On the top of the Magitek Wonder Valkut Spire, the battle had reached its climax.

Marquess Foulfae had crossed over from the realm of the fae and the world shuddered from his arrival. The ambient mana and the land began to change, altered by the great fae’s will.

Standing in his way, was the Popess of the Estellian Church, Sallustia Amaris.

Words were hardly sufficient to accurately describe the battle between these two figures. It was an eye-opener for Alvared. As a Level 5 peak Pathseeker, he thought he was standing on top of the world, that he had reached the highest peak.

Then he saw a higher sky in the form of the Popess.

Sallustia was a Level 5 peak same as him, however, she had proven herself to be a match for the fae marquess. The marquess was a higher being that had stepped into the divine, his power was clearly greater than any Level 5 Pathseeker.

Alvared thought it was impossible but Sallustia had done it. She brought low Foulfae and was about to banish him back to whence he came.

However, an upset occurred during the final stage of the battle. The final blow to the fae leader was not given by the Popess but by the hand of the Governor-King himself.

“Huoggh!! You… What are you doing!?”

Alvared's hand pierced Foulfae's back and went through.

“Change of plans, insect-man. Rage as much as you like under the tree bark you call home,” Alvared yanked his hand out, pulling out the fae's heart in the process.

“Losing a heart will not result in your death but it's not a small matter either. Go hibernate for a hundred years with your moth concubines.”

After Foulfae was spent from the dimensional crossing and fighting Sallustia, Alvared swooped in to land the last hit.

“I will not forget this! I'll definitely return! Despicable humans, I'll destroy every single one of you! I’ll have my revenge!!!”

Foulfae was mad with rage but he was easily pushed into the dimensional tunnel, back into the fae realm. With him gone, there was a sense of ease in the air, as if the world had let out a sigh of relief.

“My thanks, ladies of the Church, for weakening the fae so. I couldn't have done this without you,” Alvared said while holding the bloodied fae heart in his hand.

Of course, Sallsustia or Judith didn't mean to allow Alvared to do as he pleased but they were pinned into place by infernal chains. It was only thanks to them the ambush was successful.

“This is the Cult’s method,” Judith said. “You’ve thrown in your lot with them. How low will you go, brother?”

Naturally, the method that held two high-ranking members of the Church was given to Alvared by Georgi. It was part of their agreement.

“Hmph. I’m not like your zealot counterpart. I simply used them. Just like I used Foulfae,” Alvared felt insulted that he was likened to the cultists.

“Governor-King Alvared, what are you planning?” Sallustia said softly.

“Just like he said, you really are beyond common sense. Even this wouldn't hold you for long,” Alvared observed the chains on Sallustia unraveling. “I’m not your match, but I’m done here.”

The Magitek Wonder began to thrum as if a humongous machine was activating.

“My objective, Popess, is to revive my empire and to become a Level 6, but I know the truth. I’ll not do it your way, sucking up to Estelle. Neither will I submit to the devils. I am Alvared von Coriz. I’ll not bend my knee to devils or angels.”

“And this is the result,” Sallustia gestured to the broken Valkut city. “What are your thoughts on this, Governor-King? Will you not even admit responsibility?”

“Popess, even with all your might, you cannot prevent this. I’m not the first nor will I be the last. Somewhere, somewhen, there will be someone doing something similar. Your Goddess put a lid on our growth to preserve the stability of the world and the greater good but there will always be people like me who don't accept it. It is simply human nature.”

Alvared thrust the fae heart forward.

“With this, I’ll break the mortal limit and ascend to divinity!”

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Alvared sensed Radiageus was channeling his dragon breath from below the tower.

“I’ll take my leave here. Farewell, sister, Popess. You’ll not see me again… Not until I’m stronger than you.”

The Magitek Wonder shot a light straight into the sky and Alvared was gone, along with the top part of the Spire.

A dragon’s roar of rage signaled the end of the conflict in Valkut city.

“...He’s gone,” Judith sighed. “I failed to stop him.”

“We both failed,” Sallustia removed Judith’s infernal chains after dissolving hers.

By stopping Foulfae’s rampage, they managed to prevent the spread of a catastrophic disaster, but both of them didn't feel like they achieved a victory.

“It seems the other conflict has concluded as well.”

“Might be the Cult. Alvared seems to have dealings with them… Who’s the other, you think?” Judith asked.

“I do not know,” the silver-haired woman shook her head.

The Popess and the Cardinal faced the faraway place where they sensed the clash of great powers. Of course, it was the place where Clarissa battled Georgi.

“Sallustia, why did you spread your Purge Evil to such a degree?” Judith asked. It didn't fit her superior and friend’s nature to do so.

“I had been asked to, by Lucyna.”

“The Interpreter of Fate!? Why?” Judith didn't think that she was behind this.

“She said it would prevent the worst future. That I must not hold back.”

Judith let the words sink in. What she’d heard wasn't light.

“She’s in critical condition now. Fate does not like its secrets being revealed. She’s been pushing herself too hard lately. I fear her successor will soon take over,” Sallustia added.

“May the Radiant Lady watch over her… Has the worst future been averted?”

“I pray it has.”

Sallustia looked up to the sky as the rain started to fall.

***

The power of friendship came through.

Paina and Farley were skeptical about it at first since there was no logic or sense behind it but Viers was adamant it would definitely be useful.

As the battle got tough, indeed the bonds of friendship, the trust between the two girls seemed to provide an inexplicable boon. There was also Clarissa, who might be battling her own battle at a different place but she is their friend nonetheless. They faced the same adversary together.

Ciel might be the weakest link but they defeated the Level 4 split soul by watching each other’s backs. She risked her life and limb in the mud with them. A strong seed of friendship started sprouting, even if Farley and Ciel were not on the best of terms at first.

Paina, Farley, and Ciel were heavily injured. They didn't even have the strength to stand. Paina lost a hand while Farley lost an eye. Ciel knelt on one knee, planting the divine sword into the ground as support.

The clone’s Domain was broken and they were back at the lakeside. The smoke was clearing, showing the standing white-clothed split soul of Georgi.

The divine sword left its mark, a bisection diagonally across his torso. As if someone used an eraser on a real-life man. If he was flesh and blood, he would have separated into two parts but he was not.

Still, it was clear to the three’s senses that he was done for.

“Brilliant… You three have shown extraordinary valor against a superior opponent and triumphed admirably. A magnificent display of strength and skill. Very well done.”

The clone of a man whose name the three didn't know gave his praise. It sounded genuine too. The man did not look angry or bitter but showed a kindly smiling expression.

“As a reward for beating me, I’ll gift each of you meddling children a curse.”

He first turned to Ciel.

“Justice is a lie. After your heart shatters to pieces, darkness will swallow you whole. You’ll weep in the dark and pray for salvation but not even Estelle’s light can reach you in your black prison.”

Second, Farley.

“No matter how far you go, the shadow of the wolf will never cease to loom over you. In the end, the past will take its due. To your horror, your loved kin will tread a similar path. Her journey will end in fire and darkness.”

Third, Paina.

“You’ll have wings. With them, you’ll escape the bog of the ordinary and soar far and wide into the blue sky. Until the wind of freedom carries you too close to the sun. Your wings will turn to ash and you’ll fall to the earth. What remains of you will be fought over by dogs.”

The trio felt their blood turn ice cold.

“A most splendid victory. Well done.”

The clone turned to wisps after saying his last praise.

None of the three said anything. It was not a soul attack, so the curse was not an Arte but it was no less of a curse.

“Yaaaa!”

The one that freed their stilled time was Faiya. The fire elemental looked like he was a fire almost out of oxygen. When he reached them, Clarissa’s soul came out from inside him and Faiya fell beside the unconscious Viers, out of energy.

“Rissa! Faiya!” Paina moved towards them. Farley and Ciel too, but slower.

“Clarissa, are you okay? Talk to me,” Farley tried to rouse Clarissa. She didn't look injured but who knew if that was truly the case.

“I’m not an expert in the matter of soul but she doesn't seem fatally injured,” Ciel assessed after invoking her investigation Arte.

“...No sign of that soul user, so Clarissa must have won,” Farley said while covering her injured right eye with her hand.

“Then we did it…” Paina weakly said. “By the heavens, we really did it.”

“Yes… But we should go. It's too open here and someone might come. We need to find a place to rest. Ciel, come with us.”

“...Okay.”

Ciel was in no shape to travel. They must find a safe place before their body shuts down. The three began their retreat. They had won a great victory but they didn't seem happy and it was clear something was weighing on their mind.

The cursed medal of victory was very heavy to bear.