The stairs to the Moon Palace were broken.
Which felt appropriate.
Apparently, every divine location across multiple worlds had collectively agreed that proper entrances were unnecessary.
White stone steps floated above the silver lake like the remains of a shattered dream, broken by the abyss serpent's rage and stained by black moonwater corruption.
Each step pulsed faintly with ancient lunar runes.
Each step also looked like a terrible place to fall from.
I looked up at the floating palace suspended beneath the fractured blue moon.
Elegant towers of white crystal.
Moonlit bridges hanging in impossible silence.
Ruined gardens drifting between shattered walls.
Beautiful.
Ancient.
And probably full of things trying to kill me.
Perfect.
Yue Xiang walked ahead of us, silver-blue robes flowing behind her, every step across the broken stairs carried by moonlight itself.
She moved as if she belonged to the palace.
Which, to be fair, she did.
Jian followed beside me in complete silence.
Still injured.
Still guilty.
Still carrying the emotional energy of a funeral.
I decided to be helpful.
"So," I said, stepping over a cracked stair, "awkward question."
He gave me the expression of a man already regretting the conversation.
"How many traps are inside?"
"Many."
Helpful.
"Can you define many?"
"Yes."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
I sighed.
Yue Xiang, without turning around, said quietly,
"Enough that speaking less may improve your survival."
Excellent.
Both of them had chosen violence.
Emotional violence.
We continued upward.
The moment we crossed the final stair, the air changed.
The Moon Palace courtyard was silent in a way that felt unnatural.
Moonflowers of silver glass stood frozen in bloom.
Broken statues of past sovereigns watched from cracked marble paths.
The entire palace looked untouched by time—
except for the black corruption spreading like veins through the stone.
Something had entered here.
And it had not asked permission.
ARINA's voice echoed softly.
"Corruption density is increasing."
A panel unfolded.
Location: Moon Palace — Outer Court Abyss Corruption: High Gate Fragment Resonance: Detected Below
Below.
Good.
At least the system was consistent about sending me underground.
Yue Xiang stopped before the palace gates.
Massive silver doors carved with moon phases and flowing rivers.
At the centre—
a handprint seal.
She placed her palm against it.
The doors opened with a low, ancient sound.
Cold air rushed out.
Jian lowered his voice.
"The lower sanctum begins beneath the Hall of Reflection."
I glanced at him.
"You're surprisingly useful when not betraying sovereigns."
He did not look amused.
Fair.
Inside, the palace was even more beautiful.
And more unsettling.
Moonlight flowed through crystal ceilings like liquid silver.
Long halls of mirrored water reflected things that weren't there.
For a moment, I saw my own reflection—
Except it wasn't me.
It was older.
Wearing black robes.
Eyes colder.
Then it vanished.
I stopped walking.
Nope.
Absolutely not.
I pointed at the floor.
"Your palace is haunted."
Yue Xiang kept walking.
"It shows possibility, not ghosts."
That was somehow worse.
We entered the Hall of Reflection.
A vast circular chamber with a lake-like mirror floor so clear it looked like the sky had been trapped beneath us.
At the centre stood a silver throne.
Empty.
Cracked.
And behind it—
a staircase descending into darkness.
The lower sanctum.
Before we could move, Jian suddenly drew his blade.
Fast.
Sharp.
I turned instinctively.
Three shadows dropped from the ceiling.
Assassins.
Black robes.
Silver masks.
Not Moon Shrine.
Not local.
Covenant.
One went for Yue Xiang.
One for Jian.
One for me.
I barely blocked with my forearm.
Pain shot through my arm as the assassin's dagger scraped across my sleeve.
Poison blade.
Wonderful.
I kicked backwards and created distance.
Jian clashed with his attacker in complete silence.
No wasted movement.
No hesitation.
Maybe guilt really did improve performance.
Yue Xiang didn't even draw her full blade.
She moved once.
The assassin hit the mirror floor.
Did not get up.
Professional.
I focused on mine.
He was faster than the shrine assassins.
More precise.
Less dramatic.
Definitely Covenant.
He struck low.
Then high.
Then disappeared into the reflection beneath my feet.
I hated everything about that.
He rose from the mirrored floor behind me.
I turned too late—
and a silver knife stopped inches from my throat.
Not mine.
Yue Xiang's.
She stood behind the assassin, crescent blade against her neck.
Her voice was calm.
"Who sent you?"
The assassin laughed softly.
Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
"Too late."
Then he bit down.
Poison.
Dead before he hit the floor.
I stared.
"Do your enemies ever choose less dramatic exits?"
"No."
She sounded tired.
Reasonable.
Jian crouched beside the body.
Then his expression changed.
He pulled a black insignia from beneath the assassin's robe.
A broken star.
Obsidian Covenant.
Confirmed.
He looked up.
"They reached the sanctum first."
Of course they did.
Because Ashborn apparently travelled by narrative convenience.
ARINA's panel flashed.
Urgent Warning: Lunar Heart Seal is actively being corrupted. Estimated Seal Failure: 01:12:44
One hour.
Much less vacation than expected.
Yue Xiang turned toward the descending staircase.
Her moonlight aura sharpened.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only sovereign authority.
"The Lunar Heart is below."
She looked at both of us.
"If the seal breaks, this realm dies."
I nodded.
Jian lowered his blade.
No words needed.
We were all past speeches now.
We stepped toward the darkness beneath the throne.
Toward the corrupted heart of the realm.
Toward the next gate fragment.
And maybe—
if fate was feeling unusually generous—
another clue left behind by Professor Mehra.
The stairs spiralled downward.
Cold.
Silent.
Ancient.
And somewhere far below—
Something was waiting.
Something old enough to remember when the gates were first opened.
I took a slow breath.
Then followed the Moon Sovereign into the dark.