From the rumble near the shattered window and crumbling wall, a black shield shimmered into view—standing tall for a brief moment before it dissolved into flickering particles of shadow.
And then, two figures were revealed.
One held a red book, the other stood just behind him. They looked like young adults at first glance—but they were far from ordinary. It was none other than Baldwin and Athan.
"What a surprise," Athan said, glancing around casually. "Only one window and part of a wall broke? That's some precision."
"Yeah… maybe it was magic," Baldwin replied, inspecting the scene with narrowed eyes.
"Of course it was!" Inkbound snapped inside Baldwin's mind. "The entire building is layered with enchantments. Even the outer walls are reinforced by magical barriers—no ordinary attack would leave just a scratch, let alone break a window."
The elevator they had emerged from faced a hallway with another window just a few paces ahead. Oddly enough, only that single window—and the section of wall beside it—had shattered. A pillow, of all things, lay on the floor nearby, untouched.
"Thunderbolts are no joke," Baldwin muttered. "We didn't want attention. Time to disappear."
A black ripple formed at his feet as he sank into his own shadow.
"For us, those thunderbolts are nothing," Athan said, shaking his head as he vanished after him. "But if anyone saw us... the humans would get suspicious."
As they fled the area, Baldwin noticed more broken windows scattered across the halls—and bodies. At least a few people had collapsed, unmoving.
"They're dead," Athan's voice whispered from the shadow. His keen nose had confirmed it instantly.
There was no time to linger. They moved swiftly, using shadow teleportation to return to their assigned room.
A few moments later, a knock echoed from the door. It was Lee.
"You're both safe—thank the heavens," Lee said, slightly breathless and sweating from his forehead.
Baldwin gave a nervous smile, slipping into his usual act.
"What happened, sir? We heard a huge explosion... a boom. We were too afraid to move," he said, even adding a touch of fear to his eyes.
Athan, however, looked thoroughly annoyed. He didn't even bother to hide his disdain.
Lee gave a nervous chuckle. "It's the storm season approaching. That means the lightning season is starting too."
Both Baldwin and Athan exchanged confused glances, nodding slowly to keep up appearances.
"Also," Lee continued, straightening his back, "Lord Lucas has given orders. You two are to leave for the North tomorrow morning."
"May I ask why?" Athan said, arms folded.
"Because of the storm season," Lee answered simply.
"And where is Sir Lucas now?" Baldwin asked, his tone still light.
"He went to the forest region—apparently something suspicious was detected. He said he'll be gone for at least two days. He apologizes for the inconvenience and... he left a message."
Lee's gaze softened slightly.
"He said he hopes to meet you both after all this is over. Until then... he asked you to stay alive."
With a deep, respectful bow, Lee stepped back and closed the door, not giving them time to reply.
Silence filled Baldwin and Athan's room, but far from them, in the depths of the stormy northern forest, the night was anything but quiet.
Rain poured relentlessly from the heavens, each drop slashing like a blade against the leaves. Thunder roared above, casting flashes of white light across the canopy. The wind howled with a voice of its own—wild, furious, untamed.
Lucas stood in the center of a muddy clearing, sword drawn and leveled directly at a lone woman. Around him, his knights formed a tight circle, weapons ready, eyes narrowed. Their stances were tense—ready to strike at the slightest threat.
"You're joking, right? A woman, alone, claiming she's lost?" Lucas spat, rain running down his face. "There's no way someone like you wandered in here by accident. And you expect us to believe that?"
"Oh dear," the woman replied with a sultry smile, tilting her head. Her long black-purple hair clung perfectly to her noble black gown, untouched by the weather. Her violet eyes glowed softly in the gloom. "That's the third time you've asked me that. What kind of man points a sword at an unarmed woman?"
Lucas's grip tightened. "I'll ask again. Who are you? Why are you here? You couldn't have crossed the forest without help. Turn around, and go back to wherever you came from."
"That makes five times now," she said with a light laugh. "Five times who I am, three times where I'm from, then all over again. You knights really are persistent."
"Because you're suspicious," Lucas growled. "You're no ordinary woman. We've seen the tricks your kind use."
"Oh? And what exactly makes you so sure?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
A knight to Lucas's left stepped forward. "Your dress. Even your shoes. Not a speck of dirt. Not even damp. In this storm? That's not natural."
The woman's expression shifted instantly—from feigned innocence to thinly veiled disgust.
A black liquid slithered from her hand, twisting and hardening into the form of an elegant fan. It shimmered ominously under the flashes of lightning.
Lucas and his men reacted instantly. His sword ignited with a fierce green glow, and the same light flared in his eyes. The other knights called on their own powers, their weapons crackling with elemental energy.
"How annoying," the woman sighed. "I answered your questions nine times. Back in my realm, no one dares question me once."
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "So you are one of the Dark Kings?"
"You asked me who I am…" she said, twirling the fan slowly. "I hadn't chosen a name in this world yet. But I suppose now there's no point in keeping up the act."
She gave a sickening smile.
"From now on… you may call me Mara."
Fear spread like wildfire through the knights. Lucas could see their hands shaking—even the most seasoned of them.
"So Mara," he said, voice low, "what are you? Why are you here? We have nothing for you. No power. No secrets."
Mara stepped forward, the rain parting unnaturally around her. "I am the Supreme Tyrant of Glintabyss. You mortals call it the Mirror World. I've come to understand this thing you call… emotion. And once I do—"
She paused, her eyes glowing dark with malice.
"—I'll destroy every last one of you."
The moment she spoke, a wave of black-purple energy surged out from her fan, swallowing everything. Darkness covered the clearing like ink poured over a canvas. Lucas couldn't see. Not even his hand before his face.
Screams erupted around him. The panicked shouts of his knights, the clash of weapons, cries of agony and terror.
"Fear nothing!" Lucas shouted, trying to rally them. "We live together! We fight together! If we must die, then we die with honor! Knights, assemble!"
He knew it was hopeless. Even if she was lying about being from the Mirror World, her power was real—terrifyingly real. There would be no escape. But if he had to fall tonight, he would fall standing.
He gritted his teeth, raised his glowing sword, and roared:
"Even if I die—I, Lucas Whitecat, will meet death with honor and dignity! I will stop you No matter what! "
And with that, he lunged blindly into the void.