The sun had set on the seat of King Rolynd, but instead of stars, only a constellation of red lights could be seen in the skies above the streets embroiled in conflict.

Things had rapidly gone from bad to worse.

The bombardment of Al Dherjza which had gone on for nearly 36 straight hours had suddenly stopped… only for battalions of Angels to appear throughout the city in beams of white light shining down from the Intercessor. The shelling had already caused significant problems for the supply of the magic corps and Al Dherjza’s armies, but the blitzkrieg that had come after had completely frozen the movement of resources.

And worst of all, Carmen had just been killed.

The news had left Sophia feeling shell-shocked. She knew that it had always been a risk, but she had thought that Lucina would target her first, not Carmen. Why Carmen, of all people? She was harmless. Kind. Loving.

There was no sense in her murder; It was a cruel thing to do. Too cruel.

Even now, tears silently streamed down Sophia’s bloodied, stoic face as she continued her mindless slaughter atop the sands stained red. A cold, hard light had entered her vermillion eyes. Before, she had killed to protect herself and her loved ones. Now, there was a new feeling that grew more powerful with each slit throat. Sophia was a killing machine. The opposite of the gentle healer, who had always had the quiet strength of someone with nothing to prove.

Yes, this world was too cruel for someone as good as Carmen, Sophia realised. That was why violent sinners wanted people like Carmen dead: because they were too strongly reminded of their own inadequacies. That was what Sophia told herself in desperate rationalisation, trying to cope with the unbearable loss of her friend.

The Al Dherjzans caught outside the city were fighting a battle on two fronts; the enemy had captured the gates and battlements within the city, and an unending tide of armoured vehicles and soldiers swarmed in.

It was truly the eleventh hour. Lucina’s Generals had seen their opportunity and were using everything they had to try to put an end to the war. The Knights who had already been fighting for their lives now fought with the fearless desperation of cornered animals.

Aleister had summoned his greatest mystical familiars to assist their retreat back to the city.

There was a minotaur standing as large as a building wielding a spiked ball on a chain the size of a bull, smashing tens of Angels aside at a time.

There was a nimble red dragon that spat exploding bolts of liquid fire, blowing jets and drones out of the sky like an ace pilot. Its heat-resistant scales effortlessly bore the brunt of the Angels’ heat-based lasers.

There was the ghostly apparition of the long-dead war general, Akkad. He was the size of ten men sitting atop an equally gargantuan disfigured, rotting horse that feasted on the corpses of the fallen. He carried a bladed staff that glowed with ghostly purple light. The slightest touch visibly severed one’s golden soul from their body, before it too was consumed by Akkad himself.

If the Al Dherjzan forces could survive this next battle, they might have an opportunity for a counterattack. That was the thought that rang through each of their heads.

But the Incandestine forces had brought a demon of their own.

A man floated in silence above the battlefield. The people beneath him truly looked like insects, he thought. A swarm of shiny beetles attacking an anthill.

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The man’s skin was a deep, mottled blue. Like lapis lazuli, flecked with gold and silver Incandestine ornamentation. A bolt of supersonic liquid fire flew at the man to swat him from the sky. It struck him squarely in the temple, but the man didn’t flinch. Not even slightly, not with pain or surprise, or even with the annoyance of having his quiet time interrupted. He took his time, slowly turning his head to see the red dragon that was now beginning to turn back with a flap of its wings, seemingly under the assumption that its target had been destroyed.

With the flick of his wrist, the effervescent orange dragon fire flew to the man’s open palm. His face was completely untouched. With a curious expression, he closed his fingers around the ball of fire. It was compressed, intensifying, its hue changing from orange to bright, ion blue. He tilted his chin, frowning slightly. The blue plasma shrunk to the size of a marble, now glowing purple. He unfurled his index finger, and the blindingly bright marble flew to his fingertip.

Below, some soldiers were beginning to take notice of his presence, owing to the great amounts of light emanating from the man’s hand.

The man with skin like the night’s sky wordlessly pointed at the dragon’s retreating shape, like making an accusation.

A beam of brilliant purple light shot across the night sky, temporarily lighting it up as bright as day. All gathered turned to look at the sudden flash, wondering what it might be.

They saw the red dragon struck out of the sky, a hole clear through the length of its body.

A great cheer rose up from the Angels.

A gasp rose up from the Al Dherjzans.

Amidst the disbelieving faces just outside the battlements, Sophia’s eyes scanned the night sky for whatever was responsible for destroying one of the Al Dherjzan’s greatest war assets. She saw him in the distance, with his starry skin, and a terrible chill ran down her spine. Like recognised like.

Another Chimaera.

The distant figure seemed to point right at Sophia and then dived down into the fray.

The noise of distant thunderous booms echoed in the distance, growing louder and louder. Broken bodies of Al Dherjzan soldiers and knights were flung aside as the Chimaera approached Sophia at a frightening pace.

“Rolynd. Another Chimaera’s appeared.” Sophia reported into her bracelet.

“What? Another one?” Rolynd asked, surprised. Even he hadn’t expected so many combat-ready Chimaeras from Lucina. This was the fifth.

“His gemstones have replaced his skin. Dark blue. He’s coming for me, there’s no time.”

“I’m securing Carmen’s gemstones. Effie will be there to help soon. Just hold on.”

“Can’t you send Charlie?” Sophia asked, adjusting the grip on her staff. The enemy Chimaera was approaching rapidly. Sophia could make out the twisted limbs of her allies as they were cast aside like their bodies were made of putty.

“I’m stuck trying to reclaim the battlements. If we don’t get those gates open, we’re all done for!” Charlie cried, answering for himself.

“It’s one of the Empress’ demons!” the knights beside Sophia shouted.

“Shields! On me!” Sophia ordered.

Immediately, three shields appeared in front of Sophia, carried by her well-trained Wolves.

Something blasted into the shields, sending them flying backwards. One of the Wolves was knocked into Sophia, who supported the burly man from behind.

In front of them, the Chimaera paced slowly in a wide circle. The surrounding knights gave the mysterious man a wide berth.

“Come out, Aegis-scorn. There’s no need for me to kill any more of your good people.” He taunted. His voice was deep and his tone was placating. He spread his arms wide in a sarcastic display of non-aggression.

Sophia pushed her shieldbearers aside. “Go.” She told them. Then, she turned her gaze to the Chimaera. “What’s your name?” she asked him.

“The good doctor Hagley has named me Asmodeus. The King of Demons, the manifestation of lust. For you see, he so badly desired another Aegis that he did everything in his power to find a host suitable for Rolynd’s gemstones.”

“But, without a hive-” Sophia began.

“Yes. This is what you get when the gemstones have to take over a different species’ hive. Uncontrolled mutation.” Asmodeus said, turning his arms over. Showing off their lustrous sheen. “No trace of my original gemstones left.” He sighed. “That’s why I need Rolynd’s instead. He will complete me.”

Disgust and pity flashed across Sophia’s features. This man had been denied his own identity, twisted into this abomination, in Lucina’s quest for supposed justice. But, what could Sophia do to help him? Certainly nothing. Not if helping Asmodeus meant giving Rolynd and the rest of her friends up. Two wrongs would not make a right. Not now. Not like this.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let that happen,” Sophia said through gritted teeth.

“Yes. I thought you might say that. But worry not. Now we can fight to the death without any needless feelings to hold us back!”

Asmodeus leapt at Sophia, gliding across the sands unnaturally; held up by the levitative power of Rolynd’s gemstones, now his own.