The halls of the Vrasnian palace were unusually quiet.
Neve's footsteps echoed across the dark crystal floors as she moved quickly through the enormous corridors. Moonlight-like energy flowed through the walls, illuminating ancient symbols carved into the architecture.
But Neve barely noticed any of it.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Abiba.
Kazimir is going after her.
Her grip tightened around the strap of her armor.
And Rygar...
Vanessa's words continued to repeat inside her mind.
The Great War will happen again.
Neve stopped before a massive set of doors.
She knew exactly where she was.
Kazimir's quarters.
For a moment, her hand hovered above the door.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
No answer.
Neve narrowed her eyes.
"Kazimir?"
Silence.
She pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
But something immediately caught her attention.
The balcony doors were open.
Cold air entered the room.
Neve slowly walked toward them.
Then she saw him.
Kazimir stood at the edge of the balcony.
His back faced her.
His black coat moved gently in the eternal wind of Vrasnia. Beyond him stretched the endless kingdom, illuminated beneath the stars.
But his attention wasn't on Vrasnia.
It was on the sky.
A portal was already beginning to form.
Neve stepped closer.
"So it's true."
Kazimir didn't turn around.
"You spoke with Vanessa."
Neve blinked.
"You already knew?"
"I knew she would find you."
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Neve walked beside him.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then she looked at him.
"You're really going alone?"
Kazimir finally turned his head slightly.
"I was."
Neve crossed her arms.
"Well, that's unfortunate."
Kazimir stared at her.
"...What?"
"I'm coming with you."
For the first time, Kazimir's expression changed.
A small amount of surprise appeared on his face.
"Neve."
"What?"
"You don't have to do this."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Neve looked away.
Her hand slowly rested against the hilt of her sword.
"Because you're going after Abiba."
Kazimir's eyes lowered.
"And because I know what that means to you."
Silence.
Neve continued.
"You've spent years searching for her."
Kazimir said nothing.
"You've carried Karah's death with you for all this time."
The wind passed between them.
"But this isn't just revenge anymore."
Kazimir's expression darkened.
"No."
His voice was cold.
"She is a threat to humanity."
Neve looked at him.
"And if I have the opportunity to end this..."
His galaxy-like eyes reflected the distant stars.
"I will."
Neve stared at him for a moment.
Then—
"Good."
Kazimir raised an eyebrow.
Neve pulled her sword slightly from its sheath.
Ice shimmered across the metal.
"Because I'm not letting you have all the fun."
Kazimir stared at her.
Then, surprisingly—
A faint smile appeared.
"You haven't changed."
"Neither have you."
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal.
Like the countless days they had spent training.
Like the battles they had fought side by side.
Like the war wasn't coming.
But then—
The entire palace trembled.
The sky above Vrasnia shook.
Neve immediately turned.
"What was that?"
Kazimir's smile disappeared.
The portal before them suddenly destabilized.
Black lightning erupted from its edges.
Neve stepped back.
"That's not your portal."
"I know."
The energy intensified.
Kazimir's eyes narrowed.
Something was forcing its way through.
The air twisted.
The darkness around them bent unnaturally.
Then—
A voice emerged.
"Ah..."
The voice echoed from within the portal.
"So this is Vrasnia."
Neve immediately drew her sword.
SHING!
Ice exploded around her feet.
Kazimir's hand moved toward his katana.
"Who is there?"
A figure slowly stepped through the darkness.
But before its face could be seen—
The portal suddenly collapsed.
The entire balcony shook.
Kazimir immediately stepped forward.
But there was nothing.
No enemy.
No figure.
Nothing.
Only silence.
Neve slowly lowered her sword.
"What... was that?"
Kazimir stared at the place where the portal had been.
His expression became serious.
"Someone was looking for us."
Neve looked toward him.
"Someone from Earth?"
Kazimir slowly shook his head.
"No."
His eyes narrowed.
"That energy wasn't human."
A cold feeling traveled through Neve's body.
Kazimir turned toward her.
"We're leaving. Now."
Neve nodded.
The two stepped toward the edge of the balcony.
Kazimir raised his hand.
Darkness gathered around his fingers.
Then—
Space itself began to crack.
CRRRRACK—
A massive portal opened before them.
On the other side...
Earth.
But something was wrong.
Even from Vrasnia, they could see it.
The sky beyond the portal was burning.
Clouds had turned black.
Massive explosions illuminated the horizon.
And in the distance—
Something enormous moved.
Neve's expression hardened.
"So this is what Vanessa meant."
Kazimir stared silently at the world ahead.
His hand tightened around the hilt of Void Light.
"Abiba..."
His voice became colder.
The darkness around him began to move.
"After all these years."
Neve stepped beside him.
"You ready?"
Kazimir looked toward Earth.
Then he took one step forward.
"I've been ready."
The two disappeared into the portal.
Behind them, the eternal night of Vrasnia returned to silence.
The portal closed.
And far away...
Beyond the boundaries of Heaven.
Beyond the shattered remains of angelic armies.
A figure opened his eyes.
A single presence had entered the battlefield.
Rygar smiled.
"Kazimir..."
The stars around him began to distort.
"At last."
And somewhere on Earth...
The first battle had already begun.