Bloody Odyssey

Dax stretched his arms apart, breathing in the brutal, blood-soaked air. His eyes remained sealed shut, completely unconcerned with the devastation around him.

Mother.

The word lingered in his mind like a sacred prayer, heavy with longing and quiet determination.

I am close.

He turned to Nadia, who gently returned his weapon. Dax noticed the faint tremble in her touch, the way her fingers lingered for a heartbeat before pulling away sharply, as if the blade burned her skin. She looked haunted.

Madeka floated gracefully to her side.

"You were impressive out there," Madeka said with a warm smile, her voice soft and genuine.

Nadia stood in shock, her eyes distant and her breathing shallow, still reeling from the overwhelming experience.

"Mad woman…" Nadia's voice was low, almost a broken whisper. "What… what is that blade? I couldn't control myself. It was like I was trapped in a box. Something heavy weighed on me." She pressed a hand to her chest, her face twisting with lingering fear and confusion. "I can still feel it. Even now. It's like it's still inside me."

Madeka's red lips parted in a beautiful, knowing smile.

She stayed silent.

"If you know something about that blade, why don't you speak?" Nadia's voice rose, frustration and fear bleeding through. "Instead of smiling at me like that!"

Madeka turned toward Dax, who had already begun to descend. She ignored Nadia completely, following Dax's image like a devoted shadow.

Nadia gritted her teeth, anger and helplessness surging inside her.

"Nadia." Madeka's voice floated back without turning. "If you know what's good for you, even if that blade is offered to you again… never use it. Trust me." She paused. "Instead, tell him to forge you a new blade."

Nadia stared at her retreating form, heart pounding with unanswered questions.

What is that weapon's story?

Curiosity and fear twisted together in her chest. But Madeka had given her nothing but warnings.

Dax looked over the chaos his presence had caused in the city.

The once-beautiful City of Roses was now littered with blood instead of flowers. Bodies lay scattered in the streets. Homes had become graves. The living moved like broken shadows through the rubble, desperately searching for faces they would never find again.

What will you do, Master?

Inerous's voice was quiet in his mind.

"It's obvious, Inerous." Dax's gaze swept across the destruction, cold and calculating. "I shall take on the image of a savior."

How do you plan that, Master? It's not like you can resurrect the dead.

"No. I may not be able to do that. But to save the image of the Fall, something must be done. Leaving here now will come back to bite us."

Yes, Master. Why don't you try out one of Ryker's skills? Since going through his memories, I've deduced part of his Angel Code. You just need to harness the divinity you swallowed from Ryker to start.

"Smart girl."

Dax closed his eyes.

He sank deep into the Origin Core — among the countless solitary cores floating in the galaxy of his being, three cores hovered as if alive. The Trait Cores. And the Divinity of the White One.

How?

As if in answer, the silver orb floated toward him. It poured warm, radiant, alien energy into his form.

He opened his eyes.

The air around him had changed. Something more welcoming. Softer. The aura expelling from his body was almost blinding — not oppressive, not crushing, but inviting. Like sunlight breaking through after a long, terrible storm.

A black veil appeared on his head. On his back, glowing white markings traced the elegant shape of an angel's wing.

Above his head, a new halo formed — representing the White King.

"I'm surprised at myself, really." Dax's falling pace increased. I really shouldn't exist.

"Inerous. Give me the code."

Maya floated gently on the waters.

Her life force was fading fast. Her guards stood at the riverbank, too scared to touch her in fear that she might lose her last breath. Byako's hands hovered near his blades, tense and helpless. Elia had turned her back — she couldn't bear to watch her city lord slip away.

Maya laughed hoarsely, the sound thin and cracked.

"I didn't want to die like this." Her voice trembled with regret. "I had so many dreams…"

She stretched her hand weakly toward the empty sky.

At the end of her life, she had hoped for the comfort of the Goddess of Water. But being surrounded by water felt like no embrace at all. Instead, she saw the image of a woman made of water looking down at her sadly.

Then the body of water vanished.

It rose to the sky — rivers, streams, every drop within the city limits pulling upward like the world had been turned upside down. Maya's eyes followed, teary and confused.

What is happening in this world?

Byako watched with quiet, solemn eyes. Elia kept her back turned, unable to face the sight.

Then they saw it.

A pulse in the sky.

And the descent of a star.

Boom!

The sound of the crash was massive, dragging the attention of everyone still alive in the city. Dust rose in a towering pillar. The ground shook violently. Windows that had somehow survived the earlier battle shattered.

It was Dax. Landing like a comet.

With lightning speed, Alfonzo and a hooded figure moved from different angles toward the crater. They arrived at the same time — one from the east, one from the west.

"Who are you?"

Alfonzo pointed his gun at the hooded figure, tension radiating from his transformed body. The man stayed quiet, instead drawing out a staff weapon still covered in cloth wrappings.

I can't see through this man.

Alfonzo was completely on guard. He had found courage facing the Blood River, monsters, and apostles of death itself. But now he was alone with this unknown threat.

It was common sense — those whose power couldn't be seen through were either far stronger… or something far more dangerous.

But this figure was something else entirely.

Light Magic Angel Code: 66.

Kings Embrace.

Dax's voice echoed from the crater, calm and clear, carrying to the ears of everyone present.