Chapter 118: When Everything Broke

The chamber trembled beneath their feet. Rin stood completely still. The revelation from the previous moments had left too many questions behind, but there was no time to ask them.

The vessel was still standing in front of him. The chained man was still watching from the darkness.

And Kaelith—

Kaelith had stopped looking at anyone else. His entire attention was fixed on Rin.

The vessel noticed. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"You’re afraid of him."

Rin frowned.

"No."

The vessel tilted his head.

"You should be."

Kaelith’s eyes darkened.

"Enough."

The vessel ignored him.

"You’ve seen what he becomes when he thinks he’s losing you."

Rin’s expression tightened.

"Stop provoking him."

"I am only telling the truth."

"No."

Rin looked directly at the vessel.

"You’re trying to make him angry."

The smile disappeared. For the first time, the vessel looked genuinely irritated.

"You’re defending him, my love?"

"Yes."

"Even after everything?"

Rin’s answer came immediately.

"Yes."

Kaelith suddenly looked at Rin. Something in his expression shifted.

The vessel noticed and that was enough.

A surge of power exploded through the chamber. Kaelith’s magic flooded the floor. The ancient symbols cracked.

Lucien immediately grabbed Kaan.

"Everyone back!"

Sol’s wind expanded around the group.

"Kaelith!"

Kaelith didn’t respond. Rin stepped toward him.

"Kaelith, stop."

Nothing. The black energy continued spreading. The walls began collapsing. The vessel watched him.

"You see?"

His voice was almost mocking.

"This is what he is. A monster."

Kaelith’s head snapped toward him. The next explosion was so powerful that Rin was thrown backward.

"RIN!"

Kaelith immediately reached for him. Rin hit the ground but managed to get back up.

"I’m okay!"

Kaelith stared at him. Then at the vessel. His expression became terrifyingly calm.

"You touched him."

The vessel’s eyes narrowed.

"I didn’t."

"You made him fall."

"I only spoke."

Kaelith raised his hand. Black flames gathered around his fingers. Rin immediately moved between them.

"Don’t."

Kaelith froze.

"Rin."

"Don’t attack him."

"He’s manipulating you."

"I know."

Kaelith stared at him.

"Then move."

"No."

"Rin."

"No."

Kaelith’s magic began shaking. Rin stepped closer.

"Look at me."

Kaelith’s eyes met his.

"Not him."

The flames around Kaelith slowly weakened. For one brief moment, the chamber became quiet.

Then—

BOOM.

The entire floor collapsed. Rin barely had time to react.

"Everyone—!"

The ground split into several enormous sections. Lucien grabbed Kaan.

Sol’s wind caught two of the Divine Knights. The others scattered across different pieces of the collapsing floor.

Kaelith reached Rin. This time, he caught his hand.

"Don’t let go!"

"I won’t!"

A massive crack opened between them and the rest of the group. Lucien shouted:

"RIN!"

Rin looked toward him.

"Get Kaan out!"

"We’re trying!"

Sol’s wind pushed against the collapsing stone. But something was interfering with it.

A strange force. Something that seemed to pull everything downward.

Sol cursed.

"I can’t control the wind!"

Kaelith looked down. Darkness was spreading beneath them.

Not a normal pit. There was no bottom.

No walls. Nothing. Just endless black. Rin tightened his grip on Kaelith.

"Where are we falling?"

Kaelith looked at him.

"I don’t know."

The vessel suddenly stepped toward them. Rin looked up. The vessel’s expression was unreadable.

"You shouldn’t go down there."

Rin frowned.

"Why?"

The vessel didn’t answer. Kaelith’s eyes narrowed.

"What is down there?"

Still no answer. Then the chained man suddenly pulled against his restraints.

"DON’T LET HIM FOLLOW YOU!"

Everyone froze. The vessel turned sharply. The chained man’s eyes were filled with panic.

"Whatever happens, don’t let that creation enter the lower chamber!"

The vessel’s expression changed.

Kaelith noticed.

"You’re afraid of what’s below."

The vessel said nothing. Kaelith smiled coldly.

"Interesting."

The floor beneath them broke again. Rin’s hand slipped.

"Kaelith!"

Kaelith caught him with both hands.

"I have you!"

The darkness pulled harder. Rin looked up.

"Kaelith!"

"I won’t let go!"

Above them, Lucien was trying to reach them.

"Kaan! Stay close!"

Kaan nodded, terrified. Sol pushed against the collapsing floor with everything he had.

"RIN!"

Rin looked up.

Their eyes met. For a second, Rin thought Sol would reach him. Then the distance between them suddenly widened.

The platform carrying Lucien and the others was forced upward. Rin and Kaelith were pulled downward.

"No!"

Rin stretched his free hand toward them.

"SOL!"

Sol reached toward him.

"I’ll find you!"

Lucien shouted:

"We’ll find you!"

Kaan’s voice followed.

"Don’t disappear!"

Rin tried to answer. But the darkness swallowed his voice. Kaelith pulled him closer.

"Don’t look back."

Rin looked at him.

"They’re still up there."

"They’ll survive."

"You don’t know that."

"I know them."

Kaelith’s grip tightened.

"And I know you."

Rin stared at him. Kaelith’s expression was completely serious.

"You’re scared."

"Yes."

"Good."

Rin blinked.

"What?"

"Being scared means you’re still thinking."

A strange laugh escaped Rin despite everything.

"You’re terrible at comforting people."

"I know."

They continued falling. The sound of the others disappeared completely. The chamber above them became smaller.

Then smaller. Until there was nothing left except darkness.

Rin looked down.

"Kaelith..."

"What?"

"I can’t see anything."

"I know."

"Can you?"

"No."

That answer frightened Rin more than anything else. Kaelith could normally see through darkness.

If even he couldn’t see—

then this wasn’t ordinary darkness.

Rin suddenly felt something brush against his hand. He froze.

"Kaelith."

"What?"

"Something touched me."

Kaelith immediately pulled him closer.

"Where?"

"Below."

Kaelith’s magic flared.

For the first time, the darkness reacted. Something moved. Not toward them. Around them.

Like they had fallen into something alive. Rin swallowed.

"Did you see that?"

"Yes."

"What was it?"

Kaelith stared into the darkness.

"I don’t know."

A faint sound echoed below. A heartbeat. Slow. Heavy. Ancient.

Rin’s expression changed.

"That’s not mine."

Kaelith’s eyes narrowed.

"No."

The heartbeat sounded again.

Thump.

Rin felt it through his entire body.

Thump.

Kaelith suddenly stopped falling. His magic had caught onto something. Rin looked down.

A massive black hand had emerged from the darkness. It wasn’t human. It wasn’t divine. And it wasn’t alive in any way Rin understood.

Kaelith raised his hand.

"Stay behind me."

Rin stared at the enormous hand. Then at the darkness beyond it.

"Kaelith..."

"What?"

"I think I know where we are."

Kaelith looked at him. Rin’s face had gone pale.

"This isn’t beneath the castle."

The heartbeat sounded again.

THUMP.

Rin whispered:

"We’re inside something."

Kaelith’s expression hardened. The darkness suddenly opened. And two enormous eyes appeared beneath them.

They weren’t the eyes of the vessel. They weren’t the eyes of World. They weren’t the eyes Rin had seen before. They belonged to something neither of them had ever encountered.

And the creature spoke.

"Aelion."

Rin froze. Kaelith’s magic exploded.

"Don’t say his name."

The creature laughed.

"You still protect him."

Then the darkness closed around them. And for the first time since Rin arrived in this world—

Kaelith and Rin were completely alone.