As he watched that killing machine clad in human form, Samael felt something unexpected.
Joy.
Genuine joy.
If that man was human…And if he was that strong…
Then maybe—just maybe—they could escape.
He didn't look like someone who would care about two insignificant spectators.Strange or not, he fought far too well to waste time on them.
And yet…
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
That man's presence made Samael's spine prickle.
It wasn't ordinary fear.It wasn't intimidation.
It was the same sensation he felt in the presence of Corrupted Nightmare Creatures.
The same invisible pressure.
The same deep, instinctive discomfort.
And that made no sense.
He was human. Without a doubt.
But he didn't feel human.
"What is that…?" Samael murmured, not expecting an answer.
Elizabeth remained silent for a few seconds before replying, her voice low and cautious.
"I don't know," she said. "It looks like a Nightmare Creature wearing a human shape."
Samael swallowed.
"Why would something like that be on Daeron's island…?" he wondered aloud.
He had never heard of Nightmare Creatures that could pass so closely for human.
An idea surfaced.
An unpleasant one.
Skinwalker…?
But he dismissed it almost immediately.
No… it's too early for that.
Then another possibility took form.
Far worse.
Samael leaned closer and whispered, as if afraid the world itself might hear him.
"A human… corrupted."
The words seemed to freeze the air.
The image of Daeron.The image of the Mad Prince.
Both rose in his mind, carrying with them a shiver that ran down his spine.
If he already struggled so much against Fallen-rank creatures…
Then facing something like this…
A Corrupted Saint… Samael thought.
The idea was suffocating.
And in that moment, he understood.
That man was not an escape.
"Look," Elizabeth whispered.
Samael followed her gaze.
And then he saw it.
The portal.
A massive mirror standing within the main hall of the temple.
It was the largest structure in the place.Ancient. Plain.Beside modern constructions, it would have seemed almost modest.
But here…
It was imposing.
Its surface reflected neither the sky nor the temple.
It reflected the human world.
All they had to do was step through.
That was it.
And they would be free.
Finally.
There was only one problem.
Between them…And the portal…
There were things.
Creatures.
The man.
All slaughtering one another at the center of the temple.
They seriously doubted they could slip past the senses of those entities unnoticed.The difference in power was absurd.
There was no room for mistakes.
But this was their only chance.
If not now…
Then never.
"How do we get through?" Samael whispered.
Elizabeth thought for a moment.
"We circle around without being noticed," she replied. "When we get close… we run. We use Elisa as a distraction."
Samael took a deep breath.
"Good luck, Liz."
She shot him a quick glance.
"You too, Sam."
Once they started running…
It would be every man for himself.
They began circling the temple through the forest, moving as silently as possible.Every step sounded too loud.
Every snapping branch felt like a death sentence.
The wind rustling through the leaves made Samael's heart race.His senses were stretched to their limit.
His nerves were raw.
After several minutes that felt like an eternity, they reached the back of the temple.
Samael's heart hammered in his chest.
"What about entering through the roof?" he whispered. "Seems less risky than sprinting for the entrance."
The silence that followed was heavy.
The decision they made there…
Would determine whether they lived.
Or not.
"I think so too," Elizabeth said after a moment.
They began to climb the temple.
The structure was ancient, weathered by time and storms, but still solid enough to bear their weight. Samael struggled—the absence of his left arm turned every movement into a painful calculation. The effort pulled at muscles that hadn't fully healed, and the cold stone scraped against his skin.
Elizabeth noticed.
Without saying a word, she adjusted her position and helped him climb, offering steady support whenever he faltered. No words were exchanged.
Silence was safer.
At last, they reached the top.
They were almost directly above the portal.
That was when Samael noticed the horizon change.
An orange glow began to tear through the distant sky.
Dawn.
The rising light spread slowly, dissolving the darkness like ink thinning in water. And the sight it revealed made Samael forget the danger—for just a moment.
The island…
Was a forest upon the sea.
It looked like a living ocean, trees emerging from the water like green isles, twisted trunks piercing the shifting surface. The low mist reflected the newborn sunlight, creating hues that were both golden and somber.
Even the battle below…
Seen from above…
Was breathtaking.
The strikes, the movements, bodies colliding—it all looked like part of a macabre choreography. A deadly symphony. A dance between humans and monsters, marked by blood and fury, in perfect dissonance with the beauty surrounding it.
It was the kind of scene that deserved to be immortalized on canvas.
For a brief moment, the world felt… calm.
A single thought crossed Samael's mind.
I want to record this view for eternity.
There was no better word.
That moment…
Was simply beautiful.
And precisely because of that…
It was cruel.
But the world did not wait.
Samael snapped out of it as if violently torn from his own mind. The spell shattered in a soundless crack. He looked at Elizabeth.
She met his gaze.
No words.
Just a slight nod.
Agreement.
Then they moved.
With a swift blow, they shattered the already fragile roof of the temple and dropped into the main hall. The impact echoed through the ancient structure—stones breaking loose, dust rising—and in the next instant, they were running.
The portal was ahead.
Clear.
Close.
The exit.
Samael could see it perfectly.
Three meters.
That was all.
He stepped forward with his right leg.
And the world collapsed.
There was no immediate pain.
Only an absurd sensation of emptiness.
His body lost balance and slammed hard against the stone floor. Disoriented, Samael turned his head.
His right leg was still behind him.
Severed.
Separated from his body with impossible precision.
Blood gushed out.
Before his mind could react, a muffled sound drew his attention.
Elizabeth.
She had fallen too.
Where her left leg had been… there was nothing now.
It had happened at a distance.
In an instant.
They hadn't seen anything move.
Hadn't heard footsteps.
Hadn't felt an approach.
Only the result.
Panic exploded.
By instinct, Samael summoned his sword, plunging it into the ground and using it as an improvised crutch. He dragged himself forward, teeth clenched, breath ragged.
Elizabeth did the same.
Using only her arms, she pulled her body along, leaving a red trail behind her.
Centimeter by centimeter.
The portal seemed impossibly far now.
The floor was slick with blood.
When Samael stretched out his remaining arm, fingers nearly brushing the mirror's surface…
Something flashed.
And then—
His right arm vanished.
Just like that.
Samael's eyes widened.
For a second, his mind refused to accept it.
He lifted his shoulder on reflex—and saw it.
His own arm flying through the air.
Spinning.
Landing far away.
The shock was crushing.
Not just physical.
Something inside him broke.
The pain came too late.
And then he saw Elizabeth.
She had passed him.
She could have left.
She could have crossed the portal.
She could have survived.
But she didn't.
Elizabeth turned back, grabbed Samael's armor with all her strength, and with the only leg she had left, slammed her foot violently into the ground.
The momentum was enough.
She hurled herself forward.
Dragging him with her.
The world warped.
The portal's light swallowed them.
And in the final instant before everything vanished…
The temple was left behind.
So was the blood.
So was the island.