Astrum City ka nazara kisi qayamat se kam nahi tha. Shahar ke upar maujood violet dome ne suraj ki roshni ko andar aane se rok diya tha, jiski wajah se har taraf ek dravni (eerie) baingani roshni phaili hui thi. Royal Cathedral ke andar, hazaron nobles aur darikhauf (terrified) nagrik jama the.
Mandap (Altar) par Princess Elara khadi thi. Uska sunehra joda ab dhundla lag raha tha, aur uski aankhon mein aansu nahi, balki ek gehri nafrat thi. Uske samne Prince Julian khada tha—ya shayad wo jo kabhi Julian tha. Uske sharir se nikalne wala Void-essence itna bhari tha ki wahan maujood kamzor mages behosh ho rahe tem.
"Pavitra bandhan shuru kiya jaye," High Priest ne kaha, jiski awaz ek mare hue insaan ki tarah thandi thi.
The Arrival of the Sovereign
Theek us pal, jab Julian Elara ka hath pakadne wala tha, Cathedral ki chhat kisi kaghaz ki tarah phat gayi.
BOOM!
Ek vishal neeli-safed bijli sidha mandap ke beech giri. Dhuye aur malbe ke beech se ek dahad sunayi di jo kisi insaan ki nahi thi. Astra (Storm-Griffin) ne mandap par apne panje jamaye, uski pankhon ki hawa se Cathedral ki saari mombattiyan (candles) ek saath bujh gayin.
Dhuye ke beech se ek saaya (silhouette) nikla. Silver baal jo hawa mein lehra rahe the, aur ek aisi talwar jo silver mana se dahak rahi thi.
"Ye shadi raddi (cancelled) ki jati hai," Kaelen Vance ki awaz poore hall mein gunji.
The Chaos Unleashed
"Kaelen!" Elara ki cheekh mein umeed aur darr dono tha.
"Pakad lo ise! Ye ek gunehgar hai!" High Priest ne chillakar kaha. Royal Guards ne apni talwarein nikaali, lekin wo Kaelen tak pahunche usse pehle hi Cathedral ki khidkiyan toot gayin.
Garreth aur uske mercenaries rassiyon (ropes) ke sahare niche kude. "Sovereign ke liye rasta banao!" Garreth ne garaj kar kaha aur apni bhari kulhadi se guards ki line ko tod diya.
Liora ne hawa mein apna staff ghumaaya. "Gale-Force Barrier!" Usne Kaelen aur Elara ke charon taraf ek hawa ka majboot daira bana diya taaki koi teer ya jaadu un tak na pahunch sake.
Kaelen aage badha. Julian uske raste mein khada ho gaya. "Tumhe lagta hai tum mujhe dobara hara paoge, Kaelen? Mere paas ab khud Prophet ki shakti hai!"
Julian ne apna hath uthaya aur vishal 'Void-Tendrils' (kaali laptein) Kaelen ki taraf phenki. Kaelen ne apni talwar Ghost-Biter ko ek hi hath se pakda aur use hawa mein ghumaaya.
"Silver Lion Style: Sixth Form — Void-Cleaver!"
Kaelen ki strike ne Julian ke hamle ko na sirf roka, balki use wapas uski taraf mod diya. Julian piche gira, uska chehra gusse aur dard se marod gaya.
The Prophet's Revelation
"Ruk jao!"
Hall ke sabse upar maujood Royal Throne se ek sunehre mask wala aadmi utha. The Prophet. Uske uthte hi poora Cathedral kaanpne laga. Wahan maujood logon ki saansein atak gayin.
"Kaelen Vance... tumne wahi kiya jiski mujhe umeed thi," Prophet ne dheere-dheere chalte hue mandap ki taraf kadam badhaye. "Tumhe lagta hai tum Elara ko bacha rahe ho? Dekho uske charon taraf."
Kaelen ne dekha ki Elara ke pairon ke neeche maujood runes ab silver roshni se chamak rahe the.
"Tumhare silver mana ne hi is ritual ko mukammal (complete) kiya hai," Prophet ne hansi chhodi. "Tumhare andar ki shakti hi wo aakhri chabi (key) thi jo Void-God ke liye darwaza kholegi. Tum jitna ladoge, portal utna hi jaldi khulega!"
Kaelen ka dil baith gaya. Usne dekha ki Elara ke sharir se silver dhuan nikal kar aasmaan ki taraf ja raha tha jahan violet dome fat raha tha.
The Sovereign's Sacrifice
"Nahi..." Kaelen ne apni talwar niche kar li. Kya main phir se haar raha hoon? Kya mera wapas aana hi sabse badi galti thi?
Elara ne Kaelen ka hath pakda. Uski hatheli garam thi. "Kaelen, meri taraf dekho. Mujhse darr nahi lag raha. Agar meri maut se ye duniya bachti hai, toh mujhe maar do. Lekin inhe mat jeetne dena."
Kaelen ne Elara ki aankhon mein dekha. Wahi pyaar, wahi qurbani jo usne das saal baad dekhi thi. Lekin is baar, Kaelen ke paas future ka gyan tha.
"Main tumhe nahi maroonga, Elara. Aur main inhe bhi nahi jeetne doonga," Kaelen ne ek gehri saans li. "Prophet! Tujhe lagta hai tu timeline jaanta hai? Tune sirf wahi dekha jo maine dikhana chaha!"
Kaelen ne apni talwar Ghost-Biter ko tod diya. Sab hairan reh gaye. Usne apni mutthi bheenchi aur apne dil ke upar maujood 'Chronos Mark' ko activate kiya.
"Forbidden Art: Time-Reversal Overload!"
Kaelen ne portal ko band karne ki koshish nahi ki, balki usne portal ki 'Time-Stream' ko hi ulta ghuma diya. Cathedral ke andar waqt thahar gaya. Gire hue malbe hawa mein ruk gaye. Prophet ka sunehra mask chatak gaya.
Kaelen ne apni saari silver shakti portal ke andar nahi, balki Elara ke andar daal di, lekin use 'Burn' karne ke liye nahi, balki use 'Guardian of the Moon' banane ke liye.
"Elara, ab tum portal ki chabi nahi ho... tum portal ki malik ho!"
Elara ki aankhein puri tarah safed ho gayin. Usne apne hath uthaye aur ek aisi roshni nikli jisne violet dome ko bikhair kar rakh diya. Cathedral ke andar maujood Void-priests raakh ban kar ud gaye.
The Great Escape
Prophet ne gusse mein ek zor ki cheekh maari. "Tumne meri sadiyon ki mehnat kharab kar di! Lekin tum yahan se zinda nahi jaoge!"
Portal se ek vishal shadow-hand nikal kar Kaelen ki taraf badha. Kaelen ab bilkul khali (exhausted) ho chuka tha.
"Garreth! Liora! Elara ko lekar niklo! ABHI!" Kaelen ne chillakar kaha.
"Hum tumhe chodd kar nahi jayenge!" Liora royi.
"Ye mera hukum hai!" Kaelen ne Astra (Griffin) ko ishara kiya. Astra ne Elara aur Liora ko apne panjo mein uthaya aur Cathedral ki phati hui chhat se bahar nikal gaya. Garreth ne baki bachne wale mercenaries ko cover diya aur piche hatne lage.
Kaelen ab akela mandap par khada tha, uske samne Prophet aur gusse se bhara hua Julian the.
"Tumhare paas ab na shakti hai, na talwar," Prophet ne apne hath se ek kaali bijli nikaali. "Ab maut ko gale lagao."
Kaelen ne muskura kar apna khoon se bhara chehra upar uthaya. "Maine apna kaam kar diya. Elara azad hai. Aur ab... ye shahar tumhara kabristan banega."
Kaelen ne mandap ke niche maujood 'Mana-Cores' (jo usne aate hi set kiye the) ko trigger kar diya.
BOOM!
Poora Royal Cathedral ek vishal dhamake ke saath dhah gaya.
Aftermath: A New Beginning
Agli subah, shahar se dur ek pahadi par, Liora aur Elara dhalta hua suraj dekh rahi thi. Astra unke paas baitha tha. Cathedral ki jagah sirf dhuan uth raha tha.
"Wo... wo zinda hoga na?" Elara ne dheere se pucha, uske hath ab sunehre mana se chamak rahe the.
Liora ne niche dekha, jahan dhuye ke beech se ek saaya nikal raha tha. Wo ladkhada raha tha, uska ek hath uske pet par tha, lekin uske dusre hath mein Julian ka toota hua sunehra taj (crown) tha.
Kaelen Vance maut ke muh se wapas aa gaya tha.
"Shahar hamara nahi raha," Kaelen ne unke paas pahunch kar kaha. "Lekin ab hamare paas 'Moon-Guardian' hai. Jung ab barabar ki hogi."
Kaelen ne dur capital ki jalti hui deewaron ko dekha. First Arc khatam ho chuka tha. Kaelen ne na sirf Elara ko bachaya tha, balki usne Prophet ke plan ko hi uske khilaf mod diya tha.
Lekin Kaelen jaanta tha... ye toh sirf pehla mohra (pawn) tha. Asli Void Emperor ab bhi jag raha tha.