Shin's body lay motionless on the icy ground, his katanas scattered beside him. The Undead Knight stood over him, silent and unmoving for a moment, before turning his gaze toward Eva's unconscious form.
With slow, deliberate steps, the knight walked toward his fallen great sword. The sound of metal scraping against ice echoed through the cavern as he lifted it effortlessly, the blade humming with dark energy.
He turned toward Eva, his hollow eyes glowing brighter.
"One less burden," he muttered, raising the sword high.
But before the blade could fall—time stopped.
The air froze mid-motion. The flickering embers from Shin's dying flames hung suspended in the air like stars. The knight's movement halted completely, his sword frozen inches above Eva's body.
Shin's mind drifted into darkness. Then, a faint light appeared.
He found himself standing in a vast, endless field of white. Snowflakes fell gently from a sky that shimmered with faint blue light. The cold didn't bite—it felt calm, peaceful.
"Where... am I?" Shin whispered, his voice echoing softly.
A familiar voice answered.
"You're dreaming, Shin."
He turned—and there she was. Tyra stood before him, her form faint and translucent, her silver hair flowing like mist. Her eyes were warm, but filled with sorrow.
"Tyra..." Shin breathed, his chest tightening. "You—how—"
She smiled faintly.
"I used what little essence I had left to reach you. I'm sorry... I won't be able to keep that promise."
Shin's throat tightened. "No... don't say that. You can't—"
Before he could finish, another figure appeared beside her. A tall, broad man with a familiar grin—Cromwell.
"Cromwell..." Shin whispered, his eyes widening.
The barbarian chuckled softly. "Still as dramatic as ever, huh?"
Tyra turned to Shin, her expression soft but urgent.
"Listen carefully. I don't have much time. I'm already gone... but there's something you need to know."
Shin clenched his fists.
"Tell me."
"You need to find the remaining eight members of the Fateful Ten," she said.
Shin frowned. "Eight? That doesn't make sense. I'm one of them."
Tyra shook her head gently.
"No, Shin. You were never one of us."
He blinked, confused.
"What are you talking about?"
Cromwell stepped forward, resting a massive hand on Shin's shoulder.
"You weren't a member, old friend. You were our leader. The one who brought us together. The one who gave us purpose."
Shin's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat.
"I... was your leader?"
Tyra nodded.
"Yes. The Fateful Ten followed you. You were the flame that guided us through the darkness."
The wind around them began to stir, the dream starting to fade. Tyra's form flickered, her voice growing faint.
"We don't have much time left... but thank you, Shin. For everything."
She and Cromwell bowed deeply, their forms glowing faintly with light. Cromwell straightened, his grin returning.
"Maybe it's about time you use that katana of yours properly," he said, his tone half-joking, half-serious. "Combine them into one. Maybe then you'll remember something."
He gave Shin a wink.
The world around Shin shattered into light.
Shin's eyes snapped open.
The cavern was still frozen in time for a heartbeat—then everything rushed back at once. The knight's sword was descending toward Eva.
But before it could strike, Shin moved.
The flames around him reignited, brighter and hotter than before. The wind howled, swirling around his body like a living storm. His eyes burned with renewed purpose.
The Undead Knight stopped mid-swing, his head turning slowly toward Shin. For the first time, the knight hesitated.
He could feel it—something had changed.
The air trembled with power. The fire and wind around Shin merged into a blazing vortex, his aura surging with the strength of a man who had remembered who he truly was.
The knight's hollow voice rumbled through the cavern.
"So... you've awakened."
Shin rose to his feet, his expression calm but fierce. He reached for his twin katanas, their blades glowing with fire and wind.
"Not yet," Shin said quietly.
"But I'm starting to remember."
He looked down at his weapons. The jagged teeth along the edges of both katanas caught his eye—each blade seemed incomplete, as if they were meant to be one.
He brought them together.
The teeth interlocked perfectly, and as the blades fused, a surge of energy exploded outward. The cavern shook as a blinding light enveloped him. The two katanas became one—a single, elegant blade that pulsed with both flame and wind, its edge glowing with divine brilliance. Shin staggered for a moment as memories flashed through his mind.
A shadowy figure appeared—wearing a sakkat, face obscured by darkness. The figure moved with impossible speed, slashing through phantom enemies fifteen times in a single breath.
Each strike was precise, fluid, and devastating. The figure's voice echoed in Shin's mind. "Fifteen strikes. One breath. One will. Remember this, Shin."
Shin's eyes snapped open, glowing with fiery determination. He exhaled slowly, the air around him vibrating with power.
The Undead Knight roared and charged, swinging his massive sword in a deadly arc. But Shin moved effortlessly. His body shifted with the wind, his feet gliding across the ice as if he were weightless. The knight's blade missed by inches.
Shin's voice rang out, filled with fury and purpose.
"Taste my Omnislash!"
He vanished in a blur of motion.
In an instant, fifteen slashes struck the knight from every direction—each one faster and stronger than the last. The air erupted with streaks of fire and wind, forming a storm of blazing arcs that tore through the darkness.
The final strike came from above—Shin descended like a comet, his blade engulfed in a spiral of flame and gale. He brought it down with a thunderous roar, cleaving through the knight's armor and splitting the ground beneath them.
The explosion of energy sent shockwaves through the cavern, scattering shards of ice and flame in every direction.
When the light faded, Shin stood tall, his blade resting at his side. The Undead Knight staggered, cracks spreading across his armor as dark energy leaked from within.
For the first time, the knight's voice trembled. "That technique... I remember it..."
Shin's eyes glowed fiercely.
"Rest in peace."
The knight fell to one knee, his body beginning to crumble into ash.
"Yes... my lord..."
As the knight's form began to disintegrate, Shin turned toward Eva, who was still unconscious. He sheathed his blade and walked toward her, exhaustion weighing heavily on his body. He knelt beside her, gently lifting her into his arms. But just as he was about to carry her, a cold, heavy hand gripped his shoulder.
Shin froze.
The Undead Knight—half-disintegrated—was still there. His hollow eyes flickered faintly as he leaned closer.
He whispered something into Shin's ear—words so faint, so chilling, that Shin's eyes widened in shock. His breath caught, his entire body trembling.
Before Shin could respond, the knight gave a faint, almost human smile. Then his body dissolved completely, scattering into the air like black dust carried by the wind.
Shin stood there for a moment, stunned, the knight's final words echoing in his mind.
Then, his strength gave out.
The exhaustion, the wounds, the toll of his power—all of it crashed down on him at once. He collapsed beside Eva, his vision fading into darkness.
When Shin awoke, the first thing he felt was warmth. His head rested on something soft. He opened his eyes slowly—and saw Sam sitting beside him, her eyes red from crying but filled with relief. His head was resting on her lap.
"Sam..." he murmured weakly.
She smiled faintly.
"You're awake."
Beside them, Eva knelt, her hands glowing with gentle light as she healed Shin's wounds.
"You're lucky," she said softly. "If we'd found you any later, you might not have made it."
Shin exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting upward to the icy ceiling above.
"Tyra... Cromwell..." he whispered.
Sam looked down at him, her voice trembling. "They're gone... but they saved us." Shin closed his eyes, a single tear slipping down his cheek.
"Then I'll make sure their sacrifice wasn't in vain."
Eva's healing light brightened, wrapping around them like a warm embrace as the storm outside finally began to fade.
After the battle, they gathered all the fallen to give them a proper burial. The snow-covered field was silent except for the sound of shovels breaking through the frost. Sam and John stood side by side, mourning deeply.
Sam's eyes were hollow, her heart heavy with grief. She looked at John—his face pale, his hands trembling as he placed Cromwell's axe beside his grave. She wanted to tell him the truth, but she couldn't.
She decided to keep Tyra and Cromwell's secret from him—for now. When the burial ceremony ended, the group stood in silence as the wind carried away the last traces of battle.
Later that evening, Sam approached Shin, who was sitting quietly near the campfire, his new blade resting beside him.
"Shin," she said softly.
"There's something I need to tell you."
He looked up, his expression calm but weary.
"What is it?"
"Before she died... Tyra told me her last wish," Sam said, her voice trembling.
"She said we need to find the Goddess of Water, Mei. She told me to bring you with me."
Shin's eyes softened.
"Tyra..."
Sam nodded. "We need to consult Nestor. He might know where to start."
The next morning, they traveled to Nestor's sanctuary—a small temple carved into the side of the mountain. The old sage greeted them with a solemn expression, as if he already knew what had happened.
"I felt their passing," Nestor said quietly.
"The winds carried their souls to me."
Sam stepped forward.
"Master Nestor, Tyra told us to seek the Goddess of Water, Mei. She said we'd find answers there."
Nestor closed his eyes, stroking his long white beard.
"The Water Temple lies near the Icy Peaks, hidden beneath the frozen lake. It is a sacred place where the Goddess's presence still lingers. If you pray there, you may find the path to the Great City of Atlantis—the home of the Water Goddess Mei herself."
Shin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Atlantis... the lost city?"
Nestor nodded.
"Not lost—merely hidden. The Goddess protects it from mortal eyes. But if fate wills it, she will reveal herself to you."
He turned to Sam.
"When you reach Atlantis, seek out a water mage named Lysandra. She is an old friend of mine and a devoted servant of the Goddess. She will guide you."
Sam bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Master Nestor."
Nestor smiled faintly.
"The path ahead will test your hearts and your faith. But remember—water may seem gentle, yet it can carve through mountains. Let it guide you."
As they left the temple, the wind carried Nestor's final words through the air.
"May the Goddess watch over you, children of fate."