Chapter 442 Codex Gates that Deny Answers
The spiral gate stood quietly in the midst of emptiness, like a vortex made of liquid shadows. It did not shine, did not vibrate—only spun slowly as if time itself was weighing whether to grant permission or not.
Fitran stared at the door for a long time.
He did not know how they had ended up here, did not know what had happened before. Yet, within his chest, something was bubbling; he felt a heartbeat that he had never felt before—like every pulse was a call from something greater, more mysterious than just this gate.
It was a feeling of fear and hope intertwined as one. In the chaos of his mind, shadows of the past emerged—forgotten familiar faces, promises never kept. Fitran took a deep breath, trying to extinguish the embers of helplessness gnawing at his heart.
An unreasonable urge.
A will that does not stem from logic.
Beelzebub stood beside him, her tangled golden hair swaying gently. Her green eyes looked at the spiral with heavy suspicion. In the silence that enveloped them, anxiety gripped Beelzebub. All this time, she had been the one to orchestrate fate, navigating the dark labyrinth with confidence. Yet in front of this gate, doubt crept into her mind, reminding her that even the strongest beings could get lost.
"This gate is not made from anywhere. There are no glyphs marking it. There are no roots from the pactum."
"It is a 'no.' A door not for entry... but for losing form."
Implied on Beelzebub's face was the awareness of how fragile life was. Now, attachment to structure and rules felt ridiculous. In this moment, she realized that life was a journey that could not be fully understood and could only be lived. In her heart, there was a desire to protect Fitran from the darkness they might face, like a guardian always ready. Her heart whispered whether she would be able to be the protector her friend needed in this encounter with uncertainty.
"Maybe that's why we have to go through it," Fitran replied.