(The battlefield is silent. The Dark Knight is gone. Zephyrn has escaped. And now—Liza's father stands amidst the aftermath.)
(His gaze lingers on the unconscious figures of Liza and Kael. His expression, once cold and commanding, softens slightly as he kneels beside his daughter. His fingers press against her neck—a pulse, weak but steady. Relief flickers in his eyes, but it is brief. His attention shifts to Kael.)
(His soldiers move quickly, lifting both of them with care. Without a word, the group departs, leaving the ruined forge behind.)
The Medical Hall—Liza Awakens
(The scent of herbs and medicine fills the air. The faint glow of enchanted lanterns casts a soft light over the white stone walls. Liza stirs, a dull ache pulsing through her body. She blinks, her vision hazy, but as her eyes adjust—she sees him.**)
Liza (groggy): "…Father?"
(A tall, imposing man sits beside her bed, arms crossed. His golden hair, streaked with silver, glows faintly under the lantern light. His sharp eyes—ones that have commanded armies—now study her with a mix of concern and authority.)
Liza's Father (calm but firm): "You're awake."
(Liza tries to sit up, but pain surges through her ribs. A soft grunt escapes her lips. Her father watches but doesn't move to help—his way of letting her test her own strength.)
Liza: "Kael—where is Kael?"
(Her father's gaze hardens. He stands, motioning toward the other side of the room. Liza follows his eyes—and sees Kael lying motionless on a separate bed.**)
(His body is still. His breathing, though steady, is unnaturally slow. The wounds he suffered are gone—healed by some unknown force. But even as he rests, his expression remains tense, as if trapped in something deeper than sleep.)
Liza (whispering): "…Why hasn't he woken up?"
(Her father sighs, his gaze unreadable.)
Liza's Father: "That's what I intend to find out. But first—" (his voice turns sharper) "Tell me everything."
Meanwhile… Somewhere Else
(Kael is falling. Not physically, but his mind—his very existence—feels like it is plummeting through endless darkness.**)
(There is no ground. No sky. Only a vast, shifting abyss.)
(Then—he hears it. A distant voice, distorted yet familiar. A voice that has spoken to him before, but never like this.**)
??? (whispering, echoing): "Wake up, vessel."
(Kael's body stiffens. The voice doesn't belong to Liza, Hong Sun, or even the Warlord. It is something else. Something… ancient.)
Kael (thinking, confused): Who…?
(The darkness trembles. Shapes flicker at the edges of his vision—towering figures, glowing symbols, whispers in a language he does not understand. He tries to move, but his body does not respond. He is trapped.)
??? (voice shifting, deep yet emotionless): "The path ahead has been set. You must endure."
(A blinding light flares in the distance. It surges toward Kael—consuming him—pulling him deeper into the unknown. His mind screams, but his voice makes no sound.)
(And then—)
(Everything vanishes.)
Next: What is happening to Kael? And what secrets does Liza's father hold?