There are things better left unsaid.
In a shadowy, uncharted place where its exact location remained a mystery, a voice echoed in the darkness. "I'm sorry, my Lord... I failed you this time. But I just need to control my power." Verdantia, who had barely escaped her earlier defeat on the school's rooftop, spoke with a bow of submission, her voice strained yet determined. "This is not over. I swear it!"
Before her stood a figure of immense authority, his back shrouded in the gloom, casting an imposing presence over the dim space. "No worries, Verdantia. You are free to do as you wish," the figure's voice was calm and reassuring, echoing through the darkness. "Thank you, my Lord!" Verdantia replied, her tense expression softening with relief as she bowed deeply.
Meanwhile, back on the rooftop, Teresa stirred awake almost immediately after collapsing. It was as if her instincts pushed her to continue the fight. As her vision cleared, she found herself looking up into the face of a calm yet serious man, his concern masked by a stern expression.
"T-Tristan?" she whispered, shock flickering in her eyes at his unexpected presence. She slowly rose from his arms, still unsteady, but before she could ask him why he was there, Tristan's voice cut her off. "Why are you here alone?" he demanded, his tone serious and probing. "Verdantia!" was all Teresa could manage in response, ignoring Tristan's question. She steadied herself and looked at him. "I thought there were no more students here," she said, her voice softening. "You arrived just in time to save me from falling. I owe you for that... again."
"No need to say that. It is my duty to - " Tristan began, but Teresa quickly interrupted. "Duty?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What do you mean?" Tristan hesitated, his gaze shifting slightly. "Oh, well... I mean, when someone needs help, I can't just stand by and watch," he replied, his tone firm yet evasive. It was clear, however, that this wasn't the full truth. "I'll take you home," Tristan offered. Teresa nodded with nothing to say as she felt very tired.
Near the school, beside the rooftop, stood a towering Narra tree. Perched silently among its branches was a white eagle, its sharp eyes observing everything that had just transpired. Suddenly, a thought echoed in its mind, "Finally, you have realized your purpose here. Just remember... do not fall in love."
As if triggered by his own words, the eagle began to glow with a radiant light, feathers dissolving into a brilliant shimmer. In a flash, the creature transformed into a familiar figure - Michael. Without a sound, he vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
Teresa, still weary from her intense duel with Brigette, who had turned Verdantia, was meant to rest. Yet, her mind remained restless as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
"Can I still handle what's coming?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ever since I entered Senior High School, nothing has been normal. Everything has changed..." She let out a frustrated sigh, her fingers gripping the edge of the table.
Suddenly, her powerful stone, in its complete figure, emerged before her in a radiant glow, casting sharp beams of light across the room. She instinctively squinted, momentarily unsettled by its sudden presence.
Then, a voice - gentle yet firm - echoed from within the stone.
"You are not alone in your battles, Teresa. Though fate has burdened you, you are needed - alongside the other warriors - to restore our world... and to save your own." Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the stone vanished, leaving behind only a faint shimmer in her room.
Teresa collapsed onto her bed, exhaustion pressing heavily on her limbs. The words of the stone echoed in her mind - You are not alone in your battles. Yet, it had also reminded her of something else. She was not alone in her journey.
The thought sent a chill down her spine. As she lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, her mind drifted to the four brothers - like her, possibly bound to the same fate. Yet, among them, it was Tristan who lingered in her thoughts the most. Something about him unsettled her. A suspicion, subtle yet persistent, gnawed at the edges of her mind.
A strange, unexplainable feeling tightened in her chest, sending a shiver down her spine. Her heart pounded harder with each passing second, as if warning her of something unseen.
"Wait, I don't like this!" she blurted out, her voice sharp with frustration. She shook her head furiously, trying to chase away the thoughts creeping into her mind.
Indeed, the arrival of the four men may be purposeful, as they still have many stories to tell. Alongside the mysterious disaster and succeeding events, the powerful jewels, and the presence of the four men are far from coincidental.
The scene shifted to an unexplainable place - dim, unclear, and surreal - where two main characters were the sole focus.
"Thalara…" A soft yet anguished voice broke the silence, spoken by a handsome man with a fierce gaze. His rugged, hairy hands gently caressed the wounded face of a beautiful maiden, dressed in a warrior outfit, lying helplessly on the ground as if after a brutal defeat.
"T-Tharion…" The maiden slowly opened her eyes, struggling to lift her hand to touch his. Her trembling fingers barely brushed against his face.
"This is not the end…"
"Thalara?" Tharion whispered, confusion clouding his fierce expression. But before he could comprehend, she vanished - like mist dissolving into the air.
He froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden emptiness, before his voice erupted with a desperate cry. "Thalara!!!"
"Thalara! Thalara?" Tristan's eyes snapped open, wide and filled with shock. Gasping for breath, he bolted upright from his bed, drenched in sweat. For a moment, he remained still - lost and dazed - his mind reeling from the vividness of the dream.
He shook his head, forcing his mind to regain focus. Unintentionally, his thoughts drifted to Teresa and the incident with Verdantia. The mere thought of Teresa's face merged with the image of the maiden who had been haunting his dreams - Thalara. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, almost as if they were the same person.
He massaged his forehead in frustration, questioning whether it was all just an illusion or mere coincidence. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Or was there something deeper behind the visions?
But who was that man - Tharion - in his dreams? What connection did he have with Thalara? And more importantly... who was Thalara?
The questions gnawed at his mind, leaving him restless and uneasy. Tristan couldn't shake the feeling that the dreams were more than just figments of his imagination. They felt real - too real. As if somewhere, in another world or another time, the story of Thalara and Tharion was unfolding, and he was inexplicably caught in its web.
Back to Teresa, it was a quiet Saturday, a day free from the usual hustle and bustle. She stood at the site where her encounter with Verdantia had taken place, her heart pounding with a mix of determination and frustration.
"Verdantia!" she bellowed, her voice echoing through the stillness. The force of her cry startled a flock of birds perched on nearby trees, sending them scattering into the sky. Unfazed, she called out again.
"Verdantia! Please, show yourself!"
Her voice rang out three more times, each shout fiercer than the last, yet the air remained silent - empty of any response. Teresa clenched her fists, feeling the tension coil within her. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Verdantia was still out there, hiding, watching her.
"I know you are there, so please show up. You must leave Brigette's body. You must stay away from her, Verdantia!"
However, her plea was in vain. Not only did no one hear her, but the one she needed was also nowhere to be found. Defeated, she began to turn back, retreating from the place. After taking a few hesitant steps, she suddenly heard a swirling wind growing more intensely, forcing her to halt. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts, then slowly turned around to see if her instincts were right. The howling wind grew fiercer, and there, emerging from the tempest, was Verdantia - her gaze fierce and unwavering.
"Teresa! Let go of me! Who are you to instruct me that way?" Verdantia snapped, her voice laced with irritation. "Well, thanks for disturbing my day. Since my hibernation is over, I suppose I'm ready for my mission now. Farewell!"
"Mission?" Teresa stammered, clearly perplexed. "Wh-where are you heading? Verdantia! Verdan - "
But Verdantia was already gone, vanishing without a trace. Teresa stood there, stunned and overwhelmed with questions. Where could Verdantia be going? And what mission could she possibly be talking about?
As if she was drained of energy, Teresa let out a weary sigh, her thoughts clouded with confusion and defeat. Helplessly, she lowered herself to the ground, sinking down slowly.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps from behind snapped Teresa out of her thoughts. She turned her gaze toward the source, her eyes tracing upward from the feet to the face. It was Tristan - calm and composed, his serious stare fixed on her as he approached slowly.
As if unaware of what had just happened, Tristan broke the silence, his voice steady. "What are you doing here?"
At the exact moment, Teresa echoed the same question. "What are you doing here?"
Both froze, realizing they had spoken in unison. A brief pause followed, and surprise flickered in their eyes as they processed the coincidence, unsure whether to laugh or question each other further.
A surge of annoyance bubbled up within Teresa as a thought crossed her mind - had he been tailing her all this time? Gritting her teeth, she mustered the courage to stand up and grab the collar of his black shirt.
"You! I should be grateful to you for everything, but it just feels weird. Ever since you showed up, no matter where I go, you're always following me!" she snapped, frustration evident in her voice.
Tristan merely raised an eyebrow and sighed softly. "Oh, come on, Teresa. Why are you mad?" he replied with a calm tone. "I have my own mission too."
His words caught her off guard, and the realization of her outburst made her feel a twinge of shame. Lowering her gaze, she hesitated before slowly releasing his collar, guilt creeping over her for acting so rashly.
Unaware of the mission she was meant to inquire about, Teresa grew intrigued when Tristan revealed startling news. "I arrived an hour before you did," Tristan began, his voice low. "I saw Brigette sitting on the railings. She didn't notice me, but I overheard her mentioning my brother's name… and plotting to kill Ingrid!"
Teresa's eyes widened in shock. At last, she had the answer to Verdantia's mission, the very one she had spoken of earlier.
"I feel so sorry for what I did earlier," Teresa admitted. "I have no time to waste. I must warn Ingrid and ask for help from Kaeli and Maria." Without another word, Teresa rushed downstairs.
Meanwhile, Tristan stood behind, sighing in frustration. Unable to respond to Teresa's apology, he whispered to himself, "I will always be here for you… my beloved Thalara."
Teresa, now sprinting down to the lowest floor, suddenly realized she had left Tristan behind. She paused, glancing back for a moment. Then, with a soft smile, she thought, Anyway, I know he'll be there… And with that, she continued on her way, leaving the school behind.
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