Just as Jeremia tried to fend off Gaja's attack, he collapsed to the ground.

  The death of the five generals drained a part of his life force.

  When he had appointed them, he had transferred ten percent of his own strength to each of them.

  Thus, a fragile balance of power had been established within the Arcadia Empire.

  But now, with the generals fallen, Jeremia regained his full power – but the price was high: He lost half of his remaining lifespan.

  Slowly, Jeremia got back up, only to realize that Gaja had also fallen to the ground.

  It wasn’t only Jeremia who had shared his power, but also Gaja.

  However, Gaja had spread her entire energy across her army, weakening herself in the process.

  That was why she hadn't been at the front to destroy the five generals.

  Jeremia, who had grown up in suffering and pain, looked down at Gaja von Katzengold, who was writhing on the ground in agony.

  Her childhood had been one of wealth and luxury, never having known true suffering.

  In contrast, Jeremia's life had been filled with loss and torment.

  No sooner had he prepared to strike, than Gaja sprang up and skillfully dodged.

  But Jeremia withdrew his sword, sheathed it, and cast one last look from his balcony at the empire he had defended.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  He knew this battle would be his last.

  Above the battlefield, the earth burned, and explosions had rained ash over the entire land.

  The once magnificent black city was now covered in a grey shroud.

  The elven army began the task of collecting the fallen.

  Jeremia thought of his children and his deceased wives.

  "Wherever you are, my children, may the God of the Elves protect you," he whispered.

  "My wives, I hope you rest in peace, together with our brothers and sisters in the paradise of the Elven God."

  A final, heavy breath escaped him as he spoke the ancient words of the elven people: "We came from the ashes of our ancestors and will pass in the ashes of our descendants. From ash to ash."

  Barely had he spoken these words, when Gaja shoved him off his balcony.

  Both fell onto the hard crystal floor.

  Jeremia quickly sprang back up and assumed a battle stance, while Gaja also rose and drew her swords.

  She charged directly at him, and the battle raged once more, wild and relentless.

  After a long and intense exchange of blows, Jeremia kicked Gaja in the stomach, giving her a dangerous moment of breath.

  In that instant, he inflicted numerous wounds on her with his sword.

  But then, the short lifespan that Jeremia still had began to work against him.

  He stumbled again, panting and gasping for breath.

  The pain in his body was unbearable, and he knew he only had a few minutes left to live.

  Nonetheless, he stood tall again, blocking countless attacks from Gaja, and remained resolutely on his feet.

  Gaja, growing increasingly impatient, made a mistake.

  Jeremia seized the opportunity, threw her off balance, and drew the katana he had been concealing until that moment.

  With a quick, precise strike, he pierced her throat.

  Gaja screamed before dissolving into ashes, another victim of the Elves' secret power that had been destructive within her.

  But Jeremia’s time was also up.

  He collapsed exhausted to the ground and closed his eyes.

  Ash fell upon him, covering him, as he whispered with his last breath: "From ash to gold."

  And as his final words echoed, the sky above the empire began to glow with a rose-gold hue.

  All the black crystals in the Elven Realm transformed into pure gold.

  Jeremia Arcadia, the Emperor, was revered by his people as the new god who had risen from the ashes of the old world.

  The End.