The sun's rays began to tint the sky in shades of orange as the group reached the imposing gates of the Adventurers' City. Worry was etched onto their faces, but especially on Charlotte's, who couldn't take her eyes off Biel, still unconscious on the makeshift litter.
"Biel...!" she whispered, her voice trembling as her fingers brushed the boy's forehead, feeling the cold sweat covering his skin. "Please... wake up..."
Easton placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. Biel is just unconscious. He spent all his energy in that battle... He needs to rest." He tried to sound calm, but his gaze betrayed him: uncertainty was eating him alive too.
Charlotte pressed her lips together, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But... what if he doesn't wake up...? And Ylfur...? He... He protected him... He took so much damage!"
"Don't worry about Ylfur," Acalia intervened with a serene voice, though a shadow of concern danced in her eyes. "He’s a demon... he will recover with time."
Biel stepped closer, drawn by the mysterious aura. The chains rattled softly. "What do you think is behind it...?"
"I don't know... and perhaps it’s better we never find out."
Biel recoiled as a shiver ran down his spine. The door seemed to pulse, as if something behind it were trying to break free. "Why... is it in my mind? What the hell am I...?"
Monsfil watched him in silence. "That is something you must discover for yourself. But one thing is certain... that door is part of you, and facing it will be inevitable."
Suddenly, the chains began to tremble with a deafening metallic echo. They cracked, emitting a crimson glow. One by one, the chains shattered into fragments of light.
"Monsfil! What's happening!?" Biel shouted.
"Impossible... That door was sealed... Who... or what is behind it!?"
The door creaked open slowly. A gust of dark wind emerged, swirling the mist. When the gale ceased, a figure stepped out of the darkness. It was a girl with long, silver hair that floated as if defying gravity. Her eyes glowed with an intense violet hue, and her expression was serene—almost melancholic.
As they crossed the gates, the guards stopped them with serious countenances. "Halt! What has happened? There were explosions on the outskirts..."
Raizel stepped forward, her expression resolute. "You take Biel to treat his wounds. I will stay here and explain everything."
While Raizel stayed with the guards, the rest of the group moved through the busy streets, drawing curious looks and worried murmurs. Charlotte bit her lip, struggling to contain her tears. Biel's voice, always lively and brave, was now just an echo in her mind.
"Do you think... he...?" her voice broke, barely able to finish the question.
"Don't say that," Easton interrupted, his voice harsher than usual. "Biel is strong... too stubborn to leave us like this."
In the Threshold of the Gods
In a place where time and space lacked meaning, the Supreme Entities observed the events of the human world through an ethereal mirror.
"These humans... once again embroiled in senseless wars," said Solaryon, God of Light, with a tone of exasperation. "The ambition to rule everything is an endless nuisance."
Nyxaris, God of Shadows, laughed softly from his throne. "Human life is like that. There must always be conflict. Light and darkness, peace and war... it is their nature."
"Perhaps, but what worries me most is the human candidate for Demon King..." said Chronasis, God of Time, focusing on Biel. "The boy called Biel... he left himself exhausted after a battle only to gain nothing, and now he is on the brink of death. He has great power, but his past battles seem to have taught him nothing."
Thalgron, God of War, struck his spear against the ground, shaking the Threshold. "That human does not have the instinct of a true warrior! He fights with his heart, but without his mind. A leader who does not learn from defeat is destined to fall."
"He is still young," Elaris, Goddess of Life, intervened compassionately. "He is growing and searching for his purpose. Besides, he doesn't fight alone... He has friends who give him strength."
"Strength? Depending on others is strength?" Thalgron mocked. "That is weakness!"
"Everything is fascinating," Veyrith, God of Chaos, observed with a malicious smile. "That boy is destined to alter the balance... I feel it in my gut. It will be interesting to see if he survives."
The Imperial Palace of Marciler
In the imposing city of Marciler, surrounded by high walls and marble streets, Empress Domia enjoyed a cup of tea in her majestic palace. Sitting on her ivory throne, her elegant black dress fell in perfect waves, accentuating her imperial presence.
Before her, six figures stood in silence, forming a semicircle with their heads slightly bowed. They were "The Nova," the elite nobles who served only the Empress. Each was a pillar of power and influence in the realm.
Cliver Soldemour, with silver hair and a cold gaze, was the first to speak.
"My apologies, Your Majesty. We did not manage to obtain Gaudel's magic eye... but at least we discovered something relevant."
Domia took a sip of tea, her sharp gaze focused on Cliver. "Fascinating. So... that fellow is still alive. I thought that foolish Vampire King had finished him off." Her lips curled into a glacial smile. "That boy will be a problem for my plans... but no matter, I’ll think of something to end him."
Shalok Vendrax, with piercing eyes and a scar on his right cheek, stepped forward. "My Lady, it was not a total failure. We obtained crucial information about his skills... though we did not expect him to possess such power."
Domia nodded slowly. "Well done, Shalok... and Cliver. Although you did not fulfill your mission, this information compensates for your failure... for now."
Zayra Velmont, a woman with an astute gaze and hair like black silk, bowed slightly. "Majesty, if you wish, I can handle him personally. No one escapes my shadows."
"Oh, Zayra... always so eager to show your loyalty," Domia observed with amusement. "But do not rush. That boy is no ordinary enemy. We must be patient."
Selene Draeven, her voice soft yet authoritative, intervened. "Majesty, now that the Vampire King has fallen in the Dark Lands, don't you think there will be repercussions? Those territories were his domain and could become unstable."
The Empress narrowed her eyes. "Let them sink into their own darkness. It is no concern of ours. But if those troubles reach my borders, we will take drastic measures."
Iridelle Vauclair, whose eyes reflected a calculating intelligence, nodded. "As always, Your Majesty has everything under control. But... what if that boy allies himself with our enemies?"
Darian Vorthos, the youngest of the Nova, smiled confidently. "Then we shall simply crush them all. There is no force in this world that can resist your power, Majesty."
Domia let out a soft laugh—a gélid melody that echoed in the hall. "Oh, Darian... your loyalty is admirable, though your arrogance is dangerous. Do not underestimate that boy. He possesses a power that not even you can imagine."
Deep within the Mindscape
Biel floated in a dark void, surrounded by a dense and oppressive mist. Everything was silent... until a deep voice broke the stillness.
"Young Bearer... you are very reckless. If you keep this up, you're going to end up dead." The voice resonated with ancestral authority.
Biel opened his eyes to find himself facing Monsfil, the Demon King of Eternal Destruction. "I had to do it..." Biel murmured. "My friends... Charlotte... they would have been in danger."
Monsfil crossed his arms. "Perhaps you saved them... but look at the state you are in now. You are on the brink of death. You exceeded your limits without thinking of the consequences. Determination without strategy is merely recklessness."
Biel clenched his fists. "I know... I'll try to do things better from now on."
Monsfil let out a dry laugh. "I hope so, young Bearer. You are stubborn... but you have potential."
Biel nodded, his gaze wandering across the vast void until he saw it: a massive door, dark as night, covered in intricate, interlocking chains. An ominous energy emanated from it.
"Hey... Monsfil... that door with the chains? What is that?"
Monsfil turned toward the door, his eyes glinting with caution. "That door... was already here when I arrived in your mind."
"What...? So it's not yours?"
"No... That thing does not belong to me. I have felt it since you became my bearer. It is ancient... and its power is... unsettling." Monsfil narrowed his eyes. "You must be careful with that. Nothing good can come from such a sinister prison."
ns216.73.217.14da2
and then Add to home screen.