Ever since the Starscourge War ended, the skies over the Lands Between had been covered by Gravity Sorcery, and no shooting stars had crossed them again.
Everyone knew why. The man hailed as the strongest Demigod had used his immense power to imprison the starry sky.
Yet today, a sight no one had ever imagined suddenly appeared before them.
A shooting star pierced the seal of the heavens, as though a power long suppressed had finally found an opening, and the dead, motionless sky began to flow again.
One shooting star streaked across the firmament. Then the entire sky seemed to catch fire, bursting into life in an instant.
Stars began to flicker one after another. Like spirits finally set free, they leapt joyfully through the night, and one of them even fell to the earth.
Meteors poured down like rain, scattering freely from the sky. It was more like a rebellion after ages of confinement, an unrestrained display of their existence.
Countless meteors were reflected in people's eyes, their brilliance so dazzling that they could hardly look away.
Even the warriors who were obsessed with carving out their own epics were stunned by the wondrous sight of ten thousand stars crossing the sky.
But once the shock passed, everyone sensed that something was wrong.
After all, this starry sky had been sealed by Radahn. Now that it had suddenly begun to move again, did that not mean...
"My disciple defeated your Prince."
Sellen's laughter suddenly rang out, her face lit with joy.
She did not care whether Radahn was dead or alive. All she cared about was whether Nolan would return to her unharmed.
"What do you mean, your Prince and my disciple? Has the Witch gotten that close to her student? Strictly speaking, since he obtained that sword, he should be Caria's prince consort."
A bitter smile touched Jerren's lips. He slowly shook his head, as if trying to cast off some heavy burden.
His words echoed in the air, though even he did not know whether he was comforting himself or trying to flee from an ending he could not escape.
The Prince of Caria had now died before a Carian Knight, on the very path he had chosen to pursue.
Even though this Prince had, in truth, already parted ways with Caria and founded his own cause, his death still left Jerren shocked and filled with regret.
The sky was perfectly clear, yet a bolt of golden lightning suddenly descended and struck the towering walls of Stormveil.
The thick pillar of light was like the wrathful cry of a god. People's eyes had been drawn upward again and again, so many times that they had almost grown numb to such magnificent sights.
Space seemed to tear open under that lightning, and Nolan appeared before everyone in gold and silver armor, with Radahn's corpse floating behind him.
Nolan passed through the drifting dust and stood atop the battlements, long since stained red with blood.
Aside from the howling wind, no other sound reached his ears.
His eyes reflected the warriors clashing in the distance, the champions locked in chaotic battle nearby, the scene that held every gaze, and the battlefield dyed red.
It was both real and dreamlike, as if the epics sung by wandering bards had taken shape before their eyes.
He stood there quietly, feeling the complicated gazes around him. Countless looks of shock, fear, anger, burning worship, and longing.
Another's enemy, one's own champion. It had always been that way.
There was no victor's arrogance on Nolan's face, nor any contempt for the defeated. He simply stood there.
He looked down at everyone from above, his armor like a mirror, reflecting every thread of brilliant Starlight in the sky.
Each star shone on his armor with its own distinct radiance, as if it had been set there like a gem. Then a wave of shouts broke the silence.
"My Lord has won!"
Vyke raised his sword high and shouted.
His voice rang through the crowd like a horn, igniting a frenzy of cheers.
Nolan lowered his gaze to the crimson legion below and looked down upon them. He waited there like a Lord seated upon his throne, awaiting the arrival of the next challenger.
The Redmane legion immediately fell into chaos. Some stood lost and helpless. Some lowered their heads in fear. Only a small number still had the courage to look up at the towering figure above.
Ogha gripped the sword in his hand tightly, his hand trembling slightly from the force.
He stared at the figure above, even his breathing growing heavy.
Only a short while passed, yet the clamor around him swelled louder and louder, like surging waves.
All kinds of chaotic sounds poured endlessly into his ears, as if trying to drown him.
At some point, the hand that had been clenched around his sword hilt began to loosen.
He removed his helmet, revealing a face soaked with sweat.
Then he gripped the hilt again, but this time, his hand trembled faintly.
He suddenly raised his head and tightened his grip once more.
Countless Warriors and knights lowered the weapons in their hands. At the same time, others made the same gesture as Ogha, raising their swords toward Nolan.
It was a silent act of defiance, an unyielding answer before a Lord.
"What a commotion. That guy really took all the glory this time."
Millicent looked up at the starry sky, the trail of a meteor reflected in her eyes, and could not help murmuring softly. There was a trace of unwillingness in her voice, yet also a hint of delight.
"Still, I suppose he avenged me."
Just then, Rellana, who had only just steadied herself after being forced back by a Magical Power meteor, happened to hear Millicent's muttering.
Curious, she asked, "You have a grudge against my nephew?"
"Yes. I lost every time we sparred. It's a shame I never got to fight him again with this body," Millicent said regretfully.
The title Valkyrie carried great weight in the Lands Between. Since the "war" in her name naturally came from her acknowledged martial strength, her true body was often compared to Radahn, the strongest Demigod.
Malenia understood very well that in the past, if she had relied on herself alone, she would not have been able to defeat that elder brother.
But if it was a war she had to win, then she would never care whether she had to rely solely on her own power to defeat her opponent.
Of course, that power which had never truly belonged to her had now left her. At the same time, however, she was no longer the Malenia she used to be.
Just then, Malenia suddenly noticed Rellana's bloodstained Armor.
That crimson color was flowing down from Rellana's arm, and half her body was gradually being dyed blood-red.
"You're wounded? That Sorcerer is actually that strong?"
"After all, he is Master Lusat," Rellana said with a grave expression. "To this day, the Magic Academy has only produced two Masters of Magic, and he is one of them."
"Even you are no match for him? You're the younger sister of the Queen of the Full Moon!"
"Status does not equal strength. In the end, I am not my sister."
Rellana shook her head helplessly and sighed.
Millicent was about to say something else, but at that moment, her gaze was suddenly drawn to the movements of the Master of Magic in the sky.
The old man, half of whose body had already turned into Glintstone, was slowly raising the wand in his hand.
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