The western gate of The Broken Wing closed behind Elian with a heavy wooden thud, as if the world of light had just severed its connection with him. Before him, the snow-covered mountain path began to slope downward, giving way to damp black soil and basalt rocks glistening with perpetual moisture.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Noctis.
Unlike the Holy Empire of Celestia, bathed in white light and hypocrisy, Noctis was a realm where shadows were blankets and honesty often came in the form of a knife's edge. The sky here was perpetually shrouded in thick purple clouds that absorbed most of the sunlight, creating a constant twilight atmosphere.
Elian took a deep breath. The air here wasn't sharp like in the mountains; it felt heavy, rich with earth-element mana and dense darkness. For a mage of light, this place was poison. But for Elian, whose Core was broken and whose body had assimilated the gravity of the Abyss, this air felt like a cold yet refreshing embrace.
Thump. Thump.
The black lines on his left hand pulsed softly. That tattoo wasn't just a mark; it was an antenna highly sensitive to the surrounding mana. Elian felt the "heartbeat" of Noctis's soil. Beneath this ground lay a vast network of mana crystals, the source of power for the kingdom that defied heaven's authority.
Elian stepped forward. His stride was now much more regular. He had learned not just to let his weight crush the ground, but to "lock" his mass within his skeletal system. However, he knew his control was still crude. If he lost focus even slightly, his body density would ruin whatever he touched.
After two hours walking through a silent black pine forest, Elian arrived at a massive stone bridge crossing a bottomless chasm. At the end of the bridge stood a checkpoint guarded by the Night Guards of Noctis.
Unlike the shining Templars, these guards wore dull black armor made of sea monster hide and basalt steel. Beside them, several mages in dark purple robes held staves emitting a ghostly glow.
"Halt!" one guard raised his spear. "Show your identity or pass, Pilgrim."
Elian pulled out the leather scroll he took from Malek. He tossed it toward the guard.
The guard caught it, but he flinched slightly. The small scroll felt much heavier than it should have, nearly throwing him off balance for a moment. He stared at Elian suspiciously before breaking the silver seal.
"Broken Wing diplomatic pass... belonging to Overseer Malek?" The guard narrowed his eyes, looking Elian up and down. "A small child carrying a document this important? Where is Malek?"
"He's taking early retirement," Elian answered flatly.
The guard frowned. He signaled the mage beside him. The mage stepped forward, raising a crystal ball to scan Elian's aura.
Instantly, the crystal ball went pitch black. No elemental colors appeared—no fire red, water blue, or light yellow. Only a deep void that seemed to want to suck the light out of the crystal ball itself.
"Huh?!" the mage stepped back, his hands shaking. "Captain... this kid... he has no aura. He is a walking Void!"
All the guards immediately drew their weapons. The atmosphere on the bridge became incredibly tense.
"Who are you really?!" shouted the guard Captain. "A spy from Celestia? Or one of the monsters that crawled out of the Abyss?"
Elian stared at them with his empty black eyes. He felt anger beginning to boil in his chest—frustration that his journey was always hindered by humans afraid of what they didn't understand.
"I just want to pass," Elian said.
He took one step forward.
BOOM!
The entire massive stone bridge shook. Small cracks appeared beneath Elian's feet. The guards felt as if a mountain's weight had suddenly fallen onto their shoulders. Some of them fell to their knees, gasping for oxygen in the air that had suddenly become incredibly dense.
"Wait! Stop!"
A clear, authoritative female voice broke the tension.
From the direction of Noctis's main gate, a woman on horseback approached rapidly. She wore an elegant black silk robe and a small tiara signifying high rank. Behind her, followed a figure very familiar to Elian.
Lunaria.
The Elf Queen jumped from her horse before the animal fully stopped. She ran toward Elian, ignoring the astonished looks from the guards.
"Elian!"
Lunaria stopped right in front of Elian. She stared at her student's body, which now looked different—sharper, colder, and carrying the scent of darkness she recognized as the Abyss. She saw the black tattoo on Elian's hand and the grey streaks in his hair.
"You... you really crawled back," Lunaria whispered. There was a rare glimmer of relief in her violet eyes, but also sadness as she realized how much humanity Elian had to sacrifice to survive.
Elian looked at his teacher. For a moment, the emptiness in his eyes faded slightly. "I... kept my promise, Master."
Lunaria nodded, then turned to the guard Captain who was still terrified.
"He is with me," Lunaria said firmly. "He is the most valuable cargo ever brought into this kingdom. Do you have a problem with that, Captain?"
The guard Captain swallowed hard, looking at the crowned woman beside Lunaria. That was Countess Vespera, one of the shadow nobles of Noctis allied with Lunaria. Vespera simply gave a small nod of confirmation.
"Forgive us, Lady Lunaria, Countess," the Captain bowed deeply, signaling his men to open the gate. "Please pass."
***
POV: Lunaria
As they walked into Noctis territory, Lunaria stayed by Elian's side. She could feel the "weight" Elian radiated. Every time Elian's foot touched the ground, Lunaria could feel the earth's mana reacting, as if greeting its master.
"You exceeded my expectations, Elian," Lunaria whispered so the Countess's guards wouldn't hear. "But your synchronization with gravity... it's too fast. Did you burn your own life potential to gain this power?"
"I only took what the darkness offered," Elian replied. "Elara... how is she?"
"She is safe in Oakhaven. Hanna is taking good care of her. But you must know... the Church of Celestia has designated you as an S-Class Threat. They no longer refer to you as the Vane heir, but as a 'Natural Disaster'."
Elian smirked faintly—a sight that made Lunaria shudder. "That's a fitting title for a ghost."
"We are heading to Shadow-Crest Manor, Countess Vespera's residence," Lunaria continued. "There you will recover. I have prepared a method to stabilize your burnt nerves. But after that..."
Lunaria paused, looking into Elian's eyes.
"We will begin the second phase of your training. You cannot enter Sky Haven Academy relying only on brute force and gravity. You must learn how to 'disappear' amidst the light."
Elian nodded. He knew his journey was still very long. Volume 1 had just entered a new chapter. If in the mountains he learned to survive, then in Noctis, he would learn how to become an invisible hunter.
***
POV: Countess Vespera
I have seen many strange things in this kingdom. But that boy...
When he walks beside me, I feel like I'm walking next to a black hole. The mana around him doesn't flow; it is held still, as if afraid to move.
Lunaria says he is the 'key'. If she is right, then the balance between Celestia and Noctis will soon shatter. This child... he isn't just a Vane. He is something far more dangerous.
I must ensure he stays on our side. Or at least, I must ensure I am not in his way when he decides to explode.
***
POV: Elian Vane
Oakhaven... wait for me a little longer.
The world is so vast, yet feels so small beneath my feet.
Master says I must learn to disappear. Funny. I feel I have already disappeared since I fell into that abyss.
But if disappearing means getting close to the necks of those convent rulers... then I will be the quietest shadow.
That night, under the purple sky of Noctis, Elian Vane slept on a soft bed for the first time in two months. Yet, in his dreams, he was still at the bottom of the abyss, gripping a rusted sword, and listening to the whispers of the world asking him to continue... to become heavy.