The crimson magic circle spread across the heavens.
Its light drowned out the moon.
The forest groaned.
Leaves withered.
Flowers blackened.
Even the emerald glow of the Guardian dimmed beneath the crimson radiance.
Lucien smiled.
"So..."
"This is where destiny gathers."
The Verdant Colossus stepped forward.
The earth split beneath its weight.
Its ancient voice rolled across the forest.
"Leave."
Lucien sighed.
"You’ve always been so dramatic."
He stretched lazily before cracking his neck.
"I didn’t come to fight you."
His scarlet eyes drifted toward Noah.
"I came for him."
Laura moved in front of Noah.
"If you want Noah..."
"...you’ll have to kill me first."
Lucien blinked.
Then laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"Laura Esteria."
"The last daughter of the Moon Wardens."
"I wondered how long you’d keep hiding."
Noah glanced at Laura.
Moon Wardens?
She had never mentioned them.
Lucien noticed Noah’s expression.
"She didn’t tell you?"
He placed a hand over his chest in mock surprise.
"How rude."
He smiled at Laura.
"Should I explain?"
Laura’s voice turned icy.
"You’ll say nothing."
Lucien ignored her.
"Noah."
"Do you know why the Esteria family disappeared?"
Noah remained silent.
"They weren’t murdered."
"They sacrificed themselves."
He looked at Laura.
"So one child could live."
Laura’s grip tightened around her sword.
"Enough."
The Guardian slammed its massive fist into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!!
Ancient vines erupted from beneath the earth.
Thousands of emerald tendrils shot toward Lucien.
They moved faster than arrows.
Lucien sighed.
"You never let people finish their stories."
He snapped his fingers.
The crimson magic circle descended.
Every vine touching its light instantly crumbled into ash.
The Guardian growled.
For the first time...
It charged.
An eighty-meter giant crossed the forest in seconds.
Its stone fist descended like a falling mountain.
Lucien raised one hand.
A thin crimson barrier appeared.
The colossal fist struck it.
KRAAAAAAAAK!!
The impact shattered the surrounding mountains.
Trees vanished.
The shockwave sent Noah and Laura sliding backwards.
Yet...
Lucien hadn’t moved an inch.
Noah stared in disbelief.
"He blocked that?"
Lucien looked almost bored.
"I really don’t enjoy fighting old friends."
He gently pushed upward.
The Guardian’s enormous arm was forced back.
As though it weighed nothing.
Laura whispered,
"...Impossible."
Lucien smiled.
"No."
"Expected."
He looked toward Noah.
"Strength..."
"...is merely borrowed authority."
"The question is..."
"Who lent yours?"
Before Noah could respond...
Shadowfang began vibrating violently.
The crimson blade hummed.
Not in fear.
Recognition.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
"So..."
"You still remember me."
Noah frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Lucien wasn’t speaking to Noah.
He was speaking...
To Shadowfang.
The dagger burst from Noah’s hand.
It floated between them.
Crimson runes ignited along its blade.
Then...
A voice echoed from within the weapon.
A woman’s voice.
Ancient.
Gentle.
"Lucien."
The former Apostle closed his eyes.
"It’s been a long time."
Laura looked stunned.
"The spirit inside Shadowfang..."
"...is awake?"
The crimson aura condensed beside the dagger.
A translucent woman appeared.
She wore crimson armor adorned with black feathers.
Her long hair flowed like liquid fire.
Her eyes held countless years of sorrow.
She looked first at Noah.
Then at Lucien.
"You shouldn’t have come."
Noah could barely speak.
"...Who..."
"...are you?"
She turned toward him.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"My name..."
"...is Freya."
"I was the first keeper of Shadowfang."
Lucien’s smile disappeared.
"For ten thousand years..."
"I wondered whether your soul had finally faded."
Freya shook her head.
"My duty isn’t finished."
The air suddenly became heavy.
The Guardian lowered its head.
Even the ancient giant showed respect toward Freya.
Laura noticed.
"Even the Guardian acknowledges her..."
Freya faced Noah.
"Listen carefully."
"You have very little time."
"There are Seven Apostles."
"Not all of them betrayed Ragnar."
"Not all of them remained loyal."
She pointed at Lucien.
"He chose freedom."
She looked toward the distant sky.
"Azrael chose regret."
Finally...
She placed a translucent hand against Noah’s chest.
"And one..."
"...hasn’t chosen yet."
The System blared.
Hidden Quest Updated
The Seven Apostles
Current Known Apostles:
✓ Azrael
✓ Lucien
Unknown:
5 Remaining
Lucien sighed.
"You always did enjoy ruining surprises."
Freya answered calmly.
"Someone has to."
Suddenly...
The forest fell silent.
Even Lucien stopped smiling.
The Guardian slowly turned toward the northern horizon.
Laura’s face turned pale.
"No..."
Another presence.
Far stronger than Lucien.
Far colder than the Guardian.
The moon itself vanished behind black clouds.
Snow began falling across the forest.
A woman’s voice drifted through the darkness.
Elegant.
Cold.
Absolute.
"Lucien."
"You’ve been talking too much."
A single figure emerged between the trees.
She wore a flowing black cloak edged with silver frost.
A crystal mask concealed the upper half of her face.
In her hand rested a slender rapier made entirely of ice.
Lucien frowned.
"...You."
The woman stopped.
Her icy blue eyes settled on Noah.
Then...
She smiled.
"You must be the Seventh."
"My apologies."
She curtsied with perfect elegance.
"I’ve come..."
"...to kill you."
Snow drifted through the forest.
Soft.
Silent.
Beautiful.
Every flake that touched the ground froze the grass into crystal.
The temperature plummeted in seconds.
Noah could see his own breath.
The woman lowered her rapier.
"You must be the Seventh."
"My apologies."
"I’ve come..."
"...to kill you."
Silence swallowed the battlefield.
Lucien rubbed his forehead.
"You’re as subtle as ever."
The woman ignored him.
Her icy blue eyes never left Noah.
"You’ve grown faster than expected."
"But not fast enough."
Freya stepped between Noah and the newcomer.
The crimson spirit’s expression hardened.
"So..."
"You finally revealed yourself."
The woman inclined her head slightly.
"Lady Freya."
"It has been a long time."
The Guardian growled.
Ancient vines wrapped around its massive fists.
Its emerald crystal blazed.
"FROST APOSTLE."
The woman’s gaze shifted toward the giant.
"Guardian."
"You’ve become weaker."
Laura whispered,
"...She knows everyone."
Freya nodded.
"Because she fought beside them."
Noah frowned.
"You mean..."
Freya answered without taking her eyes off the woman.
"She was one of Ragnar’s Seven Apostles."
The woman’s cloak fluttered gently.
"I still am."
Lucien chuckled.
"That’s debatable."
She finally looked at him.
The air between them froze solid.
"Lucien."
"You abandoned your oath."
Lucien shrugged.
"I abandoned a war that had already been lost."
Noah stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked at him for a long moment.
Then she answered.
"My name..."
"...is Selene."
"I am the Apostle of Winter."
The System flickered.
Apostle Identified
Name: Selene
Title: Apostle of Winter
Authority: Restricted
Threat Level: Catastrophic
Noah’s grip on Shadowfang tightened.
Catastrophic.
Not High.
Not Extreme.
Catastrophic.
Selene slowly raised her rapier.
"I take no pleasure in this."
"But Ragnar made one mistake."
"He believed the Seventh should exist."
"I disagree."
Freya’s crimson aura erupted.
"You know why he chose Noah."
"I know."
Selene replied calmly.
"That is precisely why he must die."
Without warning...
She disappeared.
Noah’s instincts screamed.
He twisted sideways.
A streak of silver passed across his face.
A lock of black hair drifted to the ground.
Too slow.
He hadn’t even seen her move.
Laura lunged.
Moonlight Sword Style.
First Form. Lunar Crescent.
A brilliant silver arc split the air.
Selene blocked it with one finger.
The sword froze on contact.
Cracks spread across Laura’s blade.
Laura immediately retreated.
"...Impossible."
Selene sighed.
"You’re talented."
"But your technique is unfinished."
With a gentle flick...
Laura was thrown backward.
She crashed through three ancient trees before coming to a stop.
Blood stained the snow.
Noah charged.
Ruin Strike.
Shadowfang exploded with crimson lightning.
The dagger slashed toward Selene’s neck.
She didn’t dodge.
She simply stepped forward.
The attack missed by less than an inch.
Her rapier tapped Noah’s chest.
A light touch.
Nothing more.
Then...
Ice spread across his body.
His left arm froze instantly.
Noah stumbled back.
His muscles refused to obey.
"She’s playing with us..."
The Guardian roared.
Its colossal fist descended.
Selene looked up.
For the first time...
She actually drew her rapier.
A single thrust.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing grand.
Just...
One precise strike.
A lance of frozen light pierced the Guardian’s fist.
The eighty-meter giant staggered backward.
A massive hole had appeared straight through its hand.
Emerald sap poured onto the frozen earth.
Lucien whistled.
"You’ve gotten stronger."
Selene answered quietly,
"No."
"You’ve grown weaker."
Freya turned sharply toward Noah.
"Listen carefully!"
"You cannot defeat her!"
Noah gritted his teeth.
"Then what do we do?"
"Survive!"
The forest trembled again.
But this time...
The pressure didn’t come from Selene.
Or Lucien.
Or the Guardian.
It came from Noah.
His chest burned.
The King’s Seal Ragnar had given him blazed beneath his shirt.
Golden light erupted from his body.
The silver compass Laura had left on the stone began spinning wildly.
It floated into the air.
The needle no longer pointed at Noah.
It pointed...
Deep beneath the forest floor.
Selene’s calm expression cracked for the first time.
"...No."
Lucien’s smile vanished.
"The seal..."
"It’s activating?"
Freya stared at Noah in disbelief.
"It shouldn’t awaken yet..."
The ground split apart.
Ancient stairs emerged from beneath the roots of the forest.
Each step was carved from black stone older than the Tower itself.
At the bottom of the staircase...
A pair of colossal golden doors slowly began to open.
A blinding light spilled into the forest.
An ancient voice echoed from beyond.
"The Seventh..."
"...has been acknowledged."
Everyone froze.
Even Selene.
Even Lucien.
Even the Verdant Guardian.
The doors continued opening.
And something inside...
Was waiting for Noah.