At that moment—
The palace courtyard was overflowing with people.
For the first time in the history of the Land of Angels, the sky was beginning to darken. Because of the golden dome, there had never truly been a night before.
The people were kneeling around the altar of Mikail's Spear, praying in silence.
High Priest Rael stepped forward in his gold-embroidered robe.He struck the ground with his staff—
and the torches around the altar burst into flame.
"People of the Land of Angels!We stand in the presence of the great Mikail!We have gathered to offer our prayers, our devotion, and our repentance!"
Thousands answered at once:
"May he bless us once more with Aurora's light!"
The king sat silently on his throne.His eyes were tired, his mind in chaos.
"How… could a demon destroy the golden dome?"
His hands trembled as he gripped the armrest.
"This is only a nightmare…The dome will return any moment now."
The ritual had been going on for quite some time.But none of their prayers were answered.
The king rose to his feet, his anger overpowering his patience.
"Rael!" he roared."Why is nothing happening?Wasn't Mikail supposed to hear us?!"
Rael lowered his head.His voice shook as he answered:
"Your Majesty… perhaps all of us must kneel if we wish to enter Mikail's presence."
The king frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You as well, Your Majesty…""Before Mikail, all are equal.Rise from your throne… kneel…Only then will he hear us."
The crowd fell silent.
The king drew a long breath, his face twisted with exhaustion and anger.Slowly, he rose from his throne.
"I hope this ritual works, Rael…Because if it doesn't, you will bear the blame before all these people."
With heavy steps, he walked toward the altar.He lifted his face to the sky, then knelt.He clasped his hands together.
Rael's voice rose toward the heavens:
"Great Mikail!Let us once more partake in your blessing!Forgive our sins and return your light to us!"
The people cried out as one:
"Aurora! Aurora! Aurora!"
At that moment—
golden light welled up from beneath the center of the altar.
Everyone fell silent.
The light rose in spirals, taking on a circular shape in the air.
A teleportation gate…
Rael's voice caught in his breath:
"The great Mikail has heard us. Everyone, place your foreheads to the ground!"
Everyone bowed until their foreheads touched the floor.Not a sound remained.
A figure stepped out of the gate.
Swen.
The pillar of light faded in silence.
Swen blinked.
For a moment, her eyes struggled to adjust.
Then…
she saw them.
Thousands of people.
All kneeling.
None of them lifting their heads.
None of them seeming to dare even breathe.
Swen's eyebrows slowly rose.
"…Whoa."
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes sweeping across the crowd.
"Okay… either I came to the wrong place…"
She took a step.The sound of her boots echoed over the marble.
"…or this place is seriously interesting."
She swept her long dark hair behind her shoulder.Her robe shifted lightly.
But her eyes…
were completely alert now.
She noticed the altar.
The gold engravings.
The hollow at its center.
And then—
what was missing.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
"Wait a second…"
She moved quickly.Almost at a run.
Ignoring everyone as she cut through the crowd.
People made way.
They had no choice.
She stopped before the altar.Bent down.Her fingers brushed across the stone surface.
A moment passed.
Then her face changed.
"No way."
She smiled.
But it was not a normal smile.
"Seriously?"
She lifted her head.Her eyes were shining.
"They actually pulled it out."
She slowly straightened.Took a deep breath.
"Alright… calm down, Swen."
She was talking to herself.
But her voice was perfectly clear.
"They just ripped Mikail's Spear out and now the wind is blowing through the place where it used to stand."
A pause.
Her eyelid twitched.
"Perfect."
High Priest Rael spoke in a trembling voice:
"Great… Mikail?"
Swen turned her head.For the first time, she truly looked at someone.
"I'm not Mikail."
A short pause.
Then she shrugged.
"Though technically… you could call me his envoy. But that's not the point."
She pointed at the altar.
"Where is the spear?"
Rael took a deep breath.His voice fell over the crowd like a shadow:
"Everything… happened because of that traitorous king."
The air in the courtyard turned cold in an instant.
Swen's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Rael slowly lowered his hands.
"For a thousand years, the blessing of Mikail's Spear and the Golden Dome gave us prosperity and safety.But for the first time in this nation's history… someone of the king's own blood — Princess Koharu — insulted Mikail's Spear during the ritual."
Whispers rose among the crowd.
"Koharu?""That cursed princess…"
Rael continued, his voice growing louder and louder:
"After that girl was exiled, a demon began attacking the Golden Dome…"
He paused briefly, then fixed his eyes on the king, still kneeling before the throne.
"I begged him not to remove Mikail's Spear from the altar.But he — the king — broke the one command Mikail gave us: no matter what happens, do not remove the spear.""Using the excuse of protecting the people, he pulled it out with his own hands.The moment the spear was removed, the power of the golden dome weakened. That is why it collapsed!"
Rael's voice was full of fury now.
"He claims he attacked the demon… but I believe he delivered the spear to it!""He made a pact with that demon!"
The palace courtyard erupted into an uproar.Fear and anger spread through the people like a wave.
"The king betrayed Mikail!""He is a heretic!""The end of the blessing began with him!"
At that moment, the king clenched his teeth and slowly rose from the ground.His eyes locked onto Rael.
"What nonsense are you spewing, Rael?""Who betrayed whom?"
Rael stepped forward, his voice echoing across the courtyard:
"Your blood is tainted!""Aurora's pure flow was corrupted through your bloodline!""Koharu was cursed because you were cursed!"
The king's hands shook as rage surged through him.He gripped his sword and roared:
"Enough!Don't try to find salvation by blaming me!"
But Rael did not step back.
He pointed at the altar with both hands.
"Let the holy light of Mikail bear witness!This king led his own people into darkness!He took the spear though it was forbidden, broke the blessing, and summoned the curse!"
Swen stepped between Rael and the king.
"Enough.I want to hear the truth myself."
She turned her gaze directly to the king.
"Speak. What happened to Mikail's Spear?"
The king stepped forward.
A short silence…
then a deep, rough breath.
"I…""I never betrayed my people, nor Mikail."
The crowd murmured.
The king continued:
"That day… a demon descended from the sky.It was so powerful that none of our magic worked.Even the barrier itself began to crack.My soldiers are witnesses!If I had not used Mikail's Spear, that creature would have destroyed the Golden Dome completely."
His voice rose, his hands shaking.
"I took the spear. Not in Mikail's name—but to protect my people!Isn't that what Mikail's Spear exists for?I gravely wounded the demon—but before it died, it destroyed the domeand fled with its last breath.With a wound like that, it must be dead."
Swen was silent for a long time.
Then she smiled mockingly.
"I see…So Mikail's Spear was tossed around in your hands."
She took a step closer.
Her gaze pierced through the king's eyes.
"You think the spear existed for your people?No. You existed for the spear — to protect it.That spear is worth more than your kingdom… and more than your simple lives."
Swen's voice hardened.
"Removing it from the altar…is blasphemy in itself."
Rael lowered his head.
"Then…" he whispered,"Your Majesty has committed an unforgivable crime."
Swen turned to Rael.
With cold resolve, she gave the order:
"Do what must be done."
Rael paused for a moment.Duty was visible in his eyes.
Then, with heavy steps, he walked toward the altar.
Soldiers surrounded the king.Swords were drawn.
The king held his head high, his eyes fixed on Rael.
"So… this is how it ends.""I swear in Mikail's name—I did only what I did to protect my people."
Rael's voice was low, but clear:
"Then in the name of Mikail's light, I deliver judgment.The punishment for the king who defiled the sacred spear… is death."
The king did not release his sword.
But the soldiers were already on him.
In a single motion, they forced him to the ground.
The crowd closed their eyes.
Rael lowered his head.
His blade flashed in the air—
then came down toward the king.
The king's body fell silently.
The crowd remained silent.
No one dared even breathe.
Swen, meanwhile, muttered inwardly, though her face remained unreadable.
(Inner voice)
"Alright, Swen. Deep breath. Don't panic.These lunatics handed Mikail's Spear to a demon,and that demon is strong enough to damage the Golden Dome.And you're the only person here trying to stay sane.Perfect."
Her face remained perfectly serious.
She gestured to a priest as if all of this had been part of a plan.
"Seal off the temple grounds. No one comes near it."
A soldier approached and bowed respectfully.
"Holy Envoy, will Mikail's grace return?"
Swen paused for a moment.
Her eyelids twitched, but she recovered immediately.
She turned to the soldier with a grave expression.
"Of course it will return…though it's probably busy dealing with paperwork at the moment."
The soldier lowered his head, not understanding a thing.
Swen let out a quiet sigh.
She pulled out a small smoky crystal sphere from her pocket.
It glowed in her palm as she activated a detection spell.
Nearby, she could feel a faint vibration of Yang energy.
"I need to find the source of this energy."
She straightened her robe and took a deep breath.
Then, as if everything were under control, she walked calmly beside the altar.
"This resonance left behind from Mikail's Spear…""Pure Yang. Weak in density, but still alive."
Without turning to face anyone, she gave her next command in a calm voice:
"I will follow Mikail's trace. No one is to follow me."
The crowd fell into a deep silence.
Swen's cloak fluttered in the wind.
Her steps were steady; only the slight twitch near her eye betrayed her stress.
(Inner voice, as she walked)
"Swen… stay calm.The king sounded like he was telling the truth.A demon wounded by Mikail's Spear is either dead… or dying.""Just follow quietly, take the spear when it dies.Perfect plan. What could possibly go wrong?"
She stopped for a moment and glanced back at the palace.
A faint smile touched her eyes.
"This country… is completely insane."
Then her cloak swept behind her as she walked toward the gray horizon.
Swen looked like the last hope of the Land of Angels.