It all happened suddenly.
There was no time to react, to think, or even to move.
First came a deafening roar that shook the ground.
The trees trembled. The wind howled. And the endless grey sky... turned black as if snuffed out by some invisible hand.
Azriel's heart hammered in his chest, his breath stilled, and the world held its breath. The group stood frozen, silence swallowing them whole, as if the very air demanded reverence.
Azriel collapsed to his knees, hands pressed against his ears, groaning. The others were brought down the same way, except for Amaya and Mira, who somehow remained standing.
A dread so pure it felt ancient washed over him, and he forced himself to look up. Whatever unholy nightmare had made that sound lurked above, hiding in the pitch-dark clouds.
A third roar. Azriel felt his throat close. His skin crawled, damp with cold sweat, and his mind could only scream one thing:
A crack of thunder exploded overhead, the sound rolling through the forest like the world itself was tearing apart.
"It's times like these that make me wonder why I haven't retired already..."
Mira's solemn voice cut through the air. Heads turned towards her, her expression as grim as stone as she gripped a golden spear in her right hand, her sharp eyes fixed on the shifting clouds.
"And yet," she murmured, "who could have expected something to show up here?"
She turned to Amaya, her face dark. Her voice was low, steely.
"You'll be taking command here with Sir Cole. Move east, towards the sea—you'll find the underground network entrance if you search carefully. Survive and reach the king as fast as you can. Don't waste time."
Amaya's eyes widened in shock; Cole paled, dropping to one knee as he stared up at Mira in horror.
Mira glanced at Jasmine, who was forcing herself to her feet, her legs trembling.
"Our mission was to reach the king and bring word back of what's happening there. Retreating now isn't an option. The woods will be too dangerous, and if the Void Capital still stands after this, it'll be a miracle."
To Mira, the mission was absolute.
Azriel, still struggling to make sense of the situation, blinked—and then Mira was gone.
Another roar resounded, but this time, the air trembled as though the very ground was about to split open.
No... it wasn't one roar. It was three, simultaneous, each one tearing through the air like a creature of pure malice.
A violent shockwave hit Azriel, hurling him through the air. A short scream escaped his mouth before he hit the ground, pain ripping through him as he tried to rise. The earth felt as if an earthquake had struck, with dirt and leaves swirling in the air, stinging his face like shards of glass.
Finally, Azriel struggled to his knees, glancing upward.
'Gods... this world is fucking crazy...!'
The clouds above weren't merely dark; something massive stirred within them. And then, a drop landed on his face.
Another. And another.
Soon, a downpour fell over them—not rain, but scalding hot, blood-red liquid.
"Everyone, move! Don't stop or look back—keep going!"
Amaya's shout snapped them out of their trance, and they began to run.
They ran, faces battered by dirt and the screaming wind, their ears ringing from the thunderous battle raging above, a clash that felt like gods were warring in the heavens.
In that moment, Azriel understood the raw, impossible power that separated beings like Mira from mere humans.
Another roar split the air, followed by a shockwave that threw Azriel back. He hit the ground hard but forced himself up again, not pausing for even a second.
Some were not so lucky. When Azriel dared a glance back, he wished he hadn't.
A soldier in the crimson military uniform was thrashing on the ground, screaming in agony.
"Help me… please! Ah, please help!"
There, burrowing into his right eye, was a tiny creature—a void worm. It gnawed hungrily, halfway embedded, as blood poured from his eye socket. The soldier's eye burst, and the creature slithered in, disappearing into the hollow it left behind.
Azriel fought back the bile rising in his throat, gritting his teeth. Red lightning crackled around him as he turned away.
'Damn it! This is pure madness! Madness!'
"We'll form separate teams for each isl—"
Joaquin's words trailed off as everyone glanced at him, puzzled, standing in the cold chamber. Only a few torches lit the stone walls, casting shadows. Malcolm rose from the ground, his gaze sweeping over the group.
"I know," Joaquin murmured.
Then, before anyone could react, both Joaquin and Malcolm disappeared in a sudden gust of wind, reappearing atop the castle, overlooking the darkened sea.
Joaquin stepped forward, eyes narrowing as he scowled at the darkness. Malcolm joined him, voice hesitant and grim.
"It's…gone. Not just it—the entire sea looks abandoned."
A heavy silence hung between them. Joaquin spoke low, his tone laced with unease.
"It seems I've underestimated the dangers of the Sunken Islands entirely."
Turning to Malcolm, his expression hardened.
"I'll stay here with two void archaeologists—volunteers who'll be rewarded personally. You and the rest take the tunnels and retreat. Make sure the team with my daughter returns to SICVC. Or, better yet, Earth."
Years of instinct screamed at Joaquin that something had gone horribly wrong. He felt the warning as if every alarm bell in his mind had been set off.
'Where did they all go?'
Especially the Titan. It was unusual—no, it was wrong—for it to leave, knowing Joaquin was here, practically inviting a fight. Joaquin didn't believe for a moment that it had simply…run.
Something was terribly, horribly wrong.
But he had come here for a reason, and he wasn't leaving until he uncovered the secrets buried in the Sunken Islands. That didn't mean, however, he would endanger his men for it.
Malcolm's jaw clenched.
"Your Majesty, leaving you here alone with just two void archaeologists is reckless. The Queen will be furious when she hears."
Joaquin's lips twitched as he stifled a wry smile.
'Furious? No, she might finally see my end as inevitable.'
Just months ago, he'd nearly gotten himself killed allowing Azriel to head to [White Haven] on a whim. But how could he hold Azriel back? They couldn't grow strong under restraints. Joaquin's role was to support them, even if his beloved wife thought differently.
"You're right, Malcolm. I was too reckless, too eager to seize any advantage we could find here. But if you're not with them, who will ensure their safety?"
Malcolm's gaze softened, his heart heavy with understanding. He knew Joaquin's desperation for knowledge—for victory.
"Very well. I'll follow your command, my King," Malcolm said, his voice thick with emotion.
For the first time, Joaquin's face cracked into a slight smile, one that Malcolm hadn't seen directed his way in years. It nearly brought tears to his eyes.
"I'm trusting you, old friend."