That man did not release her, even though she struggled to free herself. She couldn't understand. Why was there a sword in his hand, and why did his eyes hold such hatred towards her? His handsomeness had turned into cruelty.
I don't recognize him like this, Hikaru thought, starting to become aware of a real and much greater danger. He isn't the man I saw in my dreams... Hikaru saw the sword pointed at her heart... Will I die? Is this what he means by taking me with him?
"CRESTA!" Lantis shouted as he attacked Nair relentlessly.
He parried Lantis's attacks with his mental shield alone. Caught off guard, Hikaru seized the opportunity to unleash her massive flames, forcing the man to release her. She fell freely, and Lantis caught her, holding her with one arm while the other brandished his sword.
"Lantis..." Hikaru whispered, warning him. "Don't come near... He's dangerous..."
Lantis was panting heavily, thinking quickly as he felt Hikaru getting weaker. Something warm flowed through Lantis's hand. Blood? His gaze was fixed on that man, realizing what he had just done to Hikaru.
"Lord Nair, please!" Lantis pleaded. "Please, release her..."
Nair? Is that his name? Do they know each other? She could sense Lantis's fear, his heart pounding rapidly. His face reflected terror—Lantis had never been like this. What had happened between them? Who was he?
Nair looked at Lantis with an unhappy expression. His figure appeared and disappeared amid the fog. "You came, Lantis..." He saw Lantis clutching Hikaru as if terrified of losing her and finally understood. "You protect her?" he asked coldly and arrogantly. "Who is your true master? Who is your Pillar?"
Hikaru was shocked. He's a Pillar?!
"You are repeating old stories. Repeating the mistakes made by Clef. You're useless. You really disappoint me. Is it because of your feelings that you couldn't kill her and had to make me do the job? Your love for her outweighs your loyalty to me, to your mission as a magic swordsman. So, die with her, die with Cephiro!"
"YOU MUST NOT KILL HIM!"
"CHRONOS!" A blinding light appeared in Nair's hand, growing larger by the second.
Everything happened so quickly. Driven solely by the desire to protect the one she loved, she pushed Lantis away, breaking his embrace to shield him. Their hands parted, and Lantis fell further and further, piercing through Hikaru's protective mental shield.
The Chronos shattered the mental shield, and the power exploded across Cephiro. Time-annihilating light burst in every direction, pouring over the land with overwhelming force, freezing everything in its path—trees, mountains, and even the very air seemed suspended in that timeless glow.
In her hazy vision, Hikaru watched her mental shield disappear entirely. She was gravely injured and plummeting toward the ground. Just then, the pendant on her chest began to glow, providing her with more energy to withstand the onslaught. With her last strength, she called out for her wolf, and it reappeared, catching her on its back. Gathering every last bit of energy, she attempted to form the mental shield again, but it failed, flickering in and out like a dying star.
"What does all this mean? Why must Cephiro...?" She clutched her chest, coughing up a handful of blood. Clinging tightly to her wolf, she struggled to stay upright. As she steadied herself, Nair suddenly appeared before her, sword pointed menacingly at her heart.
Hikaru gritted her teeth and charged forward with her sword. "I WON'T LET YOU!"
Before Chronos touched the ground, Master Clef and Fuu managed to create the largest possible defense they could by risking their lives. Eagle quickly caught Lantis, who was falling, severely injured, and unconscious, with his free FTO hand. He then shielded himself with the FTO from the light that engulfed the entire earth in massive destruction.
Chronos was so devastating, exploding with such force, destroying everything it could, including the defenses Master Clef and Fuu had created. The earth shook, and cracks appeared in several places, followed by split ground. Some of the castle towers collapsed, with many more buildings destroyed. Hikaru's mental shield covered Cephiro again, though not perfectly, it managed to dampen the energy brought by the colossal power.
Everyone who survived wondered what was happening. They were transfixed by the horrifying scene above. The sky seemed to be torn apart by the fierce battle and fast and massive explosions.
"Hikaru..." Fuu tried to get closer, but the battle seemed beyond her reach. Umi followed her, but she couldn't get close. The newly formed mental shield prevented them from getting out. Frustrated, they could only watch the sky with tears in their eyes. "HIKARU!"
Nobody couldn't understand it. The real battle between the two Pillars occurred on a level ordinary humans could not comprehend. It was shaking the heavens and the earth. The sound was deafening. Everyone below tried to protect themselves from the debris... Umi, Fuu, and everyone who could fight attempted to destroy the lethal rain that was continuously penetrating while Master Clef did his best to maintain the shield. The castle, where many sought refuge, must not be destroyed!
Hikaru realized what was at stake if she failed to stop this man. But the power of this person was beyond hers. Hikaru knew she wouldn't survive. She was aware of her weakness. For a second, she looked at Cephiro for the last time.
I promised to protect you all! I won't give up! I won't give up. I will hold on, determined not to die easily. I promised to return to him...
"CORONA!" The sun-fire arrows…
"CHRONOS!" The time-annihilating light…
The clash of these two powers resulted in an explosion of extraordinary destructive force. The intense light blinded Hikaru. She was engulfed in the painful light. She felt her breath being ripped from her and experienced pain like never before. It was all over for her.
A wave of immense force surged again, throwing everyone in the sky down to the ground. A massive explosion once more devastated Cephiro. The castle towers collapsed, hills shattered, and people and wrecked robots scattered everywhere. A crater gaped open.
The destruction was unimaginable, and the rumbling sound continued for a long time. When everyone opened their eyes, the mental shield appeared to have vanished. They waited, but the shield never reappeared. The ensuing silence revealed that the battle was over; the sky was empty. The fight had ended.
They searched the sky. There was nothing, no one. They searched again, waiting for the last dust and smoke to clear. When nothing remained, they finally realized what had happened. "HIKARU!" Their callings echoed in vain. No answer. No response.