— Noa… Noa… NOA!
He opened his eyes. His face was covered in blood, in a field of ruins bathed in raging flames. A suffocating smell of burning filled the air. Atela was dragging him by his left arm, using the little strength she had left to pull him out of the smoking debris.
He tried to move the fingers of his right hand. But nothing responded: all the skin had been torn away, leaving only muscles and nerves exposed. His arm was too damaged for his brain to send signals. His vision was blurry, and he could no longer feel his body despite the chaotic energy still coursing through him at full intensity.
"You have used up your entire energy reserve. You will lose consciousness soon."
Maëlle's words were not an exaggeration. The girl began to stagger at the worst possible moment, struck by a violent headache.
— This can't be…
Her vision blurred, her body beginning to weaken.
On the northern continent, inside the metallic tower, Damnation violently destroyed a pillar, furious. Zoe told him it was pointless, while Psaimone walked away with his hands in his pockets.
— YOU BRATS, YOU WILL SEE YOUR PLACE, VERMIN!!!
His voice trembled with rage. He transformed his fingers into needle-like spikes and stabbed them into his own skull.
Back in the undergrounds, a piece of Damnation's flesh that had survived the explosion began accumulating his energy from afar, growing rapidly. Atela was still struggling to drag Noa, half unconscious, out of the area. Noa slowly sank into unconsciousness, his eyes closing.
"It's not the time to give up…"
A long, low growl. Atela slowly raised her head, fear in her eyes. A gigantic crow landed silently on a broken pillar amid the flames. Behind it, an enormous silhouette emerged through fire and smoke: a creature with an inverted cross-shaped head, covered in countless greenish eyes, a mass of flesh bordering on madness.
Atela narrowed her eyes. She coughed, spitting blood, her vision growing darker.
— …tell me this is a joke…
Maëlle deactivated due to lack of energy, collapsing beside Noa, who was completely unconscious. The two lay in the chaos.
Atela?? — Don't you think this is the perfect ending?
Noa?? — I hope we'll see each other again someday…
Atela opened her eyes in her unconscious mind. Her gaze was lost in the vastness of space, stars spinning around her, her hair floating in an invisible wind, as if she were the center of the world. She looked to her right and saw Noa, a spectral body with open eyes, just as lost and stunned as she was. The two floated in infinity.
Noa looked at her, eyes wide open in shock. She didn't understand until a strand of her hair drifted in front of her. She realized, to her surprise, that her hair had changed color, becoming completely red.
Atela's red crystal appeared before her, pulsing in sync with her heartbeat. A similar blue crystal manifested in front of Noa, matching the rhythm of his heart. The two crystals, shifting between blue and red, gradually illuminated the entire space before leaving only emptiness behind.
In the real world, Atela, covered in bandages, opened her eyes. She suddenly sat up, realizing she was back in Fou's house, apparently banging her head rhythmically against a cupboard. She didn't even bother to ask:
— You're awake?
Noa, on the other side of the bed, also bandaged, stared at her while eating an apple pie.
Atela noticed his blue strand of hair and let out a sigh of relief.
— What… happened? It feels like I slept on the wrong side of fate…
— Glad to see you're both fine.
They turned around.
Sitting on a chair, calm-faced, bathed in sunlight, was David Hyperion, the Patriarch.
— Patriarch!
Atela did not expect to see him here at all.
— Of course we're fine. We just fought an abomination that nearly killed us… honestly, everything went perfectly, right?
Atela shot Noa an irritated look.
— Stop being sarcastic.
— Princess.
She turned her attention back to David.
— If you're wondering, your plan worked. The collective memory has been altered. No one remembers you anymore… at least, no one remembers that you were the Guardian of the Ava.
Atela slightly widened her eyes, then sighed in relief.
She wasn't sure it would work… but the legend was true.
— But I don't think it affected everyone.
Atela frowned.
— Patriarch… you?
David rubbed his forehead.
— Yes. My memory, as well as that of the Hyperion family members, has not been altered. And something tells me the members of Sélestia haven't been either.
Atela tensed slightly.
— So… some generals… maybe even the monarchs…
— I can't confirm anything without proof. But I advise you to remain on guard when you return to the kingdom of Garion.
His gaze shifted to Noa.
— That goes for you too.
Noa showed clear surprise.
— Wait… what do you mean?
David did not seem surprised by his reaction.
— Noa… do you still intend to eliminate Hades?
Atela quickly turned her head toward him.
Noa's expression slowly changed.
— …Yes.
David studied his face: cold anger mixed with absolute determination.
— But why?
Atela stared at him, disturbed… almost afraid.
— Why do you want to kill Hades so badly?
Noa did not answer.
She turned toward David, worried.
— I don't understand why you're not trying to stop him…
— …
David remained silent.
Atela clenched her fists, crumpling the sheets.
— Noa doesn't have the strength or rank for something like that. The Monarchs are the most powerful beings of their races… even above the generals.
David calmly closed his eyes.
— No matter how you look at it… Hades is the strongest human by far. He has crossed centuries… his experience surpasses that of any mortal.
She insisted.
— Noa is your son, even if adopted. You shouldn't encourage this…
— Stop worrying.
Noa raised his head.
His usual expression had returned, with no trace of anger.
— You're overthinking it.
David opened his eyes again.
— You know… I have the same concerns as you, Atela.
She was surprised to hear him address her so familiarly.
— But trust me… if there is anyone capable of killing Hades…
He paused.
— It's Noa.
Those words did not reassure her at all.
She collapsed back onto the bed.
David turned to Noa.
— You are free to leave the Empire now. Don't worry about the council, André will handle it.
He continued more seriously:
— But your objective hasn't changed. I advise you to go to the kingdom of Garion… and take the selection to become a Ruler.
Noa had already heard of that title… and the privileges that came with it.
— What does that have to do with my goal?
David slowly stood up.
— The Orator Kanix.
Noa did not recognize the name.
But Atela reacted immediately.
— Kanix… also known as "the Voice of God." He is an extremely mysterious man. It is said he knows all the information circulating in the world.
Noa listened carefully.
— He might have information on Hades?
— I don't know. But everyone who has met him says his answers are always correct… and reliable.
She hesitated.
— The problem… is that he can appear anywhere.
David gently placed a hand on Noa's head to calm him.
— If you become a Ruler, it will be easier to find him.
He paused.
— I also have another piece of information. It seems Sélestia is linked to Hades… directly or indirectly.
Atela and Noa exchanged a puzzled glance.
— In fact, I suspect one member of that organization has a direct connection to him. His name is…
David stopped.
He hesitated.
Then chose not to say the name.
— His name is Vandale. You'll recognize him easily. He always wears a black hood.
David then threw a saber to Noa.
Noa caught it effortlessly.
— Here. I'm returning this to you.
Noa examined the black-sheathed blade closely. An aura seemed to naturally draw him toward it, as if it exerted a form of gravity. Suddenly, the blade and guard changed shape.
Atela was shocked.
— That's an Arcane-grade weapon?!
Noa had no idea what that meant.
— Are you living in a cave or what? Arcane-grade weapons are extremely powerful artifacts forged by the greatest dwarf blacksmith, Arnitrix, 3000 years ago. These weapons are said to be indestructible and extremely dangerous.
David listened without surprise, already knowing.
— When I found Noa as a child, he had this saber with him. I only later discovered it was an Arcane weapon, so I kept it until Noa became capable of using it.
Noa felt something strange, as if the sword constantly responded to his energy.
Atela, still shocked, realized there were four Arcane-grade weapons.
— What? There are more weapons of that category?
She explained that there were others, but only three were currently known.
— The most powerful is the transcendental sword Excalibur, held by the king of the kingdom of Kaamelott and Arthur Pendragon, 5th in the generals' ranking. The second is the Monkey Stick, Ruyi Jingu Bang, held by Sun Wukong, 4th in the ranking. And the third is Dogamon, whose wielder is still unknown.
David was surprised Atela knew so much.
Atela explained she read a lot and, thanks to her status as Guardian, often spent time with generals.
— But I didn't expect to see a new Arcane weapon today.
David then gave his son a warning.
— Be careful when using that saber. These weapons are indestructible, and even though they withstand your aura, be cautious. You don't fully control your attack power, and we still don't know the limits of your energy reserve. If you lose control, you could cause massive destruction around you.
Noa looked at him with a blank expression.
— I understand. No need to make a big deal out of it, I'm not a child anymore.
Atela stood up from the bed, full of energy despite her injuries.
— Then it's off to the kingdom of Garion to become Rulers! I never took the selection since I was the Guardian, but now I can do it without a problem.
Noa watched Atela carefully, deep in thought.
"Since some members of Sélestia haven't lost their memories, staying near her will allow me to get closer to them and learn more about this Vandale… I don't know why, but I feel a knot in my stomach when I say that name… it's really annoying."
Next chapter: the one who prays for the time