Beneath the night of the Flame Capital, the aftershocks of the Soul Tower's collapse still lingered, and faint spirit flames permeated the entire royal city.
Evelynn stood atop the charred tower foundations, draped in a flame robe, her eyes as deep as an abyss. Ancient flame patterns flickered across her skin, as if another, older consciousness was gradually stirring within her.
Lucian approached slowly, placing a hand on her shoulder: "Has that thing… already touched you?"
She did not deny it, only said flatly: "He is no longer just a phantom in dreams."
Behind her, Elea sheathed her sword, watching the flame patterns spread from Evelynn's exposed nape to her back, her expression complex.
She asked softly: "He used your flame core as the seal's core?"
Evelynn nodded: "Not just the flame core. He used the unextinguished wisp of 'passion fire' between Casas and me."
Elea froze. Lucian's brows furrowed sharply, his gaze burning into her.
"You dreamed of him again?"
"It wasn't a dream. It was fusion. He left a rift in my flame soul, through which he saw everything of me."
Her words carried the sting of shameful pain.
Lucian's anger erupted. He slammed her against the tower ruins, gripping her wrists tightly.
"You let him in! You let him touch you!"
Evelynn's hand shot up to his throat, voice hoarse: "Do you think I wanted this?"
Flames of rage consuming him, Lucian bent suddenly, biting her lip hard—possession and punishment intertwined.
She did not push him away, but pulled him closer.
They kissed fiercely against the ruins, nails scratching each other's skin, blood mingling with fire, as if to incinerate the dream's shadow once and for all.
Elea turned to leave, fire trembling in her eyes.
Cracks Beneath the Earth
Deep underground in the Flame Capital, fractures from the Soul Tower's collapse stretched to the Forbidden Abyss Sacrificial Well.
Ancient bones sealed for millennia beneath the well began oozing azure flame breath. Floating runes were burned away one by one, forming the core totem of a —
The Bone King's Seal.
At the 's center, a heart-like organ of intertwined flesh and blood emerged, as if suspended by countless flame threads.
Boom—!
The heart throbbed once, and the entire Flame Capital hummed from underground.
A twisted voice whispered in midair:
"Royal blood, flame core, dream desire all revealed… I return."
Awakening of the Cracked Moon King
Far north in the Cracked Borderlands, within an ancient castle frozen for millennia, snow and ice suddenly steamed.
The Bone King's first avatar—the Cracked Moon King—opened his eyes.
His body was composed of snow-white bones, his pupils burning with deep blue soul flames.
A robed woman knelt before him: Furia, last of the Cracked Moon Apostles.
"The king's heart stirs."
The Cracked Moon King's voice rumbled like ice splitting from within.
"Evelynn has fulfilled the flame-inducing covenant."
"She is my final vessel."
He raised his hand slowly, a fractured flame soul seal appearing in his palm—the residual trace of Casas's fragmented soul.
He closed his eyes, a smile touching his lips.
"Next comes the divine ritual of royal flame."
The Flame Queen's Choice
In the Flame Capital's palace, Evelynn rose from Lucian's embrace, her upper body bare, flame patterns still glowing.
She murmured:
"In three nights, he will perform the soul flame communion ritual. Using my flame core as the main seal, he'll awaken the bone god."
Elea walked over, clad in silver oath robes, her gaze cold.
"We must sever the flame soul chain before he acts."
Lucian shook his head slowly: "We can't. His soul now resonates with Evelynn's. Forcing the seal's severance—she'll burn herself to ashes."
Silence hung in the air.
Evelynn stepped between them, slowly undoing the flame robe at her chest.
Her body, slender yet proud, was covered in flame marks.
"I won't retreat. You want to save me, but I want to destroy him myself."
She turned northward, her gaze blazing.
"Fate offered me to him to be his end."
"I'll use my flame core as sacrifice. I'll kill him with my own hands on that altar."
She looked back, smiling faintly:
"And you—will you walk with me into hell?"
Lucian fell silent, then knelt at her feet.
"I don't care about the ending."
Elea closed her eyes, drawing her sword across her chest:
"I'll guard your soul from dissipation."
The three flame shadows swore then:
In the final battle of royal flame, bones shall burn as offering to the god; the Flame Lord endures, the oath soul shall not perish.