The night sky lit up like a battlefield of stars as the fortress erupted into chaos.
With the barrier down, Yurelia's resistance poured through the shattered main gate. Lucien led the charge with a cry that cut through the night, his sword glowing with radiant energy. Behind him, archers loosed volleys of flaming arrows, painting the fortress walls in orange and gold.
Haruto stayed near Serenya as they moved through the outer courtyard, ducking between broken columns and charred wooden carts. The Nullblade hummed faintly at his side, eager—but silent.
"Stick close," Serenya said, her tone sharp as she summoned a swirling orb of blue fire and flung it at a group of enemy soldiers. The explosion sent stone and bodies flying, but she didn't stop to admire her work. "We still need to reach the inner sanctum. That's where their war priest is."
Haruto followed her, mind racing.
The sights were overwhelming—screams, clashing steel, spells crackling through the air like thunder. But what struck him most was the smell. Burned wood, scorched flesh, and hot metal mixed in the air. The illusion of glory shattered with every step.
Suddenly, a shadow broke from the smoke—an armored rebel knight wielding a halberd nearly twice Haruto's height.
Haruto froze.
The knight charged. Serenya turned to cast—but too slow.
Haruto moved on instinct.
The Nullblade met the halberd mid-swing. Instead of clashing, it sliced through the metal cleanly. The weapon's shaft fell to the ground in two useless pieces, and the rebel stumbled back, fear dawning in his eyes.
Haruto stepped forward and struck again—not with rage, but resolve.
The knight dropped.
Haruto stood over him, breathing hard. The Nullblade's edge was still clean, untouched by blood. It never needed to be.
Serenya watched him, eyes unreadable.
"You hesitated," she said, voice low.
"I didn't want to kill him," Haruto replied.
"But you did."
They stood in silence for a breath. Then the fortress trembled—the inner sanctum was awakening.
Lucien's voice called out from somewhere ahead, muffled by stone.
Serenya looked at Haruto. "Let's go. This isn't over."
As they ran into the smoke, Haruto realized the truth: he was no longer a bystander in this war. He had chosen to fight—and there was no turning back.