The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne exchanged a knowing glance with Mr. Wolf by her side, silently communicating their shared resolve.

If it came to that, they'd have no choice but to destroy the Millennia Aegis.

Nothing mattered more than human life.

With the deadline looming, Abigail refused to wait any longer, launching a full-on assault on the two. To her, as long as they still breathed, they could serve her grand purpose; individual lives held no value. Success would absolve her of all past deeds, no matter how dark.

Percival's powers were constrained, yet the Millennia Aegis within him surged with endless energy.

Vivienne, with her powers channeled into her silver needles, joined forces with Percival to withstand Abigail.

Even within the magic circle, Abigail found no advantage.

One protected by the Millennia Aegis, the other unaffected by the circle.

Abigail's attempts to counter grew more desperate, but leveraging the circle's focal point, she narrowly evaded their attacks multiple times.

Seizing the moment, Vivienne and Mr. Wolf cornered her with nowhere to flee.

Suddenly, the sky darkened-an ominous sign.

Abigail Ephemeral ceased her attack, a strange gleam in her eyes. "Your time is up," she declared.

Vivienne and Percival, quick to react, prepared their defenses.

Percival reached for the Millennia Aegis, intending to destroy it, only for an invisible force to whisk it away.

Hovering above the circle, the Aegis radiated a soft glow.

Abigail smirked, believing the Aegis needed a chosen one to activate. Yet, within the circle, it seemed to align itself, mocking her adversaries, "Did you really think you could touch what the circle claims?" With everything in place, Abigail locked her gaze on Vivienne, aiming to harness the Aegis's power against her.

countered her

eyebrow, amused, "First, I'll kill you, then the child. Only then will she grasp the true depths of joy and sorrow."

protect them at all

stake. They had come to end Abigail's reign

and their future child,

"don't worry, she won't succeed. We'll capture

nodded, "Alright, Vivienne wants her alive, we'll

glory? You'll have plenty of time for that

to capture Vivienne with

last moment, a figure threw themselves at Abigail, clinging to her, preventing

brutal counterattack from Abigail, refused to let go, "You took my son...

Delilah's sudden intervention and her

Aegis unleashed a beam of

Wolf, in unison, directed all

the artifact to buy time, if nothing else. Nobody expected Delilah to appear at

healed wounds reopening. Delilah, lifeless

Abigail could free herself, a blinding fight signaled the circle's destructive

broken circle returned everything to reality,

light, instinctively grabbed Percival's hand, "Mr.

pale but unharmed, checked Vivienne for injuries, "I'm fine.

him, "I'm protected by my powers. You should have held back;

was

both equally stunned. Magic circles,

instant, two living, breathing people had vanished right

Abigail just disappeared, or is

"People don't just disappear into thin air. But given what we saw, even if she's

"Percival, my lady!"

"Young master!"