Sora Tiamat stood in contemplative silence, her gaze sharp as a blade as she weighed the gravity of her decision. After a moment that seemed to stretch eternity, she finally spoke.
"As an honorable ethereal warrior of Lordrixis, it is my duty to uphold justice. Thus, I will shield Prince Albert Eldran from further scrutiny."
Prince Albert remained motionless, the weight of Alfreya's words and actions still settling in his mind. Though Sora's declaration was clear, he knew that Glynn had contingencies in place. The Belkarn Clan Shadows were omnipresent, lurking in every corner, poised to act should the situation spiral out of control.
Sora continued, her voice as cold as the steel she wielded. "However, Shun Xshasi, you are not of royal blood and have no right to meddle in this internal strife."
Her words were a decree of finality, but Shun's smile only broadened, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"You must be executed here and now. The King would accept nothing less."
Shun shook his head, a feigned disappointment in his eyes. "How unfortunate. Yet, I am prepared to bear the consequences of my actions."
His gaze shifted briefly to Albert, his voice steady and unyielding. "Once Prince Albert departs safely, you may do with me as you wish, even if that means taking my life."
Albert, still reeling from the earlier events, found himself unable to muster any outward reaction. Despite Shun's calm demeanor, Albert had a nagging suspicion that Shun had already anticipated every possible outcome—even against a complete ethereal warrior like Sora.
Shun's reassuring smile seemed to guide Albert out of the palace, but something far more insidious gripped his mind and body, forcing him to comply against his will. His mental state was powerless against this overwhelming force.
As they reached the threshold, Shun shrugged nonchalantly. "I cannot fully trust that you will uphold your duty to Prince Eldran. Before you take my life, you must recount these events before the King himself. Feel free to trap me within this chamber—I doubt I could escape your power."
Sora's tone remained icy. "Do you believe I am bound to obey your whims?" A dark aura began to unfurl from her back, swallowing the light around her.
Shun chuckled, undeterred. "I trust you're aware of my connections—Silver Iricson and Glynn Belkarn. If I were to send them a final message, your entire family would be doomed."
"You cannot hope to withstand the wrath of the ninth complete ethereal warrior or the most influential organization in the kingdom."
Sora considered his words carefully. Shun was right; with his ethereal arm, he could easily communicate with his allies. There was no point in provoking them further. She withdrew the dark aura and spoke, her tone laced with suspicion. "And how am I to trust that you won't send that message while I'm away?"
Shun's laughter filled the chamber as Imaginative Reality materialized in his hand. He tossed it towards Sora, the gesture speaking volumes. Without his ethereal arm, Shun was powerless, unable to send any message. Yet, if he were to summon it back, Sora was confident she could kill him before he could act.
Satisfied, she melted into the darkness that now cloaked the room, her senses heightened, ready to strike at the slightest movement.
Shun stood in the eerie silence, waiting. Sora, in her arrogance or perhaps out of a momentary lapse in judgment, had forgotten that Shun was now "helpless." Her decisions were altered by one of Shun's ethereal arms as well as the impact of the previous incident.
Time passed—how much, Shun couldn't say—when the shadows in the walls coalesced into a humanoid figure. Sora had returned, prepared to execute him. Or so she believed.
"I've explained everything to the King," Sora's voice trembled, betraying her inner turmoil. She had done exactly as Shun had instructed. King Eldran's reaction would have to be dealt with later, but for now, Shun's focus was singular.
"He also decreed that you must be executed."
A wry smile tugged at Shun's lips. "It seems I am to be the sacrificial scapegoat then. But before you do the deed, allow me to show you something… something that might resonate with you."
With a deft twist of his hand, a brilliant flaming horn materialized from thin air.
Sora's eyes narrowed. She recognized the horn instantly. The sin of Vladimir Sandrea was etched deeply into her memory, and yet, she was certain Vladimir Sandrea had perished long ago, taking Frenzied Dream with him.
She spat, the shadows around her compressing, preparing to strike. But Shun raised the horn to his lips, unperturbed by her imminent attack. Sora felt no fear.
As the horn's haunting melody filled the air, the world around her began to warp, her mind splitting with unbearable pain. The golden aura that enveloped the room was not one of glory but madness, and the figure before her was no longer Shun.
It was the Mad Lord himself.
Sora's last coherent thought was of Vladimir Sandrea's final words, now spoken through Shun's lips.
"There are two types of people in this world: those affected by the Frenzied Dream, and those who are not."
"But I've never been able to tell the difference."
A scream tore from Sora's throat, but the darkness consumed even her voice. The shadows that had once obeyed her now turned against their master, ending her life with a single strike.
Shun watched dispassionately as Sora's lifeless body crumpled to the floor. But beneath his calm exterior, exhilaration surged through him. This was the 23rd complete ethereal arm, surpassing even Frenzied Dream in power. A dark orb rose from Sora's corpse, drifting towards his outstretched hand.
[Boundless Gloom]
Class: Complete
Weapon Type: Special
Ability Type: Elemental
The 23rd complete ethereal arm of its era, Boundless Gloom grants its wielder absolute control over all forms of physical darkness, as well as the ability to blend seamlessly into the shadows. Human shadows, however, remain beyond its grasp. Beware of light.
"Boundless Gloom can manipulate the darkness of the physical world, but not the darkness within the human heart. If it could, 23 would be far too big a number."
Shun read the description again and again, his smile growing ever more sinister. But his moment of triumph was interrupted by an old, unfamiliar voice.
"Young Master, you must leave at once. The royal army will arrive soon."
Shun whirled around, his eyes sharp with suspicion. A tall figure stood before him, cloaked in black, long grey hair barely visible beneath the hood.
"I am Kylainn Esmira, head of the Belkarn Clan Shadows. My loyalty to you far exceeds that of Glynn Belkarn."
Shun's gaze lingered on the man, scrutinizing him carefully. Eventually, he nodded, turning to the window. Without a backward glance, he leaped into the night, disappearing into the shadows.
Kylainn remained by the window, his gaze distant. "Old comrade, it's time."
A voice, equally old but friendlier, answered from behind a pillar. "Indeed… It's been too long since our last reunion, Kyle."
The speaker stepped into view—it was Eriq Ranborg.
"You know that's not what I mean, Eriq." Kylainn smiled, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Don't you find it ironic that the Young Master was named 'Shun'? The same name as that despicable traitor." His voice dripped with venom at the mention of Shun.
Eriq sighed as he knelt beside Sora's corpse. Under his touch, her lifeless body withered at an alarming rate. "Shun had his reasons. As he said, none of us have the right to judge him. It was wrong, yet in its own way, justifiable."
Kylainn's gaze bore into Eriq's. "What about you, Eriq? Is your heart still with us? Do you still consider yourself a harbinger?"
Eriq chuckled softly, unbuttoning his coat to reveal a ghastly diagonal scar that cleaved his body in two.
"Every time I look at this scar, any doubt or hesitation vanishes. I will never forget our Master's kindness."
"So, even though this old body is scarred and weary, my heart has never changed."