Volume 2 – Chapter 20
Dust drifted through the ruined chamber.
The masked intruder stood motionless, his crimson blade resting on one shoulder.
Behind the cracked mask, only a pair of blood-red eyes could be seen.
The Sentinel stepped in front of Squad Seven.
“You have broken a sacred seal.”
The intruder let out a quiet laugh.
“Sacred?”
“History has a strange habit of calling prisons… sanctuaries.”
Raimer narrowed his eyes.
“Who are you?”
The stranger gave a slow, mocking bow.
“A humble servant.”
“The Third Fang of the Black Crows.”
“You may call me… Vesper.”
Finn leaned toward Kael and whispered,
“Why do villains always introduce themselves like they’re in a play?”
Kael smirked.
“Maybe they practice in front of a mirror.”
“I heard that,” Vesper replied calmly.
“…Well,” Finn muttered, “that was embarrassing.”
Without warning—
WHOOSH!
Vesper vanished.
“Behind you!” Alyra shouted.
Raimer spun around just in time to block a crimson slash.
CLANG!
The force sent him skidding backward across the stone floor.
“So fast…” Raimer whispered.
Vesper smiled.
“No.”
“You’re simply too slow.”
With a flick of his wrist, hundreds of black feathers shot through the air like blades.
“Mira!”
“I know!”
She released three arrows in rapid succession.
Each arrow exploded in midair, destroying the incoming feathers in flashes of golden light.
Smoke filled the chamber.
Kael charged through it with a roar.
“Move!”
His shield slammed toward Vesper.
The assassin stepped aside effortlessly.
“You rely on brute strength.”
“Predictable.”
He struck Kael’s shoulder with the flat of his blade.
BANG!
Kael crashed into a stone pillar.
Dust exploded everywhere.
“You alright?” Finn shouted.
Kael groaned.
“I’ve had… better days.”
Finn disappeared into the shadows.
Moments later, he appeared behind Vesper.
“Got you!”
His daggers flashed toward the assassin’s neck.
Without even looking back, Vesper caught one dagger between two fingers.
“…Seriously?” Finn complained.
“That’s illegal.”
“I make my own rules.”
He kicked Finn in the chest.
The rogue rolled across the floor before crashing into Raimer.
“…I hate this guy.”
The Sentinel suddenly raised both arms.
Ancient runes lit up across the walls.
Golden chains burst from the floor, wrapping around Vesper’s body.
For the first time…
The assassin’s smile disappeared.
“So…”
“The old guardian still has some strength left.”
The chains tightened.
The Sentinel looked toward Raimer.
“Now!”
Raimer didn’t hesitate.
Golden mana surged through his sword.
He dashed forward with everything he had.
One strike.
CRACK!
Vesper’s crimson mask split in two.
Half of it fell onto the stone floor.
His face was finally revealed.
Young.
Calm.
A scar ran across his left eye.
Instead of fear…
He smiled.
“Excellent.”
“So the stories were true.”
Raimer tightened his grip.
“What stories?”
Vesper’s eyes narrowed.
“The ones about the heir.”
The chamber began shaking violently.
A swirling black vortex formed beneath Vesper’s feet.
The golden chains started breaking apart.
“Our mission wasn’t to kill you,” Vesper said.
“It was simply to confirm your existence.”
He pointed his blade toward Raimer.
“We’ll meet again.”
“When that day comes…”
“You’ll understand why this world fears the truth.”
The darkness swallowed him whole.
The vortex disappeared.
Silence returned.
The Sentinel slowly knelt.
Cracks spread across its ancient stone body.
“My duty…”
“…is complete.”
Raimer stepped forward.
“There are still so many questions.”
“There always will be.”
The guardian removed a bronze key hanging from its neck.
Its surface was engraved with a crown surrounded by ancient runes.
“The Royal Vault.”
“Only one bearing the rightful bloodline may open it.”
The Sentinel placed the key into Raimer’s hand.
“Guard it well.” You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
Its body began turning into glowing particles.
Before fading completely, it looked at the five young soldiers.
“The First King chose wisely.”
“Protect one another…”
“…until your final breath.”
Then…
The ancient guardian vanished.
Only the bronze key remained.
For several moments, no one spoke.
Finn finally broke the silence.
“So…”
“Does anyone else feel like our lives just became a lot more complicated?”
Kael laughed.
“A lot?”
“I was trying to stay optimistic.”
Even Alyra smiled.
Raimer closed his hand around the key.
“We’re leaving.”
“But someday…”
“We’ll uncover every secret hidden in these ruins.”
The others nodded.
Together, Squad Seven stepped out of the ancient sanctuary.
Behind them…
The massive stone doors slowly sealed once more.
As if protecting a secret the world was never meant to know.
Far beyond the borders of the kingdom…
Beyond the mountains…
Beyond the endless darkness of the Shadow Realm…
An ancient throne room lay in silence.
Black flames flickered along towering pillars as a lone figure sat upon a throne carved from obsidian.
Its face remained hidden beneath layers of shadow.
A cloaked servant entered and knelt.
“My King…”
“The seal beneath Ashveil has been disturbed.”
For several moments, the throne remained silent.
Then…
A deep voice echoed through the hall.
“So…”
“The wheel of fate has begun to turn once more.”
The servant lowered his head.
“Shall we send the Black Crows?”
The figure slowly rested one hand upon the arm of the throne.
“Not yet.”
“The child is still walking the path prepared for him.”
A faint chuckle echoed through the empty hall.
“Let him grow stronger.”
“When the time is right…”
“He will come to me of his own free will.”
The black flames suddenly burned brighter.
The servant shivered.
“As you command…”
“…Your Majesty.”
The throne room fell silent once again.
Only the sound of crackling black fire remained.
Far away…
Raimer unknowingly looked up at the same moon.
Completely unaware…
That someone had been watching every step of his journey from the very beginning.
End of Chapter 20