The more they looked, the more they wanted to keep looking.
"Is this the power of the Goddess?" Arlasan asked, his voice low, almost reverent.
Leo nodded. "Yes. But beauty can't distract us for long. We need to talk about what comes next." He turned and walked back inside the castle.
The others followed him in silence, their faces still carrying the glow of what they had just seen. They gathered again in the same chamber as before, settling around the broken table. Once everyone had found their place, Leo leaned forward, his tone sharpening.
"We need to plan a few things." His gaze settled on Arlasan. "First of all, our group is here to find the first vampires and stop them before it's too late."
Arlasan frowned. "First vampires?"
Leo lifted a hand toward Luciana. "She is one of them. From what she's told us, and from what we've seen, Lucius, the head of their bloodline and her brother, is searching for a city. Something here can help him grow stronger."
Arlasan narrowed his eyes. "And why does he seek more power?"
Luciana's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. "Because he wants to kill everyone. To slaughter entire nations and keep only a few alive, to feed us."
Alina's face paled. "Why?"
Leo met her gaze without flinching. "Because the first vampires are the enemies of the Goddess of the Moon."
Arlasan's expression hardened. "That can't be. Our books say she was the one who created them."
"She created the real vampires," Leo explained, pointing briefly toward Luciana, "but the Dimont family were made when the Mad God stole the secret of creating them. That makes them her enemies. And if Lucius is searching for power here, it may be because of an order given by the Mad God himself."
A voice brushed against Leo's mind like silver wind. 'You are not wrong.'
He stiffened. His heart lurched when he turned and saw Ilandra, radiant and untouchable, floating at his side.
Arthur noticed his reaction immediately. "What is it?"
Leo blinked quickly, torn between her presence and the group's stares.
'They can't see me,' Ilandra's voice flowed softly into his thoughts.
"It's nothing," Leo said aloud, forcing his expression calm. "Just… something unexpected."
Arthur's brows knit. "What do you mean?"
"I'll explain later."
Inside, Leo's voice was sharp. 'How are you here?'
'You already allowed me to live in your domain. Moving my mana through you into the real world is simple.' She drifted toward the cracked window, looking out into the glowing city. 'You know… once, we dreamed of shaping the Shadowland like this. But everything fell apart.' Her silver eyes turned back to him. 'Tell the elves to move here. My barrier will hold. They'll be safe within these walls.'
"Leo?" Elna asked gently, concern etched on her face.
He exhaled slowly and nodded. "I'm fine." His eyes went to Arlasan. "You should bring your people into this city. The monsters won't be able to reach you here."
One of the elf soldiers stepped forward, disbelief and hope warring in his voice. "Truly?"
Leo gave a firm nod.
"Then we should do that right away," Arlasan said, turning to his men. "Zinfir, Varic, go and bring the others." His voice carried command, but his eyes betrayed the concern beneath.
Edgarth adjusted his glasses. "I'll go with them."
Arlasan frowned. "But…"
Edgarth cut him off, calm but firm. "Don't worry. I'm far more powerful than you think." His gaze shifted to Leo. "Tell me the details later."
Leo nodded, watching the three men leave before turning his attention back to Ilandra's words, repeating them aloud like an arbitrator passing judgment.
"It seems the vampires are searching for an item in this city, something left by the Mad God. They could not reach it before, because of the shadowland itself."
Briva leaned forward. "And why now?"
Leo's lips moved with Ilandra's, his own voice echoing her truth. "Because with the Pope dead, the Goddess of the Moon grows weaker."
Arthur, unflinching and battle-hardened, faltered at those words. A flicker of raw emotion crossed his face, and Briva reached to steady him, pressing his hand.
Arthur's jaw tightened. "What is this item?"
Leo's breath caught as the answer left his lips, the words resonating with Ilandra's power. Even the hairs on his arms rose. "It is called The Watcher Beyond. An eye that pierces the void, and draws power from it."
Luciana stiffened, her voice a whisper of dread. "The void? He wants to use the void?"
"Not even Gods can survive that," Ryan muttered, his brow furrowed.
Arthur narrowed his eyes at Leo. "How do you know all this so suddenly?"
Leo lowered his head, Ilandra's presence still pulsing in the back of his mind. "You'll find out soon enough."
Arthur glanced around the room, reading the unease on every face. "Then we wait for the others."
The discussion ended there, cut short as Ilandra's mana drained away and she withdrew back into Leo's domain.
One by one, the others filtered out. Even Elna left with a faint smile, sensing that Leo first needed to speak with Arthur.
Arthur lingered at the doorway, his gaze steady, almost searching. "What's going on, Leo?"
Leo hesitated, then met his eyes. "The Goddess of the Nature… she pledged to the Creator."
Arthur froze, then staggered back a step, the weight of the words striking harder than any blade. "So, that's who you were speaking to? That's where all of this came from?"
Leo only nodded.
Arthur's thoughts spun, Creator, Gods, pledges. Just how far did Creator's power reach? Was he truly… the Creator who birthed even the Gods themselves?
"I need to speak to her," Leo said at last, his tone leaving no room for debate. "Tell the others I'll explain everything once I return."
Arthur nodded slowly, then left in silence.
Leo sank into the chair, exhaled, and let his consciousness slip inward.
When his eyes opened, he was back in his domain. Ilandra stood before him, waiting as though she had known he would come.
"So," she said with a soft, knowing smile, "you intend to tell that to everyone?"
"They'll see you on Wednesday anyway," Leo said, rubbing at his temple. "And I need to build the face of the Creator before then, his reputation, his presence." He paused, then met her silver eyes. "What else do you know?"
But before she answered, the realization struck him like cold water.
He was speaking to a God. Casually. As if she were just another ally. His heart gave a nervous thud, and he silently thanked whatever force governed fate that she wasn't here in the fullness of her power.
Ilandra tilted her head, studying him. "Not much. But I do remember this, there is another city in the Shadowland. Another of my orbs lies there. I can feel it, even from here."
Leo straightened. "What city?"
Her expression darkened. "One that was corrupted by the Mad God."
"Corrupted?" His thoughts raced.
"Yes," she said softly, her tone carrying the weight of centuries.
Leo rubbed his chin. "If we reach it… could we restore the orb?"
"My orbs are sealed. But even corrupted, yes, I could cleanse it. And with one more orb, I may be able to help you against the vampires."
Leo fell into silence. The words carried hope, but also risk. Another orb could shift the balance, give them a sliver more chance against the three S-ranks ahead, beings so overwhelming that even one alone could erase them from existence. Yet every path came with its price.
Time… time was running thin. Each moment spent chasing that power could be the very moment Lucius and his kind completed their work.
"What are you thinking?" Ilandra asked, her silver gaze cutting straight into him.
"I'm thinking about our choices ," Leo muttered. "If we go to that city first, the vampires could finish what they're after before we catch them. And we still have those necromancers hunting us."
The thought of them stirred something, and he lifted his head sharply. "Do you know someone called Mr. Sage?"
"Mr. Sage?" She repeated, brows drawing together. "No. Who is he?"
Leo told her everything he remembered. His words spilled out, the tale stretching long, filling the quiet garden of his domain. Ilandra listened without interruption, her face unreadable. When he finally finished, she let the silence hang before answering.
"I cannot say I know him," she said at last. "But I do know this, those necromancers chasing you? They may also be searching for that city."
Leo frowned. "The same city the vampires are after?"
"No." She shook her head. "The other one."
Confusion furrowed his brow. "Why would they want that?"
"The Book of the Dead," Ilandra said, her voice dropping like a secret. "Some of its pages are written to lead seekers to the rest. I suspect more than a few of those missing pages lie hidden in that city."
Leo's breath caught. "What is that book, really?"
Her silver eyes gleamed. "A book written by Death itself."
At her words, Leo's domain trembled beneath him, the air shivering like struck glass. He whipped his head around, searching for the disturbance.
Ilandra only smiled, serene and knowing. "Are you surprised? You should be. When the war between Gods began, the Destroyer feared Death."
Leo swallowed. "You're saying… Death is stronger than the Destroyer?"
Her shoulders rose and fell in a graceful shrug. "I do not know. But even if not stronger… they are equals."
Leo clenched his fists. "Then why didn't he intervene?"
"Because Death never interferes directly in the affairs of Gods or mortals," Ilandra replied, her voice like silver bells fading into silence.
Leo froze as he recalled the last piece of knowledge Selvanna had left him, one day, he would have to meet Death.
…
In the Kingdom of Light
Before the grand façade of Aetherra's greatest church, five bishops stood in solemn formation, Michael Bethune, Andreas Weis, and three of their peers. Arrayed around them were fifty paladins in gleaming armor, their discipline reflecting the sanctity of the place.
From the horizon approached two carriages bearing the sigil of the Kingdom of Magic. They were flanked by twenty mounted paladins, their banners streaming in the wind. At their head rode Nicole Alban, commander of the escort and trusted subordinate of Bishop Bethune.
The carriages drew to a halt with deliberate grace, their doors opening of their own accord. One by one, ten distinguished high ranks descended, their very presence commanding respect. At their forefront were three figures whose reputations preceded them.
First among them stood Archmage Hellen, an A5-ranked conjurer and diviner, whispered by many to be on the threshold of S-rank. At her side were Archmage Hulda Kroll and Sophie Heilig.
The two delegations exchanged a formal bow, an old gesture of mutual respect between allies.
"The Kingdom of Magic has come to honor its enduring alliance." Hellen declared, her voice clear and measured.
"You are most welcome among us," replied Bishop Andreas Weis, his tone equally dignified.
Hellen inclined her head, then gestured toward her companion. "This is Miss Sophie Heilig, student of Grandmagister Bernal Galvan. In the matters before us, she shall speak with his authority."
Bishop Weis received the words with a courteous smile, extending his hand toward the church doors. "Then let us move to a more fitting place for discourse."
Together, the two groups crossed the threshold of the great church, stepping into its hallowed halls to shape the plans that would decide the future.
…
Deep in the Shadowland, Archmage Aran studied the brittle page clasped in his skeletal hands, the ink shifting faintly as if alive.
"What direction?" asked Hakkan, standing a step behind him, his voice echoing low and harsh in the gloom.
Not far from them, a massive tentacled beast lay sprawled across the blackened earth, its body still twitching in death. Whatever it had been, it hadn't survived long against them.
Aran tilted the page, the glyphs glowing faintly. "Still pointing that way."
"Then that way we go." Hakkan rolled his shoulders, his heavy cloak brushing the ground as he moved.
They set off again, their steps crunching over brittle bones and ash.
"Do you think we'll see them again?" Hakkan muttered.
Aran's skull-like face didn't shift, but his tone was certain. "I'm almost sure of it. If this city truly holds a page of the Book of the Dead, then it holds other things too, things they won't be able to resist."
Together, the two necromancers pressed onward, their dark forms swallowed by the shifting mists, toward the hidden city waiting in the shadows.