Irlia looked intensely at Revir and Rein, her gaze not just malicious, but burdened with cold, absolute duty. She slowly rose into the air, lifting her hand. Several Sealers' books behind her morphed, their pages instantly transforming into massive, heavy chains.

  "Heh. To think you managed to do this," Revir said, maintaining a casual, carefree tone that failed to mask a sliver of genuine sorrow. "I guess you really take your job as a Queen quite seriously."

  "If it means I get to vanquish the traitor, then it was worth it," Irlia replied in a cold, cutting tone. She clenched her fist, commanding the chains to strike the two figures below.

  Rein and Revir instinctively backed away, and the chains slammed into the ground where they had stood, causing the floor to crack. Irlia then slowly opened her palm, sweeping it out as she pointed to all the chains. The weapons responded by erupting in a devastating amount of Dark Ender, morphing yet again. They took the shape of glowing, spectral figures-the ghosts of their previous users, the fallen Sealers.

  "As the Queen of Sealers and the Zarikh," Irlia declared, her voice ringing with the finality of a judge, "You shall face your justice, Revir!"

  The situation had decisively shifted into Irlia's favor.

  Revir and Rein landed in a mix of confusion and horror at the spectacle before them. Revir's eyes widened, fixated on the ghosts of the fallen Sealers attacking them. He tightly gripped his wand, desperation and guilt hammering at his heart.

  "Don't worry," Rein said, trying to reassure Revir despite the fractured bone in his arm. "Just do what you have to do."

  Rein's statement hit him profoundly. Revir sighed heavily in realization. "Thanks, Rein. Can't believe you, of all people, are giving me advice." He quickly morphed his wand into his axes.

  "What can I say?" Rein replied, morphing his wand into his lance. "It can't be helped."

  The ghosts charged immediately, chains flying like spectral weapons. Revir and Rein charged to meet them, the clash of metal and ectoplasm ringing out. As the two heroes briefly dropped their guard after repelling the chains, two more ghosts instantly teleported behind them, swinging their weapon. Revir and Rein leaped forward, trying to escape, but the movement had been planned.

  A massive, violently pulsing Dark Ender magic circle appeared behind Irlia. Revir's gaze locked on Irlia, and he widened his eyes in disbelief at the changes over the last few hours. She was consumed by the grief of the past, showing signs of corruption: dark, violet flowers appeared to be on the verge of blooming across her skin-a clear, visible indicator of her becoming a Zarikh. Yet, her expression was unwavering. She was actively resisting the physical allure of the dark within her mind for the sake of her duty.

  Fully in command, Irlia clenched her fist, commanding the magic circle to release a beam of crackling, violet ray against the pair. Both staggered back to the cracked wall, spraying vile blood from the impact. She didn't stop, instantly pulling a dozen sharp chains from the Sealer book floating before her, commanding the entire mass to attack them. Revir frantically summoned his own chains through his book. While his chains were not powerful enough to repel all of Irlia's, they deflected the worst, though the remaining chains heavily pinned the wall around them. A vast cloud of cracking ice and dust erupted, blinding Irlia's sight.

  Taking the opportunity, they rushed forward, weapons raised for a surprise attack. As they swung, a violet, resilient barrier slammed into place, defending Irlia. Revir pushed his axes, but the barrier's resilience was too strong; it slowly pushed them away. In a devastating explosion, the barrier propelled them to the ground, leaving a sharp crack where they landed.

  "Is that all you got? I thought you were better than this, Revir." Irlia said, coldly looking down at him with a smug indifference.

  Revir coughed up blood, staring at the ground. Memories of his past flashed within his mind, showing many Sealers calling him "Witch," "Omen," "Anomaly," even to the point of telling him that he didn't deserve to live. But this time, Revir did not give in to the self-pity. He slowly stood up, struggling as he morphing his axes back to his wand.

  "R-Revir...?" Rein muttered, enduring the pain, a crimson trail dripping from his forehead.

  "It's okay. I can handle this," Revir replied, offering a bittersweet smile.

  As he slowly walked toward Irlia, another flicker of his past ignited, one after another. Part of it showing that he got abandoned by his parents, while other part, been abuse physically and mentally by the people around him, a literal discrimination just because of his existence, half Sealer and half Margias. However, in the middle of this pure, chaotic memories, one memory stood out: the first interaction with Irlia, where everything were began.

  Young Revir, covered in rags and bruises, walked aimlessly in the middle of the night. He saw a small girl his age, wearing a robe, beating a drunken Sealer on the dark alley in front of him. In that moment, their gazes met. The girl showed interest, while Revir instinctively tried to run. However, the girl quickly grabbed his arm, preventing him to do so as she scanned Revir's condition.

  "C-can you please let me go? What if someone sees you interacting with me, a literal omen?" Revir pleaded, despair in his eyes.

  The girl giggled confidently, holding up a package of chess pieces. "I heard you're strong at this game of 'chess.' I want you to have a match with me!" she challenged.

  "T-there's no way I would just accept like that."

  Her eyes shone with such bright excitement that it was blinding his sight. Revir sighed in annoyance, accepting the challenge.

  After a few matches, Revir was shocked. For the first time, he was defeated in the game he excelled at. The girl loudly jumped around, celebrating. "It was a close call, but I won at last! It really was a good match!" she offered a handshake.

  "Good for you," Revir rejected the handshake, standing to leave. "But please, just leave me alone. There's no need for you to spend your time with this 'insect'."

  "Actually, I have a favor to ask," she said, making Revir pause. "You're the only one who has come closest to defeating me. I can't just let a talented person like you rusting in the dark."

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "I want you to be my right hand man! Someone worthy to stand by my side and change this place!" she declared.

  Revir snorted at the absurdity. "And how are you going to do that, Princess of the Sealers?"

  "Ah, you got me there. You're really good at reading people, aren't you?" she giggled. "But I'm serious about changing this place. This discrimination, this corruption... I want to stop it. If nobody else will fix it, then I will. But I can't do it alone. That's why I need you. I want you to be my brain."

  Revir was stunned. Although he hesitated, he knew this was the moment that would change not only his life, but also people around him. Slowly but surely.

  "So," she offered the handshake again. "What will be your answer then? I wouldn't force you."

  "Are you sure... that it's going to work someday?" Revir asked, seeking reassurance.

  "I... don't know yet. But it doesn't hurt to try."

  Revir sighed heavily. "I guess you're right about tha—"

  The girl immediately grabbed Revir's arm, happily pulling him along toward her castle. "Then it's settled! Oh, you should call me Irlia!" The robe covering her head fell away in the wind, revealing beautiful violet hair under the moonlight.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "Then you can call me Revir," he said, astonished by her spirit.

  "Revir, huh? Well, nice to meet you!" she replied, giving a carefree smile. "Now, onward! To our first adventure!"

  As Revir’s senses fully returned to the present, his single footstep echoed across the hall. All the ghost Sealers responded instantly, charging toward him from different directions. Then, a second footstep landed, creating an instantaneous eruption of sharply jagged rock terrain beneath the ground around him, piercing and momentarily disabling the charging ghosts. He stopped walking, now standing face-to-face against Irlia.

  "Hey, Irlia," Revir offered, forcing a sorrowful smile. "I have the most ingenious idea that you might like."

  Hearing the phrase, a painful echo of their past, Irlia’s eyes widened in disbelief, her fists clenching in fury. "You don't have to say something like that, Revir. You are not me. The dream is already over."

  "No, it's not," Revir replied, his expression hardening into determination. "This naive dream is still there. It was not over yet, Irlia."

  Unable to contain her anger, she immediately summoned a cluster of sharp chains behind her, ready to launch. "Don't make me repeat myself, Revir. The dream is over. Only my own responsibilities as a Queen remain in my life."

  "I know. But does that really matter?" His wand slowly began to glow, radiating a warm, earthly light. "Even if that dream wasn't realized, even if only the painful reality exists in front of us, there's still a room for a new dream to breathe."

  "Is that so?" Irlia commanded the chains to attack Revir, where he quickly created a dense rock terrain to defend himself. Both sides met, crumbling into pieces. "You want to prove that your 'new' dream can outbest my duty as a Queen, isn't it?"

  "You damn right," Revir gripped his wand tightly, the earthly light now encompassing its entire body. "That's my own ingenious idea. For us to have one last duel." The wand then swiftly morphed into an unfamiliar yet powerful, new look of his Vergus Spell and the ultimate sign of his newfound dream. "Just like I said before. This time, I'm going to win!" Revir declared, wielding the new form of his weapon: a Halberd.

  Irlia only giggled with cold amusement, leaping back to gain altitude. "Fine, then. If that's what you want." She lifted her hand, morphing her book into a violet, flowering sword gripped tightly in her palm. She instantly summoned a dozen chains on either side, a dozen spectral ghosts in front, and a massive, violently blooming flower pulsing with Dark Ender behind her.

  "I, Irlia, shall declare upon this duel!" she proclaimed, her voice ringing with finality, "That I shall end those meaningless, hollow dreams!"

  "I, Revir, shall declare upon this duel!" Revir roared in return, spinning his Halberd and gripping it tightly. "That I shall end those prideful, integrity duties!"

  Irlia swung her sword heavily downward, commanding her entire force to attack Revir. He charged forward, expertly dodging every chain sent his way. He thrust his Halberd, slicing through several ghosts and making them vanish into thin air. The remaining ghosts swung their chain weapons, but Revir was instantly ready, casting a dozen magic circles beneath them as it pierce each ghost with spikes of his own chains.

  In response, Irlia instantly rushed forward, seizing the brief moment Revir was distracted. She swung her sword, malicious intent in her gaze aimed at beheading him. However, Revir merely smiled, using his Halberd to block her attack. Their weapons clashed with a loud, ringing clang. Revir struggled to hold his ground, showing Irlia's raw force was immense. She slowly pushed him back, then swung her sword heavily again, staggering him hard against the wall.

  She then pointed her palm at him, commanding the huge flower behind her to release a deadly violet ray. As the flower recharged, the area around them slowly covered with smaller, devastatingly beautiful violet flowers. The main ray fired, and a huge cloud of dust blinded their sight as it hit against the wall.

  Despite that, Revir survived by teleporting upward, though minor injuries marked his face. As he fell toward the ground, he slammed his book open, and it morphed into something massive. A sudden bright light confused Rein and Irlia in the hall; the book had become a powerful, spectral Warhorse.

  "Gallop on, together!" Revir exclaimed, pulling the reins and commanding the horse to move.

  "Using a horse? You really love making me laugh aren't you, you bastard!" Irlia was furious, creating one huge flower after another. She commanded them all to fire the same ray at Revir. But he dodged every single one with ease, thanks to the sheer speed of his Warhorse. Irlia then summoned sharp chains, but Revir countered, pointing his Halberd at her and casting his own sharp chains. Both attacks met and shattered.

  As Revir prepared to swing his Halberd, another huge flower above him shot its ray. Revir had no choice but to dismount, instantly cancelling the Warhorse's form. With quick thought, he cast a stone terrain behind him, using it as a cracked platform to launch himself over Irlia. Noticing his action, she summoned several chains, but Revir countered them with a hail of stone spikes.

  Now face-to-face, Revir swung his Halberd heavily, and Irlia blocked. Their strength was perfectly equal again, their weapons locked.

  "I know you've been suffering too much, Irlia," Revir said, catching her off guard. "And I'm sorry that you had to face all of that alone."

  Irlia's sword began to crack under the emotional and physical strain.

  "That's why I have to do this. For your duty has already finished." Revir declared.

  With a loud snap, her sword broke apart. He did not hesitate to brought the Halberd down in a decisive slash. Revir, panting heavily as he landed behind her, finally put their duel to its end. For the first time, he had defeated Irlia.

  After experiencing her first defeat, Irlia was momentarily confused, processing the sharp pain and the sight of her own blood. As consciousness depleted, she fell to the ground. The violet flowers around her body slowly began to fade, a sign that her corrude state had vanished. Noticing her condition, Revir frantically cancelled his Vergus Halberd, rushing to catch her. Thanks to his quick action, he managed to gather her in his arms, though both slumped down onto the cracked, flowered ground.

  "You okay there, Irlia?" Revir asked, still looking at the ceiling, his expression exhausted.

  Irlia giggled, a sound laced with agony. "Do I look fine here? You're the one who defeated me. Of course, I'm not okay." She looked up at the ceiling with her last remaining energy.

  "Heh, so how was the first taste of your defeat, idiot?"

  "Seems plausible, but it really was good to taste something new," she replied, her expression softening from agony into acceptance. "But sadly, we won't be having a rematch."

  Both turned their heads toward each other, looking side by side.

  "Hey, Revir," she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "You don't mind if you tell me about your journey since we separated? I really want to know what drove you to choose this new dream."

  "Sure," he responded, trying desperately to hold back his tears. "Why not?"

  In a final, bittersweet moment, they holding their hand together. Revir began telling Irlia about his journey, about his new friends, about the Margias, and about finding his conviction. She listened, slowly closing her eyes, holding onto that final connection. As her eyes fully closed and her grip on his hand loosened completely, Revir finally let out a small, quiet stream of tears, reminiscing about the good times they shared.

  He slowly stood, lifting Irlia's dead body into his arms. He then knelt to the ground and tenderly buried her in the bed of violet flowers alongside her broken Sealer book. In that final moment, Revir made an unbreakable promise: he would continue his journey not just for her sake, but for his own.

  "Watch me up there, Irlia." Revir rose, a determined, carefree smile returning to his face. "For my adventure is about to begin."

  Somewhere at the top of the ruined castle, Yuno, the one who once shared the dream of Margias and Sealers coexisting with Revir and Irlia, watched the conflict below.

  "Seems like my help wasn't needed after all," Yuno muttered, shrugging off the situation. "That Grey really worried over nothing."

  "You know I can hear that, right?" Grey’s voice cut in, transmitted through a telepathic artifact Yuno wore.

  Yuno panicked, immediately responding to the call. "H-hey, buddy!" he laughed nervously. "What's the catch for calling me so suddenly?"

  "I want an update on Carol and her friends," Grey replied with a worried edge. "I'm concerned about them travelling in that dangerous place."

  "You don't have to worry about the kids, my guy. From the look of it, they've made decent progress despite just becoming Margias," Yuno responded, looking proudly toward Revir's location. "Though, there is a problem."

  "Is it her transformation?" Grey asked, his tone darkening.

  "Yeah," Yuno’s casual demeanor dropped, his gaze now focused intensely on Carol. "I'm afraid that Lydia's child might have to face the truth sooner or later. About her nature, and about her family."

  Hearing this, Grey sighed deeply in desperation. "That stupid little sister of mine. Blinded by love itself, leading to her child's suffering."

  "Heh, that sounds exactly like her, you know?"

  "Whatever. Can you escort them after they are done with their battle? I'm quite worried about Hana as well."

  "Instead of worrying everywhere, why don't you just come here and help me?" Yuno said, annoyed by the task.

  Grey didn't bother responding, only closing the telepathic connection, which made Yuno sigh in disappointment.

  [Arc 3:Ended]