C161 Cleanup The explosion tore through the world before Kael in a blinding eruption of purple, a violent storm of energy that swallowed everything in its radius with ruthless efficiency, and he marveled at his own resilience, barely able to comprehend that he was still breathing while the remnants of the blast licked at his flesh, melting small patches of skin as if the world itself had decided to punish him personally. Even though he had been nearly ten kilometers from the arena, the magnitude of the explosion had reached him with an intensity that mocked distance, and he could feel the searing pain traveling up his limbs, testing the limits of his body and his patience, yet somehow, his healing capabilities responded automatically, repairing the worst of the damage without demanding much from the fragile reserves of mana he had left after creating the countless golden shield domes that had protected the citizens from the initial wave of destruction.

C163 Cleanup (3)Done. Wonderful how that had only taken four hours, a task that could have easily dragged on for days if he had let it; time saved was always precious, even if it came wrapped in an abrasive layer of exertion and discomfort."I... forget it." Kael almost protested but caught himself mid-thought, realizing that protesting would only waste more of his dwindling patience. In truth, it was undeniably faster, though the process carried the signature sting of pain, an unwelcome companion that insisted on reminding him of effort spent.Now, with the work complete, he set his sights on the city, more precisely on the domes he had left behind. Their fate had been left to chance for far too long, but Kael had reason to believe they were intact; none had suffered damage severe enough to render them hazardous. Minor scratches adorned some, but those would fade with the natural restorative pull of mana, a subtle reassurance that not everything her

C165 — Eyes Above“What... the fuck?” Amanda gasped, her voice cracking under the weight of the impossible sight before her. The miniature eyes hovering around the vast chamber were still inert, yet the pressure they radiated pressed down on her chest like a physical force, making it abundantly clear that lingering here was a grave mistake. Each heartbeat reverberated with tension, and her instincts screamed that this was far from safe.The energy itself felt alive, ominous and unfathomable, like staring into an abyss where light refused to penetrate. Its depth was hidden, a green murk so dense it seemed to swallow the air, suffocating every breath Amanda drew. The sensation was suffocating, oppressive, as though the domain itself rejected her presence.Bodies that had moved freely moments before—people dining, laughing, walking—were now nothing more than splattered remnants on the stone floor, crimson staining everything with the evidence of their futilit

C167: The Matter On The Other Side (4)“Pardoth.”“…Dragon Monarch.” Pardoth inclined his head with a deliberately exaggerated bow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, as if mocking the solemnity of the moment with a hint of theatrical flair.Kael ignored the theatrics, his gaze sliding to Elira and her companion, assessing their positions. They were safe, largely untouched, but his brow rose slightly upon recognizing Elira’s unwavering devotion as an Evangelist in every fiber of her being.That was irrelevant for now. His priority was the writhing monstrosity before him, the tentacled aberration that had shadowed his steps since the beginning of this twisted encounter.“Can’t reach me directly, so you target my daughter instead?” Kael’s voice was measured, patient, concealing the subtle tensing of his body as he prepared a signature strike, one that had toppled several Eldritch threats in the past.The flaw of this techni