Abyssal darkness shrouded the entire Imperial Capital.
There was no sun in the sky. In its place hung an enormous black sphere, suspended above the city like an eye from the abyss.
That black sun radiated an ominous glow, bathing the entire Imperial Capital in an eerie, blood-red light.
In the streets, soldiers of the Empire's Knights' Order held their weapons and stared up at the black sun, their faces filled with horror and bewilderment.
Their armor gleamed coldly under the dark red light, but the sharpness had vanished from their eyes, leaving only helplessness in the face of an unknown terror.
Some muttered to themselves, some collapsed to the ground, and some even dropped their swords and clutched their heads, as though all their fighting spirit had deserted them.
Farther away, in the square, countless citizens of the Empire knelt on the ground, clasping their hands in prayer to the sky.
Their voices merged into a low hum that echoed through the city like a tide.
Some called upon the Goddess of Light with terror on their faces, while others excitedly prayed to the black sun in the sky.
Yet the black sun simply hung there in silence, like an indifferent eye gazing down upon the vast city beneath it.
Wendy tried to move, only to discover that she could not budge an inch.
She lowered her head to look at her body.
Heavy iron chains bound her hands, and she wore prison clothes. Like a sacrificial offering, she had been tied to a towering execution frame.
She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat.
All she could do was watch as the black sun slowly descended, sinking lower and drawing closer, as though it would swallow the entire city-
Suddenly, a violent headache split