Deep within the imperial palace.
The empress's bedchamber.
Harij pushed open the door.
Inside the room, a skull cast from gold floated in midair.
Pale flames burned in its eye sockets.
"I found it."
Harij's expression was grave.
The Golden Skull was a Sealed Artifact.
It was the link between Sia Palenque Eggers and Artificial Death.
Through it.
The Pale Empress could borrow some of Artificial Death's power and authority.
Harij did not hesitate. He immediately raised his hand, pointing his palm toward the skull.
The light in the bedchamber abruptly dimmed.
A cold, sinister wind sprang up.
A mysterious bronze archway, inscribed with numerous symbols, swayed as it opened.
Vines, arms, and other terrifying things reached out from the darkness within.
They grasped in every direction, catching the tables, chairs, jewelry, and the Golden Skull floating in midair.
Then they dragged these things toward the doorway.
An immense gravitational pull also emanated from the doorway, making the captured objects fly toward it even faster.
With a resolute gaze, Harij controlled the doorway, making it drag the Golden Skull in faster.
Although the object looked light, it was as heavy as an enormous mass of iron.
Even Harij struggled to pull it in.
Just then.
Flames erupted from the Golden Skull and coalesced into a figure in the air.
Sia Palenque Eggers!
The figure regarded Harij impassively, vibrating the air to produce a voice.
"Was I mistaken?"
"The person I trusted most has betrayed me?"
Harij said in a low voice, "Yes, I betrayed you."
"Because I chose the empire. I chose the people!"
Sia Palenque Eggers fell silent for a moment.
Then she said.
"If I fail, will you hand the empire over to the invaders?"
Harij shouted, "Handing it to the invaders is better than letting you destroy