🌑
The palace moved instantly.
Knights rushed through the corridors, nobles panicked, servants hid behind shattered walls while alarms echoed across the capital.
---
But Rosy walked calmly.
---
That was somehow worse.
---
Her dark hair swayed behind her as she stepped through the ruined halls toward the northern gates, Azrael and Kael following closely beside her.
---
The closer they got—
The colder the air became.
---
Not because of Kael.
---
Because something outside the walls was wrong.
---
Very wrong.
---
Rosy could feel it.
---
Like a pulse beneath her skin.
---
Recognition.
---
The thing outside knew her.
---
And some terrifying part of her…
Knew it too.
---
"…You're unstable again," Kael said quietly beside her.
---
Rosy didn't look at him.
"…I noticed."
---
Azrael glanced at her carefully.
"…Do you recognize the presence?"
---
A pause.
---
"…No."
---
Another.
---
"…But my body does."
---
Silence.
---
That answer alone was enough to make both men tense.
---
The northern gates finally came into view.
---
Hundreds of knights surrounded the massive walls, weapons drawn despite visibly trembling hands.
---
Some were praying.
Others looked seconds away from fleeing.
---
And when Rosy stepped onto the wall—
The entire battlefield fell silent.
---
Because the creature below the gates—
Moved.
---
It was enormous.
Far larger than the city walls themselves.
---
Its body looked unfinished—
Like darkness molded into flesh incorrectly.
---
Hundreds of black eyes covered its form.
Blinking.
Watching.
---
And every single eye—
Turned toward Rosy at once.
---
The knights nearly collapsed from terror.
---
"…What the hell is that…" someone whispered.
---
The creature opened something resembling a mouth.
---
Then spoke.
---
"ETERNAL… SUN…"
---
Its voice shook the sky itself.
---
Rosy froze.
---
Because the moment it spoke—
A sharp pain pierced her chest.
---
A memory flashed instantly.
---
Black oceans.
A burning sky.
Thousands of creatures kneeling before her.
---
And that same voice whispering:
---
"Guide us home."
---
Rosy staggered.
---
Azrael caught her immediately.
"…Rosy."
---
Her breathing became uneven.
"…I know that voice."
---
Kael's expression darkened sharply.
"…From where?"
---
Rosy looked down at the creature below.
---
"…I don't remember."
---
The creature moved again.
---
The city walls shook violently.
---
Knights panicked instantly.
---
"IT'S APPROACHING!"
---
"Hold formation!"
---
"Protect the Grand Duke!"
---
The creature ignored everyone.
---
It only stared at Rosy.
---
Then suddenly—
All its eyes widened at once.
---
"FOUND."
---
The word echoed violently across the capital.
---
And then—
It smiled.
---
The sight was horrifying.
---
Because something that unnatural should not know how to smile.
---
Kael immediately stepped in front of Rosy.
Ice exploded outward from beneath his feet, freezing entire sections of the battlefield instantly.
---
"…You're not touching her."
---
The creature tilted its massive head slowly.
---
"CHILD… OF WINTER…"
---
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"…It knows me?"
---
Azrael's expression sharpened instantly.
"…No."
---
A pause.
---
"It recognizes the Blackwell bloodline."
---
Rosy looked toward the creature again carefully.
---
"…What are you."
---
All the eyes blinked simultaneously.
---
Then—
"WE… WAITED."
---
The sky darkened further.
---
"WAITED FOR THE SUN TO WAKE."
---
Rosy's chest tightened painfully.
---
Fragments appeared again—
A giant door.
Chains.
Darkness whispering her name endlessly.
---
She grabbed her head sharply.
"…Stop…"
---
Azrael immediately held her steady.
"…Don't force the memories."
---
But the creature kept speaking.
---
"RETURN."
---
Another step toward the gate.
The walls trembled violently.
---
"THE VOID CALLS FOR ITS HEART."
---
Silence crashed through the battlefield.
---
Kael's icy aura exploded instantly.
"…Void?"
---
Her father appeared atop the wall suddenly.
Expression colder than before.
---
"…So they found her already."
---
Azrael looked toward him sharply.
"…You knew this would happen."
---
"…Eventually."
---
Rosy slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes darkening again.
---
"…What is the Void."
---
No one answered immediately.
---
Which terrified her.
---
The creature below suddenly slammed against the gate.
---
BOOM.
---
The entire capital shook.
---
Screams erupted everywhere.
---
"THE GATE WON'T HOLD!"
---
Kael raised one hand instantly.
---
Ice surged downward like a storm, freezing the creature's limbs temporarily against the ground.
---
The battlefield gasped.
---
Because entire mountains of ice erupted from the earth in seconds.
---
But the creature only laughed.
---
A horrible sound.
Wet.
Broken.
---
"WINTER CHILD… TOO WEAK."
---
CRACK.
---
Kael's ice shattered instantly.
---
The impact threw several knights backward violently.
---
Kael himself slid slightly across the stone.
His eyes widened faintly.
---
"…It broke ancient ice magic?"
---
Azrael stepped forward slowly now.
Dark pressure spreading around him.
---
"…Move back."
---
The creature's eyes shifted toward him.
---
Then suddenly—
Every eye narrowed.
---
"TRAITOR."
---
Silence.
---
Rosy looked sharply toward Azrael.
"…Traitor?"
---
Azrael's expression became unreadable.
---
The creature's voice deepened.
---
"YOU STOLE THE SUN."
---
The world seemed to stop.
---
Kael immediately looked between Rosy and Azrael suspiciously.
"…What does that mean."
---
Azrael didn't answer.
---
Which was already suspicious enough.
---
Rosy slowly turned toward him.
"…Azrael."
---
He sighed softly.
"…Now really isn't the best time."
---
"…That means yes."
---
Kael's icy gaze became murderous instantly.
"…Explain."
---
Before Azrael could respond—
The creature screamed.
---
A horrifying sound tore across the battlefield as black energy erupted from its body violently.
---
The gates cracked.
---
Then exploded inward.
---
The capital screamed.
---
Knights charged desperately.
Magic circles lit the sky.
---
Chaos erupted instantly.
---
But Rosy—
Didn't move.
---
Because in the middle of the destruction—
The creature looked directly at her and whispered:
---
"COME HOME."
---
And deep inside her—
Something answered.
---
The shadow behind her stirred violently.
---
Azrael noticed first.
His expression changed instantly.
---
"…No."
---
Rosy's eyes darkened again.
Black and violet swirling dangerously.
---
Because the worst part wasn't the creature.
---
The worst part—
Was that for one horrifying second…
---
Going with it sounded comforting.
---
End of Chapter 26