"So, this must be The Forge Of Sin... I thought it would be bigger," Übel commented as he approached Leonardo from behind. "I do advise that you don't touch it though. It could corrupt your mind. I could sense the darkness oozing from the Duke Erisia."
"The Duke was a victim..." Leo said ever so quietly.
"Pardon?" Übel replied.
"I talked with him in his final moments. That thing corrupts the very soul of anyone who touches it. Why the hell would anyone create such a thing?"
Suddenly, with a strong gust of wind, Evengarde Rest arrived at the battlefield. He approached the ominous orb on the ground and picked it up.
"Be careful!" Leonardo shouted as Evengarde lifted it.
"Relax, Leonardo. I won't be corrupted by its power. My connection with Ethiron allows me to resist the darkness, since she is a creature born from darkness."
Evengarde pulled forth a small pouch and placed The Forge Of Sin inside it.
"Now, my pupils, let us return to Etris. The Lord Regent expects great results from this raid."
As they made their way back to the army, the battlefield felt... empty. The once-relentless golems had ceased moving the moment Duke Erisia fell, their bodies crumbling into lifeless husks.
Among the scattered remnants of battle, Rajin sprinted toward Eris the moment he spotted her. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
Eris crossed her arms, a hint of irritation flickering across her face. "What? Did you expect me to die so easily? Hmph."
"No, no! That's not what I meant... You know what I meant, right?" Rajin fumbled, his nervous energy palpable.
Eris only smirked. "Hmph. Maybe if you help me clean up the Songseeker temple, I'll forget that comment."
Not too far away, Evengarde conversed with Arcanos and Luminous, his voice tinged with admiration. "Their growth is quite remarkable. They might even surpass us at some point."
Luminous chuckled. "Perhaps. They've shown greater potential than we ever did when we were in Maestro training."
Arcanos smirked and delivered a firm punch to Evengarde's arm. "Let's just hope they don't inherit your forgetfulness, Evengarde."
"Ow! Why are you always so harsh?"
"It's called tough love."
The Lord Regent sat upon his grand throne, the dim candlelight casting long shadows across the chamber. Before him stood a figure draped in a deep, hooded cloak, their presence oppressive yet enigmatic. The scent of old parchment and burning incense filled the air, but the tension between the two men was the true weight in the room.
"It is done," the Lord Regent said flatly. "The Duke Erisia is dead. The Forge of Sin is in our hands."
The hooded figure gave a slow nod. "As expected."
"He resisted till the bitter end," the Lord Regent continued. "Though his mind was lost to corruption, his will remained unbroken."
"A rare thing," the figure mused. "Most men surrender to the abyss when offered its embrace. He fought against inevitability, and yet... what changed? What made him cling to his fleeting mortality?"
The Lord Regent exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Perhaps... a part of him still hoped. Hoped that this world, no matter how cruel, could be mended."
The figure chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "Hope is the final chain that binds mortals to their suffering. It is why they struggle. Why they fight, even when all paths lead to despair. But you and I... we see beyond that, do we not?"
The Lord Regent's gaze darkened. "I see what must be done. And I know the cost of hesitation."
"Then you understand why this is only the beginning," the figure said, stepping forward. "Erisia's fate was sealed the moment he touched that artifact. His soul was the first to be claimed, but it will not be the last."
The Lord Regent's grip tightened around his scepter. "And what of them? The ones who bested him?"
"They amuse me," the figure admitted. "Their growth is remarkable, but they are still infants playing with fire. The true trials have yet to begin."
A silence lingered between them, heavy with unspoken truths. Then, after a moment, the figure spoke again, their voice laced with finality.
"It is time for Phase Two."
The Lord Regent remained still for a moment, then gave a single nod. "As you will it, Master."