The silver war-fleet broke the atmosphere of Moon 9 like a thousand needles piercing a bruised skin. At the head of the formation, Kaelen stood on the edge of his celestial chariot. His eyes were cold, reflecting the violet hunger of the blade in his hand.
"There is the infection," Kaelen whispered, pointing toward the smoking ruins of the primary mine.
Beside him, Lia raised her staff. The indigo threads connected to Kaelen's heart pulsed. "Burn it all, my Prince. Show the world that darkness cannot hide from the Dawn."
Kaelen didn't wait for the ships to land. He ignited his wings of golden energy—now laced with jagged, purple streaks—and dove from the chariot like a fallen star. He drew the Blade of Dawn, and the sky itself seemed to scream as the sword began to drain the atmospheric mana to fuel its strike.
"DIVINE JUDGMENT: SUNFALL!"
Kaelen struck from the heavens, a massive pillar of golden-violet fire descending toward the mine.
Down on the jagged surface, Zane looked up. He didn't flinch. The shadow-dragon coiled around his body, its scales rattling like obsidian plates. Zane felt the 'Collar' around his neck burn with Fang Yuan's cold command: Endure. Evolve. Eat.
"Let him come!" Zane roared, his voice merging with the dragon's.
As the golden pillar reached the ground, Zane lunged upward. The shadow-dragon expanded, turning into a massive vortex of black smoke and indigo flames.
BOOM!
The collision shook the very foundations of the moon. The shockwave leveled the surrounding iron towers and turned the rusted sand into glass. In the center of the explosion, Kaelen's golden blade met Zane's obsidian claws.
For a heartbeat, they were locked in a stalemate. Kaelen saw the reflection of his own 'Hollow' soul in Zane's indigo eyes. He saw the same indigo light, the same cold master's mark.
"You..." Kaelen gasped, the sword drinking his life force even faster now. "You have the same... stain!"
Zane grinned, a mouthful of fangs and shadow. "I am the monster you created, Prince! And monsters don't fear the light!"