Chapter 54

054.

A thick fog lay ahead.

This was the entity of the ripple seen before diving into the pit. And to Kalen, this fog was not unfamiliar.

It was simply fascinating.

There was no sense of a floor beneath their feet. The strange fog that covered their feet gave the impression of walking on air.

The fog spread across Hiart Mountain and the cave from which it emerged. Although the reason for the abundance of monsters here is still unclear, it seemed to be somehow related.

Though elementals and monsters are clearly different beings, the betrayal of the three elementals who supposedly turned against the Elemental Realm raises concerns. If this strange fog stems from the power of the traitors, then it makes some sense that the monsters might also originate from them.

It had been some time since they entered the pit or tomb.

Felicious and Tia-se, thanks to the queen they call their monarch, were permitted to move freely within the tomb. However, they knew they should not remain inside the tomb for too long.

This place was not designed for extended stays. They needed to quickly rescue Signath and escape.

Moreover, the final words of Felicious have been unsettling ever since they were heard.

Just then, Felicious’ gentle and melodious voice was heard, and Kalen quickly shook off his thoughts.

“…We’ll encounter them soon.”

“I understand.”

Kalen’s voice was cold and cutting like ice.

Though both humans and elementals typically lose composure and become agitated when placed in extreme situations, this was especially true in an unprecedented and potentially life-threatening scenario.

Felicious and Tia-se, as heirs designated to become monarchs, had been taught to always remain calm. But both successors knew how incredibly difficult that was.

This was old knowledge, learned during their etiquette lessons. The names of the traitors who defiled the first radiant chapter of the Elemental Realm’s history were not ones that could be easily dismissed.

That’s why they couldn’t suppress the rapid beating of their hearts. Both Felicious and Tia-se thought it was only natural, but looking at Kalen, who seemed composed yet unsettling, made them feel a bit frightened.

Kalen appeared to have forgotten emotions such as tension and anxiety. Calmly yet confidently, he was raising his fighting spirit.

Witnessing this side of Kalen provided great comfort to the two young females, who struggled to stay calm.

The reasons didn’t matter much. Kalen’s level-headed demeanor was incredibly reassuring.

“There’s a wall.”

After running through an area filled with an ominous aura, the fog that had previously been lying flat on the ground now stretched vertically, resembling a wall that seemed to disallow any further approach.

“Come out.”

Kalen extended his hand toward the wall as he spoke. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the strange fog he had encountered on Hiart Mountain.

Back then, magic was ineffective against the fog, forcing them to flee upward to avoid the monsters.

If judged only by that experience, this was a dire situation. If they couldn’t use magic, it made the situation even worse – the worst possible scenario. If they couldn’t break through this wall, they wouldn’t be able to save Signath.

But forgiveness wasn’t an option.

Kalen summoned an unfamiliar sensation and gathered light at his fingertips.

After swallowing the light speck that Tia-se gave, a spell emerged in his mind as if he had always known it. It didn’t take long to realize that this was what was called elemental magic.

In terms of tier, this was a 4th-Tier spell.

Though temporary, in that moment, Kalen was reaching for the 4th Tier.

When Kalen violently shattered the light speck he had gathered, a massive explosion followed, and the dissipated fog seemed to guide them onward.

Behind this spectacle, Felicious gasped.

What Kalen had just used was something only an heir of the Klaïmène Family could use. Though Kalen was certainly no ordinary individual, even that had its limits.

For a human who didn’t even realize if they had a contracted elemental, their capabilities had far exceeded what would be considered normal. Sinath, after years of being in their company, was still far from using the elemental magic passed down through the Eckelhart family.

Even though “Jing,” the heart of an elemental, had been fed to him, Kalen and Tia-se had only met barely a day ago.

Felicious, swallowing her shock, turned to Tia-se.

“Uh… an unexpectedly good compatibility…”

Tia-se’s cheeks turned red, and she shyly turned her face away.

“Let’s go, Felicious, Tia-se.”

It would be apt to describe as violent glimpses of genius.

Felicious had come to understand something more about Kalen, just by catching a glimpse of that small fragment of talent.

*

“…Sinath.”

Following the opened foggy wall a bit further, the three finally arrived at a space completely encased in fog.

The first thing Kalen’s eyes caught was the sight of Sinath, bound in chains to a wall with her head bowed.

The state of Sinath’s body in the human realm came to mind. The black chains suppressing Sinath seemed to have the same form as the phenomenon called ‘corrosion.’

Given the time it took to reach here, the corrosion would have progressed to about this extent.

“…Guh, hah, hah.”

Kalen held back his urge to rush forward due to an annoying laugh that tickled his ears.

Turning his eyes quietly, Kalen faced a colossal monster that was too large to take in at a glance.

The same monster he had confronted that day when he threw himself to protect Sinath was without a doubt the traitor before him now.

“…Traitor.”

Amidst the echoing laughter, Felicious’s trembling voice was heard.

“What have you done while under confinement?! Forcibly taking a human body violates the rules…!”

“Eckelhart.”

Instantaneously, an immense silence enveloped the three.

Was it even appropriate to call it silence? There was no better word to describe the disorienting, numbing moment.

“Claïmène as well.”

The giant creature, the traitor, began to quiver uncontrollably as if unable to hold back any longer. Its glowing eyes were fixed on Felicious and Kalen.

“You abhorrent descendants of hypocrisy have dared to set foot here.”

“Hypocrisy…?”

“You know nothing! What happened in the glorious era and how the history you wrote at your own convenience is fraught with lies!”

The traitor then burst out laughing forcefully, finally raising its head.

After a brief pause, when it lowered its head again, its mouth was turned into a frown.

Anger.

The traitor was clearly incensed, unable to contain its fury.

“I will sever the line of Eckelhart with my own hands. Claïmène isn’t my concern, but as long as she’s brought to me alive, I’ll figure it out.”

As soon as the words ended,

An overwhelming darkness enveloped them once more.

A power too immense for mere successors of the present era to withstand.

In the age of dawn,

Gishar, now known as the Traitor, truly believed this to be the case.

Revenge was forefront, and it filled him with bitter regret that he hadn’t inflicted enough pain.

Just as he was sweeping away the clouds formed by the aftermath to check if any descendant of Claïmène still survived,

“Hey.”

In the fog, a pitch-black gaze shone,

And it was directly aimed at Gishar himself.

“Return Sinath.”

That chilling gaze seemed to have transcended an immeasurable period of time.

“…Tia, are you alright?”

“Mmm…”

Felicious, after regaining enough composure, first checked on Tia-se.

She knew how dangerous the situation was—or at least, she thought she did.

When they sought permission from her mother to enter the tomb, the advice was to run first if they encountered the traitor.

Not just that, she had heard endlessly in her cultural history classes how powerful the traitor was.

Because she was assured that the human friend trapped inside could be quickly retrieved without any trouble, considering the traitor’s location was separated.

If she had known this would happen, she should have somehow brought her mother along.

Her legs trembled, and her vision blurred.

The tremors running through her body indicated just how overwhelming the traitor’s power was beyond imagination.

With shaking hands, Felicious supported Tia-se.

CRASH! BOOM!

At the same moment, she looked forward.

He couldn’t be much older than her and Tia-se. Though he was significantly taller and larger in comparison to them, he was dwarfed by the monstrous figure ahead.

But why?

The boy seemed recklessly bold, like an elemental dashing toward the sun.

“Dashing toward the sun” is a metaphor for someone foolishly giving their all to an impossible task, and Kalen’s charge toward the traitor looked no different.

A series of near-fatal exchanges occurred, targeting only Kalen.

The exchanges were painfully uneven.

Wherever the traitor flicked his gaze, explosions ensued;

Wherever his hand struck, space rippled and tore apart.

The initial darkness that enveloped them—it alone was enough to demonstrate how each of these blows could have easily taken Kalen’s life.

Ironically,

Kalen had been holding out so far amidst all this.

Though numerous potentially fatal attacks had been launched, Kalen hadn’t been hit once.

Occasionally, however, Kalen exerted his full strength to land attacks.

Still, this wasn’t enough to bridge the massive gap.

An elemental dashing toward the sun.

That was the chasm that existed between the traitor and Kalen.

Felicious tried to rise on her shaky legs but struggled to maintain balance after being struck earlier, collapsing back to the ground once more.

“Gah…”

Her trembling pupils moved from the traitor and Kalen and finally fell onto Signath, whose head was bowed and occasionally twitched.

“Signath…”

Even though they couldn’t communicate, their hearts were connected. The hand that Sinath extended was that warm.

Listening to the stories about Kalen from her was now something Felicious herself found interesting, and having Kalen be her first contracted human was a stroke of good fortune.

It’s forbidden for rulers and successors to contract with humans. This is because they must manage the elemental realm and because humans could never withstand the elemental magic they used.

But somehow, Sinath managed to establish a contract with her. Although she could only master the most basic elemental magic, it was still possible for her.

Felicious assumed this connection to Kalen stemmed from something he possessed, which was similar to her own family lineage.

It was a fairly accurate assumption.

Because of that, she felt somewhat lonely.

Because of that, she couldn’t ignore Sinath.

The position between the elemental and human realms.

Even if she was to become ruler one day and ought to act in the best interest of the elemental realm, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

BOOM!

Phew.

The fear that clenched her heart was overwhelming.

Felicious turned her head toward the direction of the massive sound and realized the form of a boy flying toward her.

Just his age…

Though he might be of similar age, his tall stature and build made him appear larger in contrast to herself and Tia-se. But compared to the colossal monster, he was far too insufficient.

But why?

The boy charged forward like an elemental rushing toward the sun.

“Dashing toward the sun” refers to an elemental foolishly striving with all their might for an impossible cause. This was exactly how Kalen’s charge toward the traitor looked.

Each exchange had the potential to take a life.

Of course, only Kalen’s.

The exchanges were so lopsided it was almost comical.

Wherever the traitor glanced, an explosion occurred.

Wherever his hand slashed, space rippled and tore apart.

Remembering the overwhelming darkness that enveloped them initially—each strike was more than sufficient to take Kalen’s life, yet ironically, Kalen had been holding his ground.

Despite receiving potentially fatal attacks, not one had hit him.

Occasionally, though, Kalen would deliver his all-consuming attacks.

Still, it wasn’t nearly enough to close the overwhelming gap.

An elemental rushing toward the sun.

That was the gap between Kalen and the traitor.

Shaken with trembling legs, Felicious attempted to rise but collapsed again shortly after.

“Ugh…”

Her trembling pupils moved—beyond the traitor and Kalen—they landed on Sinath with her bowed head, occasionally trembling.

“Sinath…”

Even though communication was impossible, their hearts seemed to connect. The hand Sinath extended was so warm.

Listening to stories about Kalen had become increasingly interesting to her and having Kalen be her first human contractor was quite a stroke of luck.

In principle, monarchs and successors could not contract with humans. They were supposed to govern the Elemental Realm, and humans simply couldn’t endure the Elemental Magic those of her station used.

But somehow, Sinath had managed to contract with her.

She couldn’t even use basic Elemental Magic well, yet she managed to do it.

Felicious assumed this was due to something Kalen possessed, something that resonated with her own family.

Though not entirely incorrect.

Because of this, she had felt somewhat lonely.

Because of this, she couldn’t turn away from Sinath.

The position of the Elemental Realm and the Human Realm.

Even if she was to become the ruler someday and was supposed to act solely in the interest of the Elemental Realm, she simply couldn’t do it.

BOOM!

With a sound, a boy flew toward her.

The age difference would be negligible.

Though he might have been around the same age as she and Tia-se, his tall frame and stature made him seem bigger compared to her. But against the monstrous figure in front of them, he was nowhere near enough.

Still, why?

The boy charged forward recklessly like an elemental dashing toward the sun.

“Dashing toward the sun” refers to a metaphor for an elemental throwing themselves foolishly and desperately into an impossible cause, which aptly described Kalen’s charge toward the traitor.

Even exchanges where one’s life could be lost in a flash.

It was Kalen’s alone.

The exchanges were uneven to an almost comedic degree.

Everywhere the traitor glanced, explosions would follow.

Everywhere his hand slashed, space would ripple and tear.

Recalling the overwhelming darkness that enveloped them earlier—each blow was more than enough to claim Kalen’s life, yet strangely, Kalen had held his ground despite the relentless assault.

Despite numerous potentially fatal attacks, not a single one hit him.

Occasionally, Kalen would muster all his strength to land an attack.

Still, it wasn’t enough to close the overwhelming gap.

An elemental dashing toward the sun.

That was precisely the gap between Kalen and the traitor.

Felicious struggled to rise on her trembling legs but collapsed again shortly after.

“Ugh…”

Her trembling eyes—beyond the traitor and Kalen—landed on Sinath, her head bowed, occasionally twitching.

“Sinath…”

Even without the ability to communicate, their hearts seemed to connect. The hand Sinath extended was so warm.

Listening to stories about Kalen had become an increasingly intriguing experience for her by now, and having Kalen as her first contracted human was quite fortuitous.

Practically, rulers and successors couldn’t contract with humans. They were supposed to oversee the Elemental Realm, and humans couldn’t withstand the Elemental Magic wielded by those in their station.

But somehow, Sinath managed to form a contract with her. Though her Elemental Magic was at its most basic, it was still possible for her to wield it.

Felicious assumed this was due to something Kalen had that harmonized with her own family.

Though not entirely incorrect.

Because of this, she had felt somewhat isolated.

Because of this, she couldn’t turn her back on Sinath.

The positions of the Elemental Realm and the Human Realm.

Even as someone destined to become the ruler someday, who should have acted purely in the interest of the Elemental Realm, she simply couldn’t.

CRASH!

A piercing fear squeezed her heart.

Felicious turned her head toward the source of the sound and realized the figure of the boy flying toward her.

“Ka, Kalen…”

It had failed.

Her rash judgment.

Because she didn’t want to let Sinath go, she had inadvertently led Kalen and Tia-se into death’s clutches.

Tia-se, who managed to convince the ruler of Claïmène on her behalf to lend her powers to a human, had fallen to this point due to her request.

The outcome of her plea—Kalen, who trusted her enough to be wounded and fall, was before her.

Such emotions mixed with fear caused Felicious to tremble.

Glancing briefly to the side, she saw the monstrous figure convulsing with black smoke streaming from its eyes.

Still, Kalen had managed to wound that massive figure.

An elemental dashing toward the sun.

Perhaps it wasn’t Kalen but her he addressed with that phrase.

“Cough!”

“Ti, Tia!”

Swallowing the blood at the corner of his mouth, Kalen had clearly suffered from the earlier assault. The effort had also taken a toll on Tia-se.

Seeing the blood-tinged corner of her mouth, Felicious froze.

The trembling body, which had felt the lie a moment ago, turned cold as Felicious solidified in place. Only one thought came to her mind.

Felicious rummaged through her robes and retrieved a scroll.

Just in case.

Given by her mother as a precaution, the family teleportation scroll linked to the Claïmène family.

A scroll that could only teleport two people at a time. Her mother had instructed her to use this in a crisis, especially with Tia-se.

Without wiping away the tears streaming from her eyes, Felicious handed it to Tia-se.

“Fellic…!”

“Sorry, Tia, I’m sorry…”

Understanding Felicious’ intentions, Tia-se, wiping blood in vain, cried out.

But there was no time.

Before the one-eyed creature regained its senses, Kalen and Tia-se had to flee using the scroll.

Felicious repeatedly apologized as she firmly gripped Tia-se’s trembling hand holding the scroll.

Handing over the sole means of escape?

They couldn’t leave Felicious behind, but they also couldn’t leave Kalen to die without fault.

It had to be used.

It must not be used.

Tia-se, forced into this selfish choice, felt no different from Felicious.

The two girls stared at each other tearfully without end.

Tia-se’s grip on the scroll was so tight that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.

After a while,

The figure of the traitor approaching the two after regaining consciousness became visible.

“Tia! Hurry!”

“…”

An eternity-like moment.

Tia-se, whose hands could not open despite her efforts.

Felicious, anxiously calling out to the frozen Tia-se.

Fate approached them.

Thud.

The moment they touched something on the two girls’ arms,

“Don’t.”

“Kalen!”

“Ka, Kalen!”

The boy pulled the two girls forcibly to their feet with a gasp. Struggling to maintain their balance, Felicious and Tia-se looked at the boy.

Though breathing heavily, with great effort, the boy had a faint smile on his lips.

With a startled gasp, Tia-se handed over the scroll.

Since Kalen had regained consciousness, the meaning was to let at least Kalen escape.

However, Kalen accepted the scroll and placed it quietly beside him.

“Kalen, you must…!”

“There’s no need.”

Felicious and Tia-se realized it.

There was no trace of fear in Kalen.

Even though he was a human who had faced off against that monstrous creature and nearly lost his life, his voice was strangely calm.

“Eh…?”

“Wha…?”

The two were dumbfounded as they parroted back his words.

Kalen clenched his right hand until it bled, then, raising his head, directly faced the traitor who was now dangerously close.

“I know how to use it now.”

As fate approached,

In the fog-enveloped space,

A new chapter of destiny was being woven into the dim world.

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