Far beyond the reach of mortal realms, in a dimension where even light dared not linger, the Void trembled.
A cathedral of shadows loomed in silence, built atop the corpse of a dead star. At its heart sat a throne of jagged crystal, pulsing with ancient malice. Upon it, the Hollow King stirred—his skeletal frame cloaked in veils of drifting black mist, his empty eyes glowing faintly with violet fire.
The Second Seal had shattered.
Zhan Wuhen knelt before the Hollow King, his form more solid now, his presence heavier, darker. "The boy has activated it," he said. "The Genesis Core resonates with the Seal. The world prepares for its unraveling."
The Hollow King's voice echoed like the grind of collapsing dimensions. "Then we are one step closer to restoring the Void's dominion."
He raised a gaunt, clawed hand, and across the galaxy, rifts bloomed—dozens of them—each releasing shadow-born creatures, formless horrors, and corrupted warriors known as the Revenants.
"Let chaos bleed into their realm," the King whispered. "Let them feel the weight of inevitability."
—
Back on Etherion
Jin Long staggered back from the obelisk, breath ragged. The Second Seal's energy had rattled every cell in his body. Yue Lan leaned against him, her expression strained, but her grip never faltered.
Elder Korr was gone—disappeared the moment the seal broke.
In his place, a glowing glyph hovered midair, rotating slowly—a map of ley lines spanning across the stars. At its center: a symbol none of them had seen before. A spiral swallowing a sun.
Mei Lin gasped. "That's not just a map. It's a beacon."
Jin Long's eyes narrowed. "He wants us to find the Third Seal."
Suddenly, alarms across the citadel blared. Skyships scrambled. Crystalline defenses powered up. Outside, the skies cracked open with dark rifts, from which poured monstrous entities—cloaked in flame and shadow, their eyes glinting with unnatural hunger.
Revenants.
Veyr appeared beside them, wounded but still standing, sword in hand. "We're under attack."
Mei Lin's voice was grim. "They've found us already."
Jin Long clenched his fists as the Genesis Core surged. "Then let's show them we're not afraid."
—
Meanwhile, on a remote moon
A lone figure watched the chaos from a crystalline observatory. His silver hair flowed behind him, and a long scar ran down his face.
"So," he murmured, sipping from a steaming cup, "the boy has begun."
Behind him, an ancient scroll unraveled on its own, revealing a prophecy written in blood and starlight.
"It's time I return."