Chapter 52 - The Forgotten Name
The temple fell silent.
The page that had been torn from the Book of Infinite Beasts drifted through the air before dissolving into silver ash.
Kai instinctively reached for it.
Too late.
It vanished.
The Book remained open, but one section was now empty.
As though it had never existed.
---
Warning
Historical Record Lost
Record Number: Unknown
Recovery Status: Impossible
Cause:
Authority of the Archivist
---
Kai frowned.
"What was on that page?"
No response came.
For the first time since awakening the Book, it was completely silent.
Ignis landed on Kai's shoulder.
"Can you remember anything?"
Kai closed his eyes.
There had been... something.
Someone.
A face.
A voice.
It slipped away like sand between his fingers.
"No..."
"I can't."
---
Across the chamber, Caelum's expression darkened.
"He erased it."
Selene looked at him.
"What did he erase?"
Caelum remained silent for a long moment.
Then he whispered,
"The name of the Third Beast Sovereign."
Everyone froze.
"The Third... Beast Sovereign?" Kai asked.
Caelum nodded.
"There were nine Sovereigns before you."
"But now..."
"History remembers only eight."
---
A chill ran through the temple.
Even Noctis lowered its head.
"I remember fighting beside that Sovereign..."
"But..."
The great phoenix stopped speaking.
Its golden eyes widened.
"I... cannot remember their face."
---
The Archivist's laughter echoed faintly through the mountain.
"You cannot protect what you cannot remember."
---
Suddenly, the black crystals surrounding Noctis's Heart Flame began expanding again.
Dark tendrils spread like roots through the phoenix's body.
The corruption climbed once more.
78%... 79%... 80%...
Kael gritted his teeth.
"It's resisting purification!"
Caelum shook his head.
"No."
"The corruption is adapting."
"It has learned from us."
---
The Book flashed again.
New Quest
Protect the Heart Flame
Objective:
Maintain the Heart Flame for ten minutes while purification completes.
Failure:
Corruption will return to 100%.
---
Almost immediately, the temple doors exploded inward.
BOOM!
A dozen figures in white-and-gold armour entered.
Each wore the emblem of the Divine Temple.
At their head stood a tall woman with long silver hair and emerald eyes.
Unlike the Apostles, she carried no weapon.
Only a crystal staff.
The Book reacted instantly.
---
Character Identified
Seraphina
Title: Fourth Apostle of the Divine Temple
Rank: Transcendent
Ability:
Sacred Barrier Arts
Threat Assessment:
Very High
---
Seraphina looked first at Caelum.
"So..."
"The traitor still lives."
Caelum sighed.
"I was hoping for someone less predictable."
Her gaze shifted to Kai.
"You are the Ninth Beast Sovereign."
"You have caused considerable inconvenience."
Kai stepped forward.
"If you're here to stop us..."
"You'll have to get through us first."
Seraphina smiled faintly.
"You misunderstand."
She lifted her crystal staff.
A dome of golden light expanded across the chamber.
Instead of attacking Kai...
It surrounded Noctis.
Black flames hissed against the barrier.
The corruption slowed.
Even Kael looked surprised.
"What are you doing?"
Seraphina answered without looking at him.
"If Noctis falls today..."
"The world loses one of its Seven Guardians."
"The Temple has made many mistakes."
"But we are not fools."
Kai stared at her.
"You're helping us?"
"For now."
She met his gaze calmly.
"Our true enemy is not standing in this room."
At that exact moment...
Every torch in the temple went out.
The temperature plummeted.
A voice, ancient and emotionless, echoed through the darkness.
"So..."
"Even my enemies have begun working together."
A single black feather drifted from the ceiling.
Then another.
And another.
They formed the outline of a towering figure.
No face.
No body.
Only a cloak woven from living shadows.
The Book trembled violently.
---
Remote Projection Detected
The Archivist
Manifestation Strength:
7%
Warning:
Direct confrontation not advised.
---
The shadow slowly turned its featureless head towards Kai.
"You continue chasing forgotten truths."
"But tell me, Beast Sovereign..."
"If every memory of your companions vanished tomorrow..."
"Would they still be the same people?"
Kai looked at Selene, Ignis, the Crimson Flame Fox, Kael, Caelum, and the wounded Noctis.
Then he answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
"Because memories don't create character."
"Choices do."
For the first time...
The shadow did not reply.
Instead...
One glowing white eye narrowed slightly.
As though...
The Archivist had finally become interested.