The sun dipped behind the mountains, casting a pale orange hue over the snowy forest. At the Sureva Estate, flames licked the rooftops as smoke spiraled into the sky.
Paul's carriage came to a sudden halt just outside the gates. Rhea stepped out, her eyes going wide.
The estate was in ruins. Blood stained the snow. Fallen knights lay scattered—Sureva's elite, cut down without mercy. The golden banners of the Duchy were torn and trampled under foreign boots.
"Paul… no…" Rhea whispered.
Before she could take a step, soldiers in unfamiliar colors surrounded them.
"Identify yourselves!" a gruff voice barked.
Paul stood firm, though his side still bled from an earlier ambush. "This is Duchess Rhea Sureva. Let us through. She has no part in this war."
The soldiers hesitated until a single figure emerged—a tall man clad in black and silver armor. His gaze was cold, but not cruel.
"Lady Sureva," the man greeted. "You must come with us. We can't ensure your safety otherwise."
"And my husband?" Rhea asked, voice trembling.
The man did not respond. Instead, he gestured for them to follow.
Paul tried to step between them, but the soldiers seized him. Two blades pressed against his neck.
"No!" Rhea shouted.
But it was too late. Paul was dragged aside as Rhea was taken in chains.
Inside the estate's ruined halls, Arhenius stood in the Grand Hall, surrounded by only a handful of surviving knights.
His right eye was swollen shut, and blood streaked his face—but his back remained straight. Before him stood dozens of enemy knights, led by the same silver-armored man.
And behind them—Rhea, bound in chains.
"Rhea…" Arhenius's voice cracked.
She struggled, but the guards held firm.
The man in silver stepped forward. "Duke Arhenius Longus Sureva, by the decree of His Majesty, you are under arrest for treason, black magic experimentation, and conspiracy against the Crown."
Arhenius stared at him. "Then let us end this with honor."
He reached for his sword, but the moment he grasped the hilt, a pulse of mana exploded in the room. Arhenius's aura—furious, grief-stricken, and wild—shook the very walls.
And yet, the man in silver was prepared. He stepped forward, releasing his own mana, and the two forces clashed in a silent war of willpower.
Rhea screamed. "Stop! You'll destroy everything!"
But Arhenius had already made his decision.
"I won't be taken like a common criminal," he muttered. "If they want my legacy to burn, then let it burn with fire that no one will forget."
A blast surged outward, scattering the enemy soldiers like leaves in a storm. Rhea collapsed, protected by a barrier of mana from one of Arhenius's last loyal guards.
The duel began.
Steel rang, mana flared, and two titans clashed beneath the shattered stained-glass crest of House Sureva.