Sol did not hesitate.
The moment Agnes finished speaking, the decision was already made.
"I accept."
The words left his mouth without a second thought.
For a brief moment, silence lingered between them.
Sol knew the truth behind what he had just agreed to. Accepting Agnes's offer meant far more than gaining power. It meant betraying the very place that had taken him in when he had nothing.
Lucindor.
The city that had welcomed him.
The city he might soon destroy.
But the thought barely lingered in his mind.
The hunger for power drowned everything else.
Agnes's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"I expected nothing less," she said calmly.
Dark energy swirled around them as she raised her hand. The orb within Sol's possession pulsed violently, as if responding to her presence.
"You've been using its power blindly," Agnes continued, her voice steady and instructive. "Like a starving beast devouring whatever it can find."
Sol frowned slightly but said nothing.
"But power like this," she added, stepping closer, "requires control."
She extended a hand toward him.
"Focus."
The orb reacted instantly.
A violent surge of dark energy erupted around Sol's body.
His muscles tensed.
His vision blurred.
For a moment, it felt like the same corruption that had once threatened to devour his mind.
But this time, something was different.
Agnes guided the energy.
"Do not fight the rage," she instructed. "Harness it."
The energy that once felt chaotic began to stabilize.
The madness that once clouded his thoughts became something sharper.
Clearer.
Stronger.
Sol's eyes widened slightly.
The power flowing through him was overwhelming.
But for the first time…
It obeyed him.
A slow grin spread across his face.
A laugh escaped his throat.
Then another.
Soon, it became a manic burst of laughter echoing through the darkness.
"So this is it…" he muttered, staring at his hands as dark energy coiled around his fingers like obedient flames.
"Full control."
Agnes watched quietly.
Satisfied.
Sol finally lowered his hands, breathing slowly as the power settled inside him.
For now, he would follow her orders.
Not because he trusted her.
But because the possibilities before him were too great to ignore.
Power.
Endless power.
And Sol intended to explore every inch of it.
Three days later.
Far from the chaos brewing across the land…
Leo and his team finally reached their destination.
The Land of Thaloun Grass stretched before them, vast and endless under the pale sky. Waves of tall green grass moved gently with the wind, creating an almost peaceful sight.
But the group was too exhausted to admire the scenery.
Their journey had been long and relentless.
Sweat clung to their clothes.
Their bodies ached.
Yet determination still burned in their eyes.
"We finally made it…" one of the team members muttered under his breath.
Leo stood at the front of the group, staring across the open land.
Despite the exhaustion, his posture remained steady.
Their mission was only beginning.
Meanwhile…
Back in Lucindor…
Eryndor had recovered.
The brutal battle in the Forest of Fawl had left deep wounds, but his body had healed faster than most expected.
Now he stood once again in full armor.
Stronger.
Sharper.
More focused than ever.
But peace had not returned to the land.
Far from it.
The cities of Lucindor and Perona were on high alert.
Reports of destruction had begun to spread across the Land of Luminous. Villages spoke in hushed tones about a witch whose power seemed to grow stronger with every passing day.
Agnes Monvois.
Her reign of terror had begun only a week ago.
And already, fear was spreading like wildfire.
Children were kept inside their homes.
Villages reinforced their gates.
Soldiers doubled their patrols.
The people could feel it.
A storm was coming.
And that storm arrived sooner than anyone expected.
At the massive gates of Lucindor…
Two figures appeared.
Agnes Monvois.
And Sol.
They stood side by side, staring calmly at the beautiful city before them.
Lucindor's towering walls gleamed under the afternoon sun. Its elegant architecture and bustling streets reflected years of prosperity and peace.
But the moment the guards saw the two approaching figures…
Their expressions changed instantly.
"INTRUDERS!"
The alarm bell rang loudly.
Guards rushed to their defensive positions.
Weapons were drawn.
One soldier quickly grabbed a communication device.
"Alert the higher officials immediately!"
Within minutes, the city was mobilizing.
Inside the palace, the King received the report.
His expression hardened.
"So it has begun," he muttered.
He turned sharply toward his commanders.
"Send the elite soldiers."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"And summon Art Ryder."
Moments later, soldiers flooded the battlefield outside the city gates.
At their head stood Art Ryder.
His sword rested firmly in his grip as his sharp eyes studied the two enemies before him.
Agnes looked almost amused.
But Sol's attention wasn't on the soldiers.
His eyes were locked onto one person.
Eryndor.
The warrior stepped forward from the ranks of Lucindor's defenders.
The two men stood across from each other.
A silent tension filled the battlefield.
Sol slowly lifted his weapon.
"Looks like it's just the two of us," he said calmly.
Eryndor didn't respond immediately.
His eyes carefully studied Sol.
The aura surrounding him had changed.
The corruption was still there.
But now…
It was controlled.
"Agnes taught you," Eryndor finally said.
Sol smirked.
"You could say that."
Then the battlefield exploded into motion.
Agnes raised her hand, unleashing a devastating surge of dark magic that tore across the battlefield.
Soldiers were thrown back as the blast shattered the ground beneath them.
But Art Ryder stepped forward instantly.
His sword glowed brightly as he intercepted the attack.
CLANG!
The magical wave shattered against his blade, sending sparks of energy flying in every direction.
Agnes tilted her head slightly.
"Interesting."
Art raised his sword again.
Behind him, the elite soldiers formed battle formations.
"Hold your ground!" Art shouted.
The soldiers roared in response.
They charged forward.
Steel clashed against magic as they attacked Agnes from every direction.
But the witch fought back fiercely, unleashing bursts of destructive magic that tore through the battlefield.
Still…
The soldiers refused to retreat.
One soldier shouted loudly:
"Art Ryder isn't just any elite soldier!"
Another continued the cry.
"He's second only to Eryndor in skill!"
The rallying shout ignited the soldiers' courage.
Art's voice rose above the chaos.
"Fight back!"
His sword struck again, forcing Agnes to block.
"She's taken enough lives already!"
The soldiers surged forward with renewed determination.
Blades struck from every direction.
Magic exploded across the battlefield.
The relentless assault began pushing Agnes backward.
Even she seemed slightly surprised.
Art Ryder moved with flawless precision.
Every swing of his blade was controlled.
Every parry calculated.
Watching him…
Agnes suddenly remembered something.
Eryndor.
The memory of him tearing through her Dark Lords flashed through her mind.
Her expression darkened.
Despite Art's skill, Agnes still managed to land several brutal hits.
Explosions of magic struck his armor, sending him staggering backward.
But he refused to fall.
He pushed forward again.
The soldiers followed his lead without hesitation.
Their attacks became more coordinated.
More relentless.
Some even managed to close the distance, overwhelming Agnes momentarily and preventing her from casting properly.
Art shouted another command.
"Don't stop!"
His blade clashed with her magic again.
"Keep swinging!"
The soldiers struck again and again.
"Prevent her from casting anything!"
Under Art's leadership, the battlefield became a perfect storm of coordinated attacks.
Agnes found herself forced onto the defensive.
Her eyes narrowed with irritation.
"I've underestimated the willpower of all of you," she said through clenched teeth.
Art smirked slightly.
"It only takes unity," he replied, his blade flashing again, "to fight back against monsters like you."
Her anger flared instantly.
"You dare—"
A memory flashed through Sol's mind.
A conversation from earlier.
Before the attack had begun…
Agnes had leaned closer to him, her voice cold and calculating.
"If it weren't for that clever fool Eryndor," she had said quietly, "this would have been far easier."
Sol frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Agnes smiled darkly.
"My original plan was perfect."
Her eyes glinted.
"I would have used Ariana's body… to poison the city's entire water supply."
Sol's eyes widened slightly.
"But Eryndor ruined everything."
The flashback vanished.
Sol's focus returned to the battlefield.
His eyes locked onto Eryndor again.
The man who had ruined Agnes's plan.
The man who stood between him and the power he desired.
Sol's grip tightened on his weapon.
Then he moved.
He charged toward Eryndor with overwhelming speed.
The real battle had begun.