Chapter 15: The Gathering Storm
The night was unnaturally still. A thick fog rolled over the war-torn battlefield, its silver tendrils creeping between broken banners and shattered weapons. The scent of blood clung to the air, mixing with the distant echoes of dying men.
Baek Haneul stood at the edge of the ruined outpost, his silver hair catching the moonlight. His gaze was distant, unreadable—his body cloaked in an aura of power that made the very ground beneath him tremble.
Behind him, his twelve Apostles knelt, their breaths steady despite the carnage they had left in their wake. They had infiltrated the Golden Sect's stronghold and carved their way through its defenses like a phantom force of retribution.
Haneul's eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the towering structure ahead—the Imperial Pavilion—where the true enemy lurked.
"Sol'Kyung," he murmured, the name rolling off his tongue like a curse.
The fragment of the Unwritten One had remained hidden in the royal family's shadows for too long. The time for secrecy was over.
"We move at dawn," Haneul declared, his voice quiet yet absolute.
His Apostles bowed their heads. They did not need to ask questions. Their master's will was law.
---
The Golden Sect's War Council
The grand chamber of the Golden Sect was in turmoil. Elder Kang slammed his fist onto the stone table, his face flushed with anger. "This phantom force continues to slaughter our men as if we are nothing! How much longer are we to endure this humiliation?"
A shadow stirred in the corner of the chamber.
"You will endure," a voice interrupted, smooth as silk yet laced with unseen malice.
Sol'Kyung stepped forward, his presence suffocating. His golden robes shimmered under the dim lantern light, but it was his eyes—pools of endless darkness—that sent shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned warriors.
He smiled.
"The Riftborn Heir has returned," Sol'Kyung murmured, amusement flickering in his tone. "How… entertaining."
Elder Kang swallowed. "Then—then what should we do?"
Sol'Kyung's smile widened.
"We welcome him, of course."
And then, the torches in the room flickered, as if the very air had shuddered at his words. A silence thick as iron chains settled over the war council.
Elder Kang's breath was unsteady as he exchanged glances with the other elders, their faces pale under the flickering torchlight. To welcome the Riftborn Heir? What madness was this?
Sol'Kyung moved leisurely across the chamber, his golden robes flowing like liquid fire. His smile never faded.
"The heir has returned after twenty years. He has gathered his Apostles. He has infiltrated our ranks. And yet…" He paused, tilting his head. "He has not struck at us directly. Why do you think that is?"
No one answered.
Sol'Kyung chuckled. "Because he is hesitating."
Elder Kang furrowed his brows. "That man hesitates for nothing. He has cut down sects without mercy. He—"
"—is human."
The words rang through the chamber, soft yet undeniable.
Sol'Kyung's expression darkened, though the smirk on his lips remained. "And humans have weaknesses. Hesitations. Attachments." He turned, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent chills down their spines.
"I will show him just how fragile those things truly are."
A single shadow flickered behind him, then disappeared into the night.
---
Dawn Before the Storm
Baek Haneul felt the shift in the air long before the sun rose.
Standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Golden Sect's vast fortress, he exhaled slowly, watching the cold mist swirl beneath him. His Apostles stood behind him, silent sentinels awaiting his command.
The moment had come.
Yet, something gnawed at him. A warning whispering through his very blood.
He closed his eyes, reaching deep into his senses—searching.
And then—
A presence. A shift. A thread of fate unraveling before his very eyes.
His silver eyes snapped open.
"We are not the only ones making a move."
At that moment, the first warning bell rang from the Golden Sect's walls.
The battle had already begun.
---
Inside the Imperial Pavilion
Sol'Kyung stood at the highest chamber of the palace, watching the horizon.
The Riftborn Heir was coming.
He could feel the pull of fate twisting, bending, trying to realign itself.
He closed his eyes and smiled.
"Show me what you are capable of, Baek Haneul."
And with that, the shadows beneath his feet surged, engulfing him in darkness.