Chapter 28 – The Final Fracture
The astral sky was overcast, the ground split, the voices of spirits had fallen silent, and the Sacred Land of the Ancient Spirits was sacred no more.
Ilior floated in the air. Beneath him, the spirits stood frozen—some burned, some dead on their feet—only one remained standing: the Spirit Sovereign.
They locked eyes.
"It's time," said Ilior. "I will leave."
"Not yet," replied the Spirit Sovereign. "You will reopen old wounds."
They clashed. Their energies split the sacred ground, black light and white light colliding. The bodies of lesser spirits shattered in silence. No sound of the explosions reached the human world—but Lumina felt them.
She clutched her head. Voices filled her mind, and Verruksha stayed silent. Now there was only one voice left: Ilior's.
"Why are you so loud?" Lumina asked, her tone flat.
"I want to be free," Ilior answered from within. "Because your blood has opened the door."
Elsewhere, Enver and Raegar stood at the edge of a dimensional chasm.
"If she falls, you know who will come," Raegar said.
"She's not falling. She's choosing," Enver replied.
Raegar didn't answer. They both knew—time was running out.
The Council Hall…
Kavdrin and Miredan carried a scroll to the Archon.
"The sacred land will not hold for long," said Kavdrin.
"The Second Boundary Seal must be activated," the Archon replied. "We need Lumina's blood."
Miredan shook his head. "She is not only a Hellseer descendant."
The Archon stared at the stone table before him, then spoke:
"Then we will force the truth out of her blood itself."
The Dark Realm – Maxcen's Dimension…
Maxcen stood on the balcony of a black chamber. The astral scrying pool was open. Within its depths, Amari was preparing a spell, moving toward Lumina.
"Amari…" Maxcen whispered. "You still choose the human world, don't you?" he said softly, taking a seat.
"Fifty years. That was your bargain. And now, your time is over."
He touched his neck. A pendant appeared, holding an astral barrier seal.
"I bound you with this protection. No human could touch you—not even your husband. You never knew, but I always knew."
Maxcen's gaze returned to the pool. Inside, Amari coughed blood. Her body weakened with every step toward Lumina. Slowly, the barrier between the two worlds began to crack.
Amari and Serdyn…
Serdyn embraced Amari. "You're ill."
Amari didn't answer. She simply returned the embrace. In her left hand, she held one last spell—meant to be placed on Lumina. A spell only Maxcen could read.
"I must finish this," she whispered.
Serdyn kissed her forehead. "Then I'll go with you."
Amari gave no reply.
The Sacred Spirit Land…
Ilior struck the Spirit Sovereign to the ground. The earth split. A rift opened in the sky.
"Enough," Ilior said. "If the world wishes to repeat itself, then I will welcome it without a shred of hesitation."
He stepped toward the rift.
Lumina
The last white card in her hand had turned gray.
She stood alone. Behind her, the voice of the world faded. Ahead of her, only a nameless path.
She knew one thing: everyone was waiting for her to fall.
But she would not allow it.
Epilogue
Maxcen watched in silence from his realm.
"Your time is almost over."
He closed the astral scrying pool.
"Now… let my blood decide who deserves to live."