EPISODE 4 — "The Serpent Apostle's Blood"
Smoke rose from the shattered street.
Kael staggered backward, coughing, his arms burning from the force of his own attack. The shockwave he released had been stronger than anything he thought possible—stronger than anything a "normal" person should ever produce.
Beside him, Aria clung to a lamppost, breathing fast, her hands trembling as water dripped from her fingertips.
The Apostle stepped out of the explosion, unharmed.
His grin stretched wider, showing serrated fangs.
"Good… very good. Fresh vessels always taste the best."
Aria flinched, stepping closer to Kael.
Kael whispered,
"Libra… what do we do…?"
Libra's spirit flickered beside him, wings of cosmic stardust spreading.
"You must strike together. Balance and Flow are compatible forces."
Aria lifted her hands shakily.
"Kael… I can support you with Pisces' energy."
Kael nodded, swallowing his fear.
"O-Okay. Just follow my lead!"
The Apostle raised his hand.
Dark cosmic sludge pulsed through his veins, swirling around him like corrupted starlight.
Then — he moved.
Not ran.
Not sprinted.
He blinked forward, teleporting in a flash of darkness.
Aria barely had time to gasp.
Kael felt cold fingers wrap around his throat.
The Apostle lifted him effortlessly.
"You carry Libra," the monster hissed. "A rare delicacy… Let me drink your Gate."
Kael clawed at his hand, vision blurring.
"L-Libra—!"
A burst of silver erupted from his chest, cracking the Apostle's grip but not breaking it.
The Apostle snarled.
"Even weakened… you are troublesome."
Aria screamed,
"LET HIM GO!"
Water erupted beneath her feet, swirling into a spiral. The air filled with mist as Pisces awakened fully for the first time.
A soft voice whispered in her mind—
"Daughter of the Tides… release the ocean within."
Her eyes glowed blue.
She thrust her palms forward.
A torrent of water spiraled like a whip, slashing into the Apostle's side and knocking him back.
Kael fell to the pavement, gasping, clutching his throat.
Aria rushed to him.
"Kael! Kael— are you okay?"
He coughed violently, then nodded.
"I'm… alive. Thanks to you."
The Apostle rose from the ground, dark mist peeling off his skin.
He laughed.
"You awakened too early… your powers are newborn. You cannot kill me."
Libra floated behind Kael, voice firm.
"Kael. Listen. You cannot overpower him. You must outbalance him."
Kael blinked through tears.
"Wh-What does that even mean?!"
Libra raised a cosmic scale. One side dipped.
"He is corrupted. His energy is unstable. Push him off equilibrium."
Kael's eyes widened.
"So destabilize him…?"
"Yes."
Aria stood beside him, still trembling, but her eyes shined with courage.
"Kael… I'll follow your lead."
Kael nodded.
Their spirits—Libra and Pisces—formed behind them.
Silver.
Blue.
Balance.
Flow.
The Apostle lunged again.
Kael thrust his hand forward—
A silver barrier formed.
Aria flowed around him, water forming a curved shield.
The Apostle's punch shattered their combined defense, but this time—
Kael was ready.
He grabbed the Apostle's wrist.
Aria water-bound the other.
The Apostle roared.
"YOU CAN'T HOLD ME—"
Kael used Libra's power to detect imbalance—
He saw it.
A dark pulse in the Apostle's chest.
A rhythm out of sync.
A corrupted heart.
"ARIA— NOW!"
Aria summoned all the moisture in the air—
The mist thickened—
Her spirit glowed—
She propelled water into the Apostle's chest mark—
Kael struck the same point with a balancing shockwave—
The two forces collided—
BALANCE + TIDE
ORDER + FLOW
LIGHT + WATER
The Apostle screamed as the corrupted energy inside him exploded outward.
His body cracked like glass—
Purple sludge seeped from his eyes—
His constellation tattoo shattered completely—
He collapsed to the ground, trembling violently.
Kael and Aria backed away, panting.
The Apostle's voice turned thin, broken.
"I… I failed the Serpent… He will come… He will… devour you all…"
Kael whispered,
"Who will?"
The Apostle's body melted into shadow, leaving only a single object behind—
A small black fragment shaped like a serpent's fang.
It pulsed with ominous energy.
Libra hovered above it, voice heavy.
"A Serpent Relic…"
Aria hugged herself.
"What does it do?"
Libra answered quietly.
"It marks the beginning. Ophion has noticed the awakening of the Vessels."
Kael swallowed.
"And that means…?"
Libra's eyes dimmed.
"It means the war is coming to your city."
Aria shivered.
"Our city…? But no one even knows this is happening…"
Kael picked up the relic slowly, feeling the dark pulse inside.
"I guess they're about to."
He felt a cold pressure behind him.
He turned—
And saw Riven watching from the shadows.
Silent.
Expression unreadable.
His scorpion mark glowing faintly.
Kael whispered,
"Riven… how long were you here?"
Riven stepped into the light.
"Long enough."
His voice was icier than before.
"You two improved. But you're still weak."
Kael clenched his fists.
"Riven… why are you here?"
Riven's eyes glowed violet.
"To warn you."
Kael blinked.
"…Warn me?"
Riven pointed at the Serpent Fang Relic.
"Keep that close. Every vessel in this city is now being hunted. And some of them… aren't as friendly as Pisces."
Aria stiffened.
Kael's heart pounded nervously.
Riven whispered one final thing—
"Taurus awakened last night.
And he's already killed someone."
Kael's stomach flipped.
"What…?!"
Riven's eyes sharpened.
"He's coming for you next."
The wind blew, carrying the taste of blood.
Episode 4 ends on the chilling realization—
A new vessel is coming.
A stronger one.
A violent one.