The sky above Caelora slowly darkened, yet the commotion within the capital of the Kingdom of Urtz only grew louder.
On the surface, magic knights continued patrolling the streets in shining armor, while magical loudspeakers spread calming announcements throughout every corner of the city: the situation was fully under control, and the demonic threat had been neutralized.
However, the atmosphere within the press stands was far from calm.
Seraphina Vane of the Urtz Tribune busily prepared headlines praising the miraculous protection of the council, while Riven Hale of the Urtz Journal argued fiercely with fellow journalists, his eyes fixed skeptically upon the ruined arena.
To Riven, the narrative of "safety" was nothing more than a mask hiding the truth—that a prince had been abducted right before the eyes of the world's greatest leaders.
Meeting at the Spectrum Tower
Deep within the Spectrum Tower, the main council chamber was filled with intense heat—not from magic, but from the fury of kings.
King Roderick of Sisilia stood with a reddened face, slamming his hand against the obsidian table hard enough to make his wine cup tremble.
"How could your defense system be breached so easily?!" King Roderick roared at the council. "That demon, Ashell, sat beside us for hours! He was close enough that he could have killed every single one of us right then and there!"
The rulers of other territories also voiced harsh protests. They believed their lives had been placed in danger because of the council's failure to detect an infiltrator disguised as a foreign noble.
The Sages and Wizards could only remain silent under the weight of this grave failure.
The tension only began to ease when Gorion entered the chamber after ensuring the condition of his students in the medical wing.
The presence of the Sage of Stability brought a calming pressure that slowly restored order to the room.
Seeing Gorion arrive, King Alexander immediately took the initiative.
He proposed that the mission to rescue Lurk and track down Ashell should be entrusted to Veil of Noctra (VON)—the kingdom's secret shadow organization.
At first, the kings strongly opposed the idea.
"VON? They justify any means necessary! How can we trust shadows?" one king protested.
King Alexander calmly replied, "Those rumors are untrue. They are a precision instrument that once recovered our strategic defense maps without spilling a single drop of blood. For the prince's safety and for the security of us all, we have no other choice."
In the end, though reluctantly, the attending rulers signed the authorization approving VON's involvement.
A New Sage's Mandate
Vaelion Elaris, Chairman of the Magic Council, then rose to announce another crucial decision.
"Based on the results of the examination we have witnessed, Elara of Kozto will officially be appointed as the Sage who succeeds Ardan."
This announcement was accepted without objection.
Elara's strength during the final battle had silenced every remaining doubt.
"When can she be inaugurated?" Vaelion asked Gorion.
"In two days," Gorion answered firmly. "She needs time to restore her magic core."
Gorion then proposed that the strongest participants of the examination should be united under Elara's division so they could become a powerful team beneath her leadership.
However, the chamber doors suddenly opened.
Zorzax entered with his usual carefree attitude, completely ignoring the fact that he was late once again.
"I disagree," Zorzax interrupted immediately. "I want Noah of Aquaris in my executive division. His potential is too great to become merely a supporter."
Fenrath Moongrim looked visibly irritated since Zorzax had missed the entire discussion regarding VON.
Not wanting to lose out, Neravos also voiced his objection. He wished to recruit Drestan into his own division because of their shared bond as dragon mages.
The meeting eventually concluded with the final decision being left to the participants themselves.
The Choices of the Warriors
One day before the inauguration, the condition of the participants had gradually improved, though several of them still wore bandages across their bodies.
Elara, who had begun carrying the dignity of a true Sage, gathered her companions inside the medical wing.
She looked sincerely toward Sylveras and Brant.
"I want both of you, Sylveras and Brant, to officially join my division," Elara said.
Sylveras smiled and accepted immediately, because protecting Elara had been his purpose ever since their village was destroyed.
Brant also agreed in order to remain beside his sister, Rossie, who had likewise decided to join Elara's division.
Rossie even hugged Elara emotionally, celebrating her friend's rise as a Sage.
However, Noah and Drestan chose different paths.
Noah, driven by his ambitions within Aquaris, accepted Zorzax's offer, while Drestan chose to further develop his dragon power under Neravos.
Mirell also said her farewell in a cold yet respectful manner. As an idealist, she believed becoming merely a "supporter" was not her path.
As Mirell walked toward the capital's gates, she was approached by a masked VON agent who offered her a full moon pin—an invitation to protect the kingdom from within the shadows.
The Demon Dominion
While the light of victory still shone upon Caelora, the atmosphere within the heart of the Demon Dominion was far darker.
Lurk Sisilia stood before Numrath's throne.
This time, there were no chains restraining him.
Instead, he was welcomed by a warmth that felt poisonous beneath its surface.
"Welcome to the place where your ambition is valued, Prince Lurk," Numrath said with a deadly cold smile.
Lurk knelt slowly, allowing the power of darkness to envelop him completely—
preparing himself to become a sword for a false dawn.