrous head.

> "Seems to be powerful.

Finally… something worthy to bleed."

In an instant, light clashed with shadow.

Elira blurred forward with Ethereal Rush, her blade singing across the air. ZARELLE countered with claws that sparked against her steel. They moved too fast for any untrained eye — teleportation, soul-dives, light-phasing, and crushing brute force.

Elira's Eclipsing Lattice summoned mirrors of light to redirect his attacks.

ZARELLE used Nightcoil Grip, tendrils of darkness trying to choke her movements.

She stabbed through three ribs with a mid-spin counter.

He roared and used Hell Roar, a sonic boom that shattered every glass window within a hundred meters.

The ground cracked beneath them. Thunder rolled. The Mythics could only watch.

Elira activated her Zenith Skill — Divine Break — light surrounded her body like a meteor. She dashed forward.

ZARELLE smiled for the first time.

> "Good.

But not enough."

He opened his arms and absorbed the entire strike with Dark Core Reversal, then counter-punched with Titan Slam — the impact shattered three stone layers of the courtyard and sent Elira flying into a wall.

Blood splattered.

She slid down, coughing — her left arm limp.

Nirela screamed. "ELIRA!"

Seeing their Zenith fall, the Mythics roared in unison. They attacked with all they had left.

Nirela shined blinding moonlight beams at ZARELLE's eyes.

Tharion launched an Earthshock Barrage beneath ZARELLE's footing.

Yuna spread Healing Pulse to the wounded.

Orien Dravell used Soulflash Lancer, piercing ZARELLE's shoulder with ghostlight.

ZARELLE was momentarily pushed back.

But the monster only laughed.

> "Yes… rage for your fallen. Let it burn. Let it blind you."

He grabbed Vaelith Ren, who had tried to restrain him with a Life Net, and hurled him across the courtyard. Vaelith's back slammed into stone — unconscious.

He then struck Nirela with a sweeping claw — not lethal, but enough to send her flying and shattering through a wooden beam.

She hit the ground, unmoving.

"NO!" cried Elyra. "NIRELA!"

Now, only 7 of the 16 Mythics were still standing. Elira — the Zenith — couldn't rise. Nirela lay broken. Vaelith, Tarric, Zhalya, and Milo were unconscious.

Yuna struggled to breathe from overuse of her healing pulse. Seris tried to hold the frontline with toxin shields.

Kar'Thael's voice, deep within Arslan's unconscious body, whispered with pain.

> "They can't last...

And you're not even here."

"Kar'Thael whispered"Hey bustard, I gave you a second chance now....rise... Otherwise, all will be killed "

Arslan's fingers twitched. But he remained still.

ZARELLE stood tall in the ruins of the Mythic Courtyard. Devastation behind him. Blood on his claws. He looked around at the fallen.

> "And you call this… resistance?"

He raised his hand to summon more Abyssal Clones of himself — smaller but nearly as brutal — to finish the city.

King was seeing it .He said, Even a zenith is nothing for him... I can't send Zeniths more ...I can't afford more loss"

Julius said sadly"Kar'Thael, Awake plz"

And inside the Medical Ward…

Arslan's heartbeat accelerated.

He opened his eyes for a while but his head pitching with pain and again eyes are closed..