chapter 2

 SCENE – “The Silence That Awakens the Forest”

The sky above the Elven Kingdom is covered in clouds of liquid light.
The castle’s branches intertwine like living veins,
and the air smells of ancient moss and sleeping magic.
In front of the gates carved with whispering runes,
Sei To Shi, the Dragon Queen,
walks with the dignity of a contained volcano.
Her white dress trails like burning mist,
and her red eyes never leave the crystal floating behind the knights.
Beside her, Froldhëim Varyak, the Ice Princess,
has goosebumps on her skin,
as if the cold within her isn’t enough to calm the tremble of her memory.
The three elite mages remain in formation,
their cloaks billowing like wise shadows.
The knights of the Rising Dragon lower the cylinder with reverence,
as if carrying a forbidden reliquary.
The Elven King appears among the castle’s living roots.
His face is serene,
but his eyes shine with the unease of one who has felt a change in the forest’s pulse.

—

ELVEN KING (soft but firm voice)
— “What is happening here?”

The elite mage steps forward.
His fingers tremble slightly,
not from fear,
but from the weight of what he is about to reveal.

—

ELITE MAGE (with solemnity)
— “Your Majesty…
allow yourself to see with your own eyes.”

With a gesture, he orders the knights to lower the cylinder.
The crystal touches the ground with a damp whisper.
The water inside vibrates.
And Kagayaku floats,
his white hair swaying like threads of moonlight,
his mutilated body,
missing his left arm,
appears asleep…
but the aura surrounding him
makes the elven soldiers step back, not knowing why.

From the castle’s entrance,
a figure peers out with curiosity.
The Elven Princess,
with eyes green as a rain-soaked forest,
stops upon seeing the young man.
She covers her mouth.
She doesn’t know who he is.
She doesn’t understand what’s happening.
But something in her chest…
compels her to stay.
To listen.

The mage steps forward.
His voice deepens,
as if each word were a stone falling into a sacred lake.

—

ELITE MAGE (with deep respect)
— “This young man…
left the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon,
not to flee,
but to protect what we still do not understand.”

The King gazes at the cylinder.
The water inside briefly glows.
The castle’s roots tremble.

—

ELITE MAGE (continuing)
— “Meanwhile,
the Ice Kingdom was attacked by two demonic armies,
led by one of the stars of the abyss.”

The name falls like a contained thunder.
The forest’s leaves fold.
The wind halts.

—

ELITE MAGE (with a broken voice)
— “They were seeking the Chalice of Eternal Life.
And when all seemed lost…
Kagayaku appeared.
Alongside her…
Sei To Shi.”

The King slowly turns toward the Dragon Queen.
She does not speak.
But her eyes burn,
as if she were still in the midst of that battle.

The mage lowers his gaze.
His voice becomes a whisper filled with awe.

—

ELITE MAGE (with reverence)
— “Sei To Shi fell.
And Kagayaku…
fought alone.
Against 2,500 demons.
And against Khorvax.”

Silence becomes absolute.
The entire forest seems to hold its breath.

—

ELITE MAGE (with sorrow)
— “He lost his left arm.
But even so…
he defeated the star.”

The King approaches the cylinder.
His hand touches the crystal.
The water inside responds with a faint glow.
The castle’s roots stir.
The leaves sing.
And the forest…
listens.

—

 END OF SCENE – “The Silence That Awakens the Forest”

SCENE – “The Flower That Responds”

The air stands still.
The water in the cylinder vibrates with a soft green glow.
The King remains motionless,
as if hearing something no one else can.

—

KING (serene, focused)
— “Call my daughter.
Let her bring a withered flower.”

The princess arrives with gentle steps.
In her hands, a dry, broken, colorless flower.
The people watch in silence.
Children peek between the adults,
eyes wide.

—

PRINCESS (confused, uneasy)
— “Father… this flower is dead. Why this one?”

—

KING (calm, eyes fixed on the young man)
— “Approach the cylinder.
With the flower in your hands.
Slowly.
Without asking.”

She obeys.
Walks slowly.
The silence grows dense.
The leaves do not move.
The water… trembles.

—

WOMAN FROM THE CROWD (murmuring, fearful)
— “Is he calling the young man’s soul?”

—

YOUNG BOY (in awe)
— “Is it going to bloom?”

The princess stops before the cylinder.
The young man inside does not move.
But the water vibrates.
She extends her hands.
The flower trembles.

—

PRINCESS (with a broken voice)
— “Father… it’s glowing…”

The flower opens.
Its petals stretch as if breathing.
Roots sprout—small, alive, seeking soil.

—

ELDER (murmuring in awe)
— “It’s alive! The flower came back!”

The King closes his eyes.
It wasn’t him.
It was the young man.
It was Kagayaku.

—

KING (softly, moved)
— “Then… there is still hope.”

The leaves tremble.
The roots stir beneath the earth.
The flower,
in the princess’s hands,
beats.

—

 END OF SCENE – “The Flower That Responds”

 SCENE – “The Sacred Water Cave”

The glow of the flower still vibrates in the princess’s hands.
The roots extend—small, alive—
as if trying to touch the earth that isn’t there.

The King watches in silence.
His gaze hardens.
His chest stirs with an unexpected certainty.

—

KING (astonished, revealing)
— “The flower test… was to confirm what I felt.
A tremendous power… of my own element.
But I didn’t expect this…
That the flower would not only revive… but seek soil.
As if something inside him… were calling life itself.”

The murmurs of the people intensify.
The leaves tremble.
The water in the cylinder glows brighter.

The King turns with resolve.
His voice becomes firm,
like a trunk cracking to make way.

—

KING (urgent, commanding)
— “Forest mages! All eight!
Take him to the Sacred Water Cave.
Remove the young man from the cylinder.
Treat him with care.”

Eight young elven mages step forward.
Their green robes ripple like leaves in the wind.
Their eyes shine with determination.
They bow before the King,
and then before the cylinder.
The crowd steps aside.
Children watch in awe.
The roots in the ground open,
as if the forest itself were marking the path.

The cylinder rises,
surrounded by the mages.
The water inside vibrates.
Kagayaku’s white hair stirs.
And the forest…
falls silent.

—

 END OF SCENE – “The Sacred Water Cave”

 SCENE – “The Step into Silence”

The air grows heavier.
The leaves no longer move.
The forest watches,
holding its breath.

One of the mages extends her hands.
Her fingers glow with liquid light.
The water inside the cylinder begins to levitate,
wrapping Kagayaku like a sacred veil.

The young man floats.
His body slowly emerges,
as if the water were releasing him with care.
His white hair falls over his face,
and his skin…
is cold.

—

ELVEN MAGE 1 (focused, firm)
— “Descend… slowly…”

The water slides away,
leaving Kagayaku outside.
Two mages position themselves under his right arm,
a third supports his back,
where his left arm is missing.

—

ELVEN MAGE 2 (softly)
— “His breathing… is weak.”

—

ELVEN MAGE 3 (moved)
— “His body… feels like ice.”

The elven princess watches from the side.
Her hands tremble.
Her eyes never leave the young man.

—

ELVEN PRINCESS (worried, whispering)
— “Is this how he ended up… after all that?”

The King steps forward.
His voice rises,
not with harshness,
but with serene authority.

—

KING (firm, protective)
— “Please…
everyone return to your homes.
Do not ask questions.
Do not speak of this.
This young man… deserves silence.”

The villagers nod.
Children are guided by their parents.
Doors close.
The forest keeps the secret.

The mages enter the castle,
carrying Kagayaku with care.
His body sways gently,
as if still floating in water.
The elven princess follows them with her gaze,
without moving,
without speaking…
only feeling.

—

 END OF SCENE – “The Step into Silence”

SCENE – “Level 45”

The plane is broken.
The air is not air.
It is dust made of screams.
The labyrinth walls bleed.
And Kagayaku,
covered in wounds,
missing his left arm,
holds a black sword in his right hand,
freshly torn from the corpse of a demon commander.

His breathing is heavy.
His body trembles.
But his eyes…
burn.

Above, the sky does not exist.
Only a rift.
A tear in the universe,
as if something invisible had clawed it open from another plane.

And in the middle of that wound…
float 50 eyes.
All open.
All crying blood.
All staring at Kagayaku.

A voice slides from the rift.
It has no mouth.
No form.
Only mocking grace.

—

ABYSSAL BEING (playful, cruel)
— “Oh my…
Congratulations.
You’ve finished Level 44.
And now… you’ll enter 45, Kagayaku.”

Kagayaku doesn’t respond immediately.
His hand tightens around the hilt.
His body leans forward.
His shadow stretches,
as if trying to escape.

—

KAGAYAKU (exhausted, defiant)
— “Open the door.
Now.”

The eyes stir.
Blood falls like inverted rain.
And at the end of the labyrinth…
a door forms.
It doesn’t open.
It decomposes.

The level awaits.
And Kagayaku…
enters.

 SCENE – “The Silent Wait”
Location: Elven Kingdom — Wind Tower, central market, surrounding forests. Still afternoon. The sky no longer sings.

The sky of the Elven Kingdom,
always clear,
always calm,
now holds a secret no one understands.

For a day and a half,
a four-pointed star
has remained suspended above the realm.
Visible from every corner.
Unsettling.
Silent.

· Top and bottom points: long, like spears piercing the firmament.

· Side points: short, like held breaths.

· Color: deep black, with white edges that vibrate as if alive.

Today, without warning,
the star changes.
It grows,
very slowly,
as if the sky were holding its breath.

Its center turns blood red,
surrounded by a thin white line,
vibrating like a thread of destiny.
And it emits a barely audible sound…
like a contained lament.
Like a call that does not belong to this world.

In the central market,
merchants have stopped shouting prices.
Their eyes are fixed on the sky.

—

ELVEN MERCHANT (uneasy, low voice)
— “Yesterday it was small…
today… it’s growing.”

—

YOUNG MERCHANT (looking at the sky, hand on chest)
— “It doesn’t look like a star.
It looks… like a wound.”

Elven children,
who once ran between the stalls,
now stop.
Their games fade.
Their voices break.

—

ELVEN GIRL (eyes wet)
— “Is it crying?”

—

ELVEN BOY (whispering)
— “It wasn’t like this yesterday…”

In the forests,
animals hide.
Roots tremble.
Leaves hang frozen in the air,
as if the world were waiting for something it doesn’t want to arrive.

From the Wind Tower,
Sei To Shi watches the star.
Her silhouette outlined against the red sky.
Her cape billows as if the air avoids it.
Her eyes do not blink.

 SCENE – “The King and the Star”

The Elven King stands beside her,
his gaze fixed on the firmament,
wordless.

—

SEI TO SHI (firm voice, unwavering)
— “Your Majesty…
that star appeared the same day my master, Kagayaku, fell into a coma.
It does not belong to this sky.
It does not belong to this realm.
And it is not here for you.”

Pause. The sound intensifies,
as if the star were responding to the name no one dares to speak.

—

SEI TO SHI (lower, more intimate)
— “That star…
holds a small fragment of my master Kagayaku’s power.
It is waiting.
Waiting to be unleashed.”

The King does not respond.
But his breath falters.
The sky pulses.
The sound becomes a thread slicing through the air.
And the world…
trembles.

Deep in the forest,
a flower withers without being touched.
The lake darkens.
The birds fall silent.
And the Elven Kingdom,
for the first time in centuries,
does not know what to do.

SCENE – “The Sisters of Dawn”

7:00 a.m.
The sun barely grazes the rooftops of the Rising Dragon Academy.
The towers are still wrapped in mist,
and the stone corridors vibrate with the echo of magical footsteps.

Six female figures walk through the central courtyard,
with the bearing of warriors,
but eyes heavy with worry.

They are Kagayaku’s sisters:
Airi, Sayra, Elen, Hana, Kaela, and Nira.
All wear the official uniform of House VALDRAK,
the most demanding and prestigious in the academy.

· Short combat dress in black and red,
with a layered asymmetrical skirt that floats lightly as they walk,
as if mana made it weightless.

· Long fitted sleeves,
with ornamental cuffs and embedded crystals.

· Dark stockings,
with magical effects for defense and speed.

· Reinforced magical boots,
and a longer cape embroidered with constellations,
glowing softly as if the sky blessed them.

Their steps are firm,
but their hearts…
are not.

—

AIRI (worried, looking at the sky)
— “What if he doesn’t wake up…?”

—

SAYRA (contained, fists clenched)
— “He can’t stay like this.
Not him.”

—

ELEN (soft voice, almost to herself)
— “The star is still there…
growing bigger each day.”

—

HANA (watching the reflection in the academy’s lake)
— “What if that thing… is connected to him?”

—

KAELA (trembling voice)
— “I don’t want him to be forgotten.
Not here… not in any realm.”

—

NIRA (stopped, eyes fixed on the director’s tower)
— “If something happens…
I want to be ready.”

Students passing by greet them with respect,
but also with silence.
Everyone knows who Kagayaku is.
Everyone knows what he did.
But no one knows…
how he is now.

The sisters’ capes flutter in the wind.
The embroidered constellations glow softly,
as if the sky were listening.
As if the universe were waiting too.

And as they cross the academy’s threshold,
the sun pauses for a moment above them.
Not for beauty.
For memory.

SCENE – “Whispers Beneath Valdrak’s Sky”

The morning sun caresses the enchanted walls of the Rising Dragon Academy.
Kagayaku’s six sisters—Airi, Sayra, Elen, Hana, Kaela, and Nira—
walk along the floating stone corridor,
where the ceiling’s crystals reflect living constellations.

Their House Valdrak capes flutter with elegance,
but their faces show discomfort.
Their voices intertwine in a shared murmur.

—

SAYRA (annoyed, lowering her voice)
— “Have you noticed how everyone in Valdrak thinks they’re superior?
Not a smile. Not a kind word.”

—

KAELA (frowning)
— “It’s like they’re competing all the time…
even when no one’s watching.”

—

ELEN (looking at her crystal cuffs)
— “And I thought this house was the noblest…
but it seems it’s just the most arrogant.”

—

HANA (sighing, resigned tone)
— “Too bad we couldn’t choose.
The house was assigned based on entrance scores.”

—

NIRA (gazing at the enchanted sky)
— “Yeah…
and we went straight to Valdrak.”

Suddenly, a soft, clear laugh interrupts the conversation.
The six stop instantly.
A figure approaches from the mana garden,
walking gracefully, wearing a cape embroidered in living silver.

It’s Lileth, princess of the Rising Dragon Kingdom.
Her presence commands respect,
but her smile…
disarms.

—

LILETH (laughing sweetly)
— “Don’t worry…
I think the same about Valdrak.”

The sisters glance at each other, surprised.
They didn’t expect someone like her to hear them.
Much less to agree.

—

AIRI (hesitant, soft voice)
— “You too…?”

—

LILETH (nodding gracefully)
— “Yes.
And I can’t stand Dranzel, the house leader.
Too proud.”

—

HANA (with a shy smile)
— “Do you think we could switch houses?”

—

LILETH (with a conspiratorial look)
— “If you ask the director…
maybe.”

The six sisters fall silent.
For the first time since arriving,
someone understood them.

And as the sun rises over the main tower,
the constellations embroidered on their capes
shine a little brighter.

 SCENE – “The Bond and the Labyrinth”

 REALITY – Courtyard of the Rising Dragon Academy

Morning light filters through enchanted stained glass.
The towers breathe mana,
and the sky, though clear,
seems to hold a sigh that won’t release.

Kagayaku’s six sisters—Airi, Sayra, Elen, Hana, Kaela, and Nira—
walk together through the main corridor,
their Valdrak capes fluttering with elegance,
but their steps are heavy with unease.

Suddenly, without thinking,
as if their hearts spoke at the same time…

—

THE SIX SISTERS (in unison, soft voice)
— “How is Kagayaku…?”

They stop.
Look at each other.
The silence between them is louder than any answer.

—

LILETH (gently, watching them)
— “You care deeply for your brother, don’t you?”

—

SAYRA (firm voice, but pained)
— “We do.
Kagayaku never hesitates to help those in need.
But this time…
he no longer has an arm.”

—

LILETH (gazing at the sky, thoughtful)
— “I wonder too…
How will he go on?”

 SPIRITUAL PLANE – The Labyrinth of Life or Death

Air does not exist.
The ground is a mix of floating stone and suspended roots.
Everything is wrapped in a bluish mist that moves as if it were breathing.

In the middle of the labyrinth,
Kagayaku advances.
His left arm is gone.
But his right hand holds a black sword,
with runes that vibrate as if they were part of his soul.

His white hair is speckled with blood.
His golden eyes do not blink.
His breathing is steady.
His soul…
does not surrender.

The environment shifts with each step.
Columns of bone rise and collapse.
Frameless doors spin in the air.
And above,
in a distorted space,
float 50 eyes.
No body.
No face.
Only eyes.
All open.
All crying blood.
All watching.

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (talkative, mocking)
— “Always so serious, Kagayaku?
Aren’t you tired of fighting?
Don’t you want to chat a little?
When you finish all this…
you’re in for a big surprise.
Hahaha…”

—

KAGAYAKU (serious, focused)
— “Are you always this talkative?
Let me fight.
I want to get out of here.”

A roar shakes the plane.
A 60-meter dragon emerges among broken columns.
Its body is black as the abyss,
its claws tear the air,
and its fiery eyes burn with ancient rage.

The ground trembles.
The roots recoil.
The spiritual sky bends.

The dragon unleashes a fire attack.
Kagayaku dodges.
He leaps between floating platforms.
Spins in the air.
And with a clean strike,
he severs its arm.

The dragon roars louder.
Charges another attack.
Pure fire.
Kagayaku dodges again,
his body spinning through the flames,
his sword vibrating with pure energy.

And then…
he lunges at the dragon’s neck.
A single movement.
The head falls.

The spiritual plane cracks.
The being’s eyes widen.
But Kagayaku does not stop.
He does not speak.
He simply walks toward the next enemy.

In reality,
his sisters look to the sky.
The four-pointed star pulses slowly.
Red.
Alive.
Waiting.

—

 END OF SCENE

 SCENE – “Rest Among Ruins”

 SPIRITUAL PLANE – Labyrinth of Awakening

The air has stilled.
The floating platforms have dimmed.
The dragon’s decapitated body lies like a defeated mountain,
its black blood evaporating in threads of dark mana.

Kagayaku remains standing,
his sword still firm in his right hand,
his breathing labored,
his gaze fixed on the distorted horizon.

Above, the 50 eyes float in silence.
No longer speaking.
No longer mocking.
Only watching.

And then…
a voice only the being of 50 eyes can hear
whispers from beyond the plane.

—

UNKNOWN VOICE (serene, deep)
— “Let him rest for a moment.”

The being stirs.
Some eyes blink.
Others close briefly.

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (obedient, curious)
— “Of course… as you wish.”

It descends slightly,
as if the plane itself bowed to the command.

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (to Kagayaku)
— “I’ll give you a moment to rest, Kagayaku.”

—

KAGAYAKU (gasping, eyes still lit)
— “I can still fight.”

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (firm, almost paternal)
— “Stop being so stubborn…
and rest.”

Kagayaku hesitates.
But his body betrays him.
His legs tremble.
His energy disperses like smoke.
And then…
he sits among the dragon’s claws,
surrounded by spiritual blood and floating ash.

Silence envelops him.
But it is not emptiness.
It is waiting.

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (curious, slow)
— “What happened out there…
before you arrived here?”

Kagayaku lowers his gaze.
His voice is deep,
but not broken.

—

KAGAYAKU (calm, tired)
— “I fought…
a being that attacked a kingdom…
During the battle…
I lost my left arm.
But I ended up winning.
Though…
I lost too much blood.
And after that…
I woke up here.”

The eyes narrow.
Some vibrate.
Others dim for a moment.

—

BEING OF 50 EYES (grave, solemn)
— “The essential part of awakening power…
is the one who breaks from the soul.
And the recognition of ourselves.
Use and remember my words…
for I shall hide a great key within them.”

Kagayaku does not respond.
But his golden eyes narrow.
His soul listens.
His memory records.

The labyrinth’s platforms dim.
The roots retract.
And the plane…
breathes with him.

 END OF SCENE

 SCENE – “The Silence That Hurt to Say”

The main gate of the Rising Dragon Academy opens slowly.
The air is still, as if the world knows something important is about to break.
The six sisters—Airi, Sayra, Elen, Hana, Kaela, and Nira—walk alongside Princess Lileth,
their eyes shining with something they’re unsure is joy or fear.

From the enchanted stone path,
the carriage from the Kingdom of Arathen arrives between columns of soldiers.
The three mage triplets walk ahead,
their capes fluttering gently,
as if the mana in the air recognized them.

The carriage opens.
King Aldren and Queen Lysara step down, eyes filled with emotion.
The six run to them.
Arms close.
Bodies press together.
And for a moment, everything feels okay.

But it doesn’t last.
The third mage steps forward.
Her voice isn’t harsh,
but it falls like a weight no one wants to carry.

—

THIRD MAGE (looking around)
— “Where is Kagayaku?”

The six stop.
The embrace loosens.
Eyes lower.
Lileth turns her face to the sky,
where the red four-pointed star still hangs,
larger than yesterday.

—

HANA (soft voice, without lifting her gaze)
— “Not here.
Let’s go to the garden.”

The group moves toward the garden of living roots.
The leaves close around them as if trying to protect them.
The air smells of damp earth and something that cannot be named.

Sayra sits on a stone.
The others gather around her.
Their parents wait.
The mages say nothing.
Lileth stands, hands folded.

—

SAYRA (looking at her own hands)
— “It was a few weeks ago.
We were asleep.
Everything was quiet.
And suddenly…
we heard something from his room.
It wasn’t screaming.
It was like he was choking.”

The Queen covers her mouth.
The King doesn’t blink.

—

SAYRA (voice breaking)
— “When we entered,
he didn’t respond.
He was sitting,
but he didn’t see us.
And he started coughing blood.
A lot.”

Kaela squeezes her eyes shut.
Elen bites her lip.
Nira lowers her head.

—

SAYRA (without looking at anyone)
— “He left with Sei To Shi.”

—

KING ALDREN (confused)
— “Who is that person?”

—

SAYRA (quickly, as if it hurts to say)
— “She’s his familiar.
The one who’s always been with him.”

—

SAYRA (slower)
— “After that…
he didn’t come back.
The director said he had a battle.
Against one of the stars of the abyss.
He won.
But he lost an arm.
And fell into a coma.
They took him to the Elven Kingdom.
They’re waiting for him to wake up.”

 SCENE – “The Silence That Grew Heavy”

The silence grows heavier.
The Queen collapses to her knees.
The King embraces her without saying a word.
The triplet mages approach,
but ask no further questions.

The six sisters remain still.
And the red star,
from above,
seems to gaze directly at them.

—

 END OF SCENE

 SCENE – “The Skull That Should Never Have Returned”

The abyss has no sky.
Only a dome of black smoke that breathes as if alive.
Twisted columns of bone rise,
and the ground is covered in ash that never cools.

Among the echoes of ancient laments,
walks Elyzhar — the Walker of Graves,
wearing a robe made of dried skins and eyes that never blink.
In his hands,
the skull of the first hero,
still stained with sacred earth.

—

ABYSS MAGE (harsh voice, without respect)
— “Idiot. You said three days.
Three. And ten have passed.”

—

ELYZHAR (without lifting his gaze)
— “There were… complications.”

The mage clicks his tongue.
But Elyzhar does not defend himself.
His mind is trapped in what he saw.

—

 FLASHBACK – A Week and a Half Ago

Forgotten ruins.
The Diamond Tree rises in the middle of a dead valley.
Its branches shine like blades.
And beneath it…
a stone door with symbols that weep.

The mechanism wouldn’t activate.
Until Elyzhar read the inscription:
“Only the blood of the pure opens the path.”

The village was hidden in underground caves.
Children who never aged.
Protected by the tree’s magic.
Elyzhar entered.
And did not come out the same.

The altar opened.
The skull was born from the heart of the tree.
And the silence that followed…
was crueler than any scream.

 RETURN TO THE ABYSS

Elyzhar extends the skull.
The mage takes it without looking.
Places it on the altar,
a throne made of dried blood and shattered bones.

The skull rests at the top.
And the altar trembles.

ABYSS MAGE (deep voice, almost thrilled)
— “Now all that remains…
are the two Chalices of Life.
And the core of the Whispering Abyss.”

The altar’s fire turns black.
And from the depths of the abyss,
a voice begins to murmur.
Not words.
Only hunger.

 END OF SCENE