absolute despair

Lina, who had been watching in silence, showed an expression that none expected—a trace of sorrow. “I never understood,” she murmured, her cold eyes softening for just a moment. “What could make my sister abandon her throne among the divine… just to live as a human? Humans are fragile. Weak. Their lives flicker for a heartbeat and end so easily.” King Edward’s voice thundered with fury. “And you will never understand! The beauty, the potential of humanity! Yes, our lives are brief—nothing more than the blink of an eye to you. But within that fleeting span, we endure suffering, we laugh, we forge bonds with dear friends, we cry, we triumph, we chase our dreams! Something like you, who places no value on life, can never comprehend the beauty of being human!” He drew his sword, his aura erupting like a blazing inferno, shaking the very air. His eyes, wet with grief, burned with determination. “Leo—listen to me, and listen well.” His voice trembled with both command and desperation. “Selene entrusted you with our daughter… and now, I do the same. Together, you two are the future of this kingdom. From this moment, I name you king, and I renounce my throne. Take Kalia, as far as you can. Protect her with everything you have. I cannot give you orders any longer… but this is my final request, not as your ruler, but as your friend.” Leo’s jaw tightened, his heart heavy with the weight of the words. He understood. He had no choice. He grasped Kalia’s trembling hand. “Father!” she cried out one last time, her voice breaking. “I’m sorry…!” But she was no longer a child. She knew her place, her duty. Tears in her eyes, yet resolve in her heart, she ran alongside Leo, as fast as her legs would carry her. Behind them, King Edward let out a roar that echoed like thunder across the ruined land. With his sword blazing with fury, he leapt toward Lina—the Great Spirit of Ice. Leo and Kalia had already vanished across vast distances, their bodies moving like blurs under the weight of powerful magic that enhanced their speed. In mere moments, they were gone, carried far beyond the ruined capital. But their escape came at a terrible cost. King Edward’s defiance, though valiant, proved futile. Before long, his figure was sealed in ice—frozen solid, a lifeless statue of defiance. Rex smirked, his voice thick with disdain. “You let them escape… How bothersome. I’ll be the one to hunt them down.” Lina’s gaze cut toward him, cold as the blizzard around them. “Do not flatter yourself. I didn’t let them go. But after my sister’s death… and that foolish sacrifice from the old knight, it would have been indecent of me to kill them here.” Rex blinked, surprised. “Strange. I didn’t expect such sentiment from you.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “You’re starting to irritate me. Did you know that?” Rex raised his hands in mock surrender, laughter lacing his words. “Alright, alright! My apologies. Then—what now?” Lina tilted her head toward the heavens. The sky darkened instantly, shifting with a terrible force. From the clouds above, a storm howled into existence. A blizzard descended, engulfing the land, and soon, an eternal winter fell upon the continent. Far away—hundreds of kilometers distant—Leo and Kalia fInally slowed, believing they had outrun their enemies. Their breaths were heavy, but relief began to creep Into their eyes. Then it struck. The air turned sharp, suffocating with frost. Snowflakes bit into their skin like shards of glass. Both realized at once—this was no ordinary cold. Before they could move, before they could even think, she appeared. Lina. Her ghostly form materialized from the blizzard, her dead smile freezing the blood in their veins. “There is no escape,” her voice rang like death Itself. “The Cult has waited long enough. At last, it is time to claim you, princess.” Kalia, forcing back her fear, stood tall. Her voice wavered, but her courage carried it forward: “What do you want with me?” “You were born with power no mortal should possess,” Lina answered, her tone smooth, merciless. “Magic that should not exist in the realm of man. For years, we watched you—hoping to seize It. But It cannot be taken. As long as you lIve, you are a threat to the Cult. Therefore… your death is inevitable.” Before she could finish, Leo moved. With a roar, he launched himself at her with lightning speed. His blade, burning with mana, carved clean through her pale neck. Her head hit the frozen ground with a dull thud. For an instant—just an instant—there was silence. Then Leo gasped. His breath came heavy, his chest tightening. Ice began to crawl up his veins from within, spreading from his heart outward. His body trembled, frost seeping from his very core. Lina’s severed head rose back to her shoulders as though nothing had happened. She placed it neatly where it belonged, her smile never faltering. “To interrupt a lady mid-sentence,” she said softly, her tone mocking, “how very unchivalrous of you… knight.” Leo, who seemed all but dead, still struggled to rise. His body trembled, his will unbroken—yet his legs no longer obeyed him. He collapsed once more Into the snow. “For your courage,” Lina whispered coldly, “I shall grant you a swift end. A slow death by frost Is… far too cruel.” From the storm above, an icicle spear formed—razor-sharp and merciless—hurtling toward him at blinding speed. But before it could strike, a radiant emerald light flared. The spear disintegrated into mist, and from the earth, massive trees erupted, curling around Leo like a living fortress. This magic… was Kalia’s. Surrounded by her emerald glow, Leo felt the numbing frost within him fade. Warmth surged into his veins as the pain eased. Outside the barrier, Kalia stood firm, her arms outstretched, weaving an ocean of roots and towering trunks. They surged forward, crashing toward Lina, who had taken flight into the blizzard. “Incredible…” Lina’s voice echoed from above, laced with Intrigue. “You can control it.” But Kalia’s breath was already ragged. Her body trembled under the strain; the magic devoured her strength mercilessly. High above, Lina extended her hand. From her palm, a barrage of glacial lances rained down like the wrath of winter Itself. Yet every spear shattered against the thickening wall of trees that encircled Kalia. The princess, however, could not sustain It. Her knees gave way, collapsing into the snow. Around her, the trees began to wither, their once-vivid emerald glow dimming. “How predictable,” Lina sneered, her voice venomous. “Magic that manipulates life itself—defying the very law of death—cannot be tamed by a mortal.” Raising her arms, she conjured a colossal Ice lance, its surface spinning with a vortex of frost. With a final motion, she hurled it downward. Kalia did not move. She did not run. Her eyes closed, lips trembling only with one thought: I will not abandon him. The lance screamed toward her— But before it struck, the heavens roared. A thunderclap split the sky as a blInding bolt of lightning descended, shattering the ice weapon in a storm of sparks. The shockwave blasted Lina backward, hurling her across the frozen air. And then—amidst the scorched snow—lightning gathered around Leo. His broken body trembled as arcs of blinding energy danced across his frame A crimson lightning storm erupted around Leo, crackling with untamed fury. His body rose, unyielding, standing tall before the spirit. Yet his eyes were empty—no awareness, no emotion, only an overwhelming surge of power radiating from within. “How… fascinating,” Lina whispered, her voice trembling with awe. “This is not ordinary magic. This is Asgardian sorcery! Boy… what are you?” But Leo did not answer. He did not blink, nor breathe with the rhythm of mortals. His silence was more terrifying than any roar. Kalia, who had nearly collapsed moments ago, felt a spark of hope ignite in her chest at the sight of him. Summoning every last ounce of strength, she wove her enhancing spells into him—layer after layer of blessings, until her body could no longer bear it. And then Leo moved. In a blur faster than sight, crimson arcs split the blizzard in two. In an instant, his blade tore through Lina’s crystalline form, shattering her body into glittering shards of ice. Yet it was not over. From the raging storm above, countless replicas of Lina emerged—echoes of her essence, descending in a relentless cascade of attacks. Their strikes rained upon Leo like a divine judgment. But the crimson lightning that cloaked him roared to life, devouring every assault. Bolts arced outward, annihilating illusions before they could reach him, his body untouchable, his presence an unbreakable wall. The clash raged on. Leo tore through every phantom Lina conjured, while Kalia struggled to keep his body alive, pouring spell after spell into him. Yet, deep in her heart, she knew this battle was not in their favor. Her eyes turned skyward. The storm—this endless blizzard—was fueling the spirit. Without it, her strength might hold a chance. Clenching her fists, Kalia retreated a step, summoning everything within her veins. An enormous emerald circle flared to life in the heavens, its glow blinding. With a cry that shook the earth, she unleashed it. The blizzard was torn apart. The clouds were devoured. The sun, long lost, broke through in radiant glory. And with the storm’s banishment, every false image of Lina dissolved into nothing. Only one figure remained—the true spirit herself, her crystalline body glittering under the sunlight. Lina tilted her head, unconcerned, her lips curling in intrigue. “So… you can dispel my storm. Interesting.” Her gaze shifted, however, when she felt the surge beside her. The crimson aura that had once enveloped him vanished, collapsing inward, condensing into the edge of his blade. His voice followed—a voice not his own, deep and divine, a resonance between man and something far greater. “Great Spirit of Ice,” he declared, his words echoing with judgment, “for every crime you have committed, I sentence you to death. Taste the wrath of the gods.” He swung. The sword erupted, unleashing a wave of annihilation. Energy so fierce it split the land and sky, vaporizing Lina’s form and erasing all before it. The shockwave did not end—it carved upward, tearing through the heavens themselves. When it was over, silence fell. Leo’s body collapsed, his blade slipping from his grasp. Kalia, trembling yet resolute, rushed to his side. Falling to her knees, she caught him before he struck the ground, holding him close as she began to weave her healing spells, her tears mixing with the glow of her magic. Leo slowly opened his eyes, forcing a faint smile toward Kalia with what little strength remained. Thanks to her desperate efforts, he managed at last to rise, leaning heavily on her shoulder as they walked, searching for even the smallest haven to rest. But peace was never theirs to claim. A thunderous voice crashed from the heavens, echoing like the roar of a storm: “Lina… you still love to toy around, don’t you? Such a simple mission, and yet you waste so much time.” Kalia froze. The sound was alien, monstrous—yet the second voice that followed struck her with despair. “Ara… Lucifer. What brings you here?” That cursed tone… unmistakable. Lina’s voice. The two turned with dread heavy in their chests, their hope crumbling. From the sky descended a nightmare clad in living darkness—a colossal figure armored in black, from whose back spread eight vast, obsidian wings that blotted the sun. At his side hung a massive blade, long as a tower, forged for destruction. And there, calmly seated upon the ground, was Lina, untouched, her crystalline form shimmering faintly in the sun. Lucifer’s voice shook the air. “You’ve taken far too long. This should have ended swiftly. Because of your foolish games, the Cult has been forced to send two generals for a single task. What a disgrace.” The shadow of his wings spread across the ruined land, drowning both Leo and Kalia in a suffocating darknes Leo spat a curse through bloodied lips, dragging the trembling Kalia behind him with all the desperation he could muster. “Damn you! What do you want from us?!” Lina’s cold voice cut through his rage: “Listen, Lucifer—this boy… he used Asgardian magic. Can you believe it?” Lucifer’s crimson gaze burned like twin suns as his lips curved into a shadow of a smile. “Ah… I felt it. Interesting indeed.” Leo’s heart pounded in fury and despair. He funneled what little remained of his strength into his blade, though he knew the outcome was hopeless. Lucifer’s tone was calm, almost casual. “That makes this mission far more vital. Two wielders of forbidden power… their very existence endangers our cause.” Lina gave a weary sigh, her crystalline figure already fading. “So be it. But after the resistance I’ve met, I’ve lost the will to kill them myself. I’ll leave them to you.” And just like that, the Spirit of Ice vanished—gone without hesitation, leaving Leo and Kalia face to face with the abyss. The name alone was enough to curdle blood: Lucifer. Not of this world, but whispered in the forbidden tomes of distant realms—one of the Seven Deadly Sins, born in the Silver City of another plane. A fallen angel, his eight wings of shadow were proof undeniable of his identity. None alive would dare to impersonate him. The black titan drew his colossal blade. Leo raised his own weapon, hopeless defiance burning in his eyes. In the blink of an eye, he was hurled to the ground, every limb severed as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. Lucifer advanced slowly on Kalia. She screamed soundlessly, trying to summon her magic, to heal Leo, but in an instant her throat and hands were cut open, blood spilling down her body. She couldn’t even cry. The fallen angel’s voice was devoid of interest, a predator’s murmur as he watched them writhe. “You have a strong heart, human. What a waste… If the Cult had discovered you earlier, perhaps we would have taken you under our wing. A mortal with Asgard’s remnants burning within… now that is something worth my attention.” Their eyes met in the silence of despair—Leo, tears streaming down his face as veins bulged with futile rage, and Kalia, whose hope had already withered into nothingness. This night… it was supposed to be theirs. A night of life, of promise. Instead, it had become their requiem. Leo cursed his weakness, his impotence, his very existence, while Kalia’s gaze lingered on him with the fragile tenderness of a final farewell. Lucifer’s patience ended. With a single, effortless swing of his colossal blade, the fallen angel cut them down. Their bodies were cleaved, collapsing lifelessly onto the barren earth—two broken figures in a land stripped of all light. Without a word, Lucifer ascended into the storm, his black wings carrying him far into the heavens, leaving behind nothing but silence… and death. The tale of Leo and Kalia ended that night, their corpses lying side by side upon the desolate ground—two flames extinguished before they could ever truly burn.