MEMELAND

Three days before the trial.

That was how much time Akshay had left.

Three days before the city decided whether its king was a criminal.

Three days before the conspiracy won.

Kai had no intention of waiting.

Neither did Andre.

Neither, surprisingly, did Zindine.

"Breaking into a prison is a terrible idea."

The hooded merchant adjusted his robe.

"Just making sure we're all aware."

Andre cracked his knuckles.

"Good thing we're doing it anyway."

Zindine sighed.

"I hate both of you."

By midnight, the three had reached the military prison.

Unlike the palace dungeon, this one sat deep within the mountain.

Built directly into the stone.

Guarded heavily.

Far too heavily for a political prisoner.

Kai immediately noticed it.

"So they're afraid he'll escape."

"No," Zindine replied.

"They're afraid someone will free him."

Andre grinned.

"Good call."

The plan was simple.

Which meant it was probably terrible.

Andre created a distraction.

Kai snuck inside.

Zindine handled everything involving locks.

And somehow it worked.

Mostly.

After several unconscious guards and one extremely angry prison warden, they reached Akshay's cell.

The king stared at them.

Then blinked.

Then blinked again.

"You actually came."

Andre punched the bars.

"Of course we did."

The cell door opened.

Akshay stepped out.

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then the king sighed.

"This is definitely treason."

"You're welcome."

Before anyone could continue, an explosion shook the prison.

The mountain trembled.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

Everyone froze.

A second explosion followed.

Far larger.

Much closer.

Kai immediately felt something was wrong.

Not a prison alarm.

Not an attack.

Something else.

Something familiar.

Then he heard it.

A scream.

Not one.

Hundreds.

Coming from above.

The city.

They rushed outside.

The moment they emerged into the streets, everyone stopped.

A massive pillar of blue light pierced the night sky.

It rose from the lower districts.

Visible from every corner of Yggdrasil.

The citizens were already running.

Soldiers were mobilizing.

Panic spread like wildfire.

"What is that?" Kai asked.

Akshay's expression darkened.

"No idea."

Then they ran.

The closer they got, the worse it became.

Buildings had collapsed.

Streets were destroyed.

People fled in every direction.

And at the center of it all stood a ritual circle larger than a city block.

Dozens of robed cultists surrounded it.

In the center floated a glowing demon core.

The same type recovered from the demon beneath Yggdrasil.

Only this one pulsed with overwhelming energy.

"Stop them!" Akshay shouted.

The group charged forward.

Cultists immediately intercepted them.

Steel clashed.

Magic exploded.

Bodies fell.

Kai fought his way through the chaos.

Andre bulldozed through people like a living battering ram.

Akshay rallied nearby soldiers.

For a moment, it looked possible.

Then the ritual completed.

The demon core shattered.

The sky cracked.

And something emerged.

At first only a hand.

A gigantic blue hand.

Then an arm.

Then a head.

Then the rest.

The creature towered above the city.

At least fifteen meters tall.

Blue skin.

Massive horns.

Glowing eyes.

Its roar shook the mountain itself.

Citizens screamed.

Windows shattered.

Several cultists were blown away by the shockwave alone.

Then smaller shapes poured from the portal.

Winged creatures.

Imps.

Hundreds of them.

The battle instantly became a war.

The city descended into chaos.

Soldiers fought desperately.

Citizens fled.

The imps swarmed through the streets.

And the giant demon began tearing through buildings.

Even Andre looked concerned.

"That's not good."

"No shit."

The demon raised an arm.

Then brought it crashing down toward a crowd of fleeing civilians.

Suddenly—

A figure appeared.

Commander Jack.

He slammed into the demon with enough force to alter its attack.

The blow missed the civilians.

The crowd erupted.

"Commander Jack!"

"He's here!"

The soldiers rallied immediately.

Jack pointed his sword toward the demon.

"Protect the citizens!"

Morale surged.

The battle intensified.

For nearly an hour, Yggdrasil fought.

Street by street.

Building by building.

Every meter was paid for in blood.

Kai, Andre, Akshay, and Jack eventually reached the giant demon itself.

The four fought together.

Again and again.

The monster refused to fall.

Then it happened.

The demon targeted Akshay.

Its massive claw descended directly toward the king.

Jack moved first.

Too fast.

Too sudden.

He shoved Akshay away.

The impact sent the king rolling across the street.

Then the claw struck.

A deafening crash echoed through the district.

Stone exploded.

Dust filled the air.

And when it settled—

Jack was gone.

Nothing remained except shattered debris.

Akshay stared.

Disbelief filling his face.

"No..."

The king's voice barely escaped.

Andre clenched his fists.

Kai felt sick.

The city had just lost its commander.

The soldiers saw it too.

And their rage exploded.

The battle became desperate.

Personal.

Every soldier pushed forward.

Every citizen who could fight joined.

And at the center of it all, Kai saw the demon stagger.

An opening.

Small.

Brief.

Enough.

"Andre!"

Andre immediately understood.

The giant thief sprinted forward.

Akshay followed.

Together they distracted the demon.

Giving Kai exactly one chance.

Kai leapt.

Higher than he thought possible.

The world seemed to slow.

Then he saw it.

A glowing blue core inside the demon's chest.

Instinct screamed.

Hit there.

So he did.

His fist slammed into the exposed core.

A crack appeared.

Then another.

Then hundreds.

The demon froze.

Its body began to break apart.

Blue light erupted from every fracture.

The creature released one final roar.

Then exploded into fragments of light.

Silence fell across Yggdrasil.

The portal collapsed.

The remaining imps vanished.

And for the first time that night—

The battle was over.

The citizens erupted into cheers.

Exhausted soldiers dropped to their knees.

Others cried.

Many simply stared.

Unable to believe they survived.

Akshay slowly climbed onto the remains of a ruined fountain.

The crowd gradually quieted.

The king looked battered.

Exhausted.

Covered in blood.

Yet somehow more kingly than ever.

He raised his voice.

"People of Yggdrasil!"

The city listened.

"The attacks."

"The demons."

"The cultists."

"The conspiracy against this city."

His gaze swept across the crowd.

"They are all connected."

Silence.

"We face an organization hiding in the shadows."

Murmurs spread.

Akshay continued.

"They framed me."

"They attacked our city."

"They murdered our people."

His voice hardened.

"And tonight, Commander Jack gave his life protecting Yggdrasil."

The crowd lowered their heads.

Even those who doubted him.

Even those who supported his arrest.

No one could deny what they witnessed.

The king pointed toward the ruined ritual site.

"This ends now."

Cheers erupted.

Louder than before.

The citizens believed him again.

The soldiers believed him again.

And somewhere far away, hidden beneath the mountain—

A bald man removed a damaged wig.

Then smiled.

"Phase two."

The man known as Peaceful Jack stepped into the darkness.

Very much alive.