Rosina and Sydria uood this grim reality all too well. They buried their feelings beh yers of self-denial and obedience, yet the bond they shared could not be fully silenced. In stolen moments, they found so each other's presence—a lingering gnce here, a quiet versation there, each a fleeting act of defiance against the weight of their duty.

  Their forbidden love might have remained hidden forever, a secret shared only in silence. But when Sydria found herself in mortal peril, unaware of the danger closing in around her, Rosina acted without hesitation. She leaped into the fray, a blur of motion and resolve, pg herself between Sydria aaih. Her bde sang, her body shielded the one she loved, and in that moment, her choice was made.

  The sequences of her as were clear, etched in the wary gazes of her kin and the harsh judgment of her superiors. Rosina had pced love before duty, defying the very foundation of Aitoc's creed. The price would be steep—exile, perhaps eveh—but in her heart, she found .

  This love, deemed unworthy, had been written into their fates from the moment their paths first crossed. In the ists of Aitoc’s forests, where t wraithborees stretched into the heavens and silence reigned supreme, their eyes had met. The promise of a bond that defied the Path was fed there, unspoke undeniable, as enduring as the stars above—and just as unreachable.

  Rosina had often wondered if her life would have been easier if she hadn’t been born a woman. Now, the two stood together in silence, an unbearable sadness hangiweeheir memories together had just beguhe end was already written.

  “Such a toug story,” Kayvaan said, his tone casual yet amused. “You two really move me. Rosina, huh? That’s beautiful—I like her already.” He paused, his grin widening. “But let’s not fet my real dream: building the biggest harem in the universe! Witches, Eldar Rosina, battle-hardened judges, nuns, pilots, singers, green-haired cuties—I want them all. Just imagining it makes my heart race!”

  The witch at his side giggled, hugging his arm and pressing herself against him. “Master, do you really need so many sisters? I won’t get any time with you!” she pouted, rubbing her soft fainst him. Her voice was sweet and teasing.

  Kayvaan patted her head with mock sympathy. “Don’t worry about that.”

  Her pout turned into a smile. “I k! I’m special to you, aren’t I?”

  “Naughty little thing,” Kayvaan chuckled, ruffling her hair. Then his tone darkened, his grin fading. “But unfortunately, none of you have a p my grand pn. You all have to die.”

  The witch blinked, her smile faltering. “W-What? Why? Master, why?”

  Kayvaan sighed as if this decision pained him. “You see, my dream of a harem requires a stable foundation—a safe empire. But you’ve learhings you shouldn’t have, things that would jeopardize everything I’m building. If wot out, even the Empire would take notice. I ’t let that happen.”

  The witch g to him desperately. “No! I help you—I’ll do anything!”

  “You’re just a witch,” Kayvaan said coldly. “What use could you possibly have?”

  Her eyes gleamed with suddeermination. “Anything, you say? I’ll show you just how useful I be,” she murmured, her voice dripping with seductive fidence.

  Before Kayvaan could respond, the witelt before him, her hands deftly w to remove his protective gear. He barely had time to process what was happening before she moved with an eagerhat caught even him off guard.

  The two Eldar women stared in stunned sileheir thoughts a whirlwind of disbelief and disgust. Yet the se before them tinued, a surreal and jarring juxtaposition against the tense backdrop of the gore surrounding them.

  The witch's skill was undeniable, refio a level that could only be described as masterful. She wielded her charms and talents skillfully, her coquettish demeanor a on as potent as any bde. Yet, Kayvaan remained unmoved, a dark grin pying on his lips. “Witch,” Kayvaan said after a moment, his voice dripping with mog amusement, “you’ve certainly proven your dedication, but you misuand something. No amount of charm or loyalty will ge the oute.” He leaned closer, his eyes cold. “You all have to die.”

  The witch froze, her expression shifting from shock to disbelief. “M-Master, why?” she stammered. “Have I not proven myself worthy? I am loyal, useful—”

  “Useful?” Kayvaan interrupted, his tone ced with dession. “You’re a clever servant, yes, but you know too much. I told you my vision—a grand harem spanning the gaxy, filled with every type of beauty imaginable. But to build such a dream, I need secrecy. Stability. Safety. If word of my… transformation spread, it would attract the wrong kind of attention. Even with my power, unnecessary distras could slow me down. And I have seen how you i with your so called friend” He shrugged. “So, you and everyone here must be silenced.”

  The witch’s face twisted in desperation. “Master, you’re wrong! I keep your secret! I be indispensable to you! Please resider!” But her pleas fell on deaf ears. “You misuand the nature of this world, little witch,” Kayvaan said coolly. “Everyone is expendable.”

  Desperation turo fury. The red-haired witch’s lips curled into a venomous snarl as her true nature surfaced. Her teeth elongated into jagged, saw-like roable of biting through steel. She leaped, aiming to maim, to wound, to fight for survival. The impact of her bite, however, was met not with flesh but an unyielding, metallig. The witch recoiled, her razor-sharp teeth shattering as though she’d bitten into solid steel. Her expression turo horror. “What… what is this?” she stammered, spitting out fragments of brokeh. “This isn’t possible…”

  Kayvaan ughed, his voice filled with dark amusement. “Did you really think I’d be that vulnerable? You thank Sanesh for the upgrades. This body is beyond my prehension now.”

  Without warning, Kayvaan grabbed the witch by the head. His fiightened like a vice as he twisted her head in a grotesque, 180-degree rotation. With a casual toss, he flung her aside like discarded refuse. Her broken form crumpled to the ground, motionless but still alive, her body now incapable of swift recovery.

  Kayvaan turned his attention to Rosina and Sydria, who stood resolutely, their hands csped together. Determination burned in their eyes, even in the face of insurmountable odds. “It seems you’re not ied in making this enjoyable,” Kayvaan said, shrugging indifferently. “Your loss.”

  Rosina and Sydria exged a gnce. In unison, they let out a pierg scream—the banshee’s wail—a psychic attack that bypassed physical defeo strike directly at the mind. Kayvaan staggered, his movements momentarily frozen as the attack reverberated through his mind. Taking advantage of the moment, the two Eldar women turned and fled, their only thought to escape this nightmare. Rosina’s mind raced as she pheir move. If they could reach the Webway, they might still have a ce.’

  “Why bother with pointless struggles? Begging for mercy, running, resisting—it’s all meaningless. When you know the chasm of differeween us, you should face your fate with calm acceptance.” Kayvaan sighed and shook his head, his voice carrying an air of finality. “You have no reason to live. This is the end you must embraow, close your eyes, and it’ll all be over soon.”