The temple was older than the academy itself.
Ethan stood in its crumbling entrance, moonlight filtering through holes in the roof, his shields ready and his senses on high alert. He'd told no one about this meeting—not even Luna. If this was a trap, he didn't want anyone else caught in it.
Come on, he thought. I know you're watching.
"You came alone." The voice emerged from shadows that seemed darker than natural. "Either very brave or very foolish."
"Why not both?"
A figure materialized from the darkness—not appeared, materialized, as if assembling itself from shadow and moonlight. The figure was androgynous, wrapped in robes that shifted colors with each movement, its face hidden behind a mask that showed different expressions depending on viewing angle.
"I am the Seventh Voice," the figure said. "The Council's... mouth, you might say. The others will observe but not participate. Your audience is with me."
"Fair enough." Ethan didn't relax his guard. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything. How you obtained your knowledge. What you intend to do with it. Why you've chosen to involve yourself with Luna Nightshade." The figure's head tilted. "Most importantly: what do you want from us?"
"I want information about Luna's father's extraction plan. Specific details—timing, personnel, contingencies. Enough to stop him without anyone dying."
"Including Kael Nightshade?"
Ethan hesitated. In the original novel, Kael eventually died—killed by Lucien during a raid on the Shadow Guild. But that was hundreds of chapters away, and the circumstances were different.
"Including Kael Nightshade," he said finally. "If possible."
"Interesting. Luna's father has tormented her for her entire life, shaped her into a weapon, and plans to either reclaim or destroy her. Yet you would spare him."
"He wasn't always a monster. The Demon King broke him." Ethan met the mask's ever-shifting gaze. "I believe in second chances."
"Even for those who don't deserve them?"
"Especially for those who don't deserve them. That's what makes it a chance."
The Seventh Voice was silent for a long moment.
"You are... unexpected," it said finally. "Our intelligence suggested you were dangerous—perhaps too dangerous. A seer with detailed knowledge of events that haven't occurred, connections to multiple powerful factions, and a disturbing tendency to appear at crucial moments."
"And now?"
"Now I see something else. Someone who genuinely believes they can make the world better through personal sacrifice." The figure's mask shifted to an expression of bemused respect. "It's been centuries since I met someone so idealistic."
"Is that a compliment?"
"An observation. Idealists are either heroes or corpses, rarely anything in between." The figure reached into its robes and produced a thin folder. "This is what you wanted. Kael Nightshade's full extraction plan, current as of three days ago."
Ethan took the folder, suppressing his surprise. He'd expected negotiation, not immediate cooperation.
"Why give me this?"
"Because the Council has decided that Luna Nightshade is more valuable as an independent agent than as her father's property. She has proven... adaptable. Someone with her skills, free from Kael's control, could be a significant asset."
"So you're using me to free her so you can recruit her later."
"We're allowing you to free her. The recruitment is her choice—we've learned that forced loyalty is ultimately unreliable." The Seventh Voice's mask shifted again. "Besides, you've demonstrated value yourself. The Council prefers to have multiple assets in play."
"I'm not going to be your asset."
"Everyone is someone's asset, Prophet Student. The only question is whether you're aware of it." The figure began fading back into shadows. "The information is accurate. Use it well. And consider our conversation the beginning of a longer relationship—whether you want it to be or not."
The shadows consumed the figure entirely.
Ethan stood alone in the ruined temple, holding information that could save Luna's life.
[QUEST PROGRESS]
"Luna's Liberation" - Intelligence Gathered
New Information:
Extraction team: 20 elite operatives Primary window: Tournament Day 4 Secondary window: Tournament Day 6 Elimination protocol: Triggered if resistance lasts more than 10 minutes Kael Nightshade: Will personally lead extraction
Bonus Intelligence:
Shadow Guild Council is interested in recruiting both Luna and Ethan Council sees Demon King as a mutual threat Potential alliance possibility (very distant)
He read through the folder three times, memorizing every detail. Then he burned it, leaving no evidence of the meeting.
Luna was waiting in his quarters again when he returned.
"You met with them," she said. It wasn't accusation—more like resignation.
"I did." Ethan sat across from her. "They gave me the extraction plan."
"And what did they want in return?"
"Nothing immediate. They're playing a longer game." He met her eyes. "They want you free, Luna. Not to control you—they've learned that doesn't work. They want you as a potential future ally."
"And you believe them?"
"I believe they're telling the truth about their current intentions. Whether those intentions will hold..." He shrugged. "We'll see."
Luna was quiet for a moment.
"Show me the plan," she said finally.
Ethan walked her through everything—the timing, the personnel, the elimination protocols. Her face remained expressionless throughout, but he could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers pressed hard against the table.
"Twenty operatives," she said when he finished. "Plus my father. Against..."
"Against us. Me, you, the other heroines, Lucien, Professor Marcus. We'll have backup from academy security once the fighting starts."
"My father alone is S-Rank. Twenty operatives includes at least four A-Rank specialists. The others might handle the operatives, but my father..." She shook her head. "Lucien could match him, maybe. No one else."
"We don't need to match him. We need to stall him until reinforcements arrive." Ethan leaned forward. "Luna, I've seen this play out in my visions. We can win—but only if we prepare properly. And that starts with telling the others what's coming."
"You want me to reveal my past to them."
"They already know you were Shadow Guild. This is about telling them the specifics—your father's power, his methods, his weaknesses."
"His weaknesses." Luna's laugh was bitter. "I've spent my entire life looking for his weaknesses. There aren't any."
"There's always a weakness." Ethan thought about his Knowledge Archive, searching for anything useful. "Your father was captured by demons, tortured, broken. That kind of trauma leaves marks. Mental, emotional, spiritual. He's paranoid, isn't he? Doesn't trust anyone?"
"He doesn't trust me. His own daughter."
"That paranoia is a weakness. It means he can't coordinate properly with his team. He'll give orders, but he won't share information, won't trust his operatives to make decisions. If we can create enough chaos, his control will slip."
Luna considered this.
"You think we can use his paranoia against him."
"I think we can use everything against him. His paranoia, his obsession with control, his fear of the demons who broke him." Ethan's voice was gentle. "And maybe—just maybe—we can remind him of the man he used to be. Before the demons. Before the corruption."
"That man is dead."
"Are you sure? Because everything I know about people suggests that our past selves never truly die. They just get buried under layers of pain and protection." He reached out and took her hand. "Your father was a hero once. That hero is still in there somewhere, trapped beneath twenty years of trauma. If we can reach him..."
"You're an idealist."
"So I've been told."
Luna stared at their joined hands.
"Fine," she said finally. "I'll tell the others. Everything—my history, my father's power, the extraction plan." She looked up, her violet eyes fierce. "But you should know: if he can't be reached, if the man he was truly is dead, I won't hesitate. He's caused too much pain. Protected too many monsters. If killing him is the only way to stop him..."
"Then we'll cross that bridge together." Ethan squeezed her hand. "You won't have to do it alone."
For a moment, Luna's composure cracked. Something vulnerable showed through—a glimpse of the child she'd once been, before her father molded her into a weapon.
Then the mask returned, and she was the Shadow's Blade again.
"Tomorrow," she said. "We gather the others tomorrow and tell them everything."
"Tomorrow," Ethan agreed.
The gathering took place in Ethan's expanded quarters—the Special Studies program had finally gotten him a larger room, one that could fit seven people comfortably.
Lucien arrived first, followed by Seraphina. Victoria came with Elena, the two having developed an unexpected friendship over shared training sessions. Aria was last, apologizing for her tardiness—healing duties at the infirmary had run long.
Luna stood at the center of the room, facing them all.
"Thank you for coming," she began, her voice steady. "What I'm about to tell you is information I've shared with no one except Ethan. It's about my past, my family, and the danger coming during the tournament."
She told them everything.
Her childhood in the Shadow Guild—the training that began at age four, the missions that began at age eight, the kills that began at age ten. Her father's transformation from hero to monster. The demon corruption that had twisted him. The extraction plan that would try to reclaim her.
When she finished, silence filled the room.
Seraphina spoke first. "Your father is S-Rank?"
"Yes. Perhaps beyond—he's never been officially tested."
"And he's been corrupted by demons."
"Influenced, not fully corrupted. He maintains his humanity, technically. But his morality..." Luna's jaw tightened. "He sees people as resources to be used. Including his own daughter."
"Why are you telling us this?" Victoria asked. Her tone wasn't hostile—more like genuinely curious.
"Because Ethan convinced me that I don't have to face this alone. That having allies—real allies, not guild members who would betray me for the right price—is worth the risk of vulnerability."
"And because we need to prepare," Ethan added. "Twenty elite operatives plus an S-Rank master is beyond what any of us can handle individually. Together, with proper planning and coordination..."
"We might survive," Lucien finished. His expression was serious, none of the usual golden warmth. "This is a threat to everyone at the tournament, not just Luna. If the Shadow Guild attacks during a public event, civilians will die."
"My father won't care about civilians," Luna said flatly. "They're acceptable losses."
"Then we make sure there are no acceptable losses." Lucien stood, his presence seeming to fill the room. "Luna, you're one of us now—whether you intended it or not. We protect our own."
"Why?" The question burst out of Luna, raw and confused. "You barely know me. I've spied on this academy for years. I've reported on all of you to my father. Why would you protect someone who's betrayed you?"
"Because you're not that person anymore." Aria's voice was gentle. "I can see it, Luna. The guilt you carry, the weight of all those missions. You didn't choose this life—it was forced on you. That doesn't make you evil. It makes you a victim."
"I've killed people."
"So have I," Victoria said quietly. "In border skirmishes. In beast hunts gone wrong. War isn't clean, and sometimes the people we kill don't deserve to die." She met Luna's eyes. "What matters is what we do next. Are you still working for your father?"
"No."
"Do you want to help us protect the innocent people at the tournament?"
"Yes."
"Then that's enough." Victoria shrugged. "The past is past. Let's focus on not dying in the future."
Elena had been quiet, her analytical mind processing. Now she spoke up.
"The extraction plan—Ethan said your father will personally lead it. That's unusual for someone of his status."
"My father doesn't trust anyone else to complete important missions."
"His paranoia." Elena nodded. "That's tactically significant. An S-Rank fighter should be using his subordinates as screens, staying back to identify threats and coordinate responses. If he insists on personal involvement..."
"He leaves himself vulnerable to prepared ambushes," Seraphina finished, her strategic mind following Elena's logic. "We can use that."
"We'll need to," Ethan said. "Because even with all of us working together, we can't match an S-Rank in direct combat. Our only chance is to outthink him."
"What's the plan?" Lucien asked.
Ethan pulled out the materials he'd prepared—maps, timelines, personnel assessments.
"The extraction is scheduled for Tournament Day 4—the team battle finals. Maximum chaos, maximum distraction. Luna will be isolated from us during her team's match..."
They planned for hours, late into the night, each person contributing their expertise.
Seraphina's tactical knowledge from years of political education.
Victoria's combat experience from border conflicts.
Elena's analytical approach to enemy capabilities.
Aria's understanding of healing and support positioning.
Luna's inside knowledge of Shadow Guild methods.
Lucien's strategic brilliance, honed by divine guidance.
And Ethan's future sight, steering them away from disasters he'd already seen unfold.
By the time dawn approached, they had a plan.
It was risky. It required precise timing, perfect coordination, and more than a little luck.
But it was possible.
[QUEST UPDATED]
"Luna's Liberation" - Alliance Formed
Team Status:
Combat specialists: 3 (Lucien, Victoria, Luna) Support specialists: 2 (Aria, Elena) Strategic coordinator: 1 (Seraphina) Wild card: 1 (Ethan)
Plan Status: Drafted
Success Probability: 34% (Original Timeline: 0%)
Potential Casualties: Variable
As the others left, Luna lingered.
"You did this," she said quietly. "Brought them together. Made them trust me."
"They made their own choices. I just gave them the information."
"No. You gave them a reason to care." She looked at him with an expression he was learning to recognize—vulnerability behind strength, hope behind cynicism. "I've never had people willing to fight for me before. It's... strange."
"Good strange or bad strange?"
"I don't know yet." She moved toward the door, then paused. "Ethan. Whatever happens at the tournament—thank you. For opening the door."
She left before he could respond.
Ethan sat alone in the early morning light, reviewing the plan, looking for weaknesses.
We can do this, he told himself. We have to do this.
Luna's life depended on it. And maybe, just maybe, her father's redemption did too.