I Can See Evolution Paths

The battlefield finally fell silent. The last corrupted Beast collapsed into the purple grass. For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then Sun lowered his staff and looked around. "Are we done?"

Vedas wiped his spear clean. "For now."

Sun sighed. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Mithra laughed softly. "Because it keeps being true."

Luna was still sitting on Melo’s back, the Light Mirror held before her. The golden barrier continued surrounding them, but the Miasma remained only a few steps away.

Arthur looked at the King Mark. It was still shining, the golden line continuing through the forest. He pointed. "It’s still leading us."

Athena looked toward the path. "Then we keep following it."

The group moved again, leaving the battlefield behind and following the golden light deeper into the corrupted region.

At first, nothing changed. Purple fog. Dead trees. Twisted plants. Miasma-covered earth.

Then Arthur noticed something. The purple fog was becoming thinner. He slowed. "Wait."

Everyone stopped. Mithra looked ahead. "What is it?"

Arthur pointed. "Look."

Beyond the trees was a strange glow. White. Not purple. A soft white radiance illuminated the forest ahead.

Sun narrowed his eyes. "That’s not Miasma."

Luna stared at it. "No." She lowered the Light Mirror slightly. "I’ve never seen anything like that here."

They continued forward, the difference becoming more obvious with every step. The purple markings disappeared from the trees. The corrupted plants stopped. The ground became clean.

Then Melo crossed the boundary. The Miasma behind them remained, but it didn’t follow. It simply stopped at the edge.

Mithra looked back. "It’s not entering."

Arthur stepped forward. Neither did he feel the pressure anymore. The air was clean, warm, and filled with white and golden light.

Sun slowly lowered his staff. "An untouched area."

Athena looked around. "Completely untouched."

Vedas stared at the boundary. "Someone protected this place."

Arthur nodded. "Or something."

They entered deeper. The white light became stronger.

Then—

A figure appeared.

A golden spectral figure stood several meters ahead. Everyone immediately stopped. Vedas raised Dusk.

The figure slowly turned. Arthur’s King Mark suddenly blazed, and the spectral figure’s appearance became clearer.

It was a man. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Wearing ancient golden armor, a spear resting in his hand.

Vedas stared. "Why does he look like me?"

Sun blinked. "He really does."

Mithra looked between Vedas and the apparition. "That’s strange."

The figure began walking. Arthur’s King Mark remained bright, and he lowered his hand. "Don’t attack."

Vedas frowned. "You’re sure?"

"No."

Vedas looked at him. Arthur smiled. "But the King Mark is reacting to him."

That was enough. They followed.

The spectral figure moved deeper into the white region. Nobody spoke for several moments. The path became increasingly strange. The area didn’t resemble a normal forest anymore.

Golden roots floated above the ground. White stones hung motionless in the air. Some trees were completely transparent, their branches filled with tiny lights. A river of golden energy flowed upward instead of downward.

Sun stared at it. "...That’s wrong."

Melo nodded. "Very."

Eden floated closer to the strange river. "Why is it going up?"

Arthur shrugged. "I don’t know."

Sun looked at him. "You always say that."

"Because I don’t know."

Sun sighed. "Fair."

The spectral Halburn continued forward, and they followed. At one point, a wall of white light appeared across the path. Halburn simply walked through it.

The others stopped. Mithra looked at Arthur. "Can we do that?"

Arthur stepped forward. The wall didn’t react. His King Mark shone, and the barrier opened.

Sun stared. "Your hand really likes opening things."

Arthur laughed. "I’ll take it."

They continued. The deeper they went, the more ancient the place became. Golden carvings appeared on the walls, some depicting Beasts, others showing enormous trees, several showing figures carrying Mirrors.

Arthur slowed at one of them. "Those..."

Athena looked closer. "They’re carrying the same type of Mirror."

Luna raised hers. "The Light Mirror."

Arthur nodded. "So Halburn wasn’t the first person to use it."

"No," Athena said.

The spectral figure continued walking. Eventually, they reached a massive chamber. At its center stood a stone platform.

And resting upon it—

were weapons.

Everyone stopped. Golden light illuminated the chamber. Arthur’s eyes widened.

Halburn’s Armaments.

There were several, each one seemingly untouched by time.

Mithra immediately stepped forward. A golden sword rested against a stone pillar, its blade long and elegant, covered in faint golden markings. Mithra reached for it, and the moment her hand touched the hilt, the weapon glowed, letters appearing along the blade.

[Dawn Sovereign]

Mithra’s eyes widened. "It’s beautiful." She lifted it, and the sword felt perfectly balanced in her hand.

Sun moved toward another weapon. A pair of golden gauntlets rested on a pedestal. Kong immediately noticed them, jumping down and rushing toward them.

Sun laughed. "Of course."

Kong grabbed the gauntlets. They expanded slightly, fitting his small hands perfectly, golden light covering them. Kong’s eyes widened, and he immediately punched the air.

BOOM!

A small shockwave exploded forward.

Sun stared. "...I think he likes them."

Kong bounced excitedly.

"Yeah. I got that."

Athena approached the next weapon. A massive golden spear rested across a stone stand. She reached for it, and the instant her hand closed around it, her Aegis Shield reacted.

CLANG!

Golden light spread across the shield. Athena’s eyes widened. "It resonates with Aegis."

Arthur looked at the spear. "What is it called?"

A name appeared across its shaft.

[Heavenpiercer]

Athena smiled. "Then I suppose we’ve found my weapon."

Arthur turned toward the final spear. It was different from the others. Long. Elegant. Its golden blade surrounded by faint light, a crown-like symbol engraved near its base.

Arthur reached for it. The weapon responded immediately, a golden pulse spreading through the chamber. Words appeared.

[King Maker]

Arthur looked at it. Then at Vedas.

Vedas stared back.

Arthur tossed the spear. Vedas caught it instinctively. He looked down. Then up.

Arthur smiled. "You need a weapon update."

Vedas chuckled. "Apparently I do." He spun King Maker once, and the weapon fit his fighting style naturally.

Dusk had been powerful. But King Maker felt different. More refined. More suited to the strength Vedas had gained.

Vedas looked at Arthur. "I like it."

Arthur nodded. "Good."

Eden suddenly floated toward another pedestal. A small golden ring rested there.

She tilted her head. "A ring?"

Arthur walked over. "Try it."

Eden carefully touched it. The ring suddenly shone, golden light exploding outward.

WHOOM!

Everyone froze. The light washed over the entire chamber.

Arthur felt his body become lighter, his strength surging, his senses sharpening. Even his breathing became easier.

Sun stared at his hands. "Did..."

Mithra flexed her fingers. "I’m stronger."

Athena nodded. "So am I."

Vedas looked at King Maker. "The weapon isn’t the only thing that changed."

Arthur looked toward Eden. The little fairy stared at the ring in surprise. "What did I do?"

Arthur laughed. "You made all of us stronger."

Eden’s eyes widened. "Really?"

Arthur gently rubbed her hair. "Really." A warm smile appeared on his face. "You can keep it."

Eden immediately hugged the ring. "Okay!"

Star suddenly noticed something else. A golden robe lay across another pedestal, and the slime bounced toward it. Before anyone could stop it, Star climbed inside, and the robe immediately wrapped around its body, Star disappearing beneath the fabric.

Then—

It jumped.

The robe flew upward. Star bounced again. And again. Soon the robe was repeatedly flying into the air while Star bounced underneath it.

Arthur stared. Then laughed. "Do you like it?"

Star bounced even harder.

Sun pointed. "I think that’s a yes."

Mithra smiled. "It looks ridiculous."

Star stopped. It slowly turned toward Mithra.

Mithra covered her mouth. "Sorry."

Star bounced angrily.

Arthur laughed harder. "Keep it too."

Star immediately began bouncing again.

The chamber filled with laughter. For the first time since entering the Miasma region, the group wasn’t surrounded by danger. They had found something.

Weapons.

Power.

A safe place.

And perhaps a piece of Halburn’s legacy.

Then—

Arthur’s hand began glowing. He stopped laughing. The King Mark was shining again, brighter than before.

Everyone noticed. Vedas looked toward him. "Another path?"

Arthur stared at the golden light. The mark wasn’t pointing toward the weapons. It was pointing deeper. Past the chamber. Past the walls. Somewhere beneath the ancient sanctuary.

Athena’s smile disappeared. "There’s more."

Arthur slowly raised his hand, and the golden path appeared, leading toward a sealed passage at the far end of the chamber.

Sun stared at it. "You’re kidding."

Arthur smiled. "No." He tightened his grip around King Maker’s empty sheath. "We’re not done yet."

The golden spectral figure of Halburn turned toward the hidden passage, then began walking.

Arthur and the others followed, and behind them, the ancient chamber slowly began to close.