full week had passed since Akitsu Shouga and Kael Ardent arrived in Soren Village.

  Seven days of silence, snow, and unfamiliar warmth.

  For Kael, it was the first time in his life he had slept without the weight of expectation pressing on his chest. No armor. No titles. No kingdom demanding heroism. For Akitsu, it was something stranger—rest without death chasing him, rest without choices splitting endlessly into doors.

  And now, it was time to leave.

  The tundra was calm that morning. Snow fell gently, not biting, not cruel—almost welcoming. At the edge of the village stood the giant tree, ancient and immense, its bark silvered by time. In its trunk was the familiar Hollow doorframe, dark and silent, waiting.

  Eldran Thalos Soryu stood before it.

  The village chief, the elder who carried centuries in his gaze, held two heavy satchels in his hands. His posture was straight, but his shoulders trembled faintly.

  Vale stood beside him, her white hair tied loosely, her purple eyes glassy.

  Kael and Akitsu faced them.

  “…You’re certain you must go?” Eldran asked, his voice low.

  Akitsu inclined his head. “We can’t stay forever.”

  Kael clenched his fists. “Grandfather…”

  Eldran stepped forward and pressed a satchel into Kael’s hands. “Food. Tools. Cold-weather gear. Enough for weeks.”

  He handed the second bag to Akitsu. “And for you. Though I suspect you’d survive even without it.”

  Akitsu accepted it. “Thank you.”

  Eldran’s lips trembled.

  “…You’ve only just returned to me,” the old elf said softly, eyes fixed on Kael. “And now you leave again.”

  Kael swallowed. “I’ll come back. I promise.”

  Vale stepped forward and hugged Kael tightly, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. “You better,” she whispered. “Or I’ll come drag you back myself.”

  Kael laughed weakly. “That sounds terrifying.”

  Eldran turned away for a moment, lifting a hand to his eyes.

  “…Come back soon,” he said hoarsely. “Both of you.”

  Akitsu bowed deeply. “We will.”

  Without another word, Akitsu stepped through the Hollow.

  Kael lingered half a second longer, looking back.

  “…I’ll see you again,” he said.

  Then he followed.

  The world twisted.

  Light folded inward.

  And then—

  They landed.

  Kael stumbled forward, catching himself. “—Huh?”

  Akitsu straightened slowly, eyes scanning their surroundings.

  “…This isn’t the lively forest.”

  They stood before another giant tree with a Hollow doorframe, but it was embedded in stone—dark, broken stone. Crumbling walls rose around them, choked by vines and roots. Moss-covered pillars leaned at impossible angles.

  “…Where are we?” Kael asked.

  Akitsu didn’t answer immediately.

  “…This might be another exit,” he said at last. “Soren Village probably has more than one.”

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  Kael nodded uncertainly. “Then… let’s look around.”

  They walked.

  Each step echoed faintly through the ruins.

  Broken archways towered above them. Stone bridges collapsed into greenery. Walls bore faded carvings—crowns, wings, symbols neither of them recognized.

  “…This place is huge,” Kael muttered.

  “Too huge for a mere outpost,” Akitsu replied.

  They exited what looked like a massive courtyard and froze.

  Ahead of them was a cliff.

  Kael approached the edge carefully. “…Akitsu.”

  Akitsu joined him.

  Half of the castle—no, half of the entire kingdom—was gone.

  The stone simply… ended.

  Below, far beneath the canopy of towering trees, lay the other half of the ruins, sunken deep into the earth. Towers lay sideways, streets suspended among roots and branches. Yet—astonishingly—it wasn’t crushed.

  “…It didn’t collapse,” Kael said slowly.

  Akitsu nodded. “It sank.”

  Kael frowned. “The whole place?”

  They moved along the edge, peering down.

  “There’s no path,” Kael said. “No stairs. No bridges.”

  Akitsu scanned the cliff face. “Then we climb.”

  Kael blinked. “Down there?”

  “Do you see another option?”

  Kael sighed. “…No.”

  Akitsu turned slightly. “Orion.”

  Seraphine Orion appeared beside them, her form half-translucent. “Already on it.”

  Vines burst from cracks in the stone, winding downward like living ropes.

  “…You make this look easy,” Kael muttered.

  “Try not to fall,” Akitsu replied calmly.

  They began their descent.

  Stone crumbled under their boots. The air grew warmer, richer. Leaves brushed past their faces. Birds scattered as they passed.

  Halfway down, Kael paused. “Akitsu… do you feel that?”

  “…Yes.”

  Life.

  When they finally reached the bottom, they stood still.

  Before them stretched a hidden world.

  Sunlight filtered through colossal trees. Water flowed gently through cracked streets turned into rivers. Flowers bloomed where thrones once stood. Deer walked freely through fallen halls. Birds nested in broken towers.

  “…It’s beautiful,” Kael whispered.

  Akitsu slowly exhaled.

  “…A buried kingdom,” he said. “Still alive.”

  Seraphine Orion smiled faintly. “Nature reclaims what is abandoned.”

  Kael turned in a slow circle. “How could something like this just… disappear?”

  Akitsu looked toward a distant, vine-covered spire.

  “…Kingdoms fall,” he said quietly. “Some just do it more quietly than others.”

  Kael glanced at him. “…You sound like you’ve seen this before.”

  Akitsu didn’t answer.

  The wind rustled the leaves.

  Somewhere beneath the ruins, the echoes of a forgotten history waited to be uncovered.

  And neither of them realized—

  They had just stepped into a place the world had tried very hard to forget.