Leo walked through the winding alleys of Aetherra. The city was quiet now—too quiet. Most people were still gathered in the churches. The faint smell of smoke lingered in the air, mixed with the cold breeze of the night.
He passed a few dimly lit streets until he reached a small inn tucked into the side of an old stone building. It was nearly empty. Without saying a word, Leo stepped inside and headed straight for the stairs.
At the top, he walked down a narrow corridor, pausing in front of one door.
He knocked gently. A second later, he heard footsteps. The door creaked open, revealing Briva. Behind her, Elna was sitting up on the bed, her hair slightly tousled, a blanket draped around her.
When she saw Leo, her expression softened. She sat straighter.
Leo stepped in, voice quiet. "How are you feeling?"
"A lot better," Elna replied, her voice calm but warm. "What happened?"
"They've come up with a plan—to keep the kingdom under control for now," he said. "It's not perfect, but it'll hold."
Elna nodded slowly. "And you? What's your next move?"
"I'm heading to Niver. I need to find out what the vampires are planning. There's something going on—something bigger." He paused, hesitating. "Would you come with me?"
He scratched the back of his neck, looking away. "Timon's still here, you know... if you'd rather—"
Before he could finish, Elna reached forward and flick his forehead lightly.
"Of course I'm coming with you," she said with a smirk. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Leo blinked, then chuckled. "Guess I won't even try." They both laughed.
"So…" Leo leaned against the bedpost. "How were the last two years? Was Timon a decent teacher?"
Elna raised an eyebrow, thinking. "He was a good teacher. Strict. Very strict. But I learned a lot."
"You must've trained hard. You're definitely stronger than the last time I saw you."
"I'm a B-plus rank now," Elna said, sitting a little taller.
Leo was impressed. "Not bad."
"What about you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"I am A-minus," Leo said, a little proud.
Elna's jaw dropped. "A?!"
As her voice rose, Briva, who had been half-dozing on her own bed, sat up with a small stretch but didn't say anything. She simply glanced their way, then laid back down, uninterested in interrupting.
Elna leaned in. "Wait—how did you reach A-rank?"
Leo shrugged. "A lot's happened. I'll tell you some of it tonight."
The rest of the night slipped by in easy conversation. They swapped stories about their training, their travels, the close calls they'd both faced. Elna spoke about the moment she'd chosen her path—how uncertain she'd been at first, how hard she had to fight to prove herself. Leo listened closely, watching her face light up when she spoke, drawn in by her voice and her laughter.
Eventually, the sky outside began to lighten. A sliver of sunlight slipped through the window, casting a soft glow over the room.
Briva had fallen asleep, curled up peacefully.
Leo lowered his voice. "Elna... I can't tell you everything yet. Knowing everything could put you in danger. But I promise, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything. About me. About the Creator. Just... trust me a little longer."
Elna reached out and gently placed her hand on his. "I trust you, Leo. I'll wait."
They sat like that in silence, the warmth of her hand in his. After a moment, they both drew back slightly, cheeks faintly flushed, exchanging a shy glance.
Leo cleared his throat. "So... breakfast?"
Elna grinned. "Yes, I'm starving."
Leo gently nudged Briva awake, and the three of them headed downstairs, the inn finally starting to stir with life.
…
When the three of them were waiting for their breakfast, Arthur walked in. Without saying a word, he pointed at the innkeeper to bring him something and then took a seat at their table.
Leo glanced at him. "How did you find us?"
Arthur leaned back in the chair. "I'm also a diviner. Finding you was no problem."
Leo raised an eyebrow, as if something had clicked in his mind. "Ah—right. Elna, this is Arthur—my friend, and also our captain during the voyage. Arthur, this is Elna… my..." He trailed off, not quite sure how to finish the sentence.
Arthur raised an eyebrow of his own. "Your girlfriend?"
Elna's cheeks flushed a soft pink at the word.
Before Leo could say anything, Arthur gave her a polite nod. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Elna replied, her voice a little quieter than before.
Arthur turned back to Leo. "When do you want to leave?"
"If possible, today would be best."
"That works," Arthur said. "The teleportation gates leading out of the city are still inactive. If we want to reach Niver quickly, we'll need to take a carriage halfway and use a teleportation circle from a village nearby."
Leo nodded. "Let's call it a plan."
Just then, their breakfast arrived, and the four of them ate together. Afterward, they packed their belongings and made their way to the city gate. While Arthur and Briva went off to arrange transportation, Leo turned toward the city behind them.
"I wanted to see it before everything changed... They used to say this was the most beautiful city."
Elna stepped closer, her voice soft. "It still can be. It just needs time to heal."
"Guys! We found a carriage!" Briva called out from across the street.
Before their departure, Arthur stopped at the gate to speak with one of the bishops, offering a quick update on their destination and plans.
When he returned, Leo hesitated at the carriage door. He turned to Arthur, his expression uncertain. "Are you certain you don't want to stay for your father's funeral?"
"I'm sure," Arthur answered quietly. His tone left no room for argument. Without another word, he stepped into the carriage.
A moment later, Leo and the others followed, taking their places inside beside him.
With everything in place, the four of them boarded the carriage and began their journey toward Niver.
…
Their time in the carriage passed quietly. Elna had drifted off to sleep, her head resting gently against the side of the carriage. Briva and Arthur sat opposite, watching the passing countryside in silence. Leo closed his eyes and let his thoughts slip inward—into the heart of his domain.
He opened them again to find himself seated on his white throne, the realm around him still and quiet. Before him floated a familiar figure, a silver-haired woman with pale skin and eyes that shimmered like liquid moonlight. She hovered in midair, ethereal and calm.
"You finally came," she said with a soft smile.
"Selvanna…" Leo rose slowly. "I'm sorry. I was… talking with an old friend."
Selvanna's smile deepened slightly. "From what I glimpsed, she's more than just a friend."
Leo chuckled under his breath. "I hope so."
He looked at her more closely, noticing how clear her form appeared now—more human than divine.
"Why can I see you this clear?" he asked.
"This is how I looked before I became a god," she said. "I used the last of my power in the battle against the god of light. There's not much left of me now. I'll be gone soon."
Leo's expression fell. "Gone? There must be something I can do—"
She shook her head gently. "No. My part in this world has ended. You have to let me rest."
He opened his mouth to argue, but no words came.
"The power you used in that fight—it was yours," Selvanna said, her voice now a little fainter. "You just need to learn how to master it. The seal I placed on the God of Light will hold for two years at most. Use that time well. Grow stronger."
Her form had already begun to fade from the feet upward, silver mist drifting away into the air.
"Find the shards of Ilandra. Trust Lilith. Stop the betrayer and the destroyer."
Only her head and shoulders remained now.
Leo stepped forward and lowered his head in a deep bow. "Thank you, Selvanna. I'll never forget the divine watcher of history and fate."
A radiant smile touched her lips—brighter than any light in his domain
"I'll leave you with one more piece of information."
Leo looked up, meeting her fading eyes.
"If you wish to know the truth about your transmigration, about everything, then when you are ready, seek out the Underworld. Find Death. Only there will your questions be fully answered."
Her voice grew faint.
"There… you will have all your answers."
With those final words, she vanished completely.
Leo stood alone in the stillness, her absence heavy in the air.
…
In a dark, silent room within a vast, forgotten mansion, a swirling portal split open the air—and Thomas fell through it, hitting the stone floor hard.
Blood stained his armor, his breathing shallow and uneven. He had never been this close to death. His body trembled as he struggled to his knees, pain radiating from every wound.
The room around him began to shift. The walls seemed to melt into shadows, and a hum—low, discordant—rippled through the air. From the heart of the room, a massive sphere of pure black energy pulsed into existence, distorting space with its very presence.
He didn't need to ask. He already knew what it was. The presence of the God of Madness filled the room, pressing into his mind like a weight too heavy to bear.
Still on his knees, Thomas bowed low. "My Lord."
A voice responded, not from a mouth but from everywhere at once—ethereal and cold, threaded with something broken and ancient.
"You've done well, my abyssal knight. Now, it is only a matter of time before we release that wild creature."
The words echoed through Thomas's bones.
He swallowed and lifted his head slightly. "My Lord… do you know what happened to Clementia and Iralian?"
There was silence. And then, the voice returned—quieter now, but darker somehow.
"Clementia has been corrupted. There is no salvation left for her. And as for Iralian… do not seek her. She is lost to a force even I will not stand against."
The weight of those words settled heavy in Thomas's chest. They had not been close—Clementia had always been unpredictable, and Iralian distant—but they had fought together for so long, their fates intertwined by blood and shadow.
A flicker of grief passed through him. He bowed his head again.
"You will receive your next orders soon. For now—heal. Regain your strength."
The void began to unravel. Shadows bled away. The pulsing sphere dissolved, and with it, the overwhelming presence of his master.
Thomas was left alone—wounded, aching, and surrounded by silence—in a forgotten mansion.
…
In the heart of Flesa City, the air still hummed with the tension of a recent battle. Edmond stood beside a few paladins as they carried a wounded man toward the city's church. Scars of the fight marred the street—cracked stone, scorched walls, and the smell of blood still lingering. Edmond himself bore signs of combat: dents in his armor, fresh gashes on his arms, a smear of blood down one cheek.
At his side, Liamond glanced around, his voice low. "Captain… what happens now? The Pope is gone, and the other kingdoms might strike while we're vulnerable."
Edmond kept his gaze on the paladins ahead, his jaw set. "What we've always done. We protect the city."
The man they'd just secured in chains had been a known agent—part of the Shadow Circle, the same faction responsible for the S-rank attack on the capital. This one had been sent to incite unrest in Flesa, but Edmond had stopped him just in time.
"I have a mission for you," Edmond said, turning slightly to Liamond. "We need to dig deeper into the Shadow Circle. Find out who's left. Track their movements. You might have to leave the city."
Liamond straightened. "Understood. I'll do everything I can."
Edmond reached into his coat and handed over a sealed document. "Start with this man."
Liamond took the document with his new bronze mechanical arm, the gears softly clicking as he broke the wax seal. He unfolded the page and scanned the name. "Aline?" His brow furrowed. "Wasn't he the one Leo defeated?"
"He was," Edmond said. "And with most of his masters dead… he might be ready to talk."
Liamond nodded and tucked the paper away.
"Then I'll begin right away."
Without another word, he turned and walked off into the waking city, the sun rising behind the broken skyline of Flesa.