The dark marble halls of Ornaphendreul's Castle echoed with silence, disturbed only by the soft whisper of shadows against cold stone. In the heart of the palace, beneath a dome where light dared not linger, a hidden chamber bloomed with impossible life—blue roses, radiant in their eerie luminescence, thrived in the darkness.
Arnoux stood amidst the glimmering petals, his fingers twitching with curiosity. The petals pulsed faintly, like they breathed. He was drawn to them—enchanted, confused. What magic kept them alive in such a cold, cursed place?
Then, with a blink, Ornaphendreul appeared.
Before Arnoux could react, the dark ruler seized him by the collar and slammed him against the cold stone wall. His grip tightened around Arnoux's throat.
"Who told you to enter this room?!" Ornaphendreul snarled, fury blazing in his mismatched eyes. The pressure from his grasp stole Arnoux's breath, his vision blurring at the edges.
"I… I—" he tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
Ornaphendreul abruptly released him. Arnoux dropped to his knees, gasping for air.
"Don't ever touch these flowers," Ornaphendreul warned, his voice sharp with both wrath and something else—fear?
"O-okay…" Arnoux managed, still wheezing. He stood up slowly, rubbing his neck. "Where have you been, anyway?"
"Eri Kingdom."
Arnoux blinked in disbelief. "What…?"
"We'll talk later. Leave this space now," Ornaphendreul commanded, his tone final.
Arnoux hesitated but obeyed, casting one last glance at the glowing roses. Something about them felt alive—too alive for a place like this. Why would such beauty exist in the lair of darkness? he wondered. Could it be… where the Phyrinx's power lies?
Once alone, Ornaphendreul turned to the flowers again, his hardened expression softening.
"You dare to bloom in my castle…" he whispered, as if speaking to an old enemy—or a lost lover. A faint smile touched his lips. "Are you here to haunt me… to torture me with her memory? You're as beautiful as Erin…"
A single droplet of water fell from a petal, and the moment it hit the stone, pain flared in Ornaphendreul's chest. He staggered slightly, clutching at his side.
Memories surged forth—every curse he had cast, every life he had twisted in pain. Each attempt to undo them had left a scar—an invisible gash upon his soul. He was no different from Shin Fairy, who once danced with death in her pursuit of freedom from darkness.
"I can't go back anymore," he muttered, voice hollow. "The hatred I've clung to… it's stronger than love now. Stronger than reason. I made them suffer because I suffered. And still… I'm empty."
A name echoed in his mind.
Vryles...
Elsewhere – Vryles Kingdom
"Stop it! Please—stop it, you Vryle!" Daniela's voice was hoarse, torn from her throat like shards of glass. "Let me suffer instead! Take me! Just let my sister go!"
But mercy had long left this place.
The cold stone beneath them was drenched in blood, pooling around Trixie's limp body. Her arms were stretched above her head, wrists raw from the bindings that dug into her skin. Her body trembled uncontrollably, bruises swelling, deep scratches crisscrossing her once-smooth skin like a madman's tapestry. Each breath she took was ragged, wet, and shallow, as if life itself was slipping between her fingers.
Milky crouched beside her, breathing heavily. Her hands were soaked in crimson, claws trembling from the frenzy. Her face twitched between fury and emptiness—haunted, hollow, unrecognizable. Her once-gentle eyes were now veiled in a sick yellow glow, and her mouth twisted in a grimace that was neither smile nor snarl.
Trixie whimpered softly as Milky raised her claw again—then paused.
"P… please…" Trixie's voice was barely audible. Her lips cracked, swollen. "Mil… ky…"
Milky blinked—just for a second—and her claw faltered. But it returned just as fast, hovering near Trixie's cheek, trembling.
From the shadows, Venus emerged with the grace of a predator, her voice smooth as silk over razors. "My, my… how heartbreakingly delightful." She stepped into view, sipping from a glass that glimmered red. "The desperate cries of a sister, the confusion of a broken soul. I could bottle this moment."
She circled them slowly like a wolf, her heels clicking against the blood-slick floor. "Aren't you tired, Milky? You're slipping. All that rage, and yet she still breathes."
Milky's head jerked toward Venus, her breath snarling out in sharp huffs. "Shut up!" she growled, her voice ragged, not fully her own.
Venus giggled, her eyes gleaming. "You're so cute when you lose control."
But then—she stopped.
The air changed. A flicker. A shift. Venus raised her head slightly, sniffing the air like a hound catching scent of prey.
Her smile twisted. "We have visitors."
Her voice was almost a purr, but her eyes gleamed with danger. "How exciting. Let me go entertain them—unless, of course, you bore me."
She turned and vanished into a trail of shadow and perfume, the scent of rotting roses lingering behind her like a ghost.
Back in the chamber, Daniela clutched the chains holding her sister and cried, helpless. "Trixie… I'm here. Please, hold on. Please..."
Trixie stirred, her lips barely moving. "Da…nie…la…"
Milky stared down at her blood-soaked hands, panting. Her claws were trembling. A thin thread of sanity flickered behind her maddened gaze. For just a moment, the monster wavered.
And in the hallway beyond, Venus crept through the darkness, her smile wide as the void.
"Let the game begin," she whispered, her voice like velvet and venom. "I do so love intrusions."
Earlier – The Edge of Blue Scales
"Prince Liu," Yon Zue called urgently. "That was the twenty-first informant… None of them have returned."
Prince Liu's jaw tightened. "We must move. Sacrifices are inevitable. If we delay any longer, we risk losing everything. Erilians deserve peace, not fear."
"I understand," Yon Zue replied solemnly. "That's why I'm volunteering."
Prince Liu frowned. "Yon Zue—"
"I'm not doing this as your friend," he said. "I'm your subject. Your people are my people. Please… don't protect me just because of our bond. That would be an insult to every warrior who died for this cause."
Prince Liu hesitated, then gave a single nod.
"May your steps be guided," he whispered.
Near the Vryles Border
"Yame… we need to be careful," Shide cautioned. "This is enemy territory. Anything—anyone—we meet could be part of the deception."
"I know," Yame replied, ears twitching as he scanned the area. "Wait… do you hear that?"
Shide froze. A faint cry—female, desperate.
"A girl?" Shide said.
"Possibly an escapee," Yame concluded.
They ran toward the sound, arriving at a pit where a girl with long black wavy hair lay injured. Her pale skin was marred by blood and dirt. She clutched her ankle, crying softly.
"Help me, please…"
Yame dropped down to her. Her eyes—wide, innocent, haunting. Her beauty was otherworldly, fragile like porcelain.
"How did someone like you end up here…?" he murmured.
The girl smiled faintly—and then everything turned.
Yame's vision swam. His knees buckled. The girl reached out, gently catching him.
"Yame!" Shide leaped down. "Are you alright?!"
"He's fine…" the girl said sweetly. Her voice was melodic—almost hypnotic.
Shide felt something strange in the air. Danger. But he couldn't look away. With his hand behind his back, he summoned a firefly—his signal. The light darted away into the trees.
"Yame… I want a present," the girl whispered.
Yame, entranced, rose and unsheathed a dagger.
"Yame…?" Shide's voice trembled. "What are you—"
Pain exploded in his chest.
Blood poured from the wound as he collapsed. The girl's laughter echoed around them. Yame, blank-eyed, kneeled and placed a beating heart in her hands.
She crushed it with delight.
"Now… give me your heart," she whispered.
Yame stepped forward—and screamed.
His eyes widened in horror as he came to his senses and saw Shide on the ground.
"No—no, what have I done…?"
Meanwhile – Blue Scales
"Sushie… you say?" Princess Devita raised an elegant brow.
"Yes, Princess," Phoebe confirmed.
"The girl warrior chosen to protect the stone?" asked Jossel, arms folded. "She's coming here?"
"Yes. That's what Lucky reported," Phoebe said.
Jossel groaned. "That fish is always sneaking around above ground."
Princess Devita chuckled lightly. "He's curious. Let him be. He's still young. But… prepare the bubble. Bring them here safely."
"Yes, Princess." Phoebe turned to leave, but paused. "Ah—she's with three mortals."
"What?!" both Devita and Jossel exclaimed at once.