Dozens of plant-like monsters surrounded them, with more creeping out of the shadows, filling every gap in the broken walls.
"Heads down," Satifa ordered, stepping forward.
She summoned her divine power, sand swirling in the air around her. Locusts began to form from the dust, their numbers growing until thousands burst forth in a seething swarm. The air filled with the furious hum of wings as the locusts descended on the monsters, creating a whirlwind of chaos.
The plant-creatures recoiled, snapping at the air, but they were no match for the sheer number of insects attacking them.
Joan seized the opportunity, lunging forward with her sword, slicing through thick vines and twisted roots.
Even Satifa's locusts struggled to keep up. The creatures' regenerative powers were relentless.
One of the assassins, already gravely wounded, was cornered by a beast, his left arm dangling uselessly. In a last, desperate move, he tore open his tunic, revealing a set of explosives strapped to his chest—crafted by the Old Man of the Mountain himself.
With a defiant grin, he triggered the explosives.
The blast tore through the chamber, reducing dozens of monsters to ash and shattering one of the tower walls. Flames erupted, and the dry vines, roots, and strange plants growing through the stone ignited instantly, the fire spreading like paper caught in a oven.
~~
High above, in the throne room Lak Ahm screamed in agony, clutching her chest as if the flames themselves burned her. Xerxes rushed to her side. "What is happening?"
Lak Ahm's breath came in ragged gasps. "No… no, no, NO! My creations—gone. They're gone!"
The explosion sent shockwaves through the tower, shaking its ancient foundations. Flames engulfed the garden below, consuming the grotesque plant creatures, their twisted forms writhing and shrieking as they burned. In the chaos, Joan and the others took their chance, retreating from the inferno that was rapidly overtaking the once-sacred hanging gardens.
"What is going on?" Xerxes roared.
"Intruders…" Lak Ahm gasped.
Divine energy flared around Xerxes, his aura sparking with lethal intent. His wrath was palpable; he was ready to destroy any who had dared violate his daughter's sanctuary.
"No, Father!" Lak Ahm rasped. "You can't… You're too powerful. You'll destroy everything." She cast a glance toward the Ursang saints, his chosen warriors. "Send the Ursangs…"
Xerxes' fury simmered as he held back, but he gave a curt nod. He turned to his Ursang saints—towering figures in dark armor that absorbed the dim light, their golden claws gleaming. "Find the intruders. Bring me any humans you find; kill the rest."
The Ursang saints moved with swiftly, dispersing into the burning gardens.
~~
In the chaos below the fire spread rapidly, swallowing everything in its path. Tara ordered the assassins to scatter, but two of them didn't make it far. One was ambushed by an Ursang as they had gotten there in an instant, its golden claw slicing cleanly through the assassin's skull before turning to crush the second one with ruthless efficiency.
"What now?!" Joan shouted as she saw the Ursang advancing on her, its claws ready to strike.
She swung her sword, but the Ursang dodged effortlessly, its eyes fixed on her like a predator sizing up prey.
Before it could strike, a concussive blast knocked it back—Gadaric, his hands raised, had unleashed a burst of sound that momentarily disoriented the saint.
The Ursang staggered but quickly regained its footing. Another joined the fray, smashing through one of Yosef's puppets and scattering its pieces across the floor.
~~
Back in the throne room…
"You need to leave, now!" Lak Ahm insisted, her voice thick with pain.
"I'm not abandoning you," Xerxes said, gripping one of the vines entwining her. "These creations—they're sapping your strength. Why cling to them?"
Lak Ahm's eyes sparked with defiance, even through her exhaustion. "I am the goddess of the Lakhmid—once the most beloved people of the Sassan heaven." She gripped the armrest, slowly pulling herself to her feet. "Even weakened, I will defend this land."
She extended her hand, and from the floor of her throne room, a sword formed, its blade woven from roots and thorns that pulsed with dark energy. Blood and sap seeped from her wounds as she rose, but her gaze was unyielding.
Xerxes watched her, his expression a mix of pride and sorrow. He knew that nothing he could say would make her yield now. If he stayed, his own power would risk bringing down the entire structure—and he'd lose his daughter's love forever.
With a deep, heavy breath, he stepped back. "Very well, Lak Ahm. But remember—when all you cling to has turned to ash, you'll still have me"
She held his gaze, steady and unbroken. "Go, Father. And do not return."
Xerxes hesitated, then turned and walked away, leaving her alone with her choice, her kingdom crumbling around her.