Elsewhere Zhao Li Xin stared deep into the gray mountain, a volcano that was supposed to be dead started spitting smoke into the air and covered the mountain peak with gray smoke mixed with white clouds.

Recently, he had felt an inexplicable feeling as he got closer to the mountain, his heart pounding like a warhorse galloping for thousands of miles, he didn’t know whether this feeling was good or not, but despite all that he couldn’t deny that he was drawn into the Yi Shan mountains. 

It was as if some invisible force was pulling him in, and he didn’t like this feeling because it made him feel like he was losing control. The last time he felt this way was when he met Lory but with Lory, he felt like a ship that had found its harbor, he felt peaceful and safe however, he didn’t feel the same way with the Yi Shan mountain.

“Something bothering you?” Lory suddenly came from behind him.

Zhao Li Xin was finally able to retract her gaze from the mountain when she saw the woman with purple eyes and bluish wavy hair smiling at her immediately his gloomy expression become bright. Zhao Li Xin then stretched his hand towards her then Lory put her hands on his palms.

“It’s cold out here, why don’t you wear more clothes” Zhao Li Xin frowned slightly as he checked her dress.

Lory smiled at his usual nagging “Why should I worry about the cold when I’m with you?” she chuckled lightly while pressing his forehead on his broad chest.

It’s funny how every little thing she said could easily sweep away the uneasy feeling he had before and filled it with warmth and gentleness, Lory is like a ray of sunshine in his bleak world, a soft breeze in his harsh world, Lory is the only thing good in her world even though she strongly disagrees with that but she was the only thing that makes him able to see the good thing in the world no matter how ugly and helpless it was.

“Why are you staring at the mountain so deeply?” Lory ask.

Zhao Li Xin let out a long sigh “Is that how I look?” then he dart his gaze to the mountain “I don’t know how to explain but I feel something pulling me into the mountain”

Lory turns her head in the same direction “It seems The Crimson Lightning sword, calling you?” 

Zhao Li Xin took a stool from his ring and helped Lory sit down then continued, “Have you ever felt this way too?”

“Yeah, I also felt pulled by the Trinity staff the call was so strong that I slipped out of my brother’s watch and looked for it with Girsha, of course,” Lory reminisced about that day with a smile because it seemed like a distant dream now.

“How did you feel when you met the Trinity staff?” Zhao Li Xin threw another question, although there’s not much change on his face but Lory could see the curiosity flash in his eyes.

“Well…” Lory tilted her head “It feels…like longing, relieved, happy, and a little bit lonely. I don’t know why I feel that way however Uncle Reynald who is one of my Father Archknight told me that I might influence by Trinity, My Uncle said The Trinity staff absorbed the feeling of the previous owner, I heard the owner of Trinity’s staff is the Queen of some kingdom, I don’t know. don’t know who he is because there is no concrete information about it but I believe Uncle Reynald was right because Trinity also absorbed a lot of my feeling before The staff was broken, perhaps it’s like a trauma….”

“So the weapon absorbed the previous owner’s feelings?” Zhao Li Xin’s interest was immediately piqued as an armament expert he had never heard of this as far as he knew weapons were just inanimate objects used by people, of course, some weapons could only be used by certain people based on their owner latent ability or sometimes the weapons can only be used by people of the same blood but Zhao Li Xin never knew weapons could absorb the feelings of their owners.

“Lory nod firmly “Yeah, according to an old scroll in my world a weapon that had been existed for thousands of years usually develop the ability to absorbed their owner deepest feeling, perhaps the Crimson Lightning sword might also be the same as trinity staff”

“But why now? Why did the sword call me now, why didn’t he call the other descendant of Emperor Lei Yu before me, there should be another descendant before me so why didn’t they answer the call of Crimson Lightning? except the sword doesn’t call them. ….”

Lory was silent, Zhao Li Xin’s question surprised her because it never crossed her mind why the sword only reacted on Zhao Li Xin, what happened to the rest of the descendants of Emperor Lei Yu?

From the previous incident they learned that Sanguan Jin Shen killed the whole Qin clan which was Zhao Li Xin’s maternal family in order to control the last descendant of Emperor Lei Yu who will be able to use the Crimson Lightning sword left by Emperor Lei Yu so it was clear that Zhao Li Xin was not the only descendant of Emperor Lei Yu that still left in this world, but why did the sword only react now, was it because no other descendant had ever been this close to Yi Shan mountain or for some other reason?

Lory turned her gaze to the mountain at the same time the sun was starting to set in the sky and the clouds were pink and orange, soon a flock of birds flew home across the clouds signaling the day was over.

Lory and Zhao Li Xin stared in silence, each lost in their own thoughts yet their hands gripped tightly together because they knew that no matter what happened in the future, they would face it together without question.

__________________________________

Within the volcano, swords were bound into the air by dozens of iron chains attached to each side of the rock cave, while reddish and golden-colored lava erupted underneath the swords.

Arthea was standing on a black rock surrounded by hot lava, but not even a hint of sweat was shown on her skin, nor did she show any discomfort in being in a hot boiling cave that was so hot that even the rock around her was slowly melting.

“The time has come,” Arthea said quietly, “Because there was a purpose thus the destiny created, isn’t that right….?” Arthea turned her gaze behind the sword and there were two people standing around the sword with Arthea.

“Lorenna, Marcus,” Arthea called.

Lorenna and Marcus’ bodies were transparent engulf with soft white light around them, for they came as spirits leaving their dead body behind.

Marcus lift his gaze at the sword that was lifted to the air and bound by dozens of chains, the sword occasionally vibrated and the sound of the chain crackling then the yellow talisman papers that were attached to the chain glowed in faint yellow light soon after the sword vibration gradually stopped.

Marcus expression remained stoic then he spoke in a serious voice “The sword of the dead king will decide the end of the long battle, although I have no doubts for my daughter, however, everything is decided by the hand of that man whether he becomes the destroyer or the savior”

“We risked everything for this opportunity to give our children a fighting chance, to save my daughter from the cruel fate and my son from the long devastating war, and to end everything we must start at the beginning” Lorenna stare at the sword with profound looks, hope and stress and worry filled her eyes for she knew what may come.

Suddenly a light appeared out of nowhere and slowly formed the silhouette of a man, as the light disappeared Huo Long stood in his red robes, one hand resting behind his back, he didn’t look playful as he used to be, instead, he looked dignified and charismatic his whole body exudes noble aura, soon his eyes collided with everyone’s eyes but there was no surprise or surprise in their eyes as if they had been waiting for him.

“The chosen one has appeared, it is time for him to reclaim his legacy, whatever path he chooses will determine not only the fate of this world but also the other worlds and it will start with Verriond and if he fails, what awaits will be a long and devastating war for the Harland King, A war that far more greater than the last war and if the heir of Lucient failed to protect his world then this world and the other worlds will fall with him….this is a risk we take.” Huo Long turned his meaningful gaze to Marcus and the others.

However, Marcus was not unperturbed by Huo Long’s words, “This is the risk worth to try for, even without our influence, the fate of this world has already set in stone what we do is giving this world a chance to survive, although it’s a small chance but the hope was undeniably there”

“The Child of Chaos, the king of light, Immortal Seeress, the gatekeeper of the oblivion and myself, the guardian of the Red Lightning Sword, the time for us to fulfill our roles so that our wishes will come, and a great sacrifice will be needed, even though I have made peace with mine but what about all of you?”

Marcus and Lorenna looked at each other, they held hands and smiled “We believe in her…” Marcus said.

“We will always be there for her, every step of the way” Lorenna’s words are etched with determination.

Arthea’s eyes fixed at the sword no one could read what she was thinking as for a Seeress she sees more than ordinary people could, her eyebrows slowly furrows, suddenly she turned her head and shut her eyes as if she was shocked by what she has seen.

with trembling lips, she said, “A sacrifice is needed and blood will be spilled…..”