Chapter 334

Chapter 334. The Unfolded Book of the Great Sage (1)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Abandoned Collection Area.

Was ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his master truly here?

Armandy ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍entered the Abandoned Collection Area together with Radel, his heart heavy with emotion.

Air ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thick with the stench of grass and rot—utterly unlike the dry, refined atmosphere of the topmost floor—pressed deep into his lungs. This place was a world utterly alien to him.

Each ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time something brushed through the darkness, his shoulders twitched in reflex.

Sssssk!

Vines writhed like serpents at his feet, and grotesque flowers dripped sticky slime.

The bizarre, ominous spectacle created by beastified plants sent a shiver crawling up Armandy’s spine.

A deeply unpleasant memory he had long forgotten rose to the surface.

-Aaaah!

The horrifying recollection of sneaking into the garden of the Esven Marquisate, only to be seized by a gigantic carnivorous plant and nearly digested alive.

The sticky, clammy sensation from back then seemed to return, and he swallowed dryly without realizing it.

But then, he noticed something.

These plants were not merely ordinary magical beasts.

“Th-this is….”

Radel, who had not missed the change in Armandy’s expression, asked,

“What? Do you recognize them?”

“I am not sure I should say I do… but they resemble the plants my master used to study.”

Armandy’s voice trembled faintly.

His memory was correct.

The “Fang Vine,” with teeth as sharp as a predator’s fangs.

The “Underworld Hat Mushroom,” which released spores that paralyzed its prey.

They were all plants he had seen in his master’s greenhouse.

But the plants before him now differed even in scale.

They were far larger, far more feral, and far more… dangerous.

His master, once the Mage Tower Master, had been a great mage—but also a truly extraordinary herbalist.

He had been researching ways to control the beastification of plants and harness their power for beneficial purposes.

More than that, his true goal had been to commune with plants and understand their will.

‘Plants, too, have souls and will. If we can understand that, we will open a new door to magic.’

The image of his master, eyes shining like a child’s as he spread open a dust-covered ancient tome.

Armandy had sincerely admired that man—someone who, even at the pinnacle of the Mage Tower, never settled and always reached toward the unknown.

If these plants truly were the same ones from his memory, then it was proof that his master had been here.

Armandy forced his pounding heart to calm and followed behind Radel.

His steps gradually quickened.

Five long years.

The longing he had buried since the day he left the Mage Tower behind his master.

The thought that he might finally meet him again made his throat tighten.

Following Radel’s lead through the colony of beastified plants, a space of unbelievable tranquility appeared.

It was the very place Radel had said the “elder” resided.

But what greeted them was an empty hut.

A hearth still faintly warm, neatly arranged old chairs and a table.

The signs that someone had been there just moments ago were unmistakable, yet the person who should have been there was nowhere to be seen.

Only the vegetable garden lay quietly under the moonlight, as though nothing had happened.

And on the old table, a note fluttered in the breeze.

As if entranced, Armandy stepped forward and picked it up with trembling hands.

The handwriting was familiar. Dearly missed.

[To Armandy.]

“Master…”

[I am sorry that I could not meet you.]

[But now, I too have something I must do.]

[I leave the pendant in your care.]

Armandy was rendered speechless.

Just when he thought he would finally see him, his master had vanished without a trace.

As if he had known from the beginning that Armandy would come here, leaving behind only a single note.

As Armandy stood there in a daze, a quiet voice spoke beside him.

“…This is unfortunate.”

It was Radel.

He had found another note lying beside Armandy’s and was reading it.

A note addressed to himself.

Written there was the method for making compost he had wanted so badly—detailed to a shocking degree, from the soil mixture ratio to the aging period.

Beneath it was a brief postscript from the elder.

[I have waited only for this day. I was always worried because of my two disciples.]

[I was at a loss, but I am glad you came. It seems I must leave without even exchanging proper farewells.]

[I will not speak in circles. Thank you for taking responsibility and fulfilling my request.]

A quiet murmur escaped Radel’s lips.

The Mage Tower Master vanished without a trace.

In the cold night air, the two of them stood in silence for a long time, gazing down at the final remnants their master had left behind.

***

Inside a dark laboratory where even the passage of time seemed frozen, Helio Valerian slowly raised his head.

Flash.

Above an ancient magic circle, a faint light flickered, delivering subtle fluctuations of mana.

It was a signal that someone had entered the Abandoned Collection Area.

One was the faint mana of the 8th Prince.

The other—an all-too-familiar mana signature.

It belonged to his youngest disciple, Armandy.

“So. You brought Armandy with you after all.”

A quiet murmur slipped from Helio’s dry lips.

A complex smile, mingling bitterness and relief, surfaced on his face.

Everything was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated.

From the moment he first met the 8th Prince in the vegetable garden, he had suspected it.

That ordinary-looking boy might become his final hope.

From the 8th Prince’s body emanated a faint but familiar trace of mana.

Even though he had lost all his magic power and been reduced to an empty shell, Helio had not lost the senses of one who once stood at the pinnacle of the Mage Tower.

It was the lingering echo of the mana he had left behind in Armandy.

Five years ago.

That dreadful night when everything collapsed resurfaced with brutal clarity.

A hell of red lava forged by Aaron’s jealousy and rage.

Armandy, dying in despair within it.

To save that fragile life, Helio had poured out everything he had.

Every mage possesses a unique mana signature.

Like a fingerprint, it reveals one’s identity the moment magic is used, no matter how carefully one conceals their presence.

‘I must get Armandy out without letting Aaron notice.’

But if Armandy were to use magic in the outside world, Aaron’s relentless pursuit would begin immediately.

There was only one solution.

Seal Armandy’s unique mana, and overlay it with Helio’s own—creating a perfect disguise.

It was impossible for any ordinary mage.

Transferring one’s mana completely to another violated the very fundamental principles of magic.

But Helio could do it.

Because Armandy was the true successor of the Mage Tower.

And Helio was the current Mage Tower Master.

Aaron dismissed it as an old legend, but it was true.

The Mage Tower had a will.

The Mage Tower was alive.

An origin of mana that had existed since ancient times, a unique structure that possessed its own will and chose its master.

The source of the immense magic power wielded by successive Mage Tower Masters came from the tower itself.

A legacy passed from one master to the next—not mere authority or knowledge, but nearly infinite magic power gained through communion with the Mage Tower.

‘No Mage Tower Master had ever attempted such a thing, but…’

Helio succeeded.

He returned his own mana to the Mage Tower, erased its traces, and transferred an entirely new mana to his successor, Armandy.

In exchange, he lost all the magic power that had been his life as a mage.

Yet he did not regret it.

And that was not all.

He had accomplished something no previous Mage Tower Master ever had.

He had found the descendant of the Great Sage.

***

The night he first met Radel.

After the boy left, the Abandoned Collection Area was unusually quiet.

The vegetable garden Radel had meticulously tended was neat, and the calm night air was peaceful.

Yet Helio instinctively felt that this tranquility was the suffocating stillness before a massive storm.

As usual, he leaned back deeply into his old chair and gazed up at the artificial night sky conjured by magic.

‘A laborer connected to Armandy….’

The impudent new laborer who had rolled up his sleeves to pull weeds, stayed for dinner, and left only after night fell.

Radel’s face refused to leave Helio’s mind—his cheeky smile, bold gaze, and the pure joy he showed while touching the soil.

And more than anything—

The mana of Armandy he sensed from him.

From the boy’s body came a faint but unmistakably familiar scent.

The lingering echo of the mana Helio had overlaid onto Armandy five years ago.

How could that be emanating from him?

Questions piled upon questions.

The fact that he shared a name with the Empire’s 8th Prince.

His composure and audacity far beyond his years.

And above all…

That strange insight, as if he could see straight through things.

‘This cannot be a coincidence.’

Lost in thought, Helio rose from the creaking chair and entered the hut.

The inside was as dark as ever.

Just as he stepped inside—

Helio froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

In the familiar darkness, a faint yet undeniable light was leaking from an old, thick leather-bound book resting on the desk.

“That is…?”

The book left behind by the Great Sage.

A silent legacy guarded by Mage Tower Masters for centuries, yet never once revealing its secrets.

The Book of the Great Sage.

It was the duty of the Mage Tower Masters to protect this book from external threats.

Yet no record existed of anyone ever witnessing it emit light.

Helio forced his trembling heart to steady as he approached the desk.

As he drew closer, the book responded to his presence as though it were a living being.

Shrrrk.

With a sound of its own, the book—sealed shut for hundreds of years—opened.

Upon its pristine white pages, radiant golden letters bloomed into existence.

‘Guardian.’

Helio’s eyes shook violently.

‘The time has come to pass this on to my descendant.’

…The descendant of the Great Sage.

Helio swallowed hard.

Across his mind flashed the image of Radel, smiling as he worked the soil in the vegetable garden.

Every piece of the puzzle slid into place, forming a single, vast picture.

At last, Helio understood everything.

That all of this was fate.

That he stood within an immense, irresistible current.

***

Helio quietly closed his eyes.

Once, he had given up everything.

He believed all that remained for him was regret and helplessness.

But not now.

The will of the Great Sage had crossed centuries of time and reignited a dying ember.

Only one task remained for him now.

To set right this terrible secret—and these twisted sins.

Helio stepped before a massive glass cylinder standing at the center of the laboratory.

Bubble.

Inside the cylinder, filled with blue liquid, a boy slept curled up like a fetus, his eyes closed.

The Empire’s 6th Prince.

A prince long believed to be dead.

Helio gazed silently at the cylinder.

There lay his original sin.