Stone exploded across the balcony.

Guards were thrown backward instantly as the massive claw tore through the palace foundation beneath them.

Silver chains burst upward around it while glowing symbols crawled across pale skin like living scripture.

Mason stared blankly, "...What the hell."

The claw slammed into the balcony floor hard enough to crack the entire structure.

Several soldiers nearly fell over the edge before Seraphine grabbed one by the armor and threw him backward to safety.

"Everyone move!" she shouted.

Mason planned to follow it immediately.

Unfortunately the palace had other ideas.

The entire balcony lurched violently sideways.

Stone split beneath his feet.

Draca caught his arm instantly before he could lose balance.

"Inside," he ordered sharply.

Mason blinked rapidly at the gigantic claw currently embedded through the palace foundation.

"You know, I fully agree with that strategy."

Athlian’s fear pressed violently against his thoughts now.

’It woke up too early.’

"Oh good," Mason replied internally. "Because timing was apparently the main issue here."

The claw moved suddenly.

Its massive fingers curled slowly against the shattered stone.

Silver light pulsed outward from the glowing markings covering its skin.

And wherever the light touched...reality is distorted.

The balcony railing twisted unnaturally.

The stone cracked and repaired itself repeatedly.

Time itself felt unstable for half a second.

Mason hated every part of that.

Zereth’s shadows exploded across the balcony next.

Darkness wrapped around the massive arm in violent coils while silver eyes narrowed sharply.

"It’s connected to the fractures."

Assura stepped forward immediately afterward as crimson energy flooded the balcony hard enough to make nearby guards stumble backward.

"The sky creature is anchoring it."

Apparently the cosmic horrors came in coordinated pairs.

Seraphine slammed her spear downward into the fractured stone.

Divine light burst outward in a circular wave that pushed several silver chains away from the soldiers nearest the balcony doors.

"Commander!" she shouted. "We cannot fight this here!"

Draca already knew that.

Mason noticed immediately from the way his eyes moved across the collapsing palace structure.

Athlian sighed softly inside him. ’There it is again.’

"I need everyone inside my head to stop narrating my emotional problems."

’No.’

Another thunderous crack split across the heavens above the capital.

The chained figure in the sky pulled itself farther through the fracture.

Several more chains snapped from its body.

Each break echoed across the city like a judgment bell.

People screamed below.

Temple fires burned throughout several districts now.

The capital was descending into full panic.

And somehow Mason still kept noticing Draca’s hand refusing to leave his wrist.

Deeply inconvenient timing emotionally.

The claw beneath the balcony suddenly tightened.

CRACK.

Half the stone platform collapsed.

"Move!" Draca barked.

Everyone reacted instantly.

Guards rushed through the shattered balcony entrance while Seraphine and

Zereth covered the retreat while Assura remained behind.

The ancient being raised one hand slowly toward the massive claw.

Reality bent around him again as crimson symbols ignited across the air itself.

Even the silver markings on the claw dimmed slightly.

Apparently impossible cosmic prison monsters still disliked Assura.

Mason stumbled into the corridor with Draca beside him while dust rained from the ceiling overhead.

Priests and servants screamed farther down the hall.

The palace alarms were no longer organized now...it was all noisy and chaotic.

Saleem looked like he had emotionally died three disasters ago.

"The lower sanctums are collapsing!"

"Fantastic," Mason muttered. "I was worried things were stabilizing."

Another tremor rolled through the palace.

This one is stronger.

The floor beneath them shifted violently.

Athlian froze suddenly inside him.

’Wait.’

Mason immediately noticed the change in her tone. "What?"

’Something is wrong.’

He blinked. "You are going to need significantly more detail than that."

Her emotions twisted strangely now.

’That thing below the capital...’

Another tremor interrupted her.

Silver light burst through cracks spreading along the corridor walls.

One nearby priest screamed as chains erupted through the floor beneath him.

Draca moved instantly as he grabbed the priest and threw him safely backward while cutting through one of the chains in the same motion.

His actions were efficient, protective and annoyingly attractive.

Athlian noticed immediately. ’You looked at his shoulders again.’

"We are actively dying Athlian."

’Still you looked.’

"Gosh" Mason Sighed exhaustedly

Seraphine rushed into the corridor moments later covered in dust.

"The western palace wing collapsed completely."

Saleem nearly stopped functioning. "The royal archives were there!"

Mason stared at him. "That’s the tragedy you focused on?"

"The records are irreplaceable!"

Zereth entered next.

His shadows were darker now and sharper.

"The creature below is trying to fully emerge," he said quietly.

"Wonderful," Mason replied weakly. "And here I thought tonight had reached maximum catastrophe."

Assura finally stepped through the shattered balcony entrance last.

Unlike everyone else, he looked completely untouched.

Ancient terrifying men apparently ignored physics.

Unfortunately his expression remained grim.

Which mattered significantly more.

Seraphine noticed too. "You know what it is."

The room quieted instantly.

Assura remained silent for several seconds before he responded.

"I know what it was."

Nobody liked that answer, especially Mason.

"Why does everyone in this world speak entirely in ominous half-sentences?"

"No time," Assura answered.

"Emotionally unsatisfying response."

The ancient being ignored him.

His gaze shifted instead toward the spreading silver fractures along the corridor walls. "It’s searching for a path upward."

Athlian’s fear spiked again.

Mason felt it immediately. "Okay. New question. Why is she terrified specifically?"

Nobody answered because nobody except him could hear Athlian.

Draca suddenly looked toward him carefully.

"You’re pale again."

"Cosmic stress."

"That explanation stops helping eventually."

Mason glanced toward him briefly before lowering his voice slightly.

"We still haven’t finished our earlier conversation."

Draca’s expression shifted almost invisibly.

Before he could answer, another explosion shook the corridor.

This one is much closer.

The wall beside them shattered inward instantly.

Silver chains burst through the opening.

Guards shouted.

One chain shot directly toward Mason again.

"Oh come on!"

Draca intercepted it immediately.

His sword collided against the chain with enough force to send sparks across the corridor.

The impact pushed him backward several steps, which was concerning.

The chain twisted suddenly around the blade.

Then another chain followed.

And another.

Three silver restraints wrapped around Draca’s sword arm instantly.

Seraphine moved to help, but more chains erupted through the walls around them.

Athlian panicked. ’They’re targeting him now.’

"WHY?!"

No answer.

Terrible communication tonight honestly.

Draca planted his feet against the stone floor while the chains tried dragging him forward.

His expression tightened slightly.

First visible strain Mason had seen all night.

And suddenly, something unpleasant happened inside Mason’s chest; Fear...sharp immediate fear.

Athlian noticed instantly. ’There it is.’

"Nope."

’Mason...’

"Nope."

The chains tightened harder.

Stone cracked beneath Draca’s boots.

Zereth’s shadows surged forward immediately, binding several chains long enough for Seraphine to cut through another with divine energy.

Still it wasn’t enough.

More silver restraints kept emerging from the walls.

Like the palace itself was becoming infected.

Assura finally moved.

The temperature dropped violently as his crimson symbols exploded outward across the corridor floor beneath the chains.

Every silver restraint froze instantly.

Then slowly began blackening and burning.

For the first time all night, the chains reacted violently.

They recoiled.

Shrieking, actually shrieking.

Mason immediately hated that sound.

The chains released Draca and retreated through the broken walls again.

Silence followed.

Heavy breathing filled the corridor.

Draca lowered his sword slowly.

One gauntleted hand flexed once.

Mason noticed immediately. "...You’re hurt."

The commander looked toward him.

"Minor strain."

"Your arm was almost dragged into the

wall by nightmare chains."

"I’m still standing well my goddess."

Athlian sounded softer now. ’You were scared for him Mason, interesting.’

"I was scared for survival logistics."

’Liar.’

Unfortunately maybe not entirely.

Mason deeply disliked that realization.

Outside the palace, the chained figure above the capital roared again.

This time the sound carried words.

"OPEN THE GATE."

The entire capital shook violently.

Several nearby priests collapsed immediately clutching their ears.

Silver fractures spread farther across the corridor ceiling.

Then something answered from beneath the palace.

A roar again.

Saleem looked moments from actual death. "They’re communicating."

"Excellent observation," Mason muttered.

"I hate it."

Athlian suddenly spoke again quietly.

’The thing below the capital was sealed before the Tribunal existed.’

Mason froze internally. "...What?"

’It was one of the first.’

Every instinct he possessed screamed immediately.

Questions exploded through his thoughts. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

First, what?Sealed by who? Why?

But before he could ask...Assura looked directly toward him.

And quietly said...

"It remembers her."

Athlian went completely silent.

Mason stared at Assura.

Seraphine frowned sharply. "What does that mean?"

Assura answered without looking away from Mason.

"It means the seal weakens faster in her presence."

Technically safe wording but still horrifying.

Zereth noticed the tension immediately as his eyes narrowed slightly.

Connecting things again.

Emotionally exhausting immortal.

Another violent tremor shook the corridor.

Then suddenly, every silver fracture across the walls lit up simultaneously.

The palace alarms stopped.

The screams outside stopped.

For one impossible second, the entire capital went silent.

Mason felt cold crawl across his spine instantly.

Athlian sounded terrified. ’It’s listening.’

"WHAT is listening?!"

She didn’t respond.

Instead...a new voice echoed softly through the corridor, from below.

From the silver fractures themselves.

"You carry the broken door."

Every guard froze.

Seraphine’s grip tightened around her spear.

Zereth’s shadows recoiled sharply.

Even Assura’s expression darkened.

The voice continued. "We smell the fracture."

Mason’s pulse slammed painfully against his ribs.

Athlian’s fear nearly drowned him.

And then... one of the silver cracks in the corridor wall slowly widened...opening like an eye.

Something moved inside the light.

A face which seems pale...covered in glowing symbols.

Smiling directly at Mason.

"Oh absolutely not." Mason Panicked.

The face pressed harder against the fracture.

More shapes appeared behind it; more hands and eyes.

The corridor temperature dropped instantly.

Draca stepped in front of Mason without hesitation.

Athlian warmed softly despite the fear.

’You looked relieved when he moved.’

"I looked strategically comforted."

’Mmhm.’

"Athlian let’s focus on what’s at hand, unless you want to fully take over"

The smiling face inside the fracture tilted slowly.

Then whispered...

"There you are."