Moonlight consumed everything.
The underground seal chamber vanished beneath a blinding silver explosion as Fenrir’s power erupted across the abyss like a collapsing star.
The Vein King roared.
Not in anger.
In pain.
Ancient black tendrils disintegrated instantly beneath the silver light while the colossal skeletal hands clawing out of the abyss burned away screaming.
The entire mountain shook violently.
Nyra covered her face against the unbearable brightness.
“Fenrir!”
The great wolf stood at the center of the chamber glowing brighter and brighter, his massive body slowly breaking apart into silver particles.
No—
Not breaking apart.
Sacrificing itself.
Kael’s expression twisted in horror.
“Stop this!”
Fenrir looked toward him calmly.
For the first time, Nyra heard the wolf’s voice aloud.
Deep.
Ancient.
Tired.
“You protected her long enough, shadow child.”
Kael froze.
Shadow child.
Nyra frowned slightly.
But before she could ask—
Fenrir lifted one glowing paw.
The silver runes across the chamber ignited violently.
Every broken seal began repairing itself.
Chains wrapped around the abyss once more.
The Vein King screamed beneath the earth.
“YOU CANNOT BIND ME AGAIN!”
Fenrir’s glowing eyes sharpened.
“No.”
Silver light surged harder.
“But I can buy her time.”
The chamber shook violently.
Huge cracks spread across Fenrir’s glowing body now.
Nyra’s chest tightened painfully.
He was dying.
Really dying.
And somehow—
The grief felt unbearable.
The Vein King’s crimson eye locked onto Nyra desperately.
“STOP HIM.”
The voice thundered directly through her soul.
“IF HE FINISHES THE SEAL, YOU WILL FORGET EVERYTHING AGAIN.”
Nyra froze.
Forget.
Again.
Kael’s expression darkened immediately.
“Don’t listen.”
But the Vein King continued.
“You deserve the truth.”
Memories flashed through Nyra’s mind violently.
Each lifetime.
Each death.
Each moment Kael held her while she died in his arms.
And after every death—
Darkness.
Cold endless darkness.
Before waking again in another life. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Another body.
Another name.
The Vein King whispered softly:
“He kept taking your memories because he feared your choice.”
Nyra slowly looked toward Kael.
His silence confirmed enough.
“You made me forget?”
Kael’s silver eyes trembled.
“I wanted you to live peacefully.”
“By lying to me?”
Pain crossed his face.
“You always chose sacrifice.”
The chamber shook harder.
Fenrir staggered slightly now.
Silver blood dripped from his body onto the glowing seals.
The ancient wolf was running out of time.
Liora screamed nearby as collapsing debris nearly crushed her.
The Headmistress still hung trapped above the abyss barely conscious.
Everything was breaking apart.
And Nyra stood in the center of it all.
Again.
Always again.
The Vein King’s voice softened.
Almost gentle.
“No more pain.”
Black shadows slowly reached toward her from the abyss.
Not violent.
Warm.
Welcoming.
“Become whole.”
Nyra’s golden eyes flickered.
The Hollow Flame inside her responded instantly.
Part of her wanted it.
No more dying.
No more loneliness.
No more endless reincarnations.
Kael stepped toward her desperately.
“Nyra.”
His voice cracked slightly.
And suddenly—
He looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Soul-deep exhausted.
Like centuries had finally crushed him.
“I know you hate me.”
Nyra’s chest tightened.
“But every time you died…”
His voice broke completely.
“…I died too.”
Silence swallowed the chamber.
Kael looked at her with unbearable grief.
“I would rather be hated by you forever than watch the Vein King consume your soul.”
Nyra stared at him.
And finally understood.
Kael wasn’t afraid of death.
He was afraid of losing her humanity.
The Vein King roared furiously beneath them.
“HE FEARED YOUR TRUE SELF.”
Nyra’s head throbbed violently.
Both voices pulling her apart.
Light.
Darkness. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Human.
Monster.
The Hollow Flame burned hotter.
Golden fire spiraled around her uncontrollably again.
Fenrir suddenly looked toward her.
The ancient wolf’s body was almost entirely made of silver light now.
Fading.
But his voice remained gentle.
“Little flame…”
Nyra looked at him through tears.
“What do I do?”
Fenrir smiled softly.
And for one heartbreaking moment—
He reminded her of home.
“Choose for yourself this time.”
Not sacrifice.
Not destiny.
Not fear.
Her choice.
The Vein King reached upward.
Kael stepped toward her.
Both waiting.
Nyra closed her eyes.
And finally listened—
Not to the voices.
Not to the memories.
But to herself.
All her life—
Every life—
People decided what she should become.
A weapon.
A seal.
A vessel.
A monster.
But no one had ever asked what she wanted.
Nyra slowly opened her glowing golden eyes.
Then looked toward the abyss.
Toward the Vein King.
And quietly said:
“I’m done being your prison.”
The Vein King froze.
Nyra turned toward Kael next.
Tears slipped down her face.
“And I’m done dying for everyone else.”
Kael stared at her silently.
Then—
For the first time in centuries—
He smiled.
Small.
Broken.
Relieved.
The Vein King suddenly roared in fury.
The abyss exploded violently upward.
A colossal shadow began fully emerging from beneath the seal chamber.
Fenrir’s silver light flickered weakly.
“No…” Liora whispered.
It was too late.
The Vein King was breaking free.
And standing before them now—
Was the true form of the ancient king of darkness.