Bro, I'm not an Undead!

One minute ago.r

"Go... make sure Festos is alright," Darwel commanded.r

Sevill was reluctant to leave the El Sif's side but she also placed utmost importance on Skullius' life. After finding out that his blood was purer than that of the High family, she would have guarded the man she thought was a Luminant till the end of her days, however they ended.r

However, she was sworn to Darwel of the High Family, and this brought no small amount of hesitation to her heart.r

Yet, she was also sworn to Darwel's command.r

Whatever she wanted, she would execute.r

Besides, Viccil was enough to protect the princess in her absence, after all she was every bit as strong as she was.r

"Yes, Your Highness," Sevill said as she darted out of the room and Governor's Manor.r

Darwel who was looking out the wide windows in her spacious quarters – a shuddering explosion of the city wall and the emergence a radiant sun over the Bryne Residence having drawn her attention outside – was relieved that she didn't have to spent more time convincing Sevill about the importance of the matter.r

Something was very wrong.r

Both her loyal guards had sensed it way before the commotion started.r

Powerful, unknown enemies were raiding the city.r

Darwel's crimson gold eyes sparked with a solemnity as she watched the crowds moving closer, congregating near the manor which was at the very heart of Genhuis City.r

The humans seemed to be decent with their response to threats but the Sif were better. Nature tended to assist them in times of need, even when they did not plead for the advent of its grace.r

The El Sif caressed the sunflower in a vase by the window absentmindedly.r

"Viccil..." Darwel said. "...if you sense that Sevill in in danger, do not hesitate to go after her."r

Viccil shuddered, as if she had just heard the most vile of words.r

"Your Highness... She wouldn't dare die away from your side..." Viccil proclaimed while clenching her fists, the veil she wore obscuring the strained expression she made. "Has your faith in us begun to wane?"r

Darwel wore a sheepish smile and turned to face Viccil with an answer.r

The moment she did, a vast shadow covered her figure, blocking it away from the light outside.r

The glass on the window shattered as a speeding figure shot through it, her tall, muscular frame hunched as she soared towards the daughter of the High Family.r

Darwel only managed to catch a small but meaningful glimpse of this sudden enemy.r

She saw a dark, exceedingly cruel grin and an ugly but deadly axe that reached her neck in a breath.r

...Then blood flew.r

***r

Bryne Family Residence.r

The sharp flares of light that brightened the lounge as a massive, warm sun settled on the roof of the mansion, crushing it uncaringly, attracted the attention of all – obviously – except for Stylla whose eyes were enthralled by the 72 cards placed before her and her alone.r

Silrat was bewildered, but still ignorant to the enemy's presence, his sight rising to the new treachery that was collapsing on his head right now.r

Skullius, with the Preeminent Attegoth growing from his arm like a huge, cancerous lump, split his focus with the Omniscient Thought Cracker and quickly deduced that the arrival of this unknown enemy had not been missed by the City Guardian, hence this descending sun.r

Sadly, this wasn't exactly good news.r

The Conforming Trickerteer he sent forth with an imprint from the Precept of Light, its likeness the same as his, reached Stylla but couldn't make her budge.r

She was stuck in place, glued there by a firm authority that Skullius couldn't contend against.r

'Damn it... My body is still sluggish...' the Hybrid Luman thought with a grunt as he faced the terrifying enemy currently being bathed in vicious sunlight just like him as the mansion shook.r

What was this creature?r

It definitely was Null kind but... different.r

It exuded a heavy presence, one that Skullius was sure no one else could feel as well as he did.r

He was susceptible to its mere gaze and its voice.r

His body... no, his soul was tempted to submit to it.r

What was this? Some kind of Null royalty?r

'How the hell did it get here?' Skullius wondered with a tense look.r

The Null Devil King gave a twisted smile to Skullius and then languidly gazed up with its hollow, tenebrous eyes. r

"Ah... marvellous," it said in a voice that further crushed Skullius down, as if a mountainous weight had been dropped onto his shoulders.r

The creature, decked in a beautiful, black, regal but ominous armour turned behind it where a split of a split second later, a man in sharp lapel-like suit emerged, a monocle on his eye.r

He stretched out his hand and in the next stretches of infinitesimally miniscule time, blobs of sunlight streamed from the giant sun overheard to smother Skullius, Stylla and Silrat protectively.r

Then, the orange sun above, a construct of his powers, dropped onto the Null Devil King without mercy.r

The mansion was destroyed in an epic show, its burning pieces flying off as a dusty, incalescent mushroom rose high.r

The disaster could be seen and heard from all sides of the city, the power behind it, while subdued having a lasting impact.r

However...r

A pulse of sky blue energy rolled from where the explosion began and tinged everything within a stone's throw blue.r

Before long, everything was stuck in place, as if frozen in damned time wherever it was.r

The burning rubble.r

The glittering sparks.r

The chaotic dirt.r

The suffocating dust.r

And then...r

"How rude of you to destroy my kin's shack... boy."r

A menacing voice sounded in the stalled destruction.r

As if its uncomfortable rhythm and weight wasn't astonishingly powerful enough, the serene energy that had been expelled just now was sucked back.r

With that movement of Null Life Essence – masterful as it was in another place – a breath later, Gillewart, Silrat and Skullius found themselves within the clean, sturdy Bryne Family mansion again.r

As if it hadn't been destroyed just now.r

The city guardian was startled by this at first but hurriedly contained his surprise.r

'The hell just happened?' he thought while properly scrutinising the nature of his enemy for the first time.r

The Null Devil King with its long hair and golden crown that grew from the old skin on its forehead, raised its chin with extreme disgust, its focus being on the city guardian.r

"Now... Kneel, boy."r

One of the rulers of Serenity's treasure said.r

If Skullius had felt like he was carrying a mountain, Gillewart in that moment, felt like he was carrying an island.r

He grunted and his sharply dressed figure smashed into the floor of the restored mansion helplessly, a look of deep surprise etching itself on his face. r

However, he wasn't a City Guardian for no reason.r

Gillewart flicked the monocle on his eye away, revealing behind it not an eye, but a miniature sphere of unbearably scorching and hellish heat nestled his socket.r

...!!!!r

When it was revealed, Skullius' hair stood on end and he shuddered at the excessive pressure it produced!r

If the Hybrid Luman didn't know any better, he'd think that the ferocity of the power in the miniature sun was nearly as terrifying as Somanda's ascended presence!r

Nearly...r

The Null Devil King – the Bone Tender – grinned with amusement.r

"The living... you always have something fascinating to show..." it said, before its gaze drew away from Gillewart and his immense hidden powers.r

The Null Devil King disregarded its opponent, and looked at Stylla instead, an expectant glint showing in the dual hollows on its face.r

In that moment, the redhead, captive to the powers of the Bone Tender, picked a card from the presented deck and unlike the rest, it showed itself to everyone within the room.r

The BoneTender, on seeing which card she picked turned to Skullius with unparalleled glee.r

"Null Life is wasted on you, kin. Now, dark flowers like this... yes, they are truly deserving of it."r

In the next moment, as a bright white radiance flooded from outside, Stylla rose, her once lost eyes filled with purpose.r