The group rode hard through the darkened plains.
An hour later, they arrived at the edge of Taliyas City—and what they saw shook them.
The battle had already begun.
Flames lit up the night sky.
The clash of swords echoed through the air.
A wounded soldier screamed in agony as enemy blades tore through the defenses.
Without hesitation, the Light Army surged forward, reinforcing the weakening lines.
Inside the chaos, Den, Luz, Ino, Marcus, and Elena arrived together.
Den immediately barked orders.
"Elena! Heal the wounded! Go!"
Elena nodded and rushed toward the battlefield with her healing bag.
"Ino," Luz said urgently, "I'll go with you!"
"No. You go with Den," Ino replied firmly. "Marcus and I will handle another front."
The team split swiftly.
Den unleashed his chains, the sharp metal ripping through multiple enemies in a blur of deadly precision.
Marcus charged alongside him, fists glowing with inner strength. His punches broke bones and crushed armor with ease.
Luz fired a concentrated Light Beam into the enemy lines, burning and vaporizing dozens of dark soldiers in seconds.
Ino, moving like a ghost, struck with lightning-fast martial arts, shattering enemy forces at close range.
The Dark Army began to falter under the combined assault.
Victory seemed near—until he arrived.
Julius.
The brother of Den's father, Fuhkiko.
A monstrous man whose power surpassed even Fuhkiko's legendary strength.
Den froze at the sight of him.
Fear gripped his heart.
Without warning, Julius attacked.
His burning chains whipped across the battlefield, sending Den and Marcus flying backward like broken dolls.
The chains seared their flesh.
Both screamed in pain as the burning iron left terrible wounds on their chests.
Julius smirked, his eyes cruel.
He swung again—this time, his chains were lined with vicious spikes.
Den tried to block with his own chains—but Julius's attack shattered them easily.
The spiked chains tore into Den's body, blood spraying across the battlefield.
Den collapsed to one knee, trembling.
Julius towered over him.
"Come on, son of Fuhkiko!" Julius sneered. "You're the son of our family's great leader, aren't you? Show me your strength!"
Den couldn't move.
Fear paralyzed him.
He could only watch as Julius's chains sliced through Light Army soldiers like paper, blood raining around him.
Julius's cruel voice pierced the air.
"You're just like your father. Weak!"
Den's heart shattered.
The Dark Army pushed forward, regaining their strength.
Suddenly, Luz and Ino arrived.
Luz fired a powerful Light Beam at Julius—but Julius caught it with his chains and hurled it back, obliterating more of the Light Army behind them.
Ino rushed in with a flying punch—but Julius's burning chains wrapped around him, injuring his fists badly.
The two retreated back to where Den and Marcus were struggling to stand.
"You brats…" Julius growled. "You really think you can defeat a man like me? In your dreams!"
His laughter echoed like thunder.
Just then, Kyra, Liu, and a man none of them recognized arrived to join the fight.
Kyra blasted her magic trumpet, unleashing shockwaves at Julius.
But he remained unfazed.
His chains burrowed underground—then erupted upward, smashing into Kyra and throwing her back.
Liu and the unknown man leapt into action.
Liu fired a burst of flame—but Julius dodged easily.
A flash of chains struck Liu across the chin, leaving a bloody line.
The unknown man's arms stretched unnaturally, swinging at Julius from afar.
But Julius was done playing.
"I'm tired of this nonsense!" he roared.
Julius unleashed a monstrous barrage of chains, ensnaring all of them—Den, Luz, Marcus, Ino, Kyra, Liu, and the man.
The chains tightened, draining their energy, feeding it into Julius.
One by one, they struggled…
...and one by one, they fell unconscious.
—
When they awoke, they found themselves trapped in the prison cells of the Dark Army's fortress.
Thick iron bars surrounded them, too strong to break.
Taliyas City had fallen.
And they—some of the Light Army's strongest fighters—were now prisoners of darkness.
There was no escape.
—
Far away, Elena had managed to flee the battlefield.
Tears stinging her eyes, she sprinted through the burning fields until she reached Aurora City, the next stronghold under the Light Army's control.
She burst into the command tent, gasping for breath.
"Taliyas has fallen! They're captured!" she cried.
The commanders acted quickly.
A message was written and dispatched at once—to Bin himself.
—
An hour later, Bin read the note with grim eyes.
Without hesitation, he issued an order.
"Send reinforcements to Aurora City immediately."
Among the reinforcements was Jed, still injured—but refusing to be left behind.
"I will fight," Jed insisted. "I have to help them."
The army rode out swiftly toward Aurora, their banners shining under the rising sun.
They would not abandon their friends.
And soon, the rescue would begin.