Noah heard the rattling of metal as he circled the pit toward Craig. He felt the urge to look up. Hanging among the branches of a potted fruit tree shimmering with green-lifeforce was a decorative cage. Inside was the recognizable figure of Su. She gripped the light bars so tight that her knuckles turned white. She wore a metal muzzle over her mouth, preventing her from calling out. Su locked eyes with Noah across the room. He could see the pleading and hope in her eyes.

"I see that you've found my pet bitch. I had to muzzle her because she kept barking and tearing up the furniture," Ronan said.

"Finally dropped the act? Let her go," Noah demanded.

"That's what I always admired about you, Noah. Straight to the point. You and me, we're real men. Unlike these 'awakened'. They get offended if you call them a witch. That's what we are! I can't believe that I'm still having politically correct bullshit even after a fucking apocalypse," Ronan said.

"Quit the small talk. Give me Su," Noah demanded.

"Now, now, we're all friends here, aren't we? Sophie, bring me the girl," Ronan instructed.

Sophie smirked as she climbed a hidden staircase to reach the potted fruit tree. Orange-lifeforce flowed from the hand gripping the cage bars. They morphed under her touch to create an opening as Su retreated to the far side of the cage. Sophie got impatient, reaching and dragging Su out by her hair. The girls clawed at her arms in an attempt to resist, drawing blood.

"You feral bitch!" Sophie shouted as she savagely slammed the girl's head against the cage.

"Look what you did, Sophie. You've upset the boy," Ronan mocked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this better?" Sophie rhetorically asked as she mercilessly ripped the girl's head back by her hair, solidly smacking her across the cheek with an open palm.

Sophie cursed as she pulled her stinging hand away from where she struck the metal muzzle. Noah's expression turned grim as he became silent. He glared at Ronan seated on his throne. Ronan chuckled in amusement after seeing his reaction.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you. I've dreamed about it since Ronan failed to finish the job the last time. I knew that you were scum from the moment I met you," Craig goaded Noah, who ignored him.

"Josh, tell me what you see at the bottom of the hole," Noah suddenly said.

Josh's eyes glowed with purple light as he looked toward the pit. His body began to tremble. He ran toward the opened chest containing the tribute from the followers of Poseidon. Heaving the chest onto its side, spilling its contents into the hole. There was a musical clatter against the wall of the cylinder as origin crystals disappeared below.

"He's alive, Noah, he's alive! I knew that he was, but I still can't believe it. I could see his heartbeat every time I infused him with origin crystals," Josh said excitedly.

"It was you!" Theodore shrieked.

Theodore charged forward, wielding the [Grade 1 Wind Blade Sword]. He gripped hold of the cloth shrouding Josh's face, yanking it away. Someone whistled in appreciation. When Noah looked, Sophie was staring at Josh's exposed face.

Noah reacted before he could plunge the blade into Josh's stomach. Ordering the dust circling above the hole in the floor to strike with lightning speed, reducing Theodore to bloody bones in moments. The skeletal remains slowly toppled forward into the pit, still clutching the sword.

"Woah, that's a handsome man. Noah, he even puts you to shame. Don't you agree, Mister Kim?" Sophie said.

Noah finally took notice of the fruit tree Su had been caged in. There was a familiar face formed in the bark of the trunk. It was Mister Kim. It didn't react to Sophie's question as it continued to watch Su struggle against the grip in her hair indifferently.

"Noah, I didn't have the heart to tell you everything," Josh apologized.

"How do they stop him from attacking Su?" Noah asked.

"There used to be an ability-user who could calm people's emotions. It turns out that it worked on plants too. They were another person Ronan had butchered to harvest their origin crystal. It's on the back of his throne with his other trophies," Josh answered.

Noah looked at the throne. He noticed a collection of ability origin crystals embedded into the headrest behind Ronan. A few were currently glowing, their effects unknown.

"Can you tell me if Bruce and Wayde are still alive?" Noah asked.

Josh turned his head to reveal his handsome face as he shifted his radiant gaze. The blanks in the room chosen for their beauty couldn't compare to his perfectly symmetrical and flawless complexion.

It's hard to look at him directly without losing focus. No wonder he kept his face hidden.

"They're still alive. They even have an Airshark and are escaping the fortress!" Josh exclaimed.

"It's time for you to die now, Noah," Craig said as he readied his [Ice Spear].

Craig had approached Noah unnoticed as he was distracted by Mister Kim's likeness in the fruit tree. Noah commanded the dust in the air to intercept Craig. Before the dust could get close, it was suppressed by his [Freezing Aura]. The dust began to fall into the pit as it froze solid. Glittering like gemstones as it fell under the various hues of lifeforce belonging to the overgrown vegetation.

"This looks like it's going to be as easy as the last time," Craig boasted.

He fiercely thrust his spear at Noah's exposed head while the mist escaping from his armour attempted to freeze the area surrounding them. The red-and-gold flames covering Noah's body prevented the frost from touching his skin as he deflected the thrust with an armoured wrist.

Craig made a series of thrusting attacks aimed at Noah's vitals, who deftly dodged each one through the use of his [Battle Instinct] to predict the trajectory of the spear. Craig lost his patience and abandoned his caution.

"I've had enough of this, you worthless piece of shit. You're fucked now!" Craig shouted, his eyes narrowing as he gritted his teeth.

Craig swept the butt of his weapon in a circular motion toward the side of Noah's head. He wasted no more time as he used his ethereal hands to catch the spear in midair, stepping forward to wrap the chain of his shackles around Craig's neck. Turning to face away while arching forward to haul the suffocating Craig onto his back. Craig's feet dangled just above the floor as he deactivated his [Ice Spear] to clutch at the chains biting into his neck.

"No, you are," Noah replied, flames bursting outward.

A raging [Inferno] engulfed Craig and the surrounding area in flames. Reducing the loitering ability-users and remaining serpent guards to ash while avoiding their blank servants. The blaze consumed the vegetation throughout the room. The fire didn't spare the fruit tree with Mister Kim's likeness. The fire avoided harming Josh and Su, allowing Sophie to escape unharmed by proximity.

After the fire died out, Noah could still feel the heat radiating off the shackles in his hands, glowing red-hot. Chain-links dripped to the floor as they melted from the heat. The charred remains of Craig crumbled into a heap, decapitating him with the molten chain as his heat-distorted armour clattered to the ground, spilling out ash.