The night shattered.
The moment the assassins attacked, the balcony was no longer a quiet refuge it became a battlefield.
Wind roared through the broken railing.
Fragments of stone fell into the glowing city below.
And in the center of it all
Cairis moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Liora barely saw the first strike.
One moment, an assassin was lunging toward him
The next
A crimson arc cut through the air.
The assassin froze mid-step.
Then collapsed.
Silently.
Liora's breath caught.
"…Oh."
That wasn't normal.
The remaining two assassins didn't hesitate.
They split apart instantly, moving with deadly precision.
One rushed Cairis.
The other
Went straight for her.
"Of course," Liora muttered.
"Why not me."
She raised her hand instinctively.
Magic surged.
Uncontrolled.
Silver light flickered around her fingers.
The assassin was fast
But this time
So was she.
The moment he reached her
The air around her snapped.
A burst of silver energy exploded outward.
The assassin was thrown back violently, slamming into the far wall of the balcony.
He didn't get up.
Liora blinked.
"…Okay."
"That's new."
But she didn't have time to process it.
Because behind her
Power erupted.
Dark.
Violent.
Terrifying.
She turned
And froze.
Cairis stood at the center of the balcony.
The last assassin was attacking him relentlessly, blades flashing with cursed energy.
But Cairis wasn't just blocking anymore.
He wasn't even moving much.
He was letting the attacks hit.
And they weren't doing anything.
The assassin's blade struck his shoulder
And shattered.
Like it had hit something unbreakable.
Liora's chest tightened.
That wasn't defense.
That was dominance.
Cairis tilted his head slightly.
His eyes glowed brighter now.
Crimson but deeper.
Almost black at the edges.
"…Are you done?" he asked quietly.
The assassin hesitated for a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Cairis moved.
This time
Liora saw it.
Not clearly.
But enough to understand one thing.
He wasn't just fast.
He was overwhelming.
His hand closed around the assassin's throat.
He lifted him off the ground effortlessly.
The assassin struggled.
Clawed.
Tried to stab him again.
The blade didn't even pierce his skin.
Cairis's wings spread wider behind him.
The air grew heavy.
Pressurized.
Like the world itself was bending around him.
His voice dropped.
Cold.
Deadly.
"Who sent you?"
The assassin didn't answer.
Instead
A dark glow spread across his body.
Liora's eyes widened.
"Wait he's going to.."
Too late.
The assassin's body convulsed.
Then exploded into black smoke.
Gone.
Silence fell over the balcony.
The wind slowed.
The distant noise of the city returned faintly.
Liora stood frozen.
Her heart was still racing.
But not just from the attack.
From him.
Cairis remained standing in the center of the destruction.
His back to her.
His wings still spread.
His presence
Different.
Darker.
More dangerous than she had ever felt before.
Slowly
Very slowly
He turned.
For a moment
Liora didn't recognize him.
Not completely.
His eyes were still glowing.
Not just crimson now.
Something deeper flickered beneath.
Ancient.
Violent.
Unrestrained.
And for the first time since she met him
Liora felt something she hadn't expected.
Fear.
Real fear.
Not of the situation.
Of him.
Cairis noticed.
Of course he did.
His expression didn't change.
But something in his gaze sharpened slightly.
"…You're afraid."
It wasn't a question.
Liora swallowed.
"…Should I not be?"
Silence stretched between them.
The wind moved softly again.
Cairis looked at her for a long moment.
Then
Something shifted.
The pressure in the air eased.
His wings slowly folded back.
The glow in his eyes dimmed.
Not completely.
But enough.
"I didn't lose control."
His voice was calmer now.
But still quiet.
Still intense.
"I know."
"…Then why are you afraid?"
Liora hesitated.
Then sighed softly.
"Because that wasn't normal."
She gestured vaguely at the destroyed balcony.
"At all."
A faint crack appeared in the stone beneath her feet.
She looked down.
Then back at him.
"And I don't think that was your full strength either."
Cairis didn't respond.
Which was basically confirmation.
She let out a small breath.
"Great."
"Ancient murder god outside the kingdom."
"Overpowered demon prince inside it."
"Love that for me."
For a moment
There was silence.
Then
Cairis stepped closer.
Liora tensed instinctively.
He noticed.
And stopped.
Not far from her.
But not too close.
His voice was quieter now.
More controlled.
"I won't hurt you."
Something about the way he said it
Wasn't casual.
It wasn't reassurance.
It was a promise.
Liora looked at him carefully.
"…I know."
And she did.
That was the strange part.
Even after what she had just seen
Even after feeling that terrifying power
She still trusted him.
And that confused her more than anything.
Before either of them could say anything else
Footsteps echoed down the corridor behind them.
Guards.
Lots of them.
Cairis's expression hardened again.
"Stay here."
"Not a chance."
He glanced at her.
"…Then stay close."
The guards rushed onto the balcony.
They froze immediately when they saw the destruction.
And the bodies.
Or what was left of them.
One of the captains stepped forward quickly.
"Your Highness"
"An assassination attempt."
Cairis's voice was cold again.
"Three attackers."
"They're already dead."
The captain bowed immediately.
"Yes, Your Highness."
But his eyes flicked briefly toward Liora.
Then back to Cairis.
"…Orders?"
Cairis didn't hesitate.
"Seal the palace."
"No one enters or leaves without my permission."
"And find out who sent them."
The captain nodded.
"At once."
The guards moved quickly.
Clearing the area.
Securing the perimeter.
Within minutes, the balcony was no longer just a scene of chaos.
It was the center of an investigation.
Liora leaned slightly against the remaining railing.
"…That was fast."
Cairis looked out over the city again.
"They won't stop."
"I figured."
She crossed her arms.
"Any guesses who sent them?"
He didn't answer immediately.
But his gaze darkened slightly.
"Yes."
Liora raised an eyebrow.
"…Should I be worried?"
His voice dropped.
"Not if I find them first."
Something about that answer felt more dangerous than comforting.
Liora looked back at the glowing city below.
Then up at the dark sky.
Somewhere out there
An ancient god was waiting for her.
And inside the palace
Enemies were already moving.
She exhaled slowly.
"…This is getting complicated."
Cairis glanced at her.
"It was always complicated."
She smirked slightly.
"Yeah, but now it's personal."
He didn't disagree.