The castle halls are silent. No guards, no staff, no movement - only the faint hum of something unnatural in the air. Barns can feel it, even before he reaches the throne room. The weight of an overwhelming force. Waiting.
Barns kicks open the doors to the throne room, nearly knocking the mighty doors off their frame.
"CAREFUL! MY THRONE ROOM!"
Clancy scuttles up next to Barns and the two stand defiantly before Nazakiel. Off to the side, Maria puts a hand over her mouth, shocked.
"Barns!" she cries, stepping forward. "You idiot, run away from here!"
He braces his new SSS Rank weapon in front of him, posing dramatically with Clancy.
"Don't worry, Maria. We got this."
Nazakiel smiles - a huge, wide grin. The first smile he's had since arriving at Dimartino. Perhaps the first smile he's had in years.
He rises from his throne, rolling his shoulders.
