Epilogue
The crimson moon shone high over the cold night of Zvukograd.
There, amid endless ice, two battle-hardened women traded furious blows.
"Your Majesty, please—retreat! Leave this to us…" a wounded soldier begged, one arm gone, barely staying upright.
But the towering monarch refused to yield. Her blade rang again and again against Eliza's scythe, sparks and metallic echoes scattering across the snow. Neither seemed willing to step back.
"What a fierce fighting spirit… no wonder they earned the name Winter Bears," Eliza sneered, licking her lips with relish. "And their blood… exquisite."
"Our kingdom will not fall to a mere vampire!" the queen roared, voice steady despite her exhaustion.
"Why don't you just surrender… and we can go somewhere more private? Just you and me, darling…" Eliza's suggestive smile only inflamed the monarch's fury further.
The sovereign unleashed a brutal strike that pushed the vampire back. Then she raised her sword and began to gather frigid energy, the air vibrating with an ancient power.
"ICE AGE!" she cried.
Ice spread in every direction like a frozen tomb, swallowing the plain and climbing the castle walls. In an instant, Zvukograd seemed draped beneath a shroud of frost.
Meanwhile, near Mist Valley, a legion of ten thousand soldiers marched in perfect formation. Mages, paladins, squires, beast-tamers, and even dragon knights advanced as one under the banner of Valdheim.
At the front rode General Ulises Montero on his black steed. Behind him, in distinguished positions, came Kaede, Haruto, and Riku — the heroes assigned to this suicidal mission.
"Handle this with care," Ulises ordered, raising his voice as his eyes fixed on the forest swallowed by thick fog.
He turned to the heroes, his expression grave.
"You are the priority. Don't do anything foolish. We don't know what hides beyond that wall of shadows… but whatever it is, I doubt it's friendly."
Kaede had insisted on joining the expedition — not out of duty, but for something deeper.
Rei… are you really here?
These dreams I share with Hikari… are they memories or warnings?
I hope I find you. And that you forgive me for not doing anything back then. I don't want it to be too late to tell you how I truly feel.
Ulises raised his hand and the front-line battalions broke formation on command.
"Frontline soldiers, fall in! The rest, listen well! If I do not return, your mission is simple: bring our heroes back to Varka at any cost."
A roar of cheers swept through the legion, thunder over the plain. Cavalry and paladins rallied around the general, ready to clear the way. Without hesitation, Ulises urged his horse forward and led his men into the mist.
Mist Valley's silence enveloped them like a tomb.
At the main gate of Mermur, a mysterious rider emerged from the fog and halted his steed before the city gates.
"Who goes there? Identify yourself!" the guards shouted, spears leveled at the hooded silhouette.
The figure dismounted slowly. His garments were those of a wanderer, but under the hood a manic smile gleamed. With a single flash of his blade, a wave of light blinded everyone present. The hood flew off, revealing the youth's face.
"My name is Kazuki Hayama… Luminar Paladin, chosen of Yoru!" he declared, throwing his coat wide. Inside were a dozen red tubes of Supernova, glowing like liquid fire. He grabbed one and ripped the cap off.
"And I'm taking this city by myself… no matter the cost!" he shouted, drinking the contents of the vial with madness in his voice.
Instantly, his body convulsed with violent force. Veins stood out beneath his skin, muscles bulged, and a searing energy surrounded him, warping the very air.
"Lina… Selka…" he muttered, eyes burning red. "Those two witches die today. They will regret mocking the great hero Kazuki…"
END