Assault on the Pentagon
The skies at dawn were thick with snow. In the biting chill that made a mockery of summer, Rowen shivered. Summer would soon fade. The very thought of plummeting temperatures made his body tremble uncontrollably.
Just moments ago, Rowen had witnessed a massive meteor. A blazing mass hurtling toward somewhere beyond the snowcapped peaks. It didn't gleam like a star, but its dark shadow announced its presence unmistakably.
Karin clasped her hands together. "Make a wish?"
"Shh, Oppa too."
"Nah. Too childish."
Karin, who had squeezed her eyes shut, slowly opened her right eye and glared at Rowen. His response had irked her.
"You saying I'm childish?"
"No, just the idea of it."
"Bet you love having such a childish little sister."
Watching Rowen fluster was pure delight for Karin. Their blood was only half-shared, but her snow-white locks left no doubt—they were siblings through and through. His bewilderment was comedy gold to her.
"Fine, I'll make my childish wish. You go study more of that magic you love so much."
"You really are childish, huh?"
"What's wrong with a kid acting like a kid?"
A mocking laugh. Rowen knew exactly what it meant. She was teasing him. This cheeky little sister just loved seeing him squirm.
"...So what're you gonna wish for?"
"Hmm... Too many to even talk about!"
So many wishes. If she had to pick the deepest one, it was her family, of course. She prayed for her father and big brother, unseen for two whole years, to return. She'd heard Kadan had gone beyond the mountains to some high place. He'd even promised to be back after ten nights' sleep. But two years had passed without him.
Cain had called their father trash for abandoning the kids. Each time, Rowen had given him a good lump to remember. Karin believed in Kadan. He hadn't abandoned them—he was just too busy to return. That's what she clung to. Her mother, Miyabi, said much the same. Kael's absence meant something crucially important was afoot. Honestly, that didn't resonate much with Karin. She just wanted to play with her big brother, to act spoiled. At her age, that was natural. Two years was plenty to breed disappointment.
"Miss 'em a lot?"
Rowen's question. Karin nodded, hands clasped and eyes shut. He gently placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair. Quietly. Before the meteor's glowing tail fully vanished. He closed his eyes toward the mountainside where the light had streaked.
"Didn't you say wishing was childish?"
"Shut up."
"Hmph."
"It's not childish if I do it."
"That's what makes it childish, Oppa."
Rowen ignored her, focusing on his own wish.
*
"Have you ever seen such mad bastards!"
"Your Majesty, that's...!"
"What the hell did those Arkanthia scum build?!"
"Mana's thick—I can feel it!"
The imperial palace crumbled. The pristine white outer walls cascaded into the crimson inner keep. Like a house of cards meticulously stacked only to topple, the wall of glory fell.
They looked up at the collapsing ceiling. The colossal statue dwarfed the surrounding area. More bewildering still: it was the guardian of the sky island, pinning the ferocious Phoenix beneath its brutal arm.
The Phoenix—summoned long ago by the imperial founder from the spirit realm. No immense mana could even call it forth. King of fire spirits, and now it lay crushed.
A mana crystal embedded in the statue's core glowed dimly. Majestic. Sublime. The sheer aura overwhelmed, proving the phrase no exaggeration. And its power matched the presence.
"They were after this."
"You've already realized, haven't you? We're just buying time."
"I never expected that."
"Could you have predicted it?"
"Not in the slightest. In that sense, perhaps you deserve credit."
Rahim sneered lowly. Blood loss was critical. He could feel death closing in.
The statue moved. Not slowly—quite fast, in fact. Astonishing for its size.
"Unpredictable movements."
"Annoying."
"Your Majesty, the Phoenix..."
"I know."
"You must flee."
Lucius stared straight at Kadan. Flee? To where? He'd sensed their scheme, but a moving statue? Unheard of, even in dreams. Unimaginable.
Enemies hemmed them in on all sides. Even the sky guardian Phoenix subdued. No path to victory. If unbeatable, then fight regardless.
"Your Majesty!"
Kadan shouted. Lucius's gaze echoed a long-dead emperor from ages past. Children resemble parents—no truer words. That recklessness was the very man he'd revered and served. He had to protect him.
He's not meant to fall here.
Kadan spun his core. Amplified mana to extremes. Ancestral mana permeated his body.
"I am Your Majesty's sword."
Against a foe that bested Phoenix, hope was slim. No seizing advantage, no victory. But he could sever an arm—or unmask this unknown mage. With that faith, he imbued his body with frost magic.
"I'll keep my promise."
"Kadan, I'll fight with you."
"Go underground."
"And do what? Watch you die from hiding?"
"You won't even see from there."
"That's not the point! Wordplay now?!"
Kadan offered a faint smile. Then looked at Lucius like a son.
"You know better than anyone what's below."
"...That's why I'm saying this."
The kingdom's basement. Portals to each continent's capitals swirled with vast mana in subspace. Linked to Winterer's heart—Snowfall.
"Flee to Winterer with the children."
"Flee?"
"If Arkanthia's seizing this place, Winterer won't be safe either."
"Meaning you..."
Kadan shed his black goat-leather fur. It thudded to the ground as he assumed stance. Sword aimed at the enemy, runes orbiting his torso. Valenos mana and frost chilled the air to breath-fogging levels.
"Worried?"
"Of course!"
"Haha, I won't die. I'll follow soon—don't worry."
The statue rent Phoenix's torso in two. Flames erupted skyward, exploding. The area flushed red in an instant. Amid the blast, the statue stood unscathed.
"Kadan..."
"Go, Your Majesty. Your presence here hinders me."
"The throne..."
"Is a throne worth more than you? No, Your Majesty—I hold your life as dear as my own children."
"It's my father's legacy!"
"Your friend's legacy too."
So.
"Go."
Lucius fled, tears brimming. The path to the basement lay in ruins, but he knew the way. Seeing his home destroyed tore at his heart, but thoughts of Kadan dulled it.
"Don't die...!"
"I'll obey that command."
Thud! The statue locked eyes with Kadan. Kadan with the statue. Mutual killing intent surged.
The statue was emotionless magic. Fusion of sorcery and magitech. No feelings. But its designer, the rune-circuit crafter, had left faint traces of emotion.
Kadan silently conjured an icy realm. To battle that giant, space was key. He formed an ice platform and launched forward.
"Block him!"
Rahim rasped his final shout. Invading soldiers surged to bar the path. Enemies swarmed.
"Eager for more frostbite?"
Grateful, really. Perfect for buying time. More foes kept him farther from Lucius. He'd stake his life—nay, a loyal vassal must sacrifice for his lord. Command or wish, it was both.
The statue converted mana to runes, forging spells. Massive energy orbs multiplied around it.
Kadan clicked his tongue, swinging ceaselessly to hone his blade.
"Urk!"
"Block him!"
Soldiers fell pathetically. One stroke felled ten; his chill froze dozens.
"To think you'd block me with this? Know your limits!"
His round mana core spun fiercely. Mana thickened. Ancestral power sank into his bones. Sword aura darkened—from blue to indigo, then murky black in moments.
"Here it comes."
Blade aura formed as the statue leaped high. It smashed down hard. Dark orbs rained. Kadan twisted, dodging all. He dashed at near-sonic speed—worthy of greatest knight.
Icicles of steel-hard ice whirled in mandala-like rings. Dozens. At his gesture, razor blades lanced the statue's shoulder. Ice spears from around him gathered in his left hand.
Hummm—! A savage punch buried his lithe frame. He lived. Not fatal. But blood trickled from his brow. Hemorrhage was deadly—if unchecked, death inevitable. Trivial now.
"Simple attacks."
Crack! Kadan survived the leap and smash. The statue's arm—believed struck—severed in half before it registered. Kadan's blade slashed straight across its vision. Frenzied strikes toppled it back.
Kadan leaped on conjured ice platforms in midair. Clashing frost shattered into earth-scattering shards. Armless statue? He hammered relentlessly.
Kadan thought: Now's the chance!
Final blow ready. He gathered black blade aura, breathing deep. Core mana rippled along spear and sword.
"Shatter now."
Full thrust. Black singularity. A dark point bloomed on impact. Then—a smile crept on the statue's lips. Chilling. Hidden teeth leered demonically. Horns sprouted.
"What in the...!"
Cold. Dark. Vision obscured. Not another dimension—just devoured by his own strike. The statue had absorbed the black-energy final blow, then reflected it.
Kadan realized: the runes it'd chanted from the start.
Reflection magic.
He tsked. Ashamed of his premature victory assumption. Phoenix couldn't win—yet he'd thought he could? No caution on its spells. Truly shameful.
As he raised his head—
The statue's fist crushed him whole.
"Gahk!"
Overwhelming agony. Relentless barrage. Unavoidable. Body pinned, brow pummeled by rubble. Skull-cracking sounds as something broke. Consciousness plunged to black.
Too hard to cling. His children flashed in mind.
I miss you all.
Brain pulped. Body ruined. One mistake.
The statue smirked, blasting compressed mana. Darkness lit to light, then black again.
In fading awareness, Kadan's final words died unspoken.
Your Majesty.
Old friend's face. His son's.
Please... look after the children.