A sudden, oppressive silence filled the air the instant the Rift Storm vanished. Luke landed hard on a bed of moss-covered ground, tumbling several times before coming to a jarring halt.
His breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, ears still ringing from the chaotic magic that had violently hurled him, Amiel, and I-seo through the portal.
He scrambled upright, heart pounding wildly, ignoring the sting of scrapes and bruises as he frantically searched their unfamiliar surroundings.
"Sena!"
His cry echoed desperately, fading into the eerie stillness.
No response—just the cruel whisper of wind rustling through ancient leaves. A raw ache twisted painfully in his chest. The last haunting image of Sena's frightened eyes, her hand desperately reaching toward him as she was swept away, replayed mercilessly in his mind.
Taking a shaky breath, Luke forced himself to concentrate. They were certainly no longer in Seoul; the air here felt heavy, saturated with the scent of damp earth, lush vegetation, and lingering, familiar magic.
Crumbling ruins surrounded them—majestic pillars consumed by creeping vines, weathered arches half-hidden by shadows. Moss carpeted ancient stone floors, muffling every tentative movement.
It was hauntingly familiar—Valeraine.
Amiel stirred beside him, groaning softly as he struggled upright. Nearby, I-seo lay trembling, her eyes wide with disorientation and fear, her arms marred by fresh scratches and bruises. Amiel noticed immediately and moved to her side, concern evident.
"Are you badly hurt?" he asked gently, assessing her injuries.
"I—I don't think so," she whispered shakily, clearly not fine. "But…what was that storm?"
Amiel held out his hand, fingertips glowing softly as he murmured a quiet healing incantation in Archaic Valeric. I-seo watched in stunned silence as cuts and bruises slowly vanished under his gentle touch.
"Thank you," she whispered, voice trembling with awe. Her eyes filled anew with tears of worry. "But Sena—where is she?"
Luke closed his eyes tightly, desperately reaching out with his aura, searching for the comforting warmth that had always accompanied Sena's presence.
After an agonizing moment, he felt the faintest echo—a fragile heartbeat of her energy. Alive, yet distant. So painfully distant.
"She's not here," he murmured softly, opening anguished eyes. "She's alive, but…I barely feel her."
I-seo's shoulders shook, face crumpling with despair. "This isn't right! None of this was supposed to happen!" she sobbed. "I planned everything perfectly—the comedic misadventures, the happy ending... But this? Losing Sena wasn't part of the story!"
Amiel exchanged a confused look with Luke. "Your story?"
She lowered her gaze, ashamed. "I wrote a novel about you all. It was supposed to be fiction—safe, predictable fiction. But now it's horribly real. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."
Luke knelt beside her, gently placing a reassuring hand on her trembling shoulder. His voice was firm yet compassionate.
"We're not just characters in your book, I-seo. We're real—real people, with real emotions, dreams, and fears." Determination flared in his eyes. "And Sena isn't lost to us yet. We will find her."
I-seo's breath hitched, her tearful eyes meeting his resolute gaze. Strengthened by his quiet confidence, she nodded. "Then please—let's find her now. She might be hurt or scared somewhere alone…"
Luke exchanged a look with Amiel, who stood thoughtfully examining nearby ruins. Amiel's fingers traced faint carvings, eyes widening in recognition. "Your Highness, look here—these markings."
Luke moved swiftly, brushing his fingertips over faded glyphs carved into weathered stone. His pulse quickened with realization. "Archaic Valeric," he breathed, hope flaring through despair. "These ruins…we're in the Western Vale, close to Valeraine's capital."
Amiel exhaled in relief. "We've returned home, then."
Luke nodded, worry shadowing his face once more. He glanced at I-seo, still visibly shaken.
"Walking would take half a day, maybe longer. But—" he eyed the ruins thoughtfully, "perhaps these runes can form a teleportation circle. The residual magic left by the Rift Storm might be enough to transport us directly to the palace."
I-seo's eyes brightened cautiously. "Could that really work?"
Amiel examined the ancient inscriptions again, nodding slowly. "The wards are weak but viable. If we channel our combined mana carefully, we should manage it."
Resolve surged through Luke. "Then we must hurry."
Working quickly together, they cleared the debris, revealing the stone circle etched deeply with ancient symbols. Luke and Amiel positioned themselves, chanting softly as shimmering, crackling energy filled the air. Ancient runes ignited with silvery-blue brilliance beneath their fingertips.
Luke reached out to I-seo, steady yet urgent. "Hold tight."
As their hands joined, reality folded around them, colors blurring into a dizzying whirl before abruptly snapping back into sharp clarity. They stumbled, disoriented, into the familiar grandeur of Valeraine Palace's throne room.
Shouts erupted as palace guards recognized them, confusion swiftly replaced by joy.
"Your Highness! Count Amiel!"
Luke scarcely heard them; his gaze darted frantically around, hope sparking desperately that Sena might somehow be here. Guards parted quickly as two figures approached rapidly from the dais.
King Kael Valenhart, regal despite age, strode forward, eyes wide with relief and disbelief. Beside him, Grandma Hyejin—now Queen of Valeraine—rushed to embrace I-seo tightly, tears glistening.
"My dear child, you've returned!" Queen Hyejin's voice trembled with emotion.
I-seo clung to her fiercely, overwhelmed. "Grandma…you're Queen now?"
Queen Hyejin smiled tenderly, yet confusion flickered across her features. "Only three days passed since you vanished, yet each moment felt endless. The coronation and our wedding were simple—just days ago."
Luke's eyes widened, stunned. "Three days? For us, weeks passed—months even, back in Seoul."
King Kael nodded solemnly. "The Rift Storm clearly distorted time. But you've returned safe—"
"Not all of us," Amiel quickly interjected, voice grave. Sena was lost during the storm. We know she survived initially, but her presence is faint and unreachable now."
Luke stepped forward, meeting his grandfather's gaze firmly, raw desperation etched into his every feature. "We must find her. I won't rest until she's safe in my arms again."
King Kael exchanged a somber look with his queen, equally distressed for their missing granddaughter. He nodded resolutely. "Then lead us, child. Every resource of this kingdom—mages, scouts, anything required—is yours. Sena will be found."
Luke exhaled shakily, gratitude tempered by overwhelming worry. His gaze drifted toward the palace windows overlooking the sprawling city, mountains shadowed in twilight beyond. Sena was somewhere out there—hurt, lost, separated from him.
Clenching his fists, Luke whispered fiercely, a silent vow to himself:
"Every heartbeat without you reminds me how I failed to hold on—but I swear by every breath left in me, I will find you again."
He let the fierce promise burn inside him.
Please be safe, Sena. Wherever you are—I'm coming.
Somewhere in the East...
Inside Liora's dimly lit healing chamber, Sena lay unconscious beneath flickering lantern light, breathing shallowly. Pale lightning-shaped scars pulsed softly across her skin, responding to a hidden rhythm.
Malchior stood in contemplative silence, heart conflicted. He'd healed countless Rift Storm survivors through the years, yet none bore the storm's unmistakable lightning-marked scars—until now. A prophecy whispered through generations now lay embodied before him.
Temptation surged bitterly within him, a dark yearning to use Sena's strange power—to break the prophecy's seal and reclaim the beloved he'd lost. Yet shame swiftly followed memories of his gentle wife's loving, wise eyes warning against selfishness.
Malchior sighed heavily, whispering a plea for forgiveness into the stillness. Tonight, mercy won. But Sena's glowing scars whispered a persistent promise, tempting him anew toward a fate uncertain, dangerous, and impossibly hopeful.
End of Chapter 25