The morning after the confrontation in the alley, Busan felt strangely muted—like the city itself sensed the shift inside her. Ara walked beside Kang Eun-woo, the Seal warming faintly beneath her sleeve as if urging her forward.
They headed toward the outskirts, where the mountains rose like silent guardians. Ara clutched her backpack strap to steady her nerves.
"Your energy is unsettled," Eun-woo murmured, not looking at her but somehow reading her perfectly. "Was it the dream?"
Ara hesitated. "It was… him again."
A sharp flicker of silver flashed through Eun-woo's aura—gone in an instant. "Ha-ran's influence grows stronger the more you awaken the Seal."
She didn't respond. His voice lacked judgement, but it didn't ease the tension coiling in her chest.
The Seal pulsed once—soft, steady, reminding her to breathe.
---
Journey to Guryong Valley
The further they traveled, the quieter everything became. Busan's noise faded behind them, replaced by the whisper of wind threading through pine branches. Legend said Guryong Valley was a spiritual seam—a place where ancient power slept.
Ara swallowed. "Are you sure the archives will help?"
"They will show you what you need," Eun-woo said. "Not always what you want."
"That sounds terrifying."
"It usually is."
She glared at him, but his lips twitched in the hint of a smile. Just a hint—but enough to steady her.
---
The Gate That Chooses
They arrived at the mouth of the valley—a narrow path choked with fog. Old stone pillars lined the entrance, marked with carvings Ara couldn't decipher. The air vibrated softly.
"This is it," Eun-woo said. "The hidden archives lie beyond the spiritual gate."
"How do we open it?"
He gestured to her wrist. "The Seal must recognize this place."
Ara took a breath and lifted her palm.
Golden light shimmered from her skin, spreading in delicate threads across the stones. The valley answered with a deep hum. The pillars brightened—first faintly, then fiercely—until the fog split apart, revealing a doorway carved into the cliff face.
Ara blinked. "It responded so… easily."
"No," Eun-woo corrected. "It responded to you."
Her cheeks warmed, though she wasn't sure if it was pride or fear.
---
The Valley's Whispers
Inside, darkness swallowed them—but not ordinary darkness. Whispering rushed around them, echoing in languages she didn't know but somehow felt.
Ara shivered. "It feels like someone is… watching."
"They are." Eun-woo walked beside her, hand lightly hovering near her back. "The memories of past Sealed Ones dwell here. Be respectful."
As they moved deeper, the whispers grew louder, swirling around Ara like unseen currents.
Then—
The Seal flared violently.
Ara gasped as a vision slammed into her.
---
A Memory of the Past
She stood in a battlefield of flame and shadows.
A woman—strong, radiant—wore the same golden Seal. She raised her hand, unleashing a burst of blinding light at monstrous creatures tearing through the air.
Behind her descended a figure with obsidian wings and crimson eyes burning with fury.
Jin Ha-ran.
"Seo-yeon," he growled. "Your Seal belongs to me."
"Over my dead body."
Their powers collided, shaking the sky.
The vision shattered.
---
Ara fell to her knees, trembling. Eun-woo immediately crouched beside her.
"Ara," he said softly but urgently, "what did you see?"
She wiped sweat from her brow. "The Fallen fought the Seal's bearer before… and Ha-ran… he was different. Angry. Lost."
Eun-woo's jaw tightened. "Do not let pity confuse you. Fallen twist truth with emotion."
But Ara wasn't sure that was it. What she felt in the vision wasn't manipulation—it was history. Pain. Something broken.
Before she could speak, the cavern shifted, opening a new chamber lit with soft golden light. At its center stood a pedestal holding a scroll woven with golden threads.
The Seal pulsed in response.
"It's calling you," Eun-woo said.
Ara stepped forward, hands trembling. When she touched the scroll—
---
The First Truth
Light exploded around her.
She saw flashes:
—A child chosen by the Seal.
—A Protector sworn to guard them.
—A bond powerful enough to fuse souls.
—A Fallen drawn not only to the Seal's power… but to its ability to connect hearts.
Ara gasped, stumbling back as the vision faded.
The Seal throbbed painfully. Her chest tightened.
Eun-woo steadied her by the shoulders, voice low. "Ara. What did it show you?"
"It's not just a weapon," she whispered. "The Seal binds emotions. Souls. Connections. That's why the Fallen wants it."
"Ara—"
His tone was warning, but she didn't back down.
"It's why he's drawn to me."
The air shifted.
A gust of cold wind swept through the chamber.
Shadows stretched across the stone walls.
A familiar, velvety voice curled around her spine—
"Seo Ara."
Her breath hitched.
Jin Ha-ran stepped from the darkness, wings half-unfurled, eyes glowing like embers hungry for her.
"Ara."
Eun-woo moved instantly in front of her, aura igniting silver.
Ha-ran's lips curved.
"The archives have shown you the truth. Now… choose who you trust."
The Seal blazed gold.