The War for The North [78]

Chapter 191: The Crimson Night [19]

The distant roar of war and chaos on the surface could not reach these pitch black tunnels buried hundreds of meters underground.

Amid shattered stone, crushed pillars, and clouds of ancient dust, a radiant figure moved forward, shining in complete contrast to the destruction around him.

Archangel Solariel slowed his steps and stopped before a massive door, its surface carved with ancient runes and sealed with dark energy.

The very embodiment of pride and divine power, he looked at the suffocating aura surrounding the door with faint disdain.

He slowly pulled back his left arm. Golden sacred mana flowed through his veins, glowing beneath his skin like a miniature sun as it gathered into his fist.

Without a single incantation, relying purely on brute force, he drove his fist into the sealed door.

A deafening impact echoed.

The underground tunnel trembled violently. The massive door bent inward under the force, but did not break completely. The runes flickered desperately, resisting the holy power.

Solariel frowned slightly.

His absolute confidence in his own strength had met a minor obstacle.

"Hm... not enough?" he thought.

He shrugged and struck the same spot again.

And again.

The final blow shattered the ancient seal completely. The door broke apart and flew inward from its hinges.

The moment Solariel stepped through the broken entrance, a strange sensation crawled across his skin, like thousands of needles piercing him at once.

This was no ordinary magic.

This aura... was familiar.

Something etched deep into his memory from thousands of years ago.

The chamber was pitch black.

From floor to ceiling, there was no beginning, no end. No walls. No sky.

Only an endless void.

And at the very center of that void, standing in stark contrast to everything, was a single object.

A pure white sword, suspended in the air as if embedded into an invisible pedestal.

Solariel’s gaze locked onto it.

After briefly observing the endless darkness, he began walking toward the sword with slow, noble steps.

With each step, the dark surface beneath his feet rippled like still water. His sacred mana left behind golden marks that spread outward.

As he advanced, cracks of golden light began to spread across the dimension itself.

The space could not withstand his presence.

It was tearing apart from within.

After a while, Solariel glanced back.

The broken door he had entered through was gone.

There was no exit.

Only endless darkness.

He did not care.

He turned forward and continued walking.

When he reached the sword, only a few centimeters separated them.

He looked at his own reflection on the flawless white blade.

A gentle, nostalgic smile appeared on his lips.

"Long time no see, Lady Serena," he said, his voice echoing softly through the void.

"I do not expect you to remember me. It has been four thousand years, after all."

"Back then... I was just a newly born angel. My wings had barely even grown."

He placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly.

"My name is Solariel. If you recall, I had the honor of serving you for a short time. Your guidance back then taught me much."

That innocent smile slowly twisted into arrogance.

His eyes narrowed.

"Now... allow me to show you how much I have grown."

With excitement and a sense of triumph, he reached out toward the sword’s hilt.

His fingers closed...

But touched nothing.

Only air.

Only emptiness. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The smile on Solariel’s face froze.

His golden eyes widened in shock.

Something was wrong.

Something was terribly wrong.

Worse yet...

The Dragon Heart he had been certain he was holding just moments ago was gone.

His hand was empty.

His breath caught.

Then, in the silence, he heard it.

A faint rustle of fabric.

A quiet sigh.

Right beside him.

Slowly, with rising dread, Solariel turned his head.

And saw him.

A figure that had not been there before, now standing in the darkness like a nightmare given form.

This was not the broken, pathetic boy he had torn apart earlier.

Before him stood a young man, dressed in elegant black clothing.

His long white hair flowed down past his waist, glowing faintly even in the darkness.

But what froze Solariel’s blood was the crown on his head.

A simple black crown that seemed to devour the light around it.

The crimson stones embedded within it shimmered like living eyes.

And beneath that crown...

Those eyes.

Red.

Endless.

Filled with a madness so vast it could burn entire galaxies to ash.

A smile rested on the young man’s lips.

But it was not human.

Not joy.

Not sorrow.

Something twisted.

Something hollow.

Cassian casually held the white sword in his hand like a toy.

"Seriously..." he said.

His voice was no longer filled with rage, but with a tired, mocking calm, as if it carried the weight of centuries.

"All that effort... just for this worthless sword?"

He lazily swung it through the air.

Again.

And again.

"Does not seem that special. Kind of disappointing."

He raised it to eye level, examining it with clear disdain.

Then slowly turned his head toward Solariel.

Those red eyes locked onto him.

"Hey, archangel," Cassian said with a crooked grin.

"What was your name again... Solatus? Solanum?"

He tilted his head slightly, pretending to think.

"Do you even know how to use this thing? Because to me it just feels like a shiny stick."

Solariel’s mind was breaking apart.

How... how did he escape the seal?

How did he get here?

The presence in front of him felt completely different.

His gaze sharpened with anger.

"How did you break free?!" he roared. His voice shook the entire dimension.

"That seal was absolute!"

Cassian ignored him.

He continued idly swinging the sword, muttering to himself.

Solariel’s eye twitched.

"Do not ignore me, you wretched mortal!"

His body erupted with sacred mana.

Blinding golden light filled the void.

In an instant, he launched forward, moving faster than sight itself.

A sword of pure light formed in his hand, burning the space around it.

The blade cut toward Cassian’s neck.

But...

It hit nothing.

Only empty space.

Solariel froze.

Again.

The same thing.

When he turned, Cassian was standing a few steps away, still examining the sword like nothing had happened.

Solariel’s thoughts spiraled.

He did not move.

There was no trace.

No mana.

No distortion.

So how?

How did he avoid it?

There was only one answer.

Destroy him.

With clenched teeth, Solariel attacked again, faster, stronger, driven by killing intent.

The blade approached Cassian’s unguarded neck.

And then...

Cassian turned his head slightly.

Their eyes met.

For a single instant...

Time stopped.

In those red eyes, Solariel saw something that froze his soul.

For the first time in thousands of years, he felt it again.

That primal, sickening emotion.

Fear.

It felt like death itself was breathing down his neck.

Like those eyes were devouring his existence.

His instincts screamed.

Attack.

But his body refused.

At the last moment, his strike faltered.

Instead of hitting Cassian, he veered off, passing beside him and crashing several meters away.

He landed on his hands and knees, gasping.

Cold sweat dripped from his face.

His hands trembled.

And then he realized.

It was never Cassian who had been avoiding the attacks.

It was him.

His own body had rejected the act of touching Cassian.

As if doing so meant absolute annihilation.

Every cell in his body confirmed it.

If he touched him...

He would be consumed.

From behind, Cassian’s voice came again.

Now sitting casually on the ground, legs crossed, completely uninterested.

He rested his chin on his hand and stared at the sword.

"Such a disappointment..." he muttered.

Then he looked up.

As if speaking to someone unseen.

"Hey, Serena... are you watching?"

"I know you cannot look away."

He raised the sword.

"Look. The piece you wanted so badly... the one you burned worlds for... it is in my hand."

He ignored Solariel completely.

"You are a cold woman..." he murmured.

"I gave up everything for this thing. And what do I get? Not even a thank you?"

The playful look faded.

Something darker took its place.

"I think..." he whispered.

"I know exactly how to punish a bad girl."

Black flames ignited in his hand.

Darker than darkness itself.

Chaos flames.

They spread across his arm in an instant.

Solariel’s eyes widened in horror.

"STOP!" he screamed, rushing forward.

Too late.

A sharp, shattering sound echoed.

The white sword broke apart.

Into countless pieces.

Time slowed.

Fragments of divine light scattered through the dark flames.

Cassian watched, smiling.

Like he was admiring art.

At the same time, the dimension itself began to crack.

Without the sword, it could not hold.

The entire space shattered.

And collapsed.

Throwing them both back into reality.