The sky above Gaia and Oda has turned into a black ocean interspersed with blue-purple flashes. Magical clouds roll like the bodies of ancient dragons swirling behind the veil of reality. On the horizon, the symbol of Tiamat begins to grow larger, each blink shaking the world. "What is happening?" a soldier screams, his voice drowned in the terrifying silence. But it is not just the fog and storm that herald her presence—on that night, Tiamat's children finally reveal themselves.
As the gloomy dawn touches the land of Sanctuary, the cracked earth around the leyline begins to spew forth nameless creatures. They emerge from Tiamat's fog like shards of nightmares made flesh: elongated bodies, sometimes resembling reptiles, sometimes like half-destroyed humans, or combinations of ancient beasts that have never existed in the world. "We will not let you destroy everything we love!" a hero shouts, but his voice is barely heard amidst the terror that engulfs them.
Most of these creatures do not speak, only roaring in voices that resemble thousands of cries and howls. As the creatures move, it seems there is a faint whisper echoing in the hearts of all who see, "Run... or die." Some crawl, dragging their claws or scales across the ground, while others float, bringing fog and shadowy fragments to every corner of the remaining villages and towns.
In Oda, the remaining samurai struggle to fight back, but each time one monster is cut down, two more emerge from the cracked earth. "We will not fall! We are the protectors of this land!" one of the samurai cries, though her voice begins to fade with despair. In Gaia, angels and paladins form a barricade, using the remnants of glyphs and spells, but their magic trembles—many spells become chaotic under Tiamat's aura, even Joanna's heavenly fire can only hold back the onslaught for a moment before being pushed back again. "We must unite, or all of this will end," Gabriel shouts, battling the encroaching despair.
It is not just physical monsters that appear—many of the people, even the protectors, begin to be chased by the shadows of nightmares made real. "God, please help us!" a soldier screams as he sees a figure he once knew appear in monstrous form. In the fog, children with spiral eyes emerge, laughing at humans with ghostly voices, or dancing amidst the ruins while carving Tiamat's symbols into the ground. Their laughter is not a sound of joy, but a dark whisper from the abyss. Sometimes, the monsters that emerge bear the faces of long-dead people, attacking their own families, plunging victims into unbearable madness and guilt. "Why is this happening? Why, those we love?" Iris thinks with a broken heart, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggles to move forward.
Iris and Nobuzan, hiding behind Mitsuyori's layers of illusion, hear screams from outside—screams mixed with laughter, as if the whole world is experiencing a beautiful yet terrifying apocalypse. "What can we do? If we go out, we will die!" Nobuzan whispers, panic enveloping her voice. "We must find a way; we cannot let them win," Iris replies with determination, even though her heart is filled with the horror surrounding them.
Joanna, her half-black, half-gold wings now dimly glowing, hovers above Sanctuary with Michael's sword of fire. "Can we really win?" she thinks, her heart trembling amidst the roar of battle. Gabriel is beside her, but his aura seems shaken: every time he swings his spear of light, Tiamat's creatures burst into fog that reassembles behind him. "We must endure for them," he says firmly, though the faces of those he loves flash in his mind.
"This is not a fight against ordinary creatures," Gabriel murmurs, blood dripping from his temple. As his gaze focuses on the battle, memories of peaceful times lost cross his heart. "This is a fight against guilt, fear, and forgotten hope." His words echo in Joanna's ears, making her feel a burden heavier than ever; they are not just fighting for themselves, but also to remember what has been lost.
Mitsuyori herself must divide her focus—between strengthening the layers of hiding and fending off monsters trying to breach the illusion. Her body is filled with illusory wounds, remnants of attacks from creatures that sometimes lack clear form. She feels cold sweat on her back, and the sound of her heartbeat is deafening. Yet, amidst the despair, she creates a new glyph: Mirage Sanctuary, a high-level illusion magic that reflects the forms of Tiamat's monsters, causing some of them to attack their own shadows. "This is the only way; I must believe in it," she resolves, recalling all she has sacrificed to reach this point.
Other angels begin to fall one by one. Some lose their wings, screaming as they plummet, and some, with tears in their eyes, choose to end their own lives rather than become Tiamat's puppets. "Forgive me, my friend," whispers one angel before diving, "I will not let myself be trapped in darkness." The remaining samurai of Oda and paladins of Gaia hold their final formation, surrounding the heart of Sanctuary, resisting the unending tide of monsters. In their hearts, there is a sense of mutual strength; every passing second is a struggle to remain standing and not give up.
The storm in the sky of Gaia and Oda intensifies. Blue-purple lightning shatters the towers of magic, rivers change their course, and plants wither in just one night. Villages that survived the war are now haunted by monsters and restless spirits. The remaining people begin to lose their sanity—some choose to burn their homes and flee to the forest, while others hide in churches, singing old songs while hoping for a miracle. "This despair is too deep," whispers an old villager, his eyes filled with fear. He embraces his grandchild, as if holding the last hope in his grasp.
In the hiding place, Iris continues to feel strange contractions and the voice of a dragon in her head. Nobuzan holds her tightly, whispering prayers to all their ancestors. "We will survive, Iris," he adds with a trembling voice, "I promise, forever by your side." Mitsuyori, exhausted, blood dripping from her nose, still manages a small smile—vowing to herself that she will not let the spiral children fall into the hands of the ancient dragon. In her heart, she wonders how a samurai can face it without losing their soul.
And amidst the chaos, Tiamat's voice echoes throughout the world: "Finally, the awaited moment has arrived," the voice shakes hope. "Prepare to welcome a new era. My children, walk in my name. This world will become the womb for the rebirth of emptiness."
Joanna, Gabriel, Mitsuyori, and all the protectors of Sanctuary now fully realize: they are no longer just fighting monsters, but a fate that seeks to swallow everything. "If we unite, we can resist," Gabriel says passionately, looking at his companions. They all feel the same inner struggle, that these dark days will soon become memories—or perhaps, their last memories.