The air shifted as they stepped beyond the border.
No more echoes of explosions.
No more rumbles of battle.
All that remained was pressure.
Faint.
Yet steadily building with each step.
Aurelia walked ahead.
Her eyes were no longer searching.
She already knew the direction.
North.
The pull was clear now.
Not just a hint.
But a call.
The Blood Pact bond pulsed steadily.
Yet beneath it.
There was something else.
Deeper.
Colder.
As if something far away was trying to reach back.
"We're getting closer," murmured Kael, his eyes sweeping the dark horizon.
Ragnar rolled his shoulders, as if warming up his body.
"Good. I'm getting tired of walking."
Orion remained calm.
His steps were light.
But his gaze was sharp.
"Don't let your guard down."
Aurelia stopped suddenly.
Everyone halted immediately.
The ground ahead of them had changed.
The red cracks were no longer small.
Now they stretched wide.
Like open wounds.
And from within them—
Red light flowed.
Not glowing.
But… seeping.
Like blood.
Aurelia stared at it.
Her breath slowed.
"This isn't a branch…"
She spoke softly.
"…it's the main path."
Kael nodded.
"A massive network."
Ragnar grinned.
"Finally we've reached something important."
Orion stepped closer.
But not too close.
"There's something down there."
Aurelia didn't need to be told.
She already felt it.
Stronger than before.
More alive.
And… more aware.
She closed her eyes.
Trying to feel deeper.
And in an instant.
She saw it.
Those red pathways.
All leading to one point.
North.
But—
Not just one.
Several paths branched off.
Yet they all ended at the same core.
Aurelia opened her eyes.
"Everything connects there."
Kael smiled faintly.
"Good. We have a target."
Ragnar raised his fist.
"Then we'll destroy everything in our way."
Orion shook his head.
"We don't have time for that."
Aurelia nodded.
"He's already sent a signal."
She stared at the large crack.
"And they must be ready by now."
A moment of silence fell.
Then—
The ground trembled.
Subtly.
But clearly.
Everyone tensed at once.
Ragnar grinned wide.
"Looks like we don't need to search anymore."
The crack widened.
Slowly.
The red light from within grew brighter.
And from the darkness—
Something moved.
But not just one.
Many.
Dozens of figures emerged.
Smaller than the creatures they'd faced before.
But their numbers.
Covered the ground.
Wraiths.
But different.
Their bodies were more solid.
Red cracks were clearly visible on their skin.
Kael sighed.
"Upgraded versions."
Orion added,
"And directly connected to the main path."
Ragnar laughed loudly.
"Good."
He stepped forward.
"I like big numbers."
Aurelia raised her hand.
"Formation."
Her voice was calm.
But understood immediately.
Ragnar at the front.
Kael on the right.
Orion on the left.
Aurelia in the center.
The Wraiths began to move.
Not in a rush.
But steadily.
Like a wave.
BOOOM.
Ragnar struck first.
His large fist crushed several at once.
They didn't shatter completely.
Their bodies reformed.
Faster than before.
Ragnar frowned.
"Regeneration."
Kael appeared on the other side.
His attack sliced through several parts.
But the result was the same.
"Connected to the source."
Orion said quickly,
"We have to cut their connection."
Aurelia understood at once.
She closed her eyes.
Feeling the flow of energy.
And she found it.
Red threads.
Linking every Wraith to the large crack.
Aurelia opened her eyes.
"Don't focus on them."
She said firmly.
"Focus on the pathways."
Ragnar grinned.
"Now that's a plan."
He slammed his fist into the ground.
Creating space.
Kael moved quickly.
Diverting the Wraiths' attention.
Orion held off attacks from the other side.
Aurelia stepped forward.
Straight toward the crack.
Wraiths tried to block her.
The Blood Pact bond pulsed.
Ragnar cleared the way.
Kael covered the gaps.
Orion maintained the rhythm.
Aurelia reached the front of the crack.
The red light blazed bright.
A great pressure hit her.
But she didn't step back.
She raised her hand.
Golden light gathered.
But this time.
She didn't attack.
She searched.
Finding the main node.
And—
She found it.
A single knot.
Where all connections met.
Aurelia pressed her hand into the air.
"Cut."
BOOOOM.
Golden light burst into the pathway.
Like a blade.
Severing.
In an instant.
All the Wraiths stopped.
Their bodies froze.
Then—
Shattered.
Turning to red dust.
Silence fell.
Ragnar laughed loudly.
"That's more like it!"
Kael smiled faintly.
"Efficient."
Orion nodded.
"We don't need to destroy everything."
Aurelia slowly pulled her hand back.
Her breath was slightly heavy.
But her eyes remained focused.
"This was just a guard."
She stared north.
"The real one… is waiting."
Ragnar grinned.
"Good."
He rolled his shoulders.
"I'm starting to get excited."
Kael glanced toward the horizon.
"The energy is rising."
Orion added,
"And growing more stable."
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
"That means…"
She spoke softly.
"…the core is already active."
Silence.
But this time—
Not fear.
But readiness.
Aurelia stepped forward again.
Without hesitation.
"There's no turning back."
Kael nodded.
"There never was."
Ragnar laughed.
"Good."
Orion stared ahead.
"We're entering their territory."
Aurelia didn't look back.
But her voice was clear.
"No."
She spoke softly.
"…they will be entering ours."
The wind blew harder.
The red light to the north grew brighter.
As if welcoming them.
Or challenging them.
And in the darkness.
Something larger began to move.
Waiting.
For an unavoidable meeting.
Their steps resumed.
But this time.
No one spoke.
Not because they had run out of words.
But because everyone felt the same thing.
The pressure was closer.
More real.
The ground beneath their feet began to change.
Red cracks no longer appeared occasionally.
Now they were part of the surface.
Like open veins.
Carrying something that shouldn't exist in this world.
Aurelia slowed her steps.
Not out of hesitation.
But because she wanted to feel more clearly.
Every vibration.
Every shift.
The Blood Pact bond remained steady.
But beneath it.
The newly awakened power began to move more actively.
As if responding to their nearness to the core.
"I don't like this," murmured Kael, this time without a smile.
Ragnar glanced at him briefly.
"That means we're on the right track."
Orion didn't respond.
His gaze was fixed ahead.
But his fingers were slightly tense.
Aurelia stopped again.
But this time—
More suddenly.
The air ahead of them… shifted.
Not because of pressure.
But because.
It was empty.
No energy.
No vibration.
No life.
Like a space cut away from the world.
"Do you feel it?" asked Aurelia softly.
Kael nodded.
"Like… emptiness."
Ragnar frowned.
"I don't feel anything."
Orion stepped closer.
Then stopped.
"Because this isn't something that can be felt with ordinary power."
Aurelia stared at the area.
Her eyes narrowed.
She stepped forward.
One step—
And the world changed.
BOOOM.
There was no explosion.
But the sensation was like falling into another space.
The ground beneath her feet vanished for a moment.
The sky above turned completely dark.
Ragnar followed immediately behind her.
"What is this.."
Kael and Orion followed.
And in an instant.
They were all in a different place.
Not the Shadowlands.
Not the outer world.
But—
A space in between.
Everything was dark.
But not completely empty.
Red lines floated in the air.
Like frozen energy pathways.
Aurelia looked around.
"This…"
Orion answered softly,
"Connection space."
Kael crossed his arms.
"The place where all pathways meet before reaching the core."
Ragnar grinned.
"So we got a shortcut."
Aurelia stepped forward.
But her steps felt different.
Lighter.
But also… less stable.
As if reality here wasn't completely solid.
"Be careful," said Orion.
"This place doesn't follow the same laws."
Aurelia nodded.
But before she could step further.
A voice rang out.
Clearer than before.
Closer.
"…finally…"
Aurelia froze.
She recognized the voice.
The one from within the seal.
The one that had tried to connect with her.
Ragnar tensed at once.
"There's another one."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"No… this is different."
Orion stared ahead.
"This isn't a projection."
The red lines in the air began to move.
Gathering.
Forming something.
Slowly.
A figure emerged.
Not like the ones before.
Not large.
Not physically intimidating.
But.
Its aura…
Heavier.
Deeper.
Older.
The figure stood.
Its form was almost human-like.
But its body seemed made of dense red shadow.
Its eyes opened.
Fixated directly on Aurelia.
"You've come."
Its voice was calm.
But echoed throughout the space.
Aurelia stared back.
"You're the one inside the seal."
The figure smiled faintly.
"I am the one who waited."
Silence fell.
But not an empty silence.
But one full of meaning.
Ragnar stepped forward.
"Enough talking."
But before he could attack.
His body stopped.
Unable to move.
He frowned.
"What is this.."
Kael tried to move.
But with the same result.
Orion was also tense.
"He… controls this space."
Aurelia could still move.
She realized it.
The figure stepped closer.
Slowly.
Without threat.
"Interesting."
It spoke softly.
"Only you are free."
Aurelia didn't step back.
"Because you wanted me to be."
The figure smiled wider.
"Correct."
It stopped a few steps in front of her.
"I wanted to see you up close."
The bond within Aurelia vibrated.
Not a warning.
But… resonance.
The figure raised its hand.
Not to attack.
To reach out.
"Do you know…"
It spoke softly.
"…what you truly are?"
Aurelia narrowed her eyes.
"I'm not interested in your games."
The figure let out a small laugh.
"It's not a game."
It stared deeply at her.
"It's the truth."
The red lines around them vibrated.
The light in Aurelia's eyes responded.
Unconsciously.
The figure continued,
"You are not just Luna."
It paused for a moment.
"And not just a key."
Aurelia felt something vibrate within her.
Stronger than before.
More… profound.
"I know what I am."
Her voice was firm.
The figure shook its head slightly.
"No."
It whispered.
"You are the door."
Silence fell.
Heavier than before.
Aurelia clenched her fists.
The light on her body began to rise.
"If I am the door…"
She said coldly.
"…then I decide what may pass through."
The figure smiled.
Proudly.
As if hearing the answer it had hoped for.
"Good…"
It stepped back.
Slowly.
"Because you will open it."
The red lines began to spin.
The space trembled.
Ragnar could finally move slightly.
"Aurelia!"
Kael and Orion also began to break free from the pressure.
But the figure started to fade.
"We will meet again…"
Its voice faded.
"…at the core."
Red light burst forth.
The space collapsed.
And in an instant.
They were back in the real world.
The ground beneath their feet cracked.
The air grew heavy again.
But one thing was clear.
Now they weren't just heading to the core.
The core itself.
Was already waiting for them.