Kan and the others prepared for their departure.
"I'm coming with you," Xylon said.
"But who will stay behind to watch over Jade? She needs you by her side," Kan replied.
"I know that," Xylon answered, his voice filled with reluctance. "But you need my help as well. Lilith is here to look after Jade."
"Very well. Then let us go," Kan said.
They began marching out of the palace.
.
Aria was preparing her weapons when Cedrick approached her.
"You're coming with us?" he asked.
"Yes," Aria replied shortly, her voice cold and filled with sadness.
"Aria... I'm sorry," Cedrick whispered.
Aria closed her eyes tightly, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall.
"Aria, Cedrick, let's go!" Maddison called out.
Without saying another word, Aria walked ahead of them.
Cedrick could only follow her from behind, his heart heavy with regret.
.
.
.
"HAHAHA! Go forth, my beloved servants! Kill every mortal in this town!" Leviathan shouted.
The demons roared in excitement, their voices echoing across the land.
"Ji, come with me," Leviathan said.
"Where are we going, Papa?" Ji Park asked innocently.
"To Aznar..." Leviathan replied with a sinister grin.
He grabbed Ji Park's hand, and the two vanished into the darkness.
.
.
.
"We'll take care of the portal leading to the human realm," Xenon said. "Heberlin, Blake, and I will handle it."
"The portal leading to Aznar will be our responsibility," Maddison said. "Zander, Zake, Stephen, and I will take care of it."
"Then the portal leading to Hell will be handled by me, Kan, Aria, and Cedrick," Xylon said.
After deciding their roles, they went their separate ways.
.
.
Lilith quietly watched over the sleeping Jade.
"My Queen... why is this happening to you?" she whispered sorrowfully.
Jade's body was covered with bruises, and her once healthy complexion had turned frighteningly pale.
Lilith stood up and looked out of the window. The sky outside was shrouded in darkness.
"Will history repeat itself once again... just like five hundred years ago?" she murmured.
.
.
.
At the battlefield...
"Watch out!" Zander shouted.
He quickly pushed Maddison out of the way and blocked the enemy's attack with his weapon.
Maddison's eyes widened in shock.
Zander struck the demon with his blade, ending its attack before rushing back to her side.
"Are you alright?" he asked, unable to hide the worry in his voice.
"Y-Yes... thank you," Maddison replied softly.
Zander gave a small nod before returning to the battlefield.
As Maddison watched him fight, a warmth spread through her heart.
Even after everything that had happened between them, he still protected her.
.
.
Hell...
Xylon and the others continued fighting against the endless swarm of demons.
"Tsk."
Xylon clicked his tongue before driving his sword into a demon's body.
Using his power, he created countless monsters made from illusions to fight alongside them.
"RAAAGH! I WILL DEVOUR ALL OF YOU!" a giant demon roared.
It charged toward Kan and Cedrick with overwhelming force.
The two quickly jumped away, narrowly avoiding its deadly attack.
"We don't have much time! We need to seal the portal now!" Kan shouted.
"Madison and Xenon sent a message! They have already sealed the other portals!" Aria announced.
"But there are too many demons here! We won't be able to seal the portal with them still pouring out!" Xylon said as he continued fighting.
Kan's expression became serious.
"You all leave first."
Everyone froze.
"What?" Xylon asked in disbelief.
"I will remain here and stop them from escaping the portal."
"But what about you? We cannot seal the portal while you are still inside Hell!" Xylon protested.
"Don't worry about me. The important thing is to seal the portal!" Kan said firmly.
"But we can't leave you behind," Aria whispered through her tears.
Kan looked at them with a gentle smile.
"Sometimes, in every battle, someone must make a sacrifice."
"B-Brother..." Xylon whispered, his eyes turning red with grief.
At that moment, a gigantic demon appeared before them.
"HAHAHA! I will crush all of you vampires!" it roared.
Kan turned toward Xylon one last time.
"Go. Now!"
Tears streamed down their faces as Xylon, Aria, and Cedrick were forced to run toward the exit of the portal.
Kan looked at his palm and saw the mark engraved on it slowly disappearing.
"It seems my journey ends here," he whispered.
He then faced the countless demons approaching the portal.
"And where do you think you're going?" Kan said with a fearless smile as he drew his sword.
.
Outside, Xylon and the others began sealing the portal.
Tears fell endlessly from their eyes as the portal slowly closed.
When it was finally sealed, Xenon and the others arrived.
"Why are you crying?" Heberlin asked, his expression filled with confusion.
"I-It's Kan..." Aria answered between sobs.
"Where is Kan?" Blake asked, fear appearing in his eyes.
"H-He is gone..." Xylon said painfully. "He stayed behind in Hell."
The moment Maddison heard those words, tears immediately rolled down her cheeks.
"He sacrificed himself so that we could seal the portal."
A heavy silence fell over everyone.
No one could find the words to respond.
Heberlin gently placed his hand on Xylon's shoulder.
"Let us return to the palace, Your Majesty," he said softly.
Xylon silently nodded.
They began walking, carrying the weight of their loss.
But suddenly—
A sinister smile appeared on Leviathan's face as he watched Xylon's group from the shadows.
"One by one, all of you will disappear from this world," he said with a wicked grin.
"Cedrick!" Aria suddenly screamed.
A blazing sphere of fire was rapidly heading toward them, and its target was none other than Cedrick.
Without a moment of hesitation, Aria threw herself in front of him, using her own body as a shield.
"ARIA!!!"
Everyone shouted her name in horror.
Everything happened too fast.
The burning flames suddenly swallowed Aria whole, consuming her within the fiery orb. In the next instant, the fire vanished into thin air, taking her with it.
"A-Aria..." Cedrick whispered as his legs gave out beneath him, causing him to collapse onto his knees.
"W-Where did Aria go?" Zake asked, his voice trembling in shock.
"HAHAHAHA! YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR FRIEND AGAIN!"
The terrifying voice echoed around them.
They immediately turned toward the source.
"Leviathan! Bring Aria back!" Xylon roared furiously.
Leviathan merely laughed.
"Haha! If you wish to see her again, then search for her in the World of Emptiness!"
With those final words, Leviathan disappeared into the shadows.
Cedrick remained frozen.
His mind replayed the scene over and over again.
Because of him... Aria was gone.
That attack was meant for him.
He should have been the one swallowed by the flames.
But Aria chose to save him.
Slowly, tears streamed down his face.
"No..." he whispered, his voice breaking.
The woman who had loved him, the woman he had hurt, had sacrificed herself to protect him.
The weight of his regret crushed his heart.
Had he already lost Aria forever?
The question echoed in everyone's mind.
Was Aria truly gone?