Raven, Elli, Thalen, Lynus, and Jeci had been spared from the tremendous force of Northern and Kryos’s battle—but only because the two titans had hurled themselves in the opposite direction, razing the forest instead.
The survivors couldn’t help but heave intense sighs of relief before crumpling to the ground. Even Eli released his Essence Manifestation and returned to human form. Apparently, they had all been suffering beneath an imperceptible pressure—the crushing weight of fear.
Fear of dying so insignificantly. Fear of realizing this battle was far beyond anything they could have bargained for.
In Raven’s arms lay Terence. The woman was wounded across her body and face, her armor torn in several places by vicious blows.
Thalen studied Raven as she knelt with Terence’s head cradled gently on her thighs. He spoke hesitantly.
"Do you mind if I help?"
Raven’s head snapped up.
"Please..."
Thalen nodded and bent before her. He summoned a pouch and withdrew a vial containing crimson liquid.
Raven arched a brow as she observed the vial. Seeing her curiosity, Thalen explained.
"This just started circulating in the markets recently. It’s a healing potion—supposedly capable of mending even the gravest wounds."
Raven studied it doubtfully but didn’t stop him.
"You can either drink it or pour it directly on the wound. Drinking works better for internal damage."
He poured the potion over Terence’s wounds.
To Raven’s shock, the moment the liquid touched her injuries, they began sealing themselves. The healing was so swift and thorough that her eyes widened in amazement.
She looked at Thalen, then at the empty vial, her face contorting with guilt.
"That must have been precious to you... I’m sorry you had to—"
Thalen cut her off.
"Don’t apologize. This battle... belongs to all of us. Northern stands at the forefront, but the rest of us shouldn’t hesitate to contribute however we can."
Respect flickered in Raven’s eyes as she nodded. Terence stirred, instantly commanding her attention.
"Terence!"
The woman stirred again, her face straining as though in pain. Then her eyes flew open.
Raven frowned.
Terence’s eyes were missing pupils and glowing with subtle light. She lifted herself with impossible grace—as though the winds themselves carried her.
She looked at Raven in silence. The air hung motionless. Everyone held their breath.
Then she turned to Thalen, who stared back with a slight frown creasing his features.
She sighed, and when she spoke, her voice emerged as many voices woven into one.
"The elven one speaks truth—this battle belongs to every single one of us. I see no reason why a child should shoulder it alone. So I need all your help in creating a perfect vessel that will allow me to face that man on equal terms."
Thalen’s frown deepened with suppressed hostility. The fact that she instantly recognized his elven heritage, combined with her otherworldly manner of speaking, confirmed his suspicions.
Raven’s face darkened. She glared directly into Terence’s luminous eyes.
"You... you’re... Ul?"
Terence gazed down at her.
"Correct, child."
Instantly, everyone except Raven and Thalen dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.
Ul—guardian, mother, creator of this world’s inhabitants. Her presence was the world itself, pure gold made manifest.
Their hearts leaped with the knowledge that this battle truly mattered.
Eli was overwhelmed with wonder. He longed to glimpse her eyes but found himself crushed by such profound awe that he couldn’t lift his gaze. His body felt cold and pressed down by invisible weight.
He was a Paragon, yet he trembled with fear and reverence—not from any hostile intent, but from pure, instinctive worship.
He was Ul’s servant, after all. Every Drifter was.
Terence’s gaze settled on Thalen.
"His reaction is understandable—he doesn’t belong to this world."
She shifted her attention to Raven.
"But what grudge do you harbor against me, child?"
Raven’s eyes blazed with fury.
"You were the one who took her..."
Ul tilted her head slightly, then realized a moment later and pointed to herself.
"You refer to this vessel!"
Raven’s glare never wavered.
Ul laughed lightly.
"I took no one, child. I simply called, and being a faithful servant, she answered. Never did I expect matters would escalate this early—I had hoped to contain this before it reached such heights. I’m baffled by how humans like you managed to uncover such secrets."
Ul drew a breath.
"This is far beyond any of you. To defeat an Origin, one must at least reach Zenith status. Even then, the best a Zenith can achieve is fighting on equal ground with an Origin who has been sealed for seven thousand years and is weaker than the average Origin."
She gazed down at them all.
"The only reason you still draw breath is because that man has been incredibly weakened by spending seven millennia in the thin layers of peace. He is calmer now, well-spoken and sensible because of it. However, it’s only a matter of time before he remembers how to rage, how to lose himself in fury, before he recalls who he truly was.
"That man... consumed by anger... his authority will surge and he will slowly grow, returning to his prime. Before that happens, I must seal him away again. And I need a stronger vessel to accomplish this."
She surveyed them all.
"The cores of your souls can be combined to strengthen this one. This will allow me to draw out more of my authority and forge a far more durable body."
In that instant, Raven’s expression twisted into something dark and terrible.
"What?"
Even Thalen’s face changed.
Simply put—what Ul was proposing was harvesting all their cores to strengthen the body she inhabited, allowing her to channel more authority.
They needed to die?
How could any guardian suggest such a thing?
In that moment, Raven laughed—a sound that made both Thalen and Ul turn to stare.
As her laughter slowly died away, she fixed Ul with a look of pure venom.
"Must be really convenient for you. Whatever you are..."
She repeated Ul’s words in a mocking tone.
"’The cores of your souls can be combined to strengthen this one. This will allow me to draw out more of my authority and create a much more durable body.’ Crawl back to whatever pit you slithered out from, you bitch."