The battlefield fell into absolute silence.
Snow no longer touched the ground.
Each snowflake stopped in midair.
As if time itself had paused.
---
Artyom slowly lifted his head.
His pale blue-gray eyes now glowed with silver light.
Ancient symbols spread beneath his feet like veins of light carved into the earth.
---
Viktor looked up despite the pain in his shoulder.
"Artyom..."
---
No answer.
---
The Eclipse Order instinctively stepped backward.
Not because they had been told to.
Because their instincts demanded it.
---
The masked commander whispered,
"It can't be..."
---
Caelum closed his eyes.
"The First Blood has awakened."
---
Lucien stared at Artyom in disbelief.
"So the prophecy was true."
---
Roman frowned.
"What prophecy?"
---
Caelum spoke quietly.
"When the last descendant sheds tears over another's blood..."
A pause.
"...the First Blood will awaken."
---
Artyom looked down.
His hands were stained with Viktor's blood.
Warm.
Bright against the white snow.
---
A memory flashed through his mind.
Not his own.
Ancient.
A city of white stone.
Thousands of people kneeling.
A silver crown.
A voice echoing through a grand hall.
---
"A ruler is not the one who stands above the people."
"A ruler is the one who stands before danger first."
---
The vision vanished.
---
Artyom looked at Viktor.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"You were hurt because of me."
---
Viktor smiled weakly.
"No."
He reached for Artyom's hand.
"I was hurt protecting someone worth protecting."
---
The silver light around Artyom grew brighter.
---
The ground trembled.
Not violently.
Like something beneath the mountain had awakened.
---
Dmitri stared at the seismic readings.
"The mountain..."
---
Nikola looked toward the distant cliffs.
"It's opening."
---
A deep rumble echoed across the valley.
Snow slid from the mountainside.
Ancient stone doors, hidden beneath centuries of ice, slowly emerged.
---
Caelum smiled.
"The Sanctuary..."
---
"It has recognized its heir."
---
Every member of the Eclipse Order looked toward the mountain.
Even their commander.
---
He lowered his weapon.
---
"We're too late."
---
Before anyone could react—
A sharp whistle echoed.
---
The commander's communicator activated.
A distorted voice spoke.
---
"Terminate Protocol Eclipse."
---
The commander stiffened.
"But the heir has awakened."
---
The voice answered coldly,
---
"Exactly."
---
"Proceed to Phase Two."
---
The transmission ended.
---
The commander slowly looked at Artyom.
For the first time...
There was no hostility in his eyes.
Only pity.
---
"You don't understand."
---
Artyom frowned.
"What?"
---
The commander took a step back.
---
"We were never sent to kill you."
---
Silence.
---
"We were sent..."
A pause.
"...to awaken you."
---
Everyone froze.
---
Viktor's expression darkened.
"So this was planned."
---
The commander nodded once.
---
"From the very beginning."
---
The silver eclipse symbols on every soldier's armor suddenly began to glow.
---
Dmitri's face turned pale.
"They're receiving another command."
---
The commander gave one final order.
---
"Retreat."
---
Within seconds—
The entire Eclipse Order vanished into the snow-covered forest.
---
No pursuit.
No final attack.
---
Only silence remained.
---
Artyom looked toward the opening mountain.
The enormous stone doors continued to part, revealing darkness beyond.
---
Caelum stepped beside him.
"The Sanctuary is waiting."
---
Viktor slowly stood despite his injury.
He rested a hand on Artyom's shoulder.
---
"We finish this together."
---
Artyom nodded.
For the first time since this war began...
He wasn't walking toward answers alone.
---