The air was still filled with the sweet smell of blood and burnt ashes.
Su Yue knelt on the broken edge of the altar, holding Ethan's body tightly in her hands. His chest was covered with charred cracks, and under his skin seemed to be a fire that was about to burst, but his expression was unexpectedly calm, like a sleeper who had completed his mission.
"Ethan..."
She called in a low voice, with a nascent tremor and fear in her voice.
Kain stood behind her, his robes fluttering without wind, and the entire altar around him turned into a series of order patterns, gradually returning to silence. There was no emotion in his eyes, only a cold observation of the predetermined fate.
"Is he... still alive?"
Su Yue finally asked.
Kain tilted his head slightly, looked at Ethan's scarred body, and said in a low voice: "He sealed the 'Original King Blood' in your body with the Silver Oath, which prevented the gate of the abyss from opening completely. The price is... his life fire is almost extinguished."
Su Yue's breathing stagnated and she bit her lower lip tightly.
"But he is not dead yet."
Kain glanced at her, his eyes seemed to penetrate blood and soul, and said indifferently: "You are a royal descendant, your blood has the possibility of awakening his consciousness, but the price is... you must fully awaken the 'King's Mark'."
"King's Mark?"
"Every generation of royal descendants must awaken the true core in their bodies with a true 'Blood Oath to Redeem the Soul' - that is the origin of you as a king."
Su Yue was silent, looking down at the mark gradually emerging on the back of her hand. It was a crimson totem interwoven with a crescent moon and a snake's tail, beating slowly, like a heart about to awaken.
"Then what should we do?"
"You need to drink his blood, and then give him back your blood." Kain said indifferently, "Blood for blood, life for life. This is an ancient royal contract, known as the Silver Oath."
Su Yue did not hesitate. Even if there was only a slight chance, she would not let Ethan sink into the eternal night.
She slowly bit her fingertips and dripped her blood into Ethan's pale lips, then tremblingly picked up the dagger, cut his palm, and folded her hands.
The exchange of blood and blood was completed at this moment.
The remaining runes of the magic circle suddenly activated, and the silver-white light spread like ripples. Su Yue's body trembled violently, as if there were two wills tearing in her body.
She saw herself on a throne made of blood, with countless corpses and sighs under her feet. The moment she opened her eyes, all races knelt down and the stars hung low.
"King, wake up."
A whisper sounded.
Her soul was pulled into the abyss of blood.
At the same time——
In the deepest part of the underground palace, an ancient door that had been closed for a long time was slightly shaken.
Seven figures wearing black robes and bone decorations surrounded the remaining magic circle. They did not speak, only one of them slowly raised the scepter, on the top of which was an eyeball with the pupil gouged out.
"The King's Blood Backfire Plan failed, and the 'Origin Royal Descendant' was not devoured."
"But the plan is not over yet." Another person responded in a low voice, "Mural's failure proves that we underestimated the girl's will. But she has not yet completed the real awakening, and the king's mark is not stable."
"She completed the 'Silver Oath', and you still think she is a child?"
"...Heh."
They were silent for a while.
Finally, the figure in the center spoke hoarsely: "Release the 'Silent Dog' and let her taste the 'price' that a true royal descendant should bear."
"Obey your command."
In the blood light, Su Yue seemed to sink into an endless dream.
She saw countless pictures, like broken mirrors spliced together.
The first time she saw Ethan, he was covered in blood in the streets, but he still refused to give up the mission.
She was besieged by the Night Breath, and Ethan blocked her behind her in helplessness.
The first time she swung her sword to kill the enemy, her hands were shaking, but Ethan just gently held her hand-"Don't be afraid."
"...Why do you keep helping me?" she asked at that time.
"Because you are worth it."
Now, she finally understood that behind this simple response was his determination to bet everything on her.
She opened her eyes, tears slid down her cheeks, but at the same time, the "King Mark" completely emerged, and the blood-red totem rotated in her palm, like a rising crescent moon.
She looked down at Ethan.
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and an almost imperceptible arc appeared at the corner of his lips.
"...You are crying again." He murmured.
Su Yue threw herself into his arms, crying.
"I thought you really..."
"Silly." He raised his hand and stroked her hair. "You are a descendant of the king. You can't cry casually."
"I don't care."
She choked, but her eyes were firm.
"From today on, I live not only for myself, but also for you."
Kain watched the young couple hugging silently, with a hint of complexity in his eyes. He raised his head and looked at the dark curtain above the blood moon that had not yet been opened.
He knew that time was running out.
The real "final sacrifice" had not yet come, and the trial of the descendant of the king had just begun.
Two days later.
The secret place of the royal family, the Tower of Noser.
This was once the center of the blood clan's court, but now it is covered with dust and broken walls. Under the guidance of Kain, Su Yue and Ethan passed through the corridor with many mechanisms and finally came to the deepest frozen stone door.
"What is this place?" Su Yue asked softly.
Kain did not answer, but took out a deep red crystal and embedded it in the stone groove in front of the door.
"This is the legacy left by your father." He turned to look at her, "The true trial of the royal family begins now."
Su Yue was stunned: "My father? Do you know him?"
Kain was silent for a few seconds.
"He was my most trusted left wing and the only one qualified to inherit the throne. Until he betrayed us."
"...betrayed?" Su Yue's heart was shocked, "What do you mean?"
Kain looked at the gradually opening ice door and said in a low voice:
"He is one of the founders of the 'Night Rest Society'."