The fight ended as suddenly as it had begun.

  Kael lay on the cold stone floor, trying to take a full breath. The air burned his lungs, his body refused to obey, and the ringing in his ears drowned out everything else. He didn’t even realize at first that the blows had stopped.

  The necromancer stood over him calmly. No heavy breathing. No tension. As if this had not been a battle, but a short warm-up.

  The two soldiers he had created slowly crumbled into ash, leaving only dark marks on the floor.

  “Enough,” the king said indifferently.

  He was the first to turn away.

  Silence filled the hall.

  No one applauded.

  No one protested.

  No one intervened.

  Kael tried to get up, but his legs gave way. He fell back, feeling blood run down his temple.

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  Nearby, Rin took a step forward, but she was stopped.

  Nika clenched her teeth until her lips turned pale.

  Elf stared at Kael without blinking.

  The king slowly descended from the throne.

  His footsteps echoed through the hall.

  He stopped a few steps away from Kael, who lay on the cold stone.

  He looked at him for a long time.

  Without anger.

  Without compassion.

  “This is not what I wanted to see,” the king finally said.

  His voice was even. Calm.

  “You are not who they presented you to be.

  And you are certainly not who you believe yourself to be.”

  Kael tried to lift himself up, but his body would not respond.

  The king continued:

  “I could kill you.

  I could execute your companions as well.”

  He paused.

  “But that would be meaningless.

  Killing someone like you.”

  A heavy silence hung in the hall.

  “I will not dirty my hands,” the king said.

  “You are… trash.”

  The words fell like stones.

  Rin clenched her fists.

  Nika let out a sharp breath.

  Elf turned pale.

  “Take them away,” the king ordered shortly.

  “Out of the capital.

  Let them disappear.”

  He turned away, no longer looking at Kael.

  “The world does not stand on the weak.”

  The guards stepped forward.

  Not roughly.

  Not with hatred.

  Simply — like removing something unnecessary.

  They were led out of the palace, then beyond the city gates. No shouting, no blows, no explanations. The heavy doors were simply closed behind them, and the capital remained on the other side of the wall.

  The night was cold.

  Kael stood, leaning on one knee, feeling his body tremble. The pain was slowly returning, but he barely paid attention to it.

  He felt no anger.

  Only emptiness.

  And the thought that came to him was simple and terrifyingly clear.

  So… I was not chosen.

  A chill ran down his spine.

  So all of this was a mistake?

  The prophecy. The summoning. This world…

  He looked at his hands.

  Empty. Weak. Ordinary.

  If I am not a hero…

  If I am not even hope…

  Kael clenched his fingers into fists.

  Then who am I?

  There were footsteps behind him.

  The girls stayed. Not one of them left.

  But right now, he could not turn around.

  He did not know what to do.