The battlefield was eerily silent—not because the war was over, but because everything that once stood in Valoria was gone.
The air hissed, thick with the stench of ozone and ash, and the few surviving structures leaned precariously over the abyss, their shadows stretching like skeletal fingers.
Thrax felt his heart sink.
"So intense...!" He murmured, his eyes locked on the dark, pulsing aura that surrounded Kon. The void around him breathed, expanding and contracting like a living entity. Plants wilted, stones crumbled to dust, and sound itself dampened near him.
"The very air around him is being erased—trying to get close could be suicide!"
But Talonir's voice cut through the shock.
"We have to stop him! By any means necessary!"
He moved to engage Kon, knowing full well that even a Narn Lord might not survive a direct encounter.
The red and black energy surged, distorting the very space around him.
Jarik's eyes widened in delight.
"Uh-oh! I think that's our cue to fall back, daughter. Best to observe from a distance."
He tapped Tigrera's shoulder, his crest glowing.
In an instant, they vanished—just as Kon's blade came down.
"Kon, no!!!"
A blinding flash of crimson light erupted—
And when it cleared, there was no Valoria.
Only a deep canyon remained, stretching far beyond the capital. The walls shimmered with residual void-energy, reflecting fractured glimpses of Valoria's past—its bustling markets, its towering spires, its people laughing and living. Now, it was all gone, replaced by a gaping wound in the earth.
The silence was deafening.
For a single moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"Varya's Command—6th Beat: Fırtına Hatırası!"(Storm Memory!)
A massive whirlwind of mana-infused feathers erupted around Kon, boxing him in with a relentless assault. Each feather sang a mournful dirge as it sliced through the air, their edges glowing with Mana.
At the same time, Thrax channeled his own power—
"Aegis Tide—5th Wave: Dalga Çarpması!" (Wave Impact!)
A concentrated burst of mana surged toward Kon, designed to destabilize his system and paralyze him.
That should stop his mana flow...
But—
BOOOOOM!!!!
Kon's dark aura exploded outward, erasing the whirlwind and deflecting the attack.
Thrax staggered backward.
"Damn it! Not only is his mana protecting him, but that suit as well!"
Talonir clenched his teeth.
"He's completely invulnerable in Grand Kaplan form!"
There was no time to think.
"Cover me, Talonir!" Thrax shouted.
Without hesitation, Talonir shifted his weapon into its sword form and rushed forward.
His blade clashed against Kon's, sending sparks flying.
Talonir was fast—faster than most could even comprehend—but even now, his mana was being corroded.
His vision blurred.
He could barely breathe.
He pulled away just in time, realizing that his mana was breaking down at a rapid rate.
"Aegis Tide—Stagnant Current: Sleep!"
Kon stopped mid-step.
His aura wavered.
For the first time since his transformation, his energy receded.
Talonir didn't wait.
He manifested his bow, already nocking an arrow in the blink of an eye.
"That ring is the key—if I hit it, we might break the Shadow's influence!"
The arrow whizzed through the air—
But the moment it entered Kon's aura, it dissolved.
"What—?!"
In a single instant, Kon's aura flared again.
Talonir barely had time to react before Kon moved with inhuman speed, sidestepping and smashing him across the face with the hilt of his sword.
Talonir flew back, blood trailing behind him.
Kon appeared before Thrax next.
His sword already in a beheading motion.
"Kon! DON'T!!!"
CLANG!
A loud crash—
And suddenly, Trevor stood between them.
His golden staff locked against Kon's blade. Ancient runes along its length glowed faintly, hinting at sealed powers yet unused.
"Maymum's Staff—Grow!"
The staff expanded, growing thicker and heavier, pushing Kon backward and sending him tumbling.
Trevor's expression twisted in anger.
"Kon!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Kon didn't answer.
His pure white eyes stared back, empty of reason.
Behind him, Darius walked forward, his expression grim. His Grand Boga form was cracked, green mana leaking off his body like ethereal blood, symbolizing his waning strength.
"He's being controlled by the Shadow. He's completely out of control."
Trevor gritted his teeth.
"Dammit... Kon, snap out of it!!"
Darius turned to Talonir and Thrax.
"Are you both alright?"
Thrax wiped the blood from his lip. "You look worse than us, Darius. We should be asking you that question."
Darius grunted. "I'll live."
His gaze turned to the battlefield, observing the massive canyon where Valoria once stood.
He closed his eyes briefly, exhaling.
"...We have to stop Lord Kaplan before there is no ArchenLand left."