On the vast plains, the centaur Chiron, charging like a giant trampling the earth, let out a piercing roar, his spear flashing as he closed in on Madelyn, growing larger and more menacing in her eyes.
Madelyn remained calm, her blood-red roses swirling in her eyes. A killing intent powerful enough to disturb the very air erupted from her as she began to chant, and brilliant rose petals blossomed behind her.
A mysterious wind seemed to carry the petals as they danced through the air.
When Chiron’s spear met the floating roses, his massive body froze, turning him into an unmoving statue.
Then, more and more blood-red petals clung to Chiron, sticking densely to his skin and enveloping him in a sea of flowers.
Moments later, only a faint outline of the centaur remained.
The god-tier mages controlling the formation stared in horror as Chiron, the embodiment of their power and the core of their Macedonian Phalanx, vanished.
In their senses, the recently summoned spirit of the formation was simply… gone!
Unable to believe what they were seeing, the mages of Emberveil Kingdom focused on the beautiful spectacle in the sky.
As a gentle breeze swept through, the floating rose petals scattered, falling like a rain of crimson roses.
And Chiron, the centaur, vanished without a trace, leaving no remnants behind.
Almost instantly, another wave of casualties erupted within the Emberveil Kingdom’s army as many mages, unable to bear the backlash, collapsed.
Even the god-tier mages were visibly shaken, their faces pale as they struggled with the severe rebound.
They looked at Madelyn’s blood-streaked figure with stunned disbelief.
Madelyn was merely a god-tier mage—how could she be so powerful that even their combined forces within the Macedonian Phalanx were no match for her?
Rachel, Stanley, and the others watched Madelyn with growing dread as she dismantled Chiron almost effortlessly.
When Chiron’s aura first appeared, they had felt an overwhelming sense of danger. Fused with the might of over a million mages from Emberveil Kingdom, Chiron’s power rivaled that of a God Emperor.
No one expected Madelyn, usually soft-spoken, to unleash such terrifying strength. If she continued like this, Emberveil Kingdom’s massive army would be annihilated entirely!
On the city wall, the dark elf Sylva gazed coldly at the failing Macedonian Phalanx, her face filled with disdain and a hint of killing intent.
“Worthless. Looks like I’ll have to handle this myself.”
With a dismissive shake of her head, Sylva vanished in a flash, appearing swiftly before Madelyn, who was cutting through the chaotic ranks of the Macedonian mages.
Surprised, Madelyn clenched her fists and launched a powerful punch at Sylva.
Sylva looked at her coldly.
As a God King-level mage, Madelyn’s blow was little more than a tickle to her.
After all, she was a dark elf—one of the highest-ranked beings on this plane!
Blocking Madelyn’s attack with ease, Sylva’s eyes took on a deep, ancient glow.
Madelyn prepared to strike again, but as her gaze met Sylva’s mysterious, starry eyes, she froze.
In that strange vision, Madelyn seemed to glimpse her own past.
She saw Owen!
“Brother!”
Madelyn gasped, unable to hold back a cry.
To the Azure Kingdom generals like Stanley, Madelyn appeared to be in a daze.
After all, a dark elf stood before her, not Owen.
Yet, judging by her reaction, she had mistaken Sylva for the Emperor!
“How is this possible? Lady Madelyn is so powerful, and her mental strength is extraordinary, especially with the Blood Eye talent. How could she be controlled so easily?”
Stanley and the others grew tense; Madelyn was not only the Empress’s sister but also held a close bond with Owen. If something happened to her, they couldn’t imagine the Emperor’s fury.
They were puzzled, though; with her strength, Madelyn should have been immune to such control.
A nearby deputy adjusted his glasses and explained with a serious expression, “She’s no ordinary being—she’s a dark elf, a highly unique race.”
With a grave tone, he briefed Stanley and the others about the dark elves’ extraordinary lineage.
Their innate power over minds and memories was overwhelming. Ordinarily, no God King or even God Emperor could manipulate Madelyn’s mind.
But this was a dark elf, and a high-level God King at that.
Despite Madelyn’s exceptional gifts, she was no match for Sylva’s mind control.
Far away, Leslie watched with a calm expression. Observing Rachel and the others’ agitation, she said slowly:
“The dark elves have a unique talent: they can manipulate the minds of others, turning them into their puppets. Some, the most skilled, can even alter memories.”
“Right now, Madelyn is likely in a state of confusion…”
The group was horrified.
Could this truly be the power of a dark elf?
If her memories were erased, would Madelyn still be herself?
Many mages of the Azure Kingdom were shocked and worried.
More than anyone, Rachel was troubled. Having studied at Middle Earth Melodic Academy, she knew that once someone became a puppet of a dark elf, their memories could never be restored.
The fabricated memories Sylva would implant would replace Madelyn’s true ones!
Rachel hadn’t expected an ancient race allied with The Celestial to be involved in this.
“Madelyn is in grave danger. Your Majesty, please save her!” Rachel urged Leslie, unable to bear the thought of harm coming to Madelyn.
Leslie remained calm, replying, “Don’t worry; Madelyn will be fine.”
Leslie’s calmness appeared utterly cold to Rachel, who said urgently, “If something happens to Madelyn, Owen will never forgive you…”
Before Rachel could finish, Leslie’s icy gaze landed on her.
Rachel had seen Leslie’s cold demeanor before, but the frigid aura she emitted now seemed to freeze the very soul.
This chilling presence was more intimidating than anything Rachel had experienced, carrying the undeniable weight of an empress’s authority.
Feeling the bone-chilling cold, Rachel realized Leslie had become even more distant since her recent retreat, displaying an aloofness that bordered on indifference.
It seemed that in Leslie’s eyes, Owen was the only person who truly mattered.
Others were nothing more than tools, mere pawns to be used.
She had grown stronger and more like an Empress in every sense.
The others who had been ready to rush to Madelyn’s aid retreated under Leslie’s icy stare.
Though they couldn’t discern Leslie’s true intentions, they trusted that she wouldn’t actually harm Madelyn.
The disturbance quickly died down as everyone turned back to the scene in front of them.
Now in control of Madelyn’s memories, Sylva’s mouth curled into a twisted smile. She looked at Madelyn and chanted softly,
“Forget. Forget everything from your past! Let’s start anew!”
