The Grand Drown stood tall, now face-to-face with a reborn Noir. His wings glowed with divine radiance, silver armor shimmering like captured daylight, and in his grasp, the holy sword Lumenveil pulsed with searing brilliance.
Valeria, still locked in combat with the remaining Undead Drowns, glanced his way. "Noir! You're back! I'm a little busy- lend me a hand, will you?!"
Noir nodded silently. He turned toward the Grand Drown, raising Lumenveil and pointing it straight at the creature. "Those who harmed my companions... shall feel the wrath of the rising sun."
The Grand Drown snarled, patience burned away. It retrieved the Crown Trident from the shattered deck, and without hesitation, charged forward.
The battle began.
The trident fell like divine judgment. Noir sidestepped, Lumenveil slicing through the air like the promise of daybreak. Their weapons collided, sunfire against seaborn steel, sending tremors through the ship.
Noir dropped low, sweeping toward the knees, but the Grand Drown retaliated with a heavy kick. Noir blocked in mid-air, the force throwing him back across the deck. He landed in a skid, one knee carving into wood, but rose again, unwavering.
"Unworthy," he said coldly, lifting Lumenveil once more.
The Drown let out a guttural roar. The sea responded.
Water surged, forming a serpent-like tide behind it. It plunged the trident into the deck, summoning a torrent that shot toward Noir like a cannon.
But Noir soared upward, wings flaring in golden arcs. "Witness, this agony!"
From above, he descended like a meteor, light trailing behind him. He crashed down upon the Drown with divine fury. Lumenveil struck. Once, twice, the second blow driving deep into the creature's decayed armor.
The Grand Drown reeled, stumbling. It swung wildly, but Noir stayed on the offensive. Each swing of Lumenveil painted glowing glyphs mid-air, remnants of ancient solar runes.
One slash severed the webbing under its shoulder. Another bit deep into its back. A final cleave split through the arm holding the Crown Trident, sending the weapon clattering to the deck.
The tide stopped. The Undead Drowns paused, then fled, hurling themselves into the sea.
The Grand Drown fell to one knee, briny black blood dripping from its body. Noir stood above it, wings outstretched.
"Every loss must be reclaimed. Every debt repaid." He lowered Lumenveil to the Drown's chest. "Your debt shall be paid in blood."
"The king of the sea no more, for the sky has claimed the ocean."
And he drove the blade down.
The Grand Drown didn't scream. It exhaled once, a long breath, before collapsing to the deck, lifeless.
Lumenveil slowly dulled, divine power ebbing. The radiant armor unraveled into threads of gold, reweaving into the familiar green scarf. The wings folded in, vanishing beneath his skin.
The farm boy had returned.
-------------------------------
[Somewhere inside Mnemosyne's Rift]
Azura Igris sat bound to a black marble chair, wearing a blindfolded nun's habit, though altered and revealing more skin and body shape than tradition allowed. A ring of Mnemosyne Weavers surrounded her, their silver robes shimmering.
"Azura Igris the sinner, the heretic Weaver, you stand accused of breaching sacred protocol," intoned the Judge.
"I plead guilty," Azura replied, calm.
"You interfered with mortal memory. You fashioned a relic from Mnemosyne's divine thread."
"Guilty," she repeated.
The room tensed.
"And for creating a forbidden weave without consent,how do you plead?"
Azura smiled faintly. "Guilty."
The Judge raised his hand to deliver the sentence.
"You should be worried," Azura interrupted. "Not for me, but for what's coming."
Blue flames ignited around her, searing through the ropes.
The Weavers shouted in panic. Some raised wards. Others ran.
Azura stepped through the fire unscathed, drawing a single card from her sleeve.
"How.. disappointing, such a well orchestrated show, yet.. the stage is set to burn." she said, voice echoing like a hymn.
She dropped the card.
The blue fire exploded, racing through the hall.
Amidst the chaos, Azura stands alone in the center of the burning hall as she slowly walks down the hall, untouched by the blue flame.
"Dear audience... did you enjoy the show? I hope you do. And if you did, I'm looking forward for the next meeting. Oh, I know there will be."
[—To Be Continued—]