Heaven Realm – Ren's Chamber
Lia sat by the moonlit window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if holding her breaking heart together. The silence in Ren's chamber was unbearable. She had sent a message bubble into the void, praying Dylan would receive it, praying Irin would be safe. But now… the silence was eating her alive.
Did Dylan hear me? Did he reach Irin in time? Why has Fiona not returned my calls of light? What is happening inside the Dark Cloud Punishment Zone?
Her mind spun endlessly until the sudden creak of the door shattered her thoughts.
A maid stumbled in. Her steps were unsteady, her face stricken, her lips trembling as if every word she held was soaked in sorrow.
"Why are you silent?" Lia demanded, her chest heaving, her voice trembling. "Speak! Please… tell me! What happened? Is it Irin?"
The maid's eyes filled, her voice breaking. "Bad news, my lady…"
Lia's heart seized. She swayed on her feet, tears burning the corners of her eyes. "What happened to her? What happened to Irin?!"
Before the maid could speak further—
DONG.
The toll of the Heavenly Bell split the air, echoing across the sacred halls like thunder.
Lia froze. Her body went cold. That bell… it only rang when a soul of divine blood had perished.
The maid dropped to her knees, sobbing. "We lost them… our King and Queen are no more."
The words ripped through Lia like a blade. Her knees buckled, her mouth parted but no sound came. The world blurred.
"No… no, this isn't real…" Her voice cracked into a whisper, then rose into a strangled cry.
The maid's voice faltered, but she forced it out. "And… Mariano too."
Lia's vision tunneled. She stumbled back, clutching the wall as her tears finally fell, hot and relentless. "Mother…!" Her scream tore through the chamber like a dying bird's cry. She collapsed, her body wracked with sobs, the weight of unbearable loss crashing down upon her.
She was alone now. Her beloved friend. Her mother. Her King and Queen. All gone.
---
The King's Ruler Chamber
Three Heaven Ancestors sat in silence, their robes heavy with grief. The entire realm mourned, yet their burden was heavier—for they had lived long enough to bury too many kings.
The door burst open with a thunderous crash. Ren strode in, wild-eyed, his face pale with dread. His voice shook the chamber.
"What happened to my brother?!"
One ancestor lowered his head. "We… lost him, Ren. Xander has fallen."
Ren froze, disbelief painting his features. He staggered back a step, shaking his head violently. "No. No, you're lying. My brother cannot die. He's stronger than all of you. No one… no one can kill him!"
Another ancestor, his voice heavy as stone, whispered, "This is the truth. Accept it."
Ren's eyes blazed red, wet with unshed tears. His cry was like a thunderclap. "WHY didn't you protect him?! Where were you when he needed you most?!"
The ancestors lowered their gazes, their silence damning.
Ren's body trembled with rage. For the first time, the obedient son of Heaven, the calm warrior they had raised, was gone. In his place stood a storm.
His voice was broken, raw. "Tell me… WHO did this?"
The eldest ancestor's lips quivered. "It was… Demon King Dylan."
The chamber quaked with Ren's roar. His grief ignited into wrath. "DYLAN! I will tear your soul apart! I will never forgive you! You took my brother—you will drown in my vengeance!"
The ancestors watched, shaken. Never before had they seen Ren consumed by such fury. The obedient man they knew had been shattered.
In Heaven Realm – Rituals
Days blurred into nights.
The last rites of Xander, Fiona were carried out under the watch of every heavenly being. Bells tolled, flames burned, and petals of divine flowers scattered upon the rivers of eternity.
Ren stood rigid, his face blank but his hands trembling, his grief carved into silence. Beside him, Lia wept quietly, her pain bottomless. They stood not only as mourners, but as the last pieces of a shattered family.
When the rituals ended, Ren and Lia were summoned again to the Ruler's Chamber.
One ancestor stepped forward. "Ren… Heaven needs a king. You must take the throne."
Ren's head dropped. His voice was hoarse. "No… I can't. Xander is the only King of Heaven. Whether alive or not, he will forever remain King. I won't take his place."
"But Ren," another ancestor argued, "without a king, our enemies will strike. The Demon Realm will take advantage of our weakness."
Ren's eyes hardened, his grief sharpening into resolve. "Then let them come. I won't allow Heaven to fall. But do not force me to wear a crown I can never accept."
He turned and stormed out, leaving the chamber heavy with disappointment and fear.
---
In Xander's Room
Later that night, Lia wandered into Xander's old chamber. Maids were quietly cleaning, collecting broken relics of his life.
Her eyes wandered to the study desk. Something gleamed inside a drawer. She pulled it open and found a mysterious box, sealed by a powerful protection spell.
Her hands shook. She remembered a lesson—Ren once taught her how to break seals like this. Closing her eyes, she summoned the memory, muttered the incantation, and pressed her palm to the surface.
The seal broke. The box clicked open.
Inside, a diary.
Lia opened it with trembling hands.
The first page she read made her breath catch.
> "I can't forget this moment… because I met her. She was brave, unafraid of anything. She protected those who were bullied. Everyone feared her—except me. I secretly admired her. To her, I looked cold. But inside, I was burning with love."
Lia whispered softly, "So even the coldest heart hides warmth…"
She flipped more pages.
> "Before I could confess, Fiona did. She smiled, radiant, when I said yes. I know she loves me because of my coldness… and I never wanted to break that image."
Her tears blurred the words. She skipped further.Lia clutched the diary to her chest, sobbing softly, then forced herself to read on.
Her breath stopped.
> "That day… we found the Heavenly Fruit. Gold and shimmering. Fiona wanted it. I gave it to her. But when she bit into it, she collapsed. The fruit turned purple. Only then did I understand—Fiona was not of Heaven. She was… a demon."
Lia gasped, the diary nearly falling from her hands.
> "I couldn't let her die. I gave her my Heaven core, pouring my essence into hers. I sealed her demon core, hiding her truth from the world. I didn't care where she came from. She could be demon, angel, or shadow—I loved her. That was all that mattered. Even if it meant weakening myself forever."
The words blurred through Lia's tears. Her body shook violently as the truth pierced her.
Her whisper was broken, hollow.
"Fiona… was a demon?"
Her tears dripped onto the page. For the first time, she realized—Heaven's greatest love story had been a forbidden one.
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