It had been three days since we buried Soo-Ah. That day, I cried uncontrollably—for the first ti in a long ti, I didn't hold back. It felt like a debt I had to pay, a price for my failure. It was my fault, after all.
But now, we were traveling further east. I only knew one thing: Jeong Suhan was out there, sowhere. Finding him in this vast world felt like chasing a shadow—an almost impossible task.
So we decided to search for civilization. If Kim Ha-Joon had managed to build his so-called empire, it stood to reason that others might have done the sa. Sowhere out there, in this sprawling world, soone would hold the key to finding him.
Those at the top always craved more power. In this untad world, new kings and emperors would erge, rising to the top and enslaving the weak. But I would never be one of their pawns. I would never be tad. I would always stand above their empires.
"Big sis, is sothing on your mind?" Kim Seong-Hoon's voice broke through my thoughts.
I looked over at him as we rode the wolves, his curious eyes eting mine. For a mont, I was pulled from my musings, grounded in the present by his gaze.
"I guess..." I replied coldly, steering Ravokar further away from him.
The area we were in now was shrouded in darkness, as if death itself had claid this land. The desolation was absolute—no signs of life, only an eerie stillness that clung to the air. It sent a shiver down my spine, making uneasy.
For so reason, this place felt familiar, though I couldn't quite place why.
This looks like the place where I saw the Goddess of Fire destroy everything in front of her... Don't tell it's the sa place.
I tried to envision the scene from my mory, but it was too vague, blurred by ti and emotion. Only the scorched black ground bore a resemblance to the place etched in my mind.
"You know," Kim Seong-Hoon said, breaking the silence, "I have an interesting feeling about this place. It's like there might be treasure hidden here. Look ahead—there's an old mountain in the distance. Maybe we'll find sothing there."
He slumped against Vargrin, his body almost lifeless as he let out a long groan. "Also, I'm starving. We haven't eaten anything all day."
His complaints, though grating, brought a sliver of normalcy to this unsettling place.
"Big brother Seong-Hoon, you complain too much!" Jieun scolded, her voice stern. "Look at big sister Gaon—she hasn't eaten anything for ages, and she's not whining about it."
Her words made chuckle softly.
"What do you an? That's because she doesn't even need food," Seong-Hoon retorted, rolling his eyes dramatically before letting out a long sigh.
"What's that?" Eun-Woo suddenly interjected, pointing ahead.
His finger directed our gaze to a tall statue perched atop the mountain. We hadn't noticed it from a distance, but now, as we drew closer, its form beca clearer—a small figure with long hair stood there.
At first glance, I thought it might be the statue of a girl, but as I studied it more closely, it resembled a boy. The child's features were delicate, yet there was sothing haunting about the way it stood, watching over the desolate land.
"Let's move. It's a small mountain—it'll only take a mont to get there," I said, spurring Ravokar forward.
The wolf dashed ahead, and within monts, we reached the base of the small mountain. The entire area was black and barren, lifeless. Not even a single blade of grass dared to grow here. Only the scorching sun stood as its silent companion.
"Get up there," I growled, my voice commanding.
Ravokar didn't hesitate, leaping into motion with a streak of golden light. It climbed the rocky terrain effortlessly, navigating the steep ascent as if it were nothing. In no ti, we stood next to the statue of the boy.
His figure seed to be crafted from copper—or perhaps sothing even more refined. Despite its age, it appeared untouched, gleaming under the sun as though it had just been sculpted.
There was sothing profoundly striking about it, especially the eyes. They seed to hold the secrets of the world, staring into the horizon with an intensity that sent a chill through .
"How can there be a statue in this world? Did sobody suddenly build it here?" Jieun asked as she caught up to , her gaze fixed on the boy's figure. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and admiration as if she were captivated by its beauty.
I had to admit, the boy was strikingly handso. For soone her age, it might even seem attractive. They looked to be of a similar age, after all.
"No idea," I replied, my voice steady despite the lie.
The truth of this world—and the tragic accident tied to it—would stay with . I had no intention of revealing those secrets to anyone. Not now, perhaps not ever.
And then there was the Fire Goddess. Her gift of abilities had co far too easily, leaving wary of her true intentions. I was grateful, of course, but I couldn't take her generosity for granted. Trusting her blindly would be foolish.
The truth of this world... I thought to myself, my resolve hardening. I'll uncover it with my own hands soday.
"How mysterious..." Both n said it at the sa ti, glancing at each other with matching smiles. Without a word, they bumped fists, a silent acknowledgnt of their synchronicity.
"This place is far too desolate. I can't imagine soone placing a statue here for no reason," Kim Seong-Hoon said, his tone unusually serious. "Could there have been a civilization here before us?"
His words sent a shiver through . For all his antics, Kim Seong-Hoon's thoughts were sharp—sotis sharper than I cared to admit. He might be an idiot, but he was the smartest and most fearso idiot I'd ever t.
"Look, there's so sort of text down there," Malrang suddenly chid in, her paw pointing toward the base of the statue.
At the bottom, golden letters glead faintly in the sunlight. The words were written in Latin letters, their aning just barely visible against the coppery surface.
"What's that? It looks like so sort of language," Jieun said, squinting at the golden text as she tried to decipher its aning.
"Can any of you read it?" she asked, her curiosity evident.
"I can try," Kim Seong-Hoon replied confidently. He leaned closer to the base of the statue and began to read aloud. "Ruearan masala teva garni sanai..."
The words flowed calmly from his lips, but each syllable carried an otherworldly weight. I could feel it—each letter crashing into my soul, nourishing it in a way I couldn't explain. Experience more on empire
The ground beneath us trembled violently. The statue's eyes lit up with a brilliant golden glow, enveloping us in radiant light.
Before I could process what was happening, the world around us shifted.
When the light faded, I found myself standing in a different world—a world untouched by devastation. The sky was clear, the air vibrant with life. It was the world as it must have been before the catastrophe struck.
The others stood beside , their faces a mix of confusion and awe. Yet, it was only the four of us. The beasts were nowhere to be seen, as if this place wasn't ant for the creatures of the Creator to witness.
The statue stood before us, unchanged. Its surface glead as though freshly crafted, the sa pristine and enigmatic figure, untouched by ti.
From the mountain, my eyes were drawn to a sprawling, bustling civilization. A massive city stretched endlessly, its grandeur overwhelming. Rivers of blue and white liquid floated gracefully through the air, weaving between towering structures. I quickly realized what it was—concentrated soul power. My enhanced vision allowed to see the currents of energy, their raw power beyond anything I had ever imagined.
The sheer magnitude of it filled with awe... and fear. For the first ti in a long while, I felt an urge to kneel, as if I were standing in the presence of sothing divine.
"What is this place?" Jieun murmured, her voice trembling with wonder. Her wide eyes sparkled like gems as she gazed ahead.
"This is..." I hesitated, searching for the words. I knew exactly where we were, but explaining it was another matter entirely. "This is the world before it was destroyed," I said softly. "Long... long before our ti."
I locked my gaze on a massive citadel in the distance. It towered over the city, at least one hundred ters tall, it was made from diamonds and gems. Just looking at it made my chest tighten. Deep down, I felt certain I knew who lived there.
"How do you know that?"
All of them turned to at once, their expressions demanding answers. I let out a deep sigh.
"It's a long story," I replied. "Let's stay here for a while. I'll explain everything, but I think it's dangerous for us to move around here recklessly."
I sat down cross-legged, bracing myself. Slowly, I began to recount what had happened with the Blazelia Gem. The words felt heavy, each one reluctant to leave my lips. But hiding the truth seed impossible now.
"You... you an to tell us that we can escape this system soday?" Eun-Woo roared, his booming voice cutting through the tension.
"Shhh! You big idiot!" I hissed, glaring at him. "If we ntion the system in this ti and place, we could die! Who knows how powerful the people of this era were?"
My voice dropped to a whisper. "All of this might be an illusion, but it feels too real to take any chances."
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