The moment Ashborn disappeared, the Hall Beneath the Moon exhaled.
Not peacefully.
Violently.
The black gate closed behind him, but the damage remained.
The Lunar Heart above us trembled like a wounded star, silver moonlight fighting against veins of spreading corruption. The moon fragment in my hands pulsed with unstable energy, warm one second and freezing the next.
The underground sea rose higher.
The abyss beast above the palace roared so loudly the entire sanctum shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Stone cracked beneath our feet.
Retreating villains were apparently polite enough to leave world-ending disasters behind.
Consistent.
Yue Xiang stood beside me, one hand pressed against the moon fragment, silver-blue robes moving in the violent wind pouring through the collapsing chamber.
Her face had gone pale.
Not fear.
Exhaustion.
She was forcing authority over a realm already trying to break apart.
Jian staggered toward us, blood running from the corner of his mouth, sword retrieved, dignity questionable.
He looked at the Lunar Heart and immediately made the face of a man whose evening had become significantly worse.
"The corruption has reached the core veins."
Yue Xiang nodded once.
"Even with the fragment returned, purification requires direct resonance."
I frowned.
That sounded dangerous.
Which meant I was probably involved.
"How direct?"
She looked at me.
I disliked that immediately.
"The Lunar Heart must be entered."
I stared.
"The giant cracked divine crystal full of ancient corruption and abyss energy?"
"Yes."
"Inside?"
"Yes."
I looked at Jian.
He looked away.
Coward.
I pointed at the crystal.
"That sounds like a trap written by destiny itself."
Yue Xiang's voice remained perfectly calm.
"It is."
Wonderful.
ARINA's panel appeared.
Emergency Main Mission Objective: Enter Lunar Heart Task: Cleanse Abyss Core Reward: Moon Sovereign Bond + Gate Map Fragment Failure: Moonwater Realm Collapse
There it was.
System confirmation of my suffering.
I folded my arms.
"So if I say no—"
"Realm collapse."
"Right."
Of course.
I looked up at the Lunar Heart again.
It floated above the underground sea like a dying moon, beautiful and terrifying and very clearly designed by someone who hated normal people.
Yue Xiang stepped closer.
"The Heart responds to sovereign authority."
Her eyes moved to the Phoenix Mark beneath my collar.
"And to ancient resonance."
Again with that.
The Phoenix Mark wasn't just power.
It was permission.
A key.
A legacy.
And apparently a terrible life decision.
I sighed.
"Fine. But if I die inside your giant cursed moon crystal, I expect dramatic mourning."
For the first time—
Yue Xiang almost smiled.
"Accepted."
Progress.
Tiny.
But real.
The favorability panel blinked.
Favorability Updated -20 → -5
Almost neutral.
Excellent.
Jian stepped forward.
"My Sovereign, let me enter instead."
Yue Xiang's answer came instantly.
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"I failed once already."
"And I will not permit you to fail by dying for guilt."
Silence.
That hit.
Because it wasn't rejection.
It was trust.
Or at least the beginning of it.
He lowered his head.
Understood.
The abyss beast roared again.
This time louder.
A massive crack split across the ceiling of the sanctum.
Moonwater poured through from above.
We were out of time.
Yue Xiang raised both hands.
Silver moonlight gathered around the fragment and the Lunar Heart above responded instantly.
The giant crystal slowly descended toward the central platform.
The closer it came, the colder the world became.
Frost spread across the white stone.
The underground sea froze.
Even breathing hurt.
I stood at the center of the platform while silver light wrapped around me.
Yue Xiang stepped in front of me.
Close.
Too close for my ability to think clearly.
Her black hair moved gently in the lunar wind.
Her eyes, usually colder than winter, held something softer now.
Concern.
Dangerous.
She lifted one hand and placed it over the Phoenix Mark on my chest.
Heat and moonlight collided.
For one suspended second, the entire world disappeared.
Only her voice remained.
Quiet.
Almost personal.
"Do not get lost inside."
I met her gaze.
"I'll try not to offend your giant moon heart too much."
That—
actually made her smile.
Small.
Brief.
But real.
I would remember it for far longer than was healthy.
The system panel flashed.
Moon Sovereign Bond Established Status: Trusted Companion
Good.
Also emotionally dangerous.
Yue Xiang stepped back and the moment passed.
Professional tragedy restored.
She raised her crescent blade and pointed it toward the descending Lunar Heart.
"I will hold the outer corruption."
Jian drew his sword.
"I will hold the palace."
I looked at both of them.
No pressure.
Just emotional responsibility and cosmic horror.
Perfect.
The Lunar Heart opened.
Not like crystal breaking.
Like moonlight unfolding.
A silver doorway appeared at its center, revealing endless water and floating stars within.
It looked beautiful.
Which meant it was probably horrifying.
I took one breath.
Then another.
Professor Mehra had crossed worlds.
Lian had trusted me.
Yue Xiang was trusting me now.
Ashborn feared what waited beyond the final gate.
And somewhere ahead—
all of it connected.
No turning back.
I stepped toward the light.
Then paused.
Looked over my shoulder.
"If I come back with another goddess trying to kill me…"
Jian actually sighed.
Yue Xiang answered first.
"Try to choose one with less property damage."
Reasonable request.
No promises.
I smiled.
Then walked into the Lunar Heart.
Silver light swallowed everything.
The last thing I heard was the abyss beast screaming above the palace.
The first thing I felt—
was someone else's memory.
And a woman crying beneath a sky with no moons.