The golden stardust still lingered in the air, catching the fractured light of a broken world. The angel stepped forward, his luminous wings folding with serene grace as he neared Karlos.
"I am Frazaris," the figure said, voice resonant yet gentle. "But once, I was called Detric — the man you remember."
Karlos stiffened. Jacob's eyes felt something like remembering old days.
"I was sent to Earth by the gods," Frazaris continued. "Not to interfere, but to delay what was written. One goddess — gifted with foresight — saw this war, this devastation… all born from a single night. She pleaded with the heavens. And though the gods are bound by destiny, they allowed me to descend."
He paused.
"But Earth was sealed. A spiritual barrier kept the divine away. I could not descend as a celestial being. So, I came as a man. A sliver of my power hidden — just enough to survive."
His eyes turned distant.
"That night, under the stars, I landed. I saw them — men in black robes, killing someone at the city's edge. When I arrived, he was already dead. A spy. Sent to uncover the truth about the orphanage — the same truth I sought."
Softly, Frazaris said, "I buried him on a quiet mountain slope. Took his identity. Entered the city."
He turned to Jacob.
"I met him soon after. A boy with sharp eyes… and a scarred soul. When I asked where he was from, he said, 'The orphanage.' That's when the plan began."
Karlos stared, old chains breaking one by one in his mind.
"But… you were an angel," he whispered. "Why didn't you just stop it? Why didn't you save us?"
Frazaris turned, sorrow flooding his gaze — ancient and endless.
"Because I couldn't. My power was sealed. I was just a man. Weak. Mortal. I hid what little essence I had to avoid detection. I tried, Karlos… but even angels cannot defy fate. We can only hope to delay it."
He looked to the skies.
"The gods are not rulers. They are witnesses. Even they cannot rewrite the story of the universe. They are bound… as are we all."
Silence fell.
Karlos dropped to his knees. "I misunderstood everything. I thought Jacob… I thought he—"
He turned to his old friend.
"I'm sorry," he said, voice cracking. "Jacob… I'm sorry."
Jacob's eyes welled. "I failed too. I should've come back. I thought… I wasn't worthy."
They embraced. Childhood grief melted into adult forgiveness. Kell turned away, his shoulders trembling. Even the Butler bowed his head.
Frazaris's voice rose again.
"Jacob. It's time. Release the girl."
Jacob closed his eyes, sending a silent command(telepathy).
Far below the sect, in a crimson-fogged chamber...
The Forgotten Vein — Dao Sect's Hidden Chamber...
Buried deep beneath the main sanctum of the Dao Sect, beyond sealed corridors laced with suppression glyphs and illusion arrays, lies a subterranean prison known only to a select few elders: The Forgotten Vein.
Carved into the roots of the mountain itself, the chamber is encased in Voidforged Stone, a rare mineral that nullifies spiritual energy, Dao resonance, and even thoughts of escape. Its walls pulse faintly with an ancient rhythm, not mechanical, but alive, as though the mountain watches those trapped within.
The chamber is not grand—just a single, circular cavern with no doors, no windows, and no visible means of entry or exit. Prisoners are transported in and out through spatial folding, performed only by a Grand Elder who holds the Key Seal, a sigil etched into their soul flame. No other passage exists.
The floor is inscribed with a Suppression Mandala: a living formation that drains the prisoner's Qi, memories of cultivation paths, and even the will to resist. Time here flows oddly. Days stretch into weeks, or collapse into seconds, making the mind unstable and escape planning impossible.
There is no torture here—only silence, stillness, and the crushing weight of being forgotten. Those imprisoned often lose their sense of self long before they ever hope for release.
To the outside world, The Forgotten Vein does not exist.
In that Jiya, Ru, and Luo lay unconscious, bound by spiritual runes. Poisonous mist curled around them like a sleeping serpent.
But now — the fog dispersed. Disciples rushed in, disabling the array, awakened them. Jiya stirred, eyes fluttering open as a hand reached for her.
Back in the garden, Karlos turned to Frazaris.
"After you met Jacob… what happened?"
Jacob answered.
"We went to Lavya City — the hometown of the man Frazaris had impersonated. Bought a small house. Lived quietly. He raised me like a father. Gave me what I never had."
"After the world changed," Jacob continued, "he revealed who he truly was. I was terrified… but he explained everything — the gods, the orphanage, the plan. He told me to build a sanctuary. The Uaan Sect."
"He gave me ancient scrolls, artifacts, martial techniques. One day, he came to me and said, 'Take Jiya. Not to start a war — but to protect her.' Then… the gods summoned him. They had another task."
Jacob lowered his voice. "He said, 'If war comes, fight. But do not die.'"
Karlos's breath caught.
"Why Jiya?"
Frazaris hesitated. His eyes turned skyward, seeking permission.
Then he spoke.
"Because of… Element L37. Or as you call it—"
He paused.
"—It is not an element. It is a key."
The wind stirred.
"A key," Frazaris said, "not to treasure or knowledge… but to an ancient prison. One that holds something the gods cannot destroy. Only contain."
The earth seemed to hold its breath.
"And Jiya," he whispered, "carries its last fragment within her soul."...