Some time before Zackary and the others made their move…
The sky was growing dark, clouds crawling slowly across the heavens as the night crept in. Outside the towering black silhouette of the Eclipse Tower, three Zodiac Saints stood guard, their figures bathed in the dim, fading light.
Ivan tilted his head back, his sharp blue eyes peeking through strands of messy black hair as he studied the sky.
"It's almost time for the blood moon to rise," he murmured.
"Stay focused, Capricorn," Rebecca replied firmly, her stern expression lit by the crimson hue seeping through the clouds. Her armor, polished in shades of blue like a flowing dress, seemed to darken as the night deepened.
Ivan smirked, unable to resist a jab. "You're so uptight."
"She's right," Lilith interjected, her voice soft yet resolute. The wind tugged at her long black hair, making it ripple like dark silk, and for a moment Ivan found himself entranced by the sight. "We need to be prepared for anything—especially tonight. Monsters grow particularly unpredictable and powerful under the blood moon."
Rebecca caught Ivan's gaze lingering on Lilith, and a small knowing smile curved her lips. "You two stay here on this side of the tower. I'll take the western perimeter." She turned and walked away, her long blue hair streaming in the wind.
"Won't you need our help if something happens?" Lilith called after her, concern flickering in her hazel eyes.
Rebecca didn't break stride. "We both know I can handle myself."
Silence lingered between the two left behind. Lilith's eyes kept drifting to Ivan, as though something unspoken weighed heavily on her mind.
"You want to say something?" Ivan asked, tilting his head, catching her gaze.
"No, I don't," she answered quickly, her voice softer than usual.
Ivan chuckled under his breath, his tone calm and soothing. "You can't lie in front of me. Which is strange, considering you're usually such a good liar."
Lilith's expression faltered. Her lashes lowered as guilt edged her voice. "I… I'm sorry about what I said before—about you being a commoner."
She hadn't expected a response, let alone forgiveness. But Ivan's gentle smile surprised her.
"It's fine. I forgive you." His voice held no resentment, only quiet understanding. "I know you're constantly watched by other nobles. You have to measure every action, every word. I understand."
Before she realized it, her feet carried her toward him. She stopped just in front of him, her hazel eyes locking onto his deep blue. Her lips parted as if she wanted to speak further—
Dooom!
The thunderous crash shattered the night. Both Ivan and Lilith spun toward the western side where Rebecca had gone. Without hesitation, they sprinted toward the sound.
There, they found chaos. Knights stood tense, swords drawn, forming a wall of steel around Rebecca, who faced down two ominous figures radiating an aura so heavy it thickened the air.
Ivan's eyes narrowed as recognition set in.
Rebecca's voice rang sharp, blade raised. "Who are you, and what do you want here?"
The woman's calm voice carried over the tense silence. "We harbor no ill will towards you."
As crimson moonlight pierced the clouds, her form lit up—revealing Aisha in her true draconic beauty, standing beside Vlad, who smiled faintly.
"We have business inside your tower," Vlad said, his tone disarmingly casual.
"The Eclipse Tower?" Lilith asked, her brows furrowing. "Why would you want to enter? That place only holds humans—the most dangerous kind."
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Vlad replied coolly.
Ivan stepped forward, eyes hardening as his hand tightened on the hilt of his blade. "Then you're not getting past us."
Vlad's lips curved faintly. "If that's the case, then we'll have to force our way through."
In an instant, Aisha and Vlad released a crushing wave of magic. The force rippled across the ground, forcing Rebecca, Lilith, and Ivan to draw their blades and brace themselves.
"They're well-trained," Vlad mused inwardly, sizing them up.
"Your Grace," Aisha's voice brushed Vlad's mind through telepathy, calm but firm. "Remember, we are merely a distraction. Do not kill them—unless necessary. Those are His Grace Vermillion's orders."
Aisha spread her silver wings, her tail whipping through the air as her hands shifted into draconic claws. Power pulsed through her form as she took them seriously.
"Alright then," Vlad muttered with a smile. "I'll take the one with the goat symbol."
Before Ivan could react, Vlad vanished and reappeared, striking with such speed and force that Ivan was sent crashing through the outer wall of the tower, stone and dust exploding outward.
"Ivan!" Lilith screamed.
"Go to him!" Rebecca ordered.
"But what about you?"
"I'll be fine. Now go!"
Hesitating only a moment, Lilith obeyed and sprinted after Ivan.
Above them, Aisha hovered, silver eyes gleaming as she gazed down at Rebecca. "That may have been reckless."
Rebecca's lips curved into a wild smile as her blade shifted, glowing crimson. Her once-blue hair flushed into scarlet, her aura flaring. "Maybe so—but I wouldn't dare show her my unruly face when I engage in battle."
Aisha's curiosity sparked. "Interesting."
In a blur, she dived. Rebecca didn't dodge—she met her head-on.
Claws and blade collided with a thunderous crack, the shockwave shattering the ground beneath.
Inside the tower, on the ground floor, Vlad's arm was buried through Ivan's armor, pinning him to the wall.
"I thought your armor would protect you," Vlad said with a frown. "You aren't dead yet, but I held back—and still, you're finished."
"Ivan!" Lilith's voice broke as she stumbled into the chamber, horror filling her eyes.
"Well then," Vlad sighed, pulling his arm free, blood dripping. "Since this one's done, I suppose I'll deal with you."
But before he could move, a hand gripped his wrist.
"Why are you leaving me so soon?"
Vlad froze. Ivan's voice was steady. His hair began bleaching white, his eyes turning molten gold. Slowly, his lips pulled back into a psychotic smile. "The fun is just starting."
Vlad's grin mirrored his. "Fun, you say?"
Meanwhile, Zackary's draconic form raced up the spiraling stairs of the Eclipse Tower. His claws scraped stone as he cursed under his breath.
"Damn this magic-suppressing tower…"
Every floor drained his power, forcing him to rely on brute force as he knocked out guard after guard. Then, pausing, he looked up. The spiraling stairwell left an open gap through the middle.
He spread his wings. "Alright, let's go!"
With a mighty thrust, he soared upwards at full speed, bypassing floor after floor.
Above the battlefield, Aisha and Rebecca clashed, shockwave after shockwave rocking the ground as knights below were forced back, unable to intervene.
Rebecca's body shimmered faintly, scales appearing along her skin.
"You're using mastery over water to control the blood in your veins," Aisha observed with a spark of admiration. "That explains the scales. And judging from your blade… you're Aquarius, the Water Bearer Saint."
Rebecca's smile was cold. "Correct. The scales make my body tougher."
Her form vanished. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared behind Aisha, slashing with water-infused fury. Aisha blocked, redirecting the strike. The deflected slash tore upward into the heavens, evaporating clouds above them, bathing both warriors in blood-red moonlight.
Rebecca gathered her power, drawing moisture from the air until a massive water figure shaped like a mermaid loomed behind her.
Aisha's eyes narrowed, intrigued.
The mermaid pulled Rebecca into its chest, then burst apart, water scattering as a glowing sphere of light emerged.
From it stepped Rebecca, transformed. Siren ears jutted from her hair, scales traced her limbs, her armor had lightened, and her eyes gleamed ocean-blue.
"Trident of the Water Bearer!"
A massive trident formed from swirling water. She raised it high, ready for battle.
"Well then," Aisha whispered, her blood racing, "you are indeed interesting."
They clashed again, their strikes tearing through the sky as they soared above the clouds.
Far below, Ivan and Vlad's battle continued. Vlad's blood blade struck at lightning speed, only for Ivan—now radiating with golden madness—to block effortlessly.
"Not bad," Vlad grinned. "But can you keep up with this?"
He struck harder, faster, each blow ringing out.
Ivan laughed, shoving him back with explosive strength, sending him crashing outside through the wall.
Lilith tried to call to Ivan, but he was gone, chasing Vlad out under the crimson moonlight.
"So this is the blood moon's gift," Vlad muttered, his bat-like wings spreading wide as flocks of bats swarmed around him.
Ivan barely saw him move before Vlad's kick sent him rocketing skyward. Another strike followed, bouncing him around like a toy.
"Time to sleep," Vlad sneered, diving for the finishing blow—
Only to be stopped by Lilith's blade. Her sapphire eyes glowed as her hair turned pale blue. Power radiated from her form as she shoved Vlad back.
"You're such a handful," she muttered to Ivan, pulling him by the ear in exasperation.
"Ouch! What are you doing?" Ivan groaned.
"Unless you want to die a pointless death, learn to rely on others."
Her words silenced him, surprising him more than the fight itself. For the first time, he simply nodded.
Together, they faced Vlad, who stood grinning wickedly, blood dripping from his cheek where Lilith's strike had landed.
"Why do I feel… excited?" Vlad whispered to himself, Elfreda's image flashing through his mind. His grin widened. "So that's it…"
The battle raged on, neither side yielding.
Above the world, Rebecca and Aisha's duel escalated. At last, Aisha stopped, hovering calmly.
"What's wrong? Giving up?" Rebecca challenged, gripping her trident tightly.
"No," Aisha smiled faintly. "I am impressed. It has been a long time since I've faced a human as powerful as you. I respect strength… and I would be dishonoring you if I didn't respond in kind."
Rebecca's heart sank. "What do you mean…?"
A deafening energy gathered around Aisha, her aura burning like a second sun.
"I'll show you my true power."
The air ripped apart as a silver storm engulfed her, light streaking upward into the heavens. Rebecca's eyes widened in horror as the light solidified, forming the colossal silhouette of a dragon—so vast it dwarfed mountains.
Aisha's draconic eyes narrowed as she loomed, ancient and terrible.
At the same time, Zackary reached the top chamber of the Eclipse Tower.
"Damn… why are there so many floors?" he panted as his wings folded away.
"Aisha, can you hear me?" he whispered through telepathy. "I've reached the top chamber. I'm about to see her…"
"So he's arrived," Aisha thought, her eyes glimmering.
Gathering energy in her mouth, she aimed skyward. Rebecca gasped in horror, throwing up barrier after barrier.
But Aisha didn't fire at her.
The dragon's roar split the heavens as a beam of silver light tore from Aisha's maw, shooting straight into the sky. The blast shredded the clouds in a radius of six kilometers, the night sky opening like torn silk. The beam didn't stop—it pierced through the upper atmosphere, carving into the void of space itself.
Rebecca stared, her heart hammering. "W-What was that…?"
The crimson moon bathed the land in unbroken light, finally covering the entire Eclipse Tower.
Zackary pressed his hand against the final door, nerves tightening in his chest. Behind it, the mother of his children waited.
"Calm yourself, just—"
Boom!
The chamber exploded, stone and dust erupting outward. The roof ripped open, bathing him in crimson light.
Through the haze, a silver-haired woman stepped forth, her silver eyes locking with his blue. Her lips parted slightly before she turned her gaze skyward.
"What an unpleasant situation," she murmured. "To battle beneath the crimson moon… how disrespectful."
Zackary could only stare, his words caught in his throat.
Then, without warning, she launched skyward in a burst of speed.
Zackary didn't hesitate—he followed.
At last she stopped, turning slowly to face him. Her ragged dress shimmered, transforming into a gown of starlight and moonlight. Magic reverberated around her as her voice rang out.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?"
Zackary faltered, unsure how to answer.
Her eyes narrowed. "You must be with Lucian. If that's the case… I'm sorry to say, but I won't be going back to that cell."
Energy flared around her, ready to strike.
The battle was far from over.