After surviving the chaos at the Uniques' HQ, Ari and her team learn from Jack that Imperial orchestrated their rescues, using a teleportation seal to ensure their survival while suppressing the HQ's illusions. Resolute, Ari leads her group to the Aetheris Empire, arriving in the bustling town of Ambas. Guided by an old vendor's cryptic warning, they quickly locate the colossal Ancient Hall of Archives. Inside, the silence is absolute, scholars and stone tablets filling the hall, as the library itself seems to pull them forward. Unbeknownst to them, a cloaked figure observes their arrival, reporting to an unseen lord, signaling that their presence has been anticipated.
Ari and the others began to explore the gigantic Ancient Hall of Archives. The library was divided into two distinct sections: one filled with endless shelves of books, and the other housing not only books but also antique artifacts, rare relics, and ancient paintings, each radiating history and forgotten knowledge.
Ari's attention was drawn to a stone tablet, its surface carved with intricate markings. She stepped closer, studying the strange script, and the others followed silently.
Tracey squinted at the tablet. "Can you… read that?"
Ari's eyes narrowed as she traced the lines with her fingers. "It says… 'The six sons of the Him—one carries the Will of Light, the other the Will of Darkness.'"
Her mind raced. What could this mean?
Gray leaned closer, frowning thoughtfully. "It might be relevant to us. Darkness… that could be Imperial, and Light… maybe you, Ari."
Before anyone could respond, a man appeared quietly beside them. His presence was calm but commanding, and he gave a slight bow. "Quite knowledgeable, aren't you, Lady Ari. It is an honor to welcome the Princess of the Pyronis Empire to the Ancient Hall of Archives."
Ari and the others turned toward him, curiosity piqued.
Ari asked politely, "And you are…?"
"I am Sero," he replied, voice steady. "Assistant, or in simpler terms—a guide of this library for travelers. It is my honor to accompany you here."
Ari inclined her head. "We appreciate your guidance, Sir Sero. And this tablet… the text—it is ancient. Can you tell us more about it? Can you read it?"
Sero shook his head gently. "My lady, I cannot. But there are those in this library who can. In fact, they have instructed us on the meaning of these texts so that we may guide travelers who seek knowledge."
He paused, his expression turning solemn. "The six sons… what I am about to reveal is a secret of this library. Usually, we offer travelers a simplified or different explanation, but since you have already read it yourself, it would not be right to deceive you. Follow me—I will take you to someone who can explain more precisely what this tablet signifies, and help you in your quest."
He led them through the hushed corridors to a smaller, more secluded chamber. Unlike the main hall, this room contained only a few scholars, quietly reading and consulting ancient tomes.
Sero gestured toward them. "These people cannot read the text in the conventional sense. They do not merely read—it is more about understanding through study and intuition. They use books and references compiled over centuries to interpret such ancient scripts."
Ari tilted her head, confused. "I… don't quite understand."
Gray chimed in, "Like… decorating the text with knowledge? Making sense of it using context and references?"
Sero smiled faintly. "Exactly, Mr. Welhawk. They translate the meaning, rather than the words themselves."
He handed a book to Ari with careful reverence. "Read this. It will intrigue you, and more importantly, it will reveal the true meaning of the inscription on that tablet. It holds the knowledge you seek—if you are prepared to understand it."
Ari held the book in her hands, feeling the weight of centuries of wisdom resting between its covers. She glanced at her friends, determination in her eyes. "Then let's see what truths this library has been guarding."
Ari opened the thin book and began to read. The pages weren't dense with text — each sheet carried a single, measured statement, like an inscription on a pillar. The language was spare and old, but the meaning sank in easily as she read aloud.
"Long ago there was a god who ruled three realms: the God Realm, the Human Realm, and the Demon Realm. In time he grew old and chose six heirs — six candidates to succeed him.
The two eldest were the most gifted: one bore the Will of Light, the other the Will of Darkness. They excelled at all things, and yet there remained only one throne and two worthy claimants.
On the last day of the ruler's life, the throne was given to the Light. The Darkness fell into fury, destroyed the very realm his father had made, and sought to take the crown for himself — but he failed."
Ari's voice slowed on the final sentence as she turned the page. The last sheet contained not prose but a crude map — a boxed diagram inked in ochre and silver, its lines faded but deliberate. Gray, Dawn, and Tracey fell silent as she read; their heads bent close to see the sketch.
Dawn's brow furrowed. "What's the map is about?"
Ari's fingers traced the inked box. A cold recognition pricked at the back of her mind. "Imperial's father… he once spoke of finding a map like this in a book safe one Dawn's village people have." She stared at the map again. "But this book isn't the same as the one Dawn has. The side differ and also I can read this one clearly but about this story in this book it — like a part of the story is missing."
The thought sat between them, stubborn and unfinished. It felt as if the book had told only half a truth.
She blinked, pushing the thought away — and then reality snapped wrong.
The room fell empty.
Ari looked up. The handful of scholars and the low murmur of readers she'd passed a moment ago were gone. The secluded chamber that Sero had led them to — the rows of reference tomes and the single lamp over the table — stood deserted. The air was too still. The light seemed thinner.
"Gray!Dawn!Tracey!?" she called, expecting a jibe or a reply.
Silence answered.
Her hand went to the hilt of her blade before she realized she'd moved. The metal sang as she drew it, a small, bright sound in the hush.
"I thought something was off the moment we entered," she said aloud, voice hard. "Whoever's playing with the movement — show yourself. Or I'll cut this trick out of existence."
Her words hung in the air. The book lay open on the table, the inked map glowing faintly as if it, too, were listening.
Ari's eyes widened. A figure emerged from the shadows, each step echoing unnaturally through the vast chamber. She froze. White robes flowed around her, hair a pale gold catching the dim light. And then… the impossible: the girl's face was hers. Every feature mirrored her own.
Ari's heart skipped. "Don't play tricks… or you'll regret it." She lunged, blade first, but the figure met her strike effortlessly, clashing steel against steel. With a shove, Ari stumbled back, barely keeping her balance.
"How… how could this be?" Ari muttered under her breath. "A clone? A shadow? Or… something else?"
The girl's voice sliced through the air — unmistakably Ari's, yet sharper, colder, with an edge that made Ari flinch. "So pathetic… just letting the killer of your parents walk free every time… a shame."
The walls seemed to shift, breathing around her. Memories flooded Ari — seeing her parents' lifeless bodies, the somber scenes of the next day, over and over. Behind it all, a shadowed figure appeared — unmistakably Imperial, captured by the crystal, the same one shown in the news. The images pressed on her chest, relentless and inescapable.Ari's chest tightened, a mix of frustration, disbelief, and rising fury. Her hands clenched around her sword. "Why… why is this happening?" she whispered.
The girl leaned closer, eyes blazing with the same intensity as Ari's own reflection. "You feel it, don't you? That searing anger… the urge for revenge. Yet you suppress it. Why? Is it because you are weaker than him, incapable of avenging your parents? Or… is it because something — someone — is now more valuable to you than their lives? Or is this… this ridiculous journey of yours worth more than your own blood?"
Ari's hands shook, her teeth gritting. "Who… who are you?"
The figure's lips curled in a chilling smile. "I am you. The 'you' that dares to seek vengeance, that has the strength to do what must be done… the 'you' you've been burying inside. That part of you… that part you refuse to awaken."
Ari's heart pounded. She took a step forward, unsure whether she wanted to fight, to listen, or to flee. "What… what do you want from me?"
The girl tilted her head, eyes locked onto Ari's, her presence both mirror and warning. "I'm here to remind you… that power without resolve is nothing. You can feel it, but will you embrace it? Or will you continue to let the world decide your fate?".
The girl said, "Defeat me… and only then will you become truly strong — strong enough to take revenge for your parents, strong enough to face him and make him pay."
Dawn, Gray, and Tracey each found themselves alone, trapped in a room much like the one Ari had faced. The walls seemed alive, shifting subtly, and as they stared, fragments of their past flickered across them—memories, regrets, moments long forgotten. Each clip pulled at them differently, exposing hidden fears and unhealed wounds. It was becoming clear: this ancient library was far more than a repository of books.