[A/N: Yo, I'm releasing bangers after Bangers!]

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"We meet again, Effie. What a shame that it is in these tragic circumstances. If only you had listened to me and joined the Host… perhaps then you might not have fallen so low. Such pity…"

Gunlaug shook his head and sighed.

"I had high hopes for you. But, alas… murdering innocent humans is not something that can be forgiven. Look at yourself! Instead of a noble Hunter, you have turned into a wild beast. But that is what happens when people refuse my grace. They become no better than Nightmare Creatures."

His somber words echoed in the silence of the great hall, making people lower their gazes.

Effie trembled, pressed down by the force of his undivided attention. But then, she grinned and answered, her raspy voice sounding relaxed and carefree.

She only said two words:

"Fuck off."

Gunlaug laughed and raised his hands in a helpless gesture.

"I rest my case. You all see how unrepentant this vile murderer is. There's not a drop of remorse left in her corrupted, rotten soul. That is why, with a heavy heart, I have to sentence this once-promising young woman to death. She has to answer for her crimes, and leaving her alive would put you, my wards, in danger. I am left with no choice."

A hum of voices rose from the crowd. Slum dweller or an inhabitant of the Castle, everyone was affected by his last words:

"Don't you dare, bastard!"

"Kill that murderer!"

"Effie! We're here!"

"Make her pay!"

"Lady Nephis! You can't let them!"

"Kill her!"

"Kill all of them!"

Unaffected by this outburst of boiling emotions, Nephis put a hand on Effie's shoulder and looked at the Bright Lord with a cold expression. Staring directly at the golden mask, she frowned and said, her voice clear and loud:

"I object."

The storm of voices suddenly grew quiet. Everyone turned to her, two kinds of expectation hiding in their eyes.

One was full of hope. The other full of vicious glee.

Gunlaug tilted his head.

"Object? What do you mean? Her guilt has been proven without any room left for doubt. There is nothing you can do to change the outcome."

He paused for a moment and then suddenly leaned forward, his insidious voice washing over the great hall like a wave:

"Well. Unless, of course…"

Changing Star looked at him with dark resolve and lowered her chin stubbornly.

Then, she said:

"I want to invoke the right of challen—."

—BANG!

The massive doors to the hall exploded inward, wood splintering as dust and shards of stone rained across the floor. Gasps erupted from the gathered crowd. Nephis snapped around, her eyes widening as the smoke rolled in.

"Saint Zerei! Please—calm down! This is reckless!"

Her frown deepened. That voice—familiar.

Through the choking haze, two silhouettes emerged. One, Nephis recognized instantly.

"Sid?"

The young woman's face was pale, strained with desperation. "Lady Nephis! Thank the heavens—you need to explain before—"

But Sid's plea was cut short.

"Nephis."

The dust thinned, and the second figure came into focus.

Asher.

He stepped forward with a deliberate slowness, his coat dragging against the broken wood. His hollow blue eyes glimmered like ice under torchlight, fixed not on Nephis—but on the throne at the far end of the chamber.

Gunlaug.

The Tyrant sat there unmoving, resting his head to his palm, as though entertained by the chaos unfolding before him.

Asher didn't look away. His voice tore through the hall like a blade:

"Let me kill that bastard."

Nephis' eyes widened. Instinctively, she glanced at Sunny—his brows were raised just as high as hers. Turning back to Asher, she shook her head slowly.

"Asher, you—"

"Nephis."

The word cut her off. Her jaw slackened slightly as her gaze locked with his trembling lips.

"Please."

A memory bloomed unbidden. The Academy. Asher in his dobak, younger, hair shorter, grin wider. His hand on her shoulder, his voice bright and cheerful.

"Can I fight?"

The memory bled into the present.

The man before her now was smiling too—but it was a hollow, broken smile. A smile that stopped dead at his eyes.

Nephis stuttered, her throat tightening, as the entire hall held its breath. Finally, she closed her eyes and drew in a sharp breath. When she opened them again, there was a faint, almost sad smile on her lips.

"…Ok."

Asher exhaled shakily. "…Thank you."

Clap. Clap.

Everyone silently turned their head to the clapping as Asher's jaw locked, teeth grinding. His voice rumbled, barely containing the venom in them:

"Do you want to come down here already, fucker?"

His fists clenched. Knuckles cracked like bones splintering.

"Come fight me."

Gunlaug laughed. A deep, booming laugh that filled the chamber with mockery.

"Saint Zerei! What an honor—to finally see you in the flesh!" His grin widened, teeth gleaming. "Tell me, how was my gift? Your friend put up quite the struggle, I heard."

Asher didn't flinch. His narrowed eyes were daggers.

Gunlaug leaned forward, voice dropping to a growl. "But really, Saint Zerei… I don't see the point in sullying myself against you. You're just… a pest."

He sighed dramatically, then rose from his throne with a predator's grace. "Still, I suppose I was the fool who birthed this silly tradition. Which means I can't quite deny you."

Gunlaug pretty much knew what Asher was going to do. Since Zerei was a criminal who had defeated a lieutenant, It was Gunlaug who ultimately had to come down to the stage, not even Harus. But.. He wasn't going to have it that easy for him.

"…But."

Gunlaug raised a single finger. His gaze slid toward Nephis.

"If Saint Zerei were to lose… Changing Star will be executed. Publicly."

The hall erupted in gasps.

Nephis' face hardened, but her eyes darted to Asher.

Asher didn't move. Didn't flinch. His stare never left Gunlaug, as the Bright Lord descended the steps like a man savoring the kill before it had even begun.

Sunny finally spoke, "Neph. Isn't this too risky?"

Effie bobbed her head furiously, chains rattling like restless snakes.

"The doofus is right, princess! If this goes south, you and Asher are both dead!"

The hall erupted. Nephis' own followers shouted over one another, panic bleeding into desperation:

"That's right, Lady Nephis! Call the Saint back!"

"Fight in his stead, Lady Changing Star!"

"Don't throw away both your lives!"

The chorus swelled into chaos—until:

—SWING!

Nephis raised her hand, palm slicing the air. The noise died instantly, as though she had severed the room itself. Slowly, she lowered her hand.

"I trust Asher."

Her voice rang clear. Each word carried weight, reverberating through the chamber, stilling hearts and silencing tongues.

She shook her head once. Then her eyes found Asher's figure across the hall, her gaze like steel locked onto him.

"No."

Her tone sharpened, louder now, filling every shadow of the Bright Castle.

"I trust you."

The air itself seemed to tighten. Her next breath came deep, then she spoke:

"Echo of the Abyss!"