SUDDEN VISIT.

<p>                                                       <br/><br/> In the hideout where Ella was imprisoned, the guards patrolled their posts diligently. Velder's soul hovered, passing through them, and they collapsed one by one. Across the way, a guard in an adjacent building witnessed their sudden fall.<br/><br/>Ras, come take a look at this," he called to his companion, urging him to observe the bizarre occurrence. "There's no one there," Ras replied, puzzled by what he saw. "But they're all on the ground," the guard insisted, his confusion evident.<br/><br/>Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the space. Startled, they both spun around, only to find more guards falling without any visible assailant, leaving the others astounded and perplexed.<br/><br/><br/><br/>             "Ras yelled, "Attack!" Confusion lingered among the guards. "Attack what?" one of them inquired. As the guards continued to fall, Ras frantically retreated. Some of them employed their abilities against the unseen threat, while others fired at the empty space.<br/><br/>Dashing through the vacant corridor, Ras swiftly retrieved his communicator from his jacket, contacting the head of security. "Hello," he began urgently. "Sir, there's something eliminating everyone!" Before he could elaborate further, a chilling sensation enveloped Ras from within.<br/><br/>His entire being turned icy, sensing his soul departing from his body. Lifeless, Ras slumped to the ground, unable to respond to the communication device.<br/><br/>Velder's charged soul surged with energy, darting swiftly in search of more victims.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Ella sprinted down the hallway, her gaze catching sight of numerous souls ascending into the sky. "This is troubling," she murmured. Closing her eyes, she invoked another spell, one that would grant her the ability to perceive the energies of souls detached from their physical forms.<br/><br/>Upon reopening her eyes, Ella swiftly veered left into a vast section of the hideout.<br/><br/>Elsewhere, Milli, sensing a change, felt the necklace around her neck illuminate. Pausing in her tracks, she observed a group of guards rushing toward the central wing of the hideout. Intrigued, she decided to follow their path.<br/><br/><br/>Ella arrived at her destination and found more fallen bodies scattered across the ground. Hastening into the east wing, she witnessed three guards collapsing as Velder passed through them. Determined, she raced toward him.<br/><br/>Knowing she needed to restrain him before someone as formidable as Milli or Amorah arrived, Ella cautiously entered the room. However, chaos erupted as someone with fire-based abilities engulfed the surroundings in flames. Despite this, Velder continued to move through undeterred.<br/><br/>Undaunted, Velder soared deeper into the room, with Ella in pursuit. "Hey!" she called out, catching his attention. "Blue justice!" she commanded, summoning her weapon as Velder charged towards her.<br/><br/><br/><br/>"Why did you do it?" Acher inquired calmly.<br/><br/>"Because I hate the fact that she's more beautiful than I am, and now she's going to be married to the next head of the Dragon Flame Clan! I'll have to bow my head to that woman for the rest of my life!" Anger and jealousy blazed in Faithia's eyes.<br/><br/>Joel stared, utterly shocked. Is this truly my younger sister? He was too astonished to utter a word.<br/><br/>"Is that why you want to kill your sister?" Acher's voice remained composed yet intimidating, but Faithia remained unaffected. "Yes, and I'll do it again if given the chance!" she yelled defiantly.<br/><br/>"That's enough." Trent moved forward and seized her neck. Faithia began to choke, struggling to remove his hand, but her attempts were futile. "Trent," Acher bellowed and swiftly covered his mouth. Lydia glanced at him, her forehead creasing in concern.<br/><br/><br/>"Trent's eyes gleamed as he stared at her. 'I have placed a curse on you. Whenever you think or even harbor ill intentions against Ariadna, your face will start to decay and emit a foul odor,'" he declared sternly.<br/><br/>Her eyes widened in fear. "And if you dare to harm her again, I promise to tear out your heart," Trent's voice lowered, emanating a chilling intimidation that left Faithia breathless.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Milli arrived at the central wing, where the guards swiftly gathered upon spotting her. Observing the trail of fallen bodies ahead, one of the senior guards informed her, "Their bodies are as cold as ice." Curious, Milli bent down and touched one of the bodies, gasping in surprise at the icy chill that greeted her touch.<br/><br/><br/>Initiate a complete lockdown of this entire facility and instruct the guards to return to their designated posts," Milli commanded, rising from the floor. Having searched for Ella, she then reported her findings to Lady Amorah.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, back at the palace, Augustus gazed at Ephyrus in disbelief. "Is your neck hurting?" Ephyrus inquired with a furrowed brow. "No," replied Augustus, lowering his head. "What about your legs?" Augustus clenched his hands.<br/><br/>Amorah chuckled. "It must be because he's getting old." Augustus's eyes darkened. Amorah appeared as youthful as when she first started working in the palace under Cynthia. The only stark difference was that back then, she seemed innocent, whereas now, through her appearance, Augustus could perceive her true nature—Amorah was a walking demon.<br/><br/>Augustus rose from his chair, making room for Ephyrus, who comfortably settled into the seat, nonchalantly propping his legs up on Augustus's desk. Meanwhile, Amorah took a seat in one of the visitor chairs.<br/><br/>"I want to express my gratitude for raising my son," Amorah began. Augustus felt a sharp pang in his head at her words.<br/><br/>"It was simple deceiving him; after all, he's a fool," Amorah's cutting remark felt like a slap to his face, causing his jaw to clench.<br/><br/>"I expect you to send my son to me within two days," Amorah demanded. Augustus was stunned, meeting Ephyrus's gaze, only to find furrowed brows in response.<br/><br/><br/>"How dare you meet my gaze! Bow down!" Amorah's command pierced Augustus. Despite his initial urge to resist, a sharp pain surged through his heart, compelling him to comply. Hissing through the pain, he fell to his knees, head bowed down. Amorah's mocking laughter resounded in the room as Augustus gritted his teeth, his fingers clawing into the wooden surface.<br/><br/>"Send my son to the old mansion within two days," Ephyrus commanded as he and Amorah prepared to depart. However, just before leaving, Ephyrus paused by the door.<br/><br/>"I almost forgot, tell him not to be late—his girlfriend's life depends on him." With that, Ephyrus opened the door, and they both exited. Tears welled up in Augustus's eyes, and consumed by despair and rage, he screamed and began to wreck everything in his office. Outside, the servants hurried to inform the queen of the distressing events that had unfolded.<br/><br/><br/>. Ella eventually located Velder, who lunged at her. She retaliated by striking Velder with the back of her sword, causing him to stagger momentarily before advancing again. "I command you to stop," she ordered, but Velder remained impervious to her words. Continuously using her sword to repel him, she realized the importance of thanking Brian for crafting such an incredible weapon, if she managed to survive this encounter.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Ephyrus and Amorah arrived at their hideout through Ephyrus's teleportation ability. They found their guards on high alert, some even aiming their guns at them. "We apologize, Master and Lady Amorah," the guards quivered in fear, dropping to their knees in submission.<br/><br/>Lady Amorah seethed with anger. "What is happening? There's a soul manipulator among us, and I cannot locate Ella," she exclaimed furiously. Milli bowed her head in response. Amorah and Ephyrus were taken aback by the news, exchanging surprised glances before focusing their attention on Milli.<br/><br/>"We must find the soul manipulator and the girl immediately!" Amorah commanded, prompting the guards to scatter in search.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, Ella, rolling on the ground, maneuvered to the side and wielded the back of her sword. "IFHN, I need you to regain control," she pleaded. Despite her entreaty, Velder persisted in his attempt to kill. Growing increasingly anxious, Ella realized she couldn't afford to be discovered, nor could she allow Velder to be found.<br/><br/><br/>Isolde stood in Ariadna's room, filled with joy at seeing her daughter healthy and robust. "Look at my baby, I'm so glad to see you back on your feet," she exclaimed, pulling Ariadna into a tight hug.<br/><br/>"Mum, you're squeezing me," Ariadna protested, wriggling free from her mother's embrace. "I'm sorry," Isolde chuckled, covering her mouth. "I'm just so thrilled!" She planted kisses on Ariadna's cheeks, much to Ariadna's dismay. "Mum!" Ariadna really wished she could just kick her mother out of the room.<br/><br/><br/>There was a sudden knock on the door. "Who is it?" Isolde inquired.<br/><br/>"Your majesty, Master Cyrus is here to see her Highness," Ariadna's maid announced. In response, Ariadna swiftly adjusted her dress and smoothed down her hair. Isolde offered a sheepish smile. "He can come in," she said, giving Ariadna a tight hug. "I'm glad you're okay. I want you to find happiness and leave the past behind." With those words, Isolde left the room.<br/><br/>As Cyrus entered, he respectfully bowed his head upon seeing Ariadna. "Don't hurt my daughter," Isolde's parting words echoed in the air as she walked away, leaving Cyrus and Ariadna alone in the room.<br/><br/>Isolde encountered three servants blocking her path, all of them bowing their heads in deference.<br/><br/>"What's the matter?" Isolde's irritation was evident. "His Majesty was visited by Emilia and a man who resembled Trent. The king is furious, and we're unsure about what was discussed," one of the servants explained.<br/><br/>Recognizing the individuals mentioned, Isolde swiftly headed toward her husband's office.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, in their hideout, Ephyrus sensed the erratic energy of the berserk soul. "I know where he is. Let's go," he declared, teleporting and materializing in the east wing. Ephyrus stood stunned by what lay before him.<br/><br/><br/></p>