The Sky Sanctuary no longer brings hope. The blue-purple light glowing along the horizon signifies the death of something old, as well as an uninvited birth. Beneath the cracked and creviced ground, a rumbling voice echoes—as if the world contains something never intended by its creators. The tension in the air becomes palpable, adding a heavy burden to the heart merely with the presence of that strange light. The cold that pierces the skin serves as a reminder that there is no turning back.
Rinoa walks heavily down the underground corridor. Behind her, Fitran follows silently, allowing the new Michael to lead. The stone walls are filled with magical scratches and ancient roots turned to stone, each corner of this corridor vibrating softly with energy never known to humans or angels before. Occasionally, Rinoa glances over her shoulder, sensing unseen dark eyes watching their journey. Shadows seem to come and go, enveloping them like a fog that refuses to dissipate.
"The leyline cracks have spread this far," Fitran whispers, his voice filled with concern. "We must find the center quickly before all the Sanctuary's protections are completely destroyed." There is a note of desperation in his voice, reflecting the importance of this mission. Rinoa nods, but deep within her heart, she feels an unexpressed anxiety. The deeper they traverse the corridor, the more she feels the weight of the wounded world clinging to her.
Rinoa nods. Her eyes, now sharper—half angelic light, half dark heritage of Fitran—catch the faint glowing blue lines between the stones. From every crevice, small spirals like glowing roots creep, causing the walls to vibrate and sometimes release a soft sound resembling a cry. "Whatever happened here," she murmurs, fighting against the inner voice that keeps whispering, emphasizing how destructive this place is. The atmosphere grows increasingly tense, as if the corridor is alive and watching every step they take.
"Do you hear that?" Rinoa whispers, pressing her ear against the wall. "There's something… like a voice. Not just ordinary magic—this is the voice of a wounded world." For a moment, she imagines trapped souls wailing for help, urging her to listen deeper. The walls feel like they are vibrating, not just from magic, but as if trying to convey a message from the depths of the earth. The words sound weak yet clear, like a cry for help that has yet to arrive.
They delve deeper into the corridors, until the air becomes thicker and harder to breathe. Rinoa feels a strange pressure in her chest, as if two wills are pulling against each other within her body: the angelic will to protect, and the spiral instinct to erase and recreate. The sound of her heartbeat feels loud, echoing with their steps in the silence. Fitran recites protective spells, warding off the dark streaks seeping from the cracks. Each letter of his words seems to drive away the dark shadows that continue to lurk, but Rinoa knows that this peace is merely a fragile illusion.
Suddenly, the corridor opens into an ancient stone room. In the center, there is a half-collapsed seal circle, surrounded by shards of crystal and roots of the world tree turned to stone. The room is filled with a foul odor, as if it holds dark secrets that hum in the darkness. Above the circle, a fragment of pale purple crystal glows—emitting ancient glyph patterns that Rinoa has seen in Sheena's memories. The light vibrates, reflecting a soft glow that contradicts the terrifying aura enveloping the room. Rinoa feels the vibrations around her almost like a sigh, as if thousands of souls are trapped within the confines of that room.
Fitran approaches, holding his breath. "This… this is the fragment of Sheena's seal. The one used to contain Tiamat centuries ago." His voice trembles, as if recalling the weight of the responsibility Sheena bore in the past. Rinoa can see flashes of anxiety in Fitran's eyes, as if he knows what could happen if this power is released again. In an instant, the tension between them eases, but only slightly. The outside noise feels increasingly distant, as if this room is truly separated from the known world.
Rinoa kneels, touching the surface of the fragment. In an instant, her old visions return: Sheena standing before a massive altar, blood flowing from her palms, the sound of ancient incantations vibrating the air. The voice harmonizes with the whispering wind, awakening dark memories within Rinoa. She imbues the sealing magic into the ground, sharing power with angels, humans, and even Fitran. Outside the altar, a massive black dragon screams in rage, its shadow shattering the sky and earth. The sound of that scream still echoes, inviting an unspeakable fear and horror, making Rinoa feel as if that monstrosity is now near her.
"Do you see it too?" Fitran asks quietly. Panic begins to creep between them, spreading like a fire igniting. His voice is filled with worry flowing through every word, creating an unavoidable sense of urgency. Rinoa nods slowly, cold sweat dampening her temples. "Sheena—she paid with her own soul to keep the world intact. But the seal… was never perfect. There are cracks, parts left open, like… a door always waiting for someone to open it from within." The final outcome of that exchange seems to be waiting to be revealed, and Rinoa knows that every passing second could be the end of everything.
Rinoa nods slowly. "Sheena—she paid with her own soul to keep the world intact. But the seal… was never perfect. There are cracks, parts left open, like… a door always waiting for someone to open it from within."
The leyline cracks beneath the Sanctuary are now clearer. With every second, the blue-purple light grows stronger, flowing along the ancient roots, splitting the ground up to the surface. Dark clouds gather above, as if witnessing something dangerous happening, signaling bad omens. Rinoa presses the seal fragment deeper, hoping to find remnants of Sheena's magic that could be used to strengthen the defenses. However, when she tries to delve into the weave of magic, she finds a strange emptiness—a void behind the seal, swirling like a small black hole.
"Fitran, feel this. There's something inside—like an eye watching us from behind the walls of the world." A cold shiver crawls down Rinoa's spine, making her hair stand on end. She feels a strange vibration, as if a voice is whispering from within that emptiness, calling with a faint tone. The voice is soft yet terrifying, creating doubt in her heart.
Fitran tries to connect his magic with Rinoa's. For a moment, they are swept away in a current of memories: ancient wars, dragon screams, the voice of Fitran calling from afar, and finally, the voice of Sheena herself—soft, mournful, full of pleading. Yet, amidst those memories, Rinoa feels the walls of fear beginning to swell. In that cloud of smoke, she can see faint shadows from the past, figures trapped in darkness, struggling to escape from a grim fate.
"Guard this door... do not let Tiamat be born again. The world cannot bear another cycle of destruction. But if this door opens... do not release your will, Rinoa. Be the fire that rejects the void."
In that voice, there is a blend of despair and hope, demanding that Rinoa prepare to face whatever comes next. The energy around them becomes increasingly tense, as if time begins to slow its pace, waiting for the moment that will change everything.
Rinoa takes a deep breath, holding back tears. She knows that the voice is not just a memory, but a real message sent through time and magic. Yet reality is now too fragile to believe only in old messages. Every time she tries to fill the emptiness in the seal, the blue-purple spiral strikes back, almost swallowing her soul. The sound of her heartbeat echoes in the silence, reminding her that every wasted second brings them closer to the void she fears.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembles. The leyline cracks widen, releasing thin smoke and small flames like strange sparks—black, purple, and blue all at once. From a distance, the screams of the Sanctuary guards discovering new gaps at the city's foundation can be heard. Rinoa feels fear creeping within her, like a dark shadow enveloping all her hopes. She knows that without swift action, everything she has fought for will be in vain.
"We don't have much time," Fitran says. His voice is firm, though there is a slight tremor of anxiety that cannot be hidden. "If Sheena's seal truly breaks, Tiamat will find a way out. And… I sense something else—an ancient power, even older than Fitran's magic. Perhaps… primordial spirals."
Rinoa stands, her eyes staring deeply at the glowing cracks. That mysterious light seems to call to her, shaking the confidence she has built. She feels her entire body pulled in two directions: one towards the past, one towards the future. If she fails here, everything will end in darkness—but if she succeeds, the world that is born may never be the same. In her mind, memories of the past flash, memories that should have been joyful, but now have turned into burdens that bind her. She feels the cold wind sweeping across her face, as if emphasizing the urgency of the current situation.
"Take this fragment to the main altar," Rinoa commands, her voice trembling yet filled with determination. "Fitran, prepare all the former paladins and samurai who are still loyal. If we fail to close this crack, we will fight beneath a sky that no longer favors anyone." With every word she utters, she can feel uncertainty enveloping the space around them, as if time stands still, waiting for an answer to her most fundamental question: Are they truly capable of preventing the awakening of the darkness that has long been imprisoned?
Fitran nods, then disappears in a white light out of the corridor. The sound of his footsteps, which could previously be heard, now vanishes as if swallowed by the darkness, adding to the suffocating silence in Rinoa's heart.
Rinoa stands alone before the leyline crack, her breath quickening in the cold air. She raises her hand, calling upon the power of Michael within her—but also allowing the spiral of her Fitran heritage to emerge in her palm. The two powers intertwine, forming a spiral of light and fire that pulses slowly, radiating a glow that vibrates with the intensity of fear and hope. With each passing second, the tension in the air becomes more palpable, as if urging her to act before it is too late.
She presses her hand to the ground. The leyline crack flashes momentarily, then screams—truly screams—in a voice unlike anything that has ever existed on earth. Nya gh, reaching out, chasing the opportunity that has been missed for so long, that voice seeps into her soul, stirring memories, revealing past sins that have never been forgiven. Each scream tears at her calmness, shaking her memories of happiness that she once had, now vanished into the void of evil that awakens before her.
Rinoa cries, but she does not falter. Her tears mix with the blood flowing from the corners of her mouth, creating a chilling sight. "If the world must break, let it break through my hands. I am the child of an angel and the void. I am the last door." Her voice echoes, sounding as if she is calling out to the darkness that threatens her. She knows that her words are a promise that could change everything, yet in her heart, she feels the weight of the burden she must bear.
The crack slowly begins to close, but not because of Rinoa's magic—rather, because something within it has awakened. For a moment, Rinoa sees a giant shadow in the swirling blue-purple: Tiamat, the dragon with a thousand eyes, staring back at her. In that gaze, she sees eternal hatred and profound sadness, like a storm ready to strike. The threatening shadow seems intent on destroying her dreams and closing all exits to hope.
"The seal of the world is no longer yours, Rinoa. I am the daughter of destruction. Open the door, and see the new world that awaits you." Tiamat's voice splits the silence, a terrifying and tempting call at once. Rinoa feels the hairs on her neck stand up, a sign that this is the beginning of a battle far greater than mere physical combat.
Rinoa collapses, blood flowing from her nose and mouth. Pain spreads throughout her body, seeping into her bones and soul, yet she remains standing, wiping the wounds with trembling hands. In her heart, one question keeps spinning: "What must I do next?" Her gaze wanders, searching for a way to turn the tide, to defeat the darkness that is merely waiting for a chance to seize everything.
From above, the sound of war drums and the cries of the people begin to fade, replaced by the rumbling of the cracked earth. The screams and heart-wrenching wails that once filled the air now feel like distant whispers, signaling that despair has penetrated every corner of the city. A new chapter has begun: a chapter where every door will only lead the world deeper into the abyss. Rinoa holds her breath, feeling the biting fear, like thousands of daggers piercing her soul, as she is drawn towards the unknown shadow ahead.
"Are you ready to bear the consequences?" a mysterious voice jolts from the darkness, making her hair stand on end.