The late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the improvised training ground. Lusian moved with almost obsessive precision, wielding Dainslein again and again. Each strike, each turn, seemed to unleash a thunderclap of contained energy; the ground beneath his feet cracked with every impact, and thin fissures spread through the earth like veins pulsing with dark mana.
He could feel it—the strength of Umber, her final gift, vibrating within him, amplifying every muscle, every reflex, every instinct. It was a power he had never known before, and at the same time, a piercing reminder of everything he had lost.
Emily appeared silently among the trees, watching him for a moment before approaching. Without a word, she took his face in her hands, stopping the motion of his sword, and with a gentle gesture wiped away the tears he hadn't even realized were running down his cheeks.
"Lusian…" she whispered, her voice soft but steady. "Are you alright?"
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of her hand anchor him. After everything that had happened—after so much death and sacrifice—his voice came out like a frayed thread.
"No… I'm not alright," he admitted. "I feel like… like I'm a failure. Everything I did, everything I lost…" His teeth clenched, his gaze drifting into the distance. "Umber… Elizabeth… what's the point of all this if I keep letting them suffer?"
Emily held him firmly. "You're not a failure. You're still here, still fighting, still protecting them. Not everyone can do that."
But before Lusian could reply, a roar of dark energy tore through the air. An explosion of demonic mana forced them both a step back.
"That… that's coming from the princess's chamber!" Emily shouted, pointing toward the interior of the palace. "Let's go!"
A violent burst of demonic mana shook the entire princess's chamber. It felt as if the whole palace had been jolted awake by the eruption of power.
Elizabeth floated in the air, trembling, wrapped in swirling demonic mana. Her eyes slowly began to open, but the glow within them was strange—unsettling. Lusian swallowed hard, a knot tightening in his throat. Was it really her… or just a vessel for something far worse?
"Elizabeth…" he whispered, his voice thick with fear. "Please… still be you…"
Deidara appeared among the heroes, watching her with cold detachment. But all attention shifted to Elizabeth, who, upon seeing him, screamed with horrified recognition.
"You!"
Lusian stepped forward through the bodies and chaotic energy surrounding them, his sword still in hand. When Elizabeth saw him, her expression changed. Fury and confusion mixed with relief—and then, as if she had found her anchor, she threw herself into him, crying uncontrollably.
She clung to him tightly, sobbing without restraint. Her tears were real—human—and that made Lusian's fear mix with a deep, overwhelming relief. Every tear felt like proof that she was still there, that the darkness had not consumed her completely.
The heralds arrived at the edge of the chamber, alerted by the explosion of mana, but Lusian kept them at bay with a firm gesture and his sword pointed directly at them.
"Don't come any closer! If you lay a single finger on her, I'll stop you!"
Emily appeared behind him, breathing hard, and placed a hand over Elizabeth, channeling her light to contain the demonic mana. Lusian held the princess tightly, feeling the tension in the air: the line between danger and hope had never been thinner.
The chamber trembled with the power gathering inside it. The battle had not yet begun, but Lusian already knew one thing—so long as Elizabeth was there, even if only a thread of the woman she used to be remained, he would never leave her alone.
When everyone finally withdrew, Lusian stayed beside Elizabeth, watching her carefully. His heart pounded in his chest. From experience, he knew that when a demon took over someone's body, the memories took time to merge. So he began asking intimate questions—things only the two of them would know: their first kiss, their first night together… small details shared only between them.
Elizabeth answered without hesitation, even joking and blushing slightly.
Lusian let out a deep breath, relief flooding through him.
She wasn't possessed.
Emily, who had remained nearby, heard everything. Her emotions twisted together—relief, jealousy, confusion—all at once.
Elizabeth then told them about Deidara: that she had been the one who approached her and immobilized her.
Lusian nodded slowly, understanding just how serious the situation truly was.