The roar echoed across the ancient city.
Once.
Then again.
The ground shook with every passing second.
Cracks spread through the streets, climbing the ruined towers like living veins.
Dust rained from the ceiling of the cavern.
Kael looked toward Orion.
"You said... a second King?"
Orion nodded grimly.
"I hoped I was wrong."
Aetherion's voice was unusually tense.
"You weren't."
Silence settled over the group.
The stranger tightened his grip on his weapon.
"If one King nearly destroyed us..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Everyone knew.
A second Devourer King would be catastrophic.
Another tremor shook the city.
Then the emergency communicator on the stranger's wrist crackled to life.
"Commander!"
The voice on the other end was panicked.
"We're detecting another massive energy signature above the facility!"
The stranger frowned.
"Above us?"
"Yes, sir! It's... it's splitting into hundreds of smaller signatures!"
Kael's heart sank.
"Hundreds?"
Orion closed his eyes.
"They've begun."
"What has?"
"The hunt."
The words carried a weight that silenced everyone.
"The Kings never travel alone."
Blue light flickered across the ancient ruins as Orion raised a hand.
Ancient symbols lit up across the streets.
A map appeared in the air.
Not of Earth.
Of the stars.
Countless glowing points filled the projection.
Most were dark.
Only a handful still shone.
"The remaining Cores," Aetherion said quietly.
Then—
One by one...
Red lights appeared.
First one.
Then five.
Then dozens.
They surrounded the remaining blue lights.
Kael stared in disbelief.
"What are those?"
Orion's expression hardened.
"Devourer fleets."
The room fell silent.
"They've found the others."
Kael watched another blue light disappear.
Consumed.
Gone forever.
His chest tightened.
"We have to help them."
Orion looked at him with tired eyes.
"If we leave now..."
He pointed toward the growing red lights around Earth.
"...this world will fall first."
Kael clenched his fists.
It was impossible.
Stay and others died.
Leave and Earth was lost.
Before anyone could speak—
A blinding beam of crimson light pierced the cavern ceiling.
The entire city shook violently.
Stone exploded outward.
A massive hole opened high above them.
Darkness poured through it.
Not natural darkness.
Living darkness.
Slowly...
A figure descended.
Graceful.
Silent.
Unlike Veyrath, this King appeared almost human.
Long white hair drifted behind her.
Black armor reflected no light.
Her crimson eyes calmly scanned the city.
Then settled on Kael.
"So..."
Her voice was soft.
Almost gentle.
"This is the Heir."
Kael felt every instinct scream.
Run.
But he couldn't move.
The woman's lips curved into a faint smile.
"My name..."
She took one more step.
The ancient city trembled beneath her presence.
"...is Nysera."
She looked at Aetherion.
Then Orion.
Finally back to Kael.
"And I have come to finish what Veyrath could not."
The air froze.
No one breathed.
Because unlike Veyrath...
Nysera had no interest in talking.
She raised one hand.
Crimson energy gathered instantly.
The attack had already begun.