The Equinox Flowers walked in a tight line, their bodies hidden from the sunlight by a series of cloaks snatched along the road. The church loomed on the horizon, a menacing structure against the daytime sky.
Havel walked at the head of the group, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. Each step carried tension; the sound of boots on cobblestones echoed like a funeral toll. Ada was just behind him, one hand already on the hilt of her twin blades. Her gaze was steady, unflinching, but her rigid posture betrayed her nerves. Elaine, further back, clutched her cloak around her shoulders, raising her eyes to the sky as if seeking comfort. Even though she wanted to help her companions, battles were always a problem for her. Her two friends shot her glances from time to time, still deep in thought. They didn't know how to deal with the "lightning" issue; they were shaken.
Shirei, on the other hand, seemed distant, lost in a maze of thoughts. His steps were mechanical, head slightly bowed. None of the companions dared disturb him, perhaps sharing in the inner reflection that tormented him.
Niccolò Verardi had just died before their eyes. Although the Blendbreed didn't know him, they could understand the boy's sorrow. They were heroes, they were supposed to protect the innocent, and yet they remained powerless as the victim count rose with every mission.
After several minutes of silence, it was Ada who broke the quiet. "We've talked about the god of the abyss, but what do we do about the girl? If she came back to life with the reset, she'll be covering his back. She's strong, and worse, she seems to be a creature we've never faced before."
"This complicates things," Elaine admitted, looking at her companion with a serious expression.
"Yes. We can't fight them both head-on. We have to focus everything on destroying the mask. If Nerio loses that, the cycle breaks—just as Shirei said."
The discussion continued, but everyone agreed on one point: a prolonged fight would be necessary, and likely fatal. Their objective had to be clear and precise.
The mask had to fall, one way or another.
Shirei paused for a moment and sought the mental link with his subordinate. Reno? Are you there?
Present, boss!
The Tenebrae materialized in front of the Blendbreed and asked, "What should I do?"
"Retrieve Niccolò and meet us."
The creature tilted its head, confused. "Are you sure? The boy doesn't remember anything anymore."
"Yes. Bring him to the church."
Reno wanted to protest, probably to ask a question, but chose to stay silent and trust his judgment. He vanished, heading straight to the Verardi tavern.
As the group resumed walking, Havel slowed his pace and approached Cragar's son. The two girls moved ahead, leaving them momentarily behind.
"Purple… I mean, Shirei," he began, his tone softer than usual.
"Is something wrong? Do I need to do something specific?"
The blond hesitated for a moment, then said, "No, I want to talk to you about something serious."
The Forbidden Heir looked at him sideways, his eyebrows slightly raised in surprise. "What?"
Havel ran a hand through his short hair—a nervous gesture. "About everything. The arguments, my behavior… I was angry. I don't know if it was at you, at the situation, maybe even at myself. It was a problem I created on my own, and I regret it. Now we're about to face a god, and it's not worth dying with that anger still on me. I don't want you to think I don't trust you. You're a member of my group, and you deserve to be treated as such," he inhaled, "I'm trying to apologize."
Shirei remained silent for a moment, then a happy expression curved his lips. "It's normal for tensions to arise in a group, but thank you. I accept your apology, even though I never considered it a problem. I understand I'm not an easy person to get along with, but you all welcomed me anyway. Thank you."
Havel nodded, relief visible on his face. "Good. Then… let's try to make it out alive. Together."
The boy gave a small nod but didn't reply. Even the leader, deep down, knew the odds were against them, but he had no intention of letting the group see him waver.
The purple-eyed Blendbreed quickened his pace to catch up with their companions, and the son of Sidal allowed himself a melancholic smile, thinking back to when he had been thrown to the ground.
Now I understand. I've been a fool up to this point.
When the two rejoined the others, the building was just a few steps away. They stopped in front of the large door, exchanging a final glance.
"Let's go," said Ada, tightening her grip on her blades.
"May Fate be with us," added Elaine.
Havel nodded, his face serious. "May the ichor grant us strength."
The interior of the church was visible through the wide, half-open door. It looked different, maybe because they were early. There was a mess of broken pews, candles scattered across the floor, and a few worshippers busy putting everything back in order. The ground appeared wet, as though the sea had seeped through cracks in the foundation. There was an eerie silence, broken only by the distant murmur of water and a low, melodic chant coming from within the structure.
"This is definitely a trap," whispered the dark-haired girl, already ready to draw her swords.
"We can assume Nerio warned the saint," replied Shirei, advancing with cautious steps.
Elaine wrapped herself tighter in her cloak, casting nervous glances around. "That chant… I don't like it."
"Don't listen to it," warned Havel, gripping the hilt of his axe tightly. "It's the sirens' song, right?"
The question was directed at Ada. "Yes. It draws you in, but you mustn't give in."
The girl nodded, and from that moment on, they decided it would be wiser to whisper words constantly under their breath to avoid focusing on their hearing.
They advanced toward the doorway, trying to keep as low a profile as possible. The objective was simple: reach the cave by diving into the underground waters before anyone discovered them. As they crossed the church threshold, the chant stopped abruptly. A cold shiver ran down their spines, and Havel froze in place, his senses sharpened by tension.
"She's here," whispered the daughter of Rutia, her voice low and tense.
From the far end of the church, a figure moved in the shadows and emerged into the sunlight streaming from above. It was Lyra—or rather, what Lyra had become.
"Oh sinners, did you think you could come here unnoticed?" Her voice was a mixture of malice and a chilling sweetness that no longer belonged to a human being. "I am aware of your objective, yet it is my duty to stop you here."
Shirei sighed. He had figured the mass had been canceled for their sake, but at least it meant dealing with one opponent at a time.
The saint's eyes had become two pits of darkness, devoid of pupils or sclera, and her smile revealed teeth as sharp as a predator's. It wasn't her voice that made the Blendbreeds step back—it was her transformation.
With an unnatural motion, the woman let herself be engulfed by a wave that rose from the same depths as the pool at the church's center. Her body stretched and shifted, growing to an imposing height. Her skin was now covered in iridescent scales, reflecting light in a thousand colors and creating an alien aura. A long tail, like that of a giant eel, extended behind her, slithering across the floor as if it had a will of its own. In place of hands, membranous claws grew, reminiscent of some ancient sea creature. Her hair—or what remained of it—became long strands of living seaweed, writhing as if alive. Her feet had disappeared beneath her tattered blue dress, replaced by a series of tentacles.
The Equinox Flowers stood frozen for a moment, paralyzed by horror. Lyra smiled, revealing a mouth full of jagged teeth. "I'll drag you into the abysses, if that's what you desire…" she hissed, before launching her attack.
The creature moved with superhuman speed, her limber, flexible body cutting through space like a shark. Havel was the first to react, lunging forward. He wielded both axes and swung them with force at the saint's claws.
The impact generated a shockwave that shook the church's foundations and destroyed several wooden pews. Lyra was forced back, but the twisted smile never left her face.
"Don't underestimate me!" shouted the son of Sidal, preparing another strike. "Now I'll show you what it means to face me!"
Meanwhile, Ada positioned herself strategically on the opposite side. Her hands moved, summoning masses of darkness that spilled into the hall like a dense fog. The shadows began to move on their own, wrapping around Lyra and attempting to block her mouth to prevent her from singing.
"Don't listen to the melody!" cried the Blendbreed, focusing all her strength on keeping the creature trapped.
But Lyra Morosini was far from helpless. From within the heart of the dark mist, a feral hiss echoed, followed by the sudden lash of her eel-like tail. It swept the shadows away, forcing Ada to retreat to avoid being struck.
Elaine, who until that moment had remained on the sidelines, felt a rush of adrenaline surge through her body. Fear turned into determination at the thought of revealing to her friends the new powers she had acquired. She slipped into a trance-like state and, without even realizing it, raised a hand toward the Saint of the Tides.
Mana sparkled in her Divine Core and was pumped toward the extremities of her limbs, ready to explode toward the enemy. A bolt of electricity shot from the fingers of the daughter of Mardi, illuminating the church with a blinding light.
The attack struck true. The lightning hit Lyra squarely, sending her reeling with a shriek. Elaine smiled, but the energy continued to flow, too intense to control. The discharge spread beyond, striking parts of the church's structure. Ada narrowly dodged it but saw the walls and floor give way. Large chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, further damaging the barrier that kept them from the water below.
"Elaine!? By the gods…" shouted Havel, barely avoiding one of the columns.
"I can't control it yet!" Elaine replied, just as surprised. "It just happened!"
The son of Cragar observed the scene, searching for the creature's weak point. His violet eyes locked onto the tail of the creature, which seemed to guide its movements with alarming agility.
He traveled into the Interworld and appeared beside Ada, who fortunately wasn't startled. "Try to immobilize the tail," he whispered, while Havel was already busy drawing the saint's attention.
"I'll try," replied the daughter of Rutia, summoning a new mass of darkness that wrapped around Lyra's forked tail.
Shirei summoned his Tenebrae and commanded them to attack the woman's face. Then he brandished the Blade of Discord and darted forward. But before he could reach the saint, a tentacle forced him to retreat. He grimaced slightly in frustration—they couldn't get close, which meant he and Havel were of little use.
The clash escalated, turning the building into utter chaos. Every move the Equinox Flowers made seemed to gain no ground. Lyra was simply too strong and unpredictable.
Elaine took a breath, searching for the strength for another discharge.
What none of them could have foreseen was that their battle was pushing the church to its breaking point. The foundations, already weakened, began to collapse under the strain of their powers. The structure trembled beneath the monstrous creature's weight. Every strike landed, every jump, every roll seemed to push the church closer to ruin. Lyra moved with a fury that seemed fueled by the very depths of the sea. Her devastating blows and speed were nearly impossible to counter, leaving the Equinox Flowers with no choice but to dodge and wait for an opening to strike back. The Blendbreeds decided to keep distracting her while Shirei's Tenebrae focused on wounding her.
From the ground, deep cracks began to form. Saltwater started seeping through every gap. A geyser erupted, flooding the center of the nave, followed by two more, transforming the floor into an unstable mosaic of stone, wood, and pools of water.
"Stay back!" shouted the group leader, brandishing his axes to push Lyra back as she lunged at him with glinting claws. The impact of their clash made the ground quake further, opening a chasm that swallowed one of the few remaining intact pews.
"You are nothing! Yield!" hissed the monster.
Havel seemed to falter, but a crimson aura had already begun to spread from his body.
Ada darted to the side of the church, her hands glowing with the familiar cerulean shimmer of mana particles. "We need to get out of here! The structure won't hold much longer!" Her voice was tense but commanding.
Elaine unleashed another lightning bolt that struck Lyra in the side. The woman let out a shriek and recoiled for a moment, but the energy from the blast shattered the last supporting column of the church and sent the daughter of Mardi crashing to the floor.
A second geyser erupted right beside Shirei, who rolled to the side to avoid it. It's all collapsing,he realized, his eyes darting between Lyra and the increasingly unstable floor.
A sudden wave of water, generated by the creature's eel-like tail, crashed into Havel and flung him against a wall. The son of the war god got to his feet with difficulty, coughing, while drops of blood trickled from a wound on his forehead.
"You are nothing but an offering to the sea!" Lyra roared, her voice no longer blending with the hypnotic chant from before. "I will drag you all into the abysses and force you to free my master."
Shirei paused at those words. Why couldn't she do it herself?
Does it have something to do with the injected divine blood? Only natural Blendbreeds can break the chains?
It all seemed like a carefully orchestrated plan.
Rakion… he dodged to the side.
I don't have time to think about this now. I can't lose focus…
The saint lunged at Ada, trying to ensnare her with her bifurcated tail, but the Blendbreed reacted, conjuring a barrier of darkness that shielded her. "Not today, monster," replied the daughter of Rutia, focusing to maintain the barrier against the creature's increasing pressure.
But the saint was too powerful. With a violent pull, her tail tore through the wall, and Ada was forced to retreat.
"No! Ada!"
Elaine poured every last ounce of her strength into a flurry of lightning strikes that lit the hall like sudden storms. Each strike was powerful, but they were draining her fast.
"Elaine, slow down!" shouted the daughter of Rutia, noticing the pale look on the girl's face.
"I can't stop!" she fired back, unleashing another bolt that struck Lyra in the face. The creature screamed in fury, but the attack was only enough to push her back a few steps.
Havel got back on his feet, staggering, but with a resolute gaze on his face. "If we don't stop her here, we'll never reach Nerio!"
There was no time to respond.
Shirei dashed forward to draw the creature's attention. Before the tentacles could strike him, he activated the Ethereal Pulse and phased through them. The saint recoiled, but it was too late. The son of Cragar sliced off her left arm, the one she had tried to shield herself with. The severed limb hit the ground and left a crater, soon soaked by a gush of blood.
"Purple! What took you so long?" Havel shouted with a grin.
But this was no time to celebrate—Shirei knew that. He backed off as Lyra surged forward again. Her tail slammed against the floor with immense force, accompanied by a chilling roar.
"Damn you! I'll kill you!"
That's when the ground gave way entirely.
A muffled sound rippled through the air—deep, like a breath held too long finally breaking loose. The walls of the church trembled. First subtly, then with cataclysmic force. The columns cracked like glass under pressure, and the stained-glass windows shattered in a fusion of light and splinters.
Shirei stopped fighting and looked up. The ceiling began to collapse, beams falling one after another. The floor split beneath his feet with a thunderous roar.
The structure gave in.
Not just the floor, but the entire church twisted and folded in on itself, as if pulled down by an invisible force.
"Are we… sinking?" Ada murmured, struggling to keep her footing on the crumbling ground.
"Out of here!" Havel yelled, but it was too late.
The earth erupted. A massive rift yawned open, devouring everything. Pews, statues, altars. The Scarlet Sparrows scrambled for handholds among the ruins, but every grip failed. Their hands slipped, plunging them into the void. A surge of debris, dust, and seawater overwhelmed them.
The sea came to reclaim what it considered its own.
Water rose from below, as though the ocean itself was invading the land with all its fury. The Blendbreeds were hurled aside by a wave of debris and sand. Amid the chaos, Lyra launched herself into the collapse with an inhuman scream, her voice indistinguishable from the roar of the tides. Her tentacles melded with the water, as if they were part of it.
She was in her element now.
Unlike us, thought Shirei.
Darkness enveloped them, broken only by the erratic flashes of Elaine's lightning, which kept the saint at bay. The son of Cragar felt himself pulled ever deeper, the saltwater around him making every movement sluggish. He could hear the sounds of battle around him—the Tenebrae swam with difficulty, trying in vain to strike Lyra. He opened his eyes. They were underwater now, closer to the cave, but farther from victory. They had given their enemy the perfect advantage. Her tail and tentacles wrapped around the Blendbreeds, trying to drag them toward the dark seabed, but they were pushed back by Elaine's power.
I have to find a way to get us pushed into the cave.
Havel clenched his fist, ready to unleash a crimson meteor at Lyra, but she seized him with a tentacle and slammed him against a jagged rock that had pierced through the collapsed church. The son of the god of war went limp for a moment. Ada tried to summon a new barrier of darkness to shield the group, but exhaustion was overtaking her. Oxygen was scarce, and the spell dissipated before it could take form.
Elaine, now nearly drained, struggled to suppress her lightning, which surged erratically through the liquid medium. A fragment of Shirei's memories stirred at the sight.
According to physics, we should all be struck by the lightning.
He vaguely remembered the voice of a professor giving that lecture. Electricity had a different nature here—likely magical in origin—which explained its strange behavior, detached from the physical rules of the phenomenon.
Enough. I can't afford to lose focus now.
The water had swallowed them whole. Lyra laughed, her monstrous face close to that of the Forbidden Heir.
You're weak, she whispered, the sound surfacing as a trail of air bubbles.
The son of Cragar didn't respond. He tightened his grip around his weapon's hilt and swung it toward the saint, who directed her tentacles to crush him.
You took the bait.
Shirei let her strike, but at the last second, he drove the Blade of Discord into her flesh. The weapon pierced through and anchored itself into what remained of the church's foundations, pinning the monster in place.
Lyra thrashed in pain, shrieking and flailing wildly. "You!" she pointed at him, but Shirei had already vanished into the Interworld.
When he reemerged underwater, the church had sunk even deeper. His plan had worked. In a matter of seconds, the saint became entangled in the web woven by the Deep Angels and was effectively restrained.
The Equinox Flower had run out of air and were struggling to remain conscious. The boy reached them and prepared to guide them into the cave—but it wasn't necessary. Lyra shattered the entire net, propelling them toward the cave's entrance. The last thing the Blendbreeds saw was the creature beside the angels. The creatures' chains were now free, stretching outward like sensory receptors. Once she drifted close enough, the chains coiled around her, tightening into a deadly grip.
"No! No! No! Help!"
Her screams echoed, but the Equinox Flowers were swept away by the current into the mouth of the cave. The Saint of Tides had been defeated—imprisoned in the abyss by the very god she had continued to worship until the end.