Flame Palace · Twilight Shadow Tower
The night was as dark as ink.
A wisp of mist suddenly curled from a corner of the Flame Palace, as if even the air had frozen into ice. The guard had just stepped beyond his patrol line when a silent hand clamped around his throat, dragging him into the shadows.
The Second Apostle of the Split Moon—Selandor · Silent Flame—descended without a sound.
Clad in black and silver battle robes, his long hair tied back, fire burned in his pupils. In his hand, he carried an ancient soul ring, within which flickered and danced Lucian's "Blood Soul Brand."
"Target—Prince Knox."
"Any who stand in our way shall be killed without mercy."
Behind him stood two Split Moon priestesses ritual patterns, their lips curled in eerie smiles. Purple-black runes surged around their staves, as if the underworld itself had.Flame Chamber UprisingIn the south wing of the Flame Palace, Knox slept in his chambers while Evlyn sat by the window, humming a lullaby under her breath.
The air turned icy in an instant. She spun around to see mist churning outside the window—and a hand wreathed in soulfire sliding through the wall.
"Knox—wake up!"
But it was too late. Soul power burst through the window, dragging them both into a nightmare barrier.
The room shredded apart in an instant, flames roaring upward as the Split Moon Apostle kicked down the door. Incantations shrieked through the air. As Evlyn moved to shield Knox, a soul chain snaked around her waist from behind, yanking her roughly to the ground.
"Seize him," Selandor's voice was cold. "Offer him to the Father of the Deep Moon."
Knox struggled furiously, a faint fire sparking in his palm, but his soul power remained unawakened. He was pinned to the floor.
The Blood Soul Ring drew closer to his brow…Ilea's Charge"GET BACK—!!"
Flame erupted. A crimson shadow plummeted from above.
Ilea, fully armored in flame-forged plate, her billowing like a flame-tail, speared forward with her lance, blasting a priestess into midair fragments.
Her toes touched the ground, leaping before Knox to block a second wave of soul power.
"Touch him once, and I'll slaughter every last Split Moon."
Selandor narrowed his eyes: "You are the King's Guard? Why defy your fate?"
Ilea sneered: "Because the King himself offered him as sacrifice. And I do not recognize such a king."
The words barely left her lips when her lance swept outward, its light coiling into a dragon that tore through a priestess's chest.
Clashing fire and darkness erupted like an explosion in the Flame Palace. Knox broke free in the chaos, caught up in Ilea's arms.
"Remember this," she muttered through gritted teeth. "You were never meant to die."Shadow PassageIlea dragged Knox through the side hall's secret tunnel, flames and incantations chasing their heels. She fought while shielding him, her body taking blow after blow of soul power.
By the time they reached the lower passages, she could hold on no longer. One knee hit the ground, blood spilling from her lips.
Knox forced himself to lift her, anger blazing in his eyes for the first time.
"They want to kill you… because of me."
Ilea looked up, smiling faintly: "Not because of you. Because of fate."
Knox pressed her against the cold stone wall, then kissed her suddenly.
No innocent 's kiss, but a born of rage, and grief. His body was burning, his heart racing.
She pushed him gently away, only to pull him back an instant later, legs coiling around his waist.
"Am I your prey now?"
"No," Knox whispered. "You saved me… I owe you."
That night, in the Flame Palace's secret tunnel, they burned for each other.
Gasps and moans echoed against stone, blood and desire and fear mingling in a wild crescendo.
She trembled beneath him, while he murmured against her ear, over and over:
"I won't let you die. I'll grow stronger."Soul Ring EchoMeanwhile, Lucian jolted awake from a stupor.
Clutching his chest, he felt the soul ring searing hot, its mark cracking.
"Have they… made their move?"
He jumped from his bed, pulling the sword hidden beneath his chambers, striding into the throne room with eyes black as night.
Split Moon—you've driven me to the edge.