Chapter 157: Leaving Hildgard
Noah stared at the blood on the stone.
Alcris was dead.
There was no system notification.
No dramatic announcement.
No confirmation from the strange power inside him.
Just silence.
Daniella remained beside her brother’s body, her hands trembling.
She didn’t cry.
Not yet.
She simply stared at him as though refusing to accept what her eyes were showing her.
Noah lowered his head.
"I’m sorry."
Daniella looked at him.
Her eyes were empty.
"You weren’t the one who killed him."
Noah froze.
She looked toward his face.
"But you’re the one who let him out."
Noah had no answer.
Because she was right.
Laura helped Noah stand.
His body felt exhausted.
Every muscle hurt.
His head throbbed.
Yet the worst pain came from somewhere deeper.
He could still remember watching his own body move.
Watching the Dead Zone take Shadowfang.
Watching it kill Alcris.
He had been there.
He had seen everything.
He simply hadn’t been able to stop it.
"Is he gone?" Noah asked quietly.
The Dead Zone answered from inside him.
"Yes."
Noah’s fists tightened.
You killed him.
"Yes."
Why?
A pause.
"Because he was going to keep opening the door."
You could have stopped him without killing him.
The Dead Zone said nothing.
Noah’s anger grew.
Couldn’t you?
Finally, the answer came.
"Not safely."
Noah closed his eyes.
He didn’t forgive it.
But he understood one thing.
The Dead Zone hadn’t killed Alcris out of rage.
It had made a decision.
A cold one.
A decision Noah might never have been capable of making.
That frightened him more than the killing itself.
A sudden golden light appeared behind them.
Everyone turned.
Irus stood several meters away.
Her long dress was torn in several places, and faint cracks of golden energy moved across her skin.
She looked exhausted.
But she was still standing.
Sophia immediately raised her weapon.
"You’re not leaving."
Irus looked at her.
"I have no reason to fight you."
Laura stepped forward.
"You tried to take Noah."
"I did."
"And you almost killed him."
"I did not."
Laura’s expression hardened.
"You said you would."
Irus looked toward Noah.
"I said I would if necessary."
Noah stared back.
"And now?"
Irus remained silent.
Her golden eyes studied him carefully.
"The situation has changed."
Eric frowned.
"That’s your explanation?"
Irus ignored him.
Her attention remained on Noah.
"You awakened the Dead Zone completely."
Noah’s expression darkened.
"I didn’t awaken it."
Irus shook her head.
"No."
She glanced toward the blood beside Alcris.
"It awakened itself."
Luna’s expression changed.
"Can it happen again?"
Irus answered immediately.
"Yes."
The room became silent.
Noah looked at her.
"When?"
Irus’s eyes narrowed.
"That depends on you."
Noah frowned.
"On me?"
"You resisted it."
She looked toward him carefully.
"But resistance alone won’t be enough."
Noah felt the Dead Zone stir.
Irus noticed.
"You hear it now."
Noah didn’t answer.
"You always will," Irus continued.
"Until one of you breaks."
Daniella slowly stood.
She looked at Noah.
"Can you control it?"
Noah hesitated.
"I don’t know."
Daniella stared at him for several seconds.
"Find out."
She looked down at Alcris one last time.
"I don’t want another person dying because you couldn’t."
Noah lowered his eyes.
"I understand."
Daniella picked up her weapon.
She didn’t attack.
She simply turned away.
Laura watched her leave.
"Where are you going?"
Daniella stopped.
"To bury my brother."
She disappeared into the damaged tunnel.
Noah watched silently.
The Dead Zone whispered:
"She’s going to come back."
Noah frowned.
How do you know?
"Because grief doesn’t end in one night."
Irus slowly approached the shattered ancient heart.
She placed one hand against it.
Nothing happened.
The heart was completely dead.
The three medallions lay scattered across the floor.
Balgard.
Sylthin.
Flaros.
Their light was gone.
Irus stared at them.
"The ritual is finished."
Noah looked at her.
"Then why are you still here?"
Irus turned.
Her golden eyes met his.
"Because the ritual wasn’t the only thing that happened."
Noah’s expression tightened.
"What else?"
Irus looked toward the ceiling.
"The signal."
A chill passed through Noah.
"The thing behind Ragnarok?"
Irus’s expression became serious.
"Yes."
Noah swallowed.
"Is it coming?"
Irus looked directly at him.
"No."
A pause.
"It already knows where you are."
The Dead Zone suddenly became silent.
Noah felt something cold move through his consciousness.
For the first time since the battle ended...
it wasn’t speaking.
It was listening.
Irus noticed the change.
Her eyes narrowed.
"That’s why you should leave Hildgard."
Noah looked at the ruined city above.
"Where am I supposed to go?"
Irus’s golden eyes remained fixed on him.
"Anywhere."
Her voice lowered.
"Just not somewhere it can find you."
Noah looked toward the dark ceiling.
And somewhere far beyond Hildgard...
a crimson eye opened again.
Morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
The three moons had faded behind the pale sky, and sunlight slowly spilled across the damaged streets of Hildgard.
For the first time in days, the city looked almost ordinary.
Almost.
Broken buildings stood behind temporary barriers. Cracks ran through the roads. Several academy structures had been evacuated completely.
The tournament grounds were abandoned.
The celebration that had once filled Hildgard was gone.
Noah stood outside the academy with Shadowfang strapped across his back.
He looked toward the city.
"We’re leaving."
Eric adjusted the bandages around his arm.
"If the transport system works this time."
Damien gave a dry laugh.
"Don’t say that too loudly."
Sophia glanced at Noah.
"You’re really okay?"
Noah nodded.
"Physically."
Luna looked at him.
"And mentally?"
Noah hesitated.
"Still working on that."
Laura stood beside him.
She hadn’t said much since the underground chamber.
Neither had Noah.
There was too much to process.
Alcris.
The Dead Zone.
Ragnarok.
The thing beyond Ragnarok.
And the strange warning Irus had given them.
Noah looked toward the horizon.
"Where is Irus?"
Nobody answered.
She had disappeared before sunrise.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Only the three medallions remained behind.
Balgard.
Sylthin.
Flaros.
Their connection to the ancient heart had ended.
Or so everyone believed.
Daniella emerged from the damaged underground passage.
She carried a small black case.
Nobody needed to ask what was inside.
She stopped several meters away from the group.
Her eyes met Noah’s.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Finally, Noah said, "I’m sorry."
Daniella looked at him.
"I know."
She didn’t forgive him.
She didn’t blame him either.
Not completely.
Her gaze shifted toward Shadowfang.
"That thing..."
"The Dead Zone."
"Yes."
She looked back at Noah.
"Can you control it?"
Noah shook his head.
"No."
Daniella’s expression hardened.
"Then learn."
She turned away.
Noah watched her.
"Where will you go?"
"Home."
She paused.
"I need to tell them about Alcris."
The words sounded heavier than anything else she had said.
She walked away without another word.
Eric watched her disappear down the street.
"She’ll come back."
Noah nodded.
"I know."
A mechanical hum suddenly echoed through the city.
Everyone turned.
The transport platform at the western district had activated.
Damien stared.
"You’ve got to be kidding me."
Sophia laughed quietly.
"After everything we’ve been through..."
Luna looked toward the platform.
"It finally works."
Noah didn’t move.
He felt something.
A faint pressure.
Not from Hildgard.
Not from the Dead Zone.
Something distant.
Something watching.
The system appeared.
[UNKNOWN SIGNAL DETECTED.]
Noah’s expression changed.
[SOURCE: UNDETERMINED.]
[DISTANCE: UNKNOWN.]
[DIRECTION: UNKNOWN.]
The message disappeared.
The Dead Zone spoke.
"It’s awake."
Noah’s eyes narrowed.
The thing behind Ragnarok?
"Yes."
What does it want?
Silence.
Noah waited.
The Dead Zone finally answered.
"Nothing."
Noah frowned.
Nothing?
"Not yet."
That answer was somehow worse.
Laura noticed his expression.
"What is it?"
Noah looked at her.
"I think we’re being watched."
She sighed.
"Of course we are."
Eric groaned.
"Can we have one normal trip?"
"No," Noah said.
Damien laughed.
"That was the fastest answer you’ve ever given."
The group began walking toward the transport platform.
Noah followed.
Before stepping onto it, he looked back at Hildgard.
The city had given him answers.
But those answers had created even more questions.
The golden moon.
Irus.
The medallions.
Ragnarok.
The Dead Zone.
And the mysterious entity beyond it.
Noah touched Shadowfang.
"I’m going to find out."
The platform activated.
Light surrounded the group.
For a moment, Noah thought he saw something standing on a distant rooftop.
A dark silhouette.
Watching him.
He blinked.
It was gone.
The transport activated.
Hildgard disappeared behind them.
And somewhere far beyond the city...
a voice whispered into the darkness.
"The inheritor has left."
A second voice answered.
"Good."
A crimson eye opened.
"Now we can follow."