After the grand ritual, all the surviving beings felt an odd silence: not tranquility, but a biting emptiness, as if the world was now breathing with fear. Behind the remaining walls of magic, Iris and Nobuzan lay in an illusionary space—the last refuge crafted by Mitsuyori with the strongest illusion magic of her life. Iris felt an overwhelming sensation as she looked at Nobuzan, her body limp, as if a part of her was also lost in the emptiness that enveloped them. "No, we can't end here," she whispered softly, her voice almost drowned by the gnawing silence. Every second was a battle. Mitsuyori walked around the perimeter of the space, inscribing new glyphs in the air and on the ground, reinforcing the small dimension she had created. Her face was etched with fatigue, her eyes red from sleepless nights. She knew that all the illusions she had created were now being tested by something far beyond her own understanding—Tiamat, the Cosmic Matron of Destruction, who could even scent the blood of the spiral essence behind thousands of veils of reality. In the darkness, Iris felt the shattered vision—like a thousand stars that once shone dimly in the dark.
Each layer of Mitsuyori's illusion not only distorted the senses and ordinary magic but also disrupted the world's "memory" of the actual location of Iris and Nobuzan. She spread the illusionary mist into the leyline roots, causing their magical traces to bounce off hundreds of weak points in reality. The angels, guardians, and the people of Sanctuary only knew: "Iris and Nobuzan have vanished, perhaps they have become victims, perhaps they are still alive—but where, no one knows for sure." Iris held Nobuzan's hand, feeling the warm life energy still flowing between them. "One more step, we must be able to endure," she said, gazing into Nobuzan's eyes, which were now slowly opening. There was doubt in her tone, but hope ignited in their gaze, as if the two souls were giving each other strength to fight against the encroaching darkness. In that tense moment, they knew that despite being surrounded by confusion and uncertainty, their love and courage were the only light that could lead them out of the shadows of darkness.
Iris felt the heartbeat of two lives within her, a pair of small spirals growing from the blood of Fitran and the noble line of Gaia. Every time Tiamat tried to penetrate the illusionary dimension, her unborn child would stir—a sign that the blood of the spiral essence indeed opened a path for the ancient being, but also rejected its presence, like two poles that would never unite. For a moment, Iris's eyes met the gaze of fear and hope radiating from Nobuzan's face. She knew how much was at stake for both of them—and that anxious feeling weighed heavily on her chest. Nobuzan continued to hold Iris's hand, his body trembling, the wounds from battle not yet fully healed, but his determination burned like a fire that refused to be extinguished. "We will get through this," he whispered, his voice trembling yet sincere, as if pouring spirit into Iris's body despite the walls of fragility surrounding her.
In that hiding space, time moved strangely: sometimes slowing down until breaths felt like a distance of thousands of years, sometimes racing fast like a nightmare that was almost over but never ended. Iris felt the weight of Tiamat's presence out there, like a dark shadow hanging over them. Her thoughts drifted, as if trapped in a wave of worry and hope clashing against each other. She wanted to assure herself that they would be safe, but that fear gripped her heart—fear of losing the one right beside her.
Outside, Tiamat began to tear apart the layers of the dimension created by Mitsuyori. Each of her heads whispered into the roots of the world, sniffing the traces of spiral blood. Every time a layer of illusion was broken, the entire Sanctuary shook, the sound of cracking leyline echoing like the screams of the earth being sliced. In the darkness, Iris caught a glimmer of hope—a vision of a better future, if they could endure. With every heartbeat, she felt closer to Nobuzan, and though fear enveloped them, there was a strength growing between their clasped hands.
The remaining guardians ran back and forth, trying to hold back the shadowy creatures rising from Tiamat's mist. Gabriel led the line of angels, exerting the last remnants of heavenly power to maintain the perimeter of the Sanctuary. Joanna, half angel, half human, stood at the forefront, her wings radiating a dim light that was now fainter than before. Iris felt how vulnerable the situation was; Joanna's light, which once shone brightly, was now struggling against the darkness. "We are more than just protectors," she thought, "we are hope." With the uncertain journey ahead of them, one thing was certain—whatever happened, they would not fight alone.
"She is close," Mitsuyori whispered in her heart, each time her magic trembled. "It's only a matter of time before the entire refuge opens one by one."
Iris cried in silence. She knew that there was no place truly safe from Tiamat. Her unborn child kicked gently, as if understanding the burden of the world placed upon them even before they were born. Every small movement from within her felt like a signal, urging her to fight harder. Nobuzan, despite his body being full of wounds, pressed his ear to Iris's belly, whispering softly to their unborn children. "We will protect you, no matter what happens," he said in a voice barely audible, but accompanied by a strong conviction.
"Endure. This world is not finished. There will be a dawn after this darkness," he said with hope, gently stroking Iris's growing belly. Iris looked at him, feeling longing and fear intertwining in her chest. She wanted to respond, but her words were silenced by the tears that kept flowing.
Mitsuyori entered the illusionary space, looking at Iris and Nobuzan with tired, red eyes. "I must add one more layer," she said softly, her hands trembling. "But I don't know... if it will be enough. Tiamat... she is starting to learn, becoming more cunning each time we close the door." A sense of despair washed over her, and doubt enveloped her mind. Deep down, Mitsuyori knew that time was not on their side.
Iris nodded, her tears falling. "If I must choose, protect our children first. I... we are ready to sacrifice." Iris's voice trembled, but there was an unwavering determination behind it. Nobuzan grasped Mitsuyori's arm, "Never give up. Illusions are not just mere tricks—they can be the last place to hide hope." However, in his heart, Nobuzan felt restless. Every passing second seemed to choke his throat, as distant thuds broke the silence, reminding them that time was running out.
Each attack from Tiamat marked a layer of reality collapsing. Outside the illusionary dimension, the city of Sanctuary was filled with the Mist of Genesis Ruin, blurring the boundaries between life and death. The people of Sanctuary began to have nightmares; some wandered aimlessly, losing memories of the past or family. Even in the darkness of night, faint voices from the depths of those nightmares demanded attention, creating a chilling atmosphere. The remaining angels had to fend off the shadowy creatures while calming the desperate ones. Hoarse voices and labored breaths filled the air, as if every heartbeat in Sanctuary vibrated with unspoken fear.
In the central tower, Joanna prayed to Michael, Sheena, and her ancestors. She knew that if Mitsuyori's seal failed, the entire world would know exactly where the spiral blood was hidden. With every word spoken, her sobs flowed softly, as if calling back lost spirits. Joanna inscribed a fire glyph on the ground, connecting Michael's magic to all layers of illusion—an ultimate effort to slow Tiamat down. In her heart, courage and doubt battled, creating an almost unbearable wave of emotions. Every heartbeat, every glyph stroke, was an undeniable sacrifice.
Every word of prayer was a barrier, every drop of blood was a pact, every memory was the last fortress.
Mitsuyori grew paler. The illusion magic she created was not only exhausting her body but also beginning to erode her own memories. She felt uncertainty creeping into her mind, like a shadow waiting to swallow everything. Several times she forgot who she was, forgot names, even almost failing to recognize Iris. Yet, in the corner of her heart, a small hope remained lit: perhaps, this time, the illusion could become reality. Perhaps, at least for a moment, Tiamat would be deceived by the dreams of mortal humans. Meanwhile, Iris, who stood not far from her, held back her tears that wanted to fall, remembering the beautiful moments they shared. In her heart, she felt a complete sorrow; a push to run towards Mitsuyori, to embrace her tightly so they could unite even in the painful reality.
As the night grew truly dark and the sounds of dragons began to echo like a storm outside the walls of illusion, Nobuzan stood and challenged the mist. The hissing wind carried memories of Iris's gentle voice, as if she stood beside him, supporting him in this courage.
"If you want this blood, take it from me. Do not touch my wife and children," he shouted, his voice echoing in the silence of the night. Before him, the shadowy mist seemed alive, creeping closer with an infinite threat. Nobuzan felt his heart racing, shadows of anxiety crossing his mind, but he refused to back down.
The only response was the voices of thousands of Tiamat's heads whispering in ancient tongues, recounting past and future sins. Those voices felt like needles piercing his heart, reminding him of everything he had fought for. The room began to tremble, the walls of illusion fading, and in that tremor, he felt the fear of his children, Iris's panic, and the hope clinging to the edges of his curiosity. But before the mist could penetrate, Mitsuyori planted the final glyph in the center of the floor: Aegis of the Unborn.
The glyph shone brightly, not with ordinary light, but with memories—all the memories, hopes, and love that Iris, Nobuzan, Mitsuyori, even Joanna and Gabriel, had given to the world. Outside, the sound of the dragon screamed, trapped in darkness, momentarily held back by a force that was not just magic, but the human desire to endure and love. In that moment, Nobuzan imagined Iris's face, her calming smile, and how he would warmly welcome her back. How he longed to feel that embrace again, in peace.
The mist of Tiamat receded, if only for a few hours. The remaining protectors of Sanctuary—those still alive—fell to the ground, crying, laughing in relief, or sitting in silence staring at the black sky. Joanna lay weak, her body surrounded by fading fire, and in her heart, she prayed for those who had gone, for all the souls who would never feel the warmth of this world again. Mitsuyori fell to the ground, staring at her trembling hands—she knew that time was running out. Her heavy sigh broke the silence, 'What will we do next?' she asked herself more than anyone else.
In the hiding space, Iris and Nobuzan embraced each other, crying in silence. 'We must endure, no matter what happens,' Iris whispered, her voice trembling with a hope that was nearly extinguished. Perhaps this was the time to rebuild everything that had been shattered, Nobuzan thought, but deep inside, fear crept in—would the resurrection be able to erase this sense of loss? They knew this victory was temporary. But for the first time, they felt truly alive—and the children in her womb, in the swirling spiral of a world that was nearly ending, remained resilient. With one tight embrace, they promised each other, 'We will not let anything separate us.' And in that loving embrace, they tried to dispel the shadows of darkness lurking at the edge of hope.