The flames of the magical torches lit the Throne Room, spreading golden reflections across the black marble. The phoenix crest behind the throne seemed to burn with its own fire, standing as the supreme symbol of the Nest.
Merlin stood upright before Riser, her posture aligned with her natural formality. The silence of the hall was broken only when she lifted her chin and asked.
"What exactly made the world more entertaining, Riser-sama? Before your departure, you seemed concerned."
His gaze narrowed. The flame beneath his skin shimmered faintly, as if answering for him.
"Unstable portals. Creatures from another dimension are invading this world."
Merlin pressed her lips together but showed no surprise. She only tilted her head slightly, her eyes still fixed on him.
"So that's it. I can't say I'm surprised. You and I don't belong to this universe either."
The echo of her words faded in the air. Riser allowed the silence to linger for a few seconds before moving.
He walked slowly toward the throne. The dry sound of his boots echoed through the hall until his body leaned back into the golden chair. His black cape fell down the steps, spreading like living shadow.
Merlin stepped aside, giving space to his imposing presence. The runes in her eyes rotated softly, betraying both respect and vigilance.
"Do you have any orders for me, Riser-sama?"
He adjusted his posture on the throne, resting his arm on the side.
"Bring Robin here."
Merlin raised her right hand. Lines of teleportation appeared in the air in purple circles, spiraling outward rapidly.
ZUUUUM
The sound reverberated through the hall as energy enveloped her. Her body was swallowed by the light, vanishing in fractions of a second.
In the castle corridors, the atmosphere was one of constant vigilance. Guards patrolled in silence, and the crackling of torches echoed off the stone walls.
Kalifa walked with precise steps, her eyes sharp to every detail. Turning a corner, she found Hancock standing before the Throne Room doors.
"I want to enter." Hancock's voice was firm, carrying the authority of a Yonkou.
Kalifa adjusted her glasses, expressionless.
"Not without the Master's order."
"You know who I am." Hancock lifted her chin, her regal bearing reflecting her status. "I am the Empress of the Seas and his consort."
Kalifa remained motionless, her tone cold.
"Even so, I only take orders from Riser."
Tension filled the corridor, the silence charged with the clash of two wills. Hancock stepped forward, but Kalifa did not move. The confrontation was silent, a duel of hierarchy and power.
At that moment, Riser's deep voice echoed beyond the doors.
"You two, come in."
The order reverberated through the distance like an invisible blade.
Hancock's eyes lit up instantly. A smile crossed her lips, and without hesitation, she strode toward the hall, her steps firm and quick.
CLACK CLACK CLACK
The sound of her heels echoed through the corridors until the heavy doors swung open.
Merlin returned to the Throne Room in a swirl of purple light that dissolved in the air.
ZUUUUM
Beside her appeared Robin, standing tall, her expression calm. The silence of the hall broke as the archaeologist bowed her head slightly.
"Riser."
His gaze locked onto her for several seconds, firm, before his right hand rose. His skin glowed faintly red, and the space before the throne began to distort.
WHUUUM
The Kamui opened in a black spiral. The air was sucked into the vortex until a massive red block emerged with weight, resting solidly upon the marble floor. The immaculate Poneglyph reflected the torchlight, its forbidden inscriptions pulsing like the scars of history.
"Make yourself comfortable." Riser's voice sounded deep, almost as a concession.
Robin approached with focused eyes. Her heart raced, but her posture remained steady.
"Thank you, Master."
She placed her hand on the stone's cold surface. The touch sent shivers up her arm, as if eternity itself manifested at her fingertips. The crimson glow illuminated her face, and she let herself be absorbed by the magnitude of the moment.
'Here it is… the truth the world always tried to hide.'
The silence of the hall was broken by the sudden sound of footsteps running.
CLACK CLACK CLACK
The doors burst open, and the Empress crossed the room in quick strides. Her eyes found Riser on the throne, and her lips parted in an unrestrained smile.
"Riser!"
Her body lunged forward, ignoring all decorum. Her heart pounded like a drum, her breath quickened, and finally, she threw herself into his arms.
WHUMP
Riser's black cape spread beneath the gentle impact, and he received her without resistance. Hancock rested her face against his chest, her eyes half closed in bliss.
'Finally… back where I belong.'
Across the room, Kalifa entered in controlled silence. Her elegant figure moved until she stood to Merlin's right. Her cold gaze crossed the hall, settling on the Poneglyph.
She analyzed it without emotion, simply noting its presence with detached interest. She adjusted her glasses with a light gesture, her posture unchanged.
The contrast between them was clear. Hancock was engulfed by passion; Kalifa was ruled by discipline.
Riser remained motionless on the throne, one hand resting on Hancock's waist while the other stayed free on the armrest. His gaze shifted between Robin before the Poneglyph and the calm figures of Merlin and Kalifa, keeping every piece of his board under control.
Robin's fingers traced the cold surface of the Poneglyph, following each carving with near-ritual precision. The hall remained silent, only the restrained breathing of those present mixing with the heavy air.
DONG
The clock sounded, slow and grave, reinforcing the solemnity of the moment. Robin lifted her face, her calm voice cutting through the air.
"It's not just history… it's a prophecy. A warning of destruction for this world."
Her words echoed, slicing through the silence like a blade.
She continued, her tone steady.
"A devourer from beyond."
Her eyes slid over the inscriptions before going on.
"The seas burned in silence."
Her breath slowed as she touched the final line.
"And an empty throne upon ashes."
Riser's gaze stayed fixed on her, unchanging. No emotion escaped his face, only the flame beneath his skin pulsed in a restrained rhythm.
'I should stop being surprised by all these changes. Nothing surprises me anymore.'
Beside him, Hancock gripped his arm discreetly. The gesture was silent but carried unease, as if she feared the weight of what she had heard.
Kalifa remained neutral. Only her cold eyes recorded every word, memorizing in silence like a piece aware of its place on the board.
Merlin narrowed her eyes, her mind evaluating the mystical depth resonating from the prophecy. Her body stayed still, but the energy in her aura revealed that she understood its gravity.
Riser's gaze turned to her. The order came without voice, echoing directly in her mind with the clarity of their bond.
'Go to Zou.'
Merlin did not hesitate. She only bowed her head slightly in acknowledgment. Her hand rose slowly, and circles of purple energy formed around her body.
ZUUUUM
The distortion swallowed her figure in a shining spiral until she vanished from the hall, leaving behind only the magical echo of her departure.
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