Lucielle returned to her camp after the second horn sounded. The warcamp was alive with activity—soldiers tending to wounds, smiths repairing weapons, and officers discussing battle strategies. As she walked through, several warriors passing by greeted her with respect, though she barely acknowledged them. Her mind was elsewhere.

  She soon found her two squadmates, Darren and Stelle, near a makeshift barracks. Darren, his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes as she approached.

  "Where did you run off to in the middle of battle?" he asked, his tone laced with frustration.

  Lucielle shrugged. "Had some work to do."

  "Work? In the middle of war?" Darren scoffed. "That’s a new excuse. You know, some of us actually had to hold the front lines while you disappeared."

  "Tch, drop it, Darren," Lucielle muttered, rubbing her temples. "I had my reasons."

  Darren was an Aetherforger like Lucielle, though his combat style focused more on ranged constructs, whereas Lucielle specialized in close combat. He was strong, reliable—but also relentless when it came to questioning things he didn’t like.

  Stelle, the squad’s Vitaweaver, sighed and stepped between them, offering a weary smile. "Come on, Darren. If it was important, let it be. You know how she is."

  Darren huffed. "That’s exactly the problem. She always keeps things to herself."

  Lucielle ignored Darren’s grumbling and turned away. "I'm going to rest."

  Before she could leave, Darren added, "Commander Leneus summoned you. You're to report back to Luminara."

  Lucielle froze. Her expression darkened. "Now?" she asked, voice laced with irritation.

  "Yes, now." Darren crossed his arms. "You don’t look happy about it."

  "I’m not," she admitted. "But I don’t have a choice."

  With a deep breath, she walked toward the glowing portal stationed at the heart of the warcamp. The swirling golden light enveloped her, and within seconds, she stepped onto the pristine streets of Luminara’s capital.

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  The Golden City was as magnificent as ever—a world bathed in eternal daylight, its towering spires gleaming under the ever-present sun. Unlike Abyssia, where she had witnessed night for the first time, Luminara had never known darkness. It was a city of radiance, of order, of unwavering brilliance. It was also suffocating.

  She made her way through the grand streets, eventually reaching her home. Ascending the staircase to the second floor, she walked down the long corridor to a room at the end.

  Her father, Commander Leneus, sat behind his desk, eyes cold and sharp. "You took your time."

  Lucielle bowed slightly. "Father. You summoned me?"

  Leneus placed a document on the desk. "I received a strange report—one that mentioned you standing alongside a Nyxaran girl."

  Lucielle remained silent, which only confirmed his suspicions.

  His voice grew harsh. "Do you realize what this means? If the Council of Lux learns of this, they will have you executed."

  The Council of Lux—the governing body of Luminara, composed of the most powerful and influential figures in their society. They controlled everything: the war, the resources, even who lived and died. Lucielle knew that defying them was a death sentence.

  "We only had a shared goal," Lucielle defended, her tone firm.

  "Then why didn't you strike her down the moment she was distracted?" Leneus demanded.

  Lucielle hesitated. "What, Backstab? But that wouldn't be clean—"

  Leneus slammed his hand against the desk and stood. "There is no 'clean' in war, girl! This is a battlefield, not a dueling ground. You hesitate, and you die. Or worse, you risk bringing shame upon our name."

  She clenched her fists. "I will bring glory by killing the Cursed Child."

  Her father exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I would be prouder to call you my daughter if you died taking five Nyxaran warriors with you. That is what true warriors do."

  Lucielle lowered her gaze, speechless.

  Leneus straightened. "You are suspended from the battlefield for a week."

  Lucielle tensed. "But—"

  "No arguments." His cold gaze silenced her.

  She swallowed her protests and turned to leave. However, she paused at the door and looked back. "Why aren’t you returning to the battlefield? It’s been months since your last battle."

  Leneus leaned back in his chair. "I plan to join the Council of Lux."

  Lucielle's eyes widened in shock. "You're a warrior, not a politician!"

  Leneus remained calm. "Warriors and politicians have the same goal—to do what is best for Luminara."

  She bit her lip, clearly dissatisfied, but her father waved her away, dismissing her.

  As soon as Lucielle left, a shadow shifted in the corner of the room. A hooded man stepped forward, his presence cold and calculated.

  Leneus folded his hands. "How is the experiment progressing?"

  The man hesitated before replying, "It is going well, but… Are you certain this is the right course of action?"

  Leneus' expression hardened. "It is the only way to end this endless war. That experiment will wipe every single Nyxaran from the cycle itself."