The Invincible Full-Moon System

Chapter 1758: Clarity and the Shadows

It has been thousands of years since the Haeltara Empire was founded.

And for that long, Kaine had been protecting the empire from the shadows—working directly under the royal family. For every catastrophe, every war, every rebellion, Kaine had always been the one standing at the very front.

And for thousands of years, he had been successful in quenching everything that threatened the empire.

Kaine dedicated his life to the empire.

It was that simple.

A fierce loyalty that would never break under any pressure.

Even his descendants, if there were any, would also accept that responsibility.

But for the first time in thousands of years, a cold weight settled in the pit of his stomach.

A sinking certainty that the crises at hand right now were greater than anything the empire has ever faced since the day it was founded. Kaine has no concrete proof for this feeling—but with the entire livelihood of the empire in his hands, this feeling might very well be the thin veil that hints at catastrophe.

After all, what is feeling if not survival tools sharpened by evolution to keep living beings alive?

Upon finding the empty room, Kaine immediately went to meet with Emperor Dominar.

He was not in his castle, so it took time for Kaine to reach him.

’Empress Morgana came from a small family; she has no connections. Enemies, there are a few, but she is not the type to have a prolonged grudge. If anything, she would’ve killed her enemies—as swiftly as she can,’ Kaine said as he walked along the forest filled with tall, gleaming trees. ’So, who is that room for? Why did she try hard to hide it?’

’It’s been said she fell from the sky,’ Kaine’s eyes narrowed. ’Who sent her? What is her real identity?’

Initially, he has a suspicion regarding Empress Morgana.

And now, the more he dug, that suspicion also grew alongside it.

Empress Morgana is not simple.

She’s more than someone who carries the blood of Angels; far more than that.

Upon stepping into a clearing, Kaine was greeted by the beautiful sight of nature at its finest.

A sparkling lake, green glowing overgrowth, and the sweeping fresh air that was extremely rich in life energy. It was a place that Emperor Dominar usually came to whenever he had a lot of things on his mind, and as expected, Kaine found him standing at the edge.

But he wasn’t alone.

Beside him was a familiar face.

”Duke Lorcan...?” Kaine approached them with silent steps.

”Your Majesty, you have to contact the empress,” Duke Lorcan urged demandingly. ”I cannot find my daughter and her fiancée. I knew they were going to meet with the empress, so she must know where those two are.”

”If those two are with the empress, then they are fine.” Emperor Dominar answered calmly.

He knew the land favored Empress Morgana, so she must not have any bad intentions towards the empire, or else the land would reject her. From his perspective, Duke Lorcan’s concern was nothing more than the work of an anxious mind.

”Your Majesty, there’s an interference that blocked me from reaching them,” Duke Lorcan continued, still fighting, as he was extremely worried about those two. ”Only your power could reach them. I have to know their conditions right now! I demand you to—”

”You can demand nothing from me, Duke Lorcan,” Emperor Dominar looked at him. ”Go home.”

”I’ve fought for this empire! I’ve fought for this empire all my life, and this is how you’re treating me?” Duke Lorcan asked sternly, veins bulging from his neck. ”In that case, let me see the empress. I have matters to attend to with her, and I request her audience.”

Tension was high between them.

Duke Lorcan was fueled with worry, while Emperor Dominar was fueled with his trust in the land.

Neither is going to back down, so Kaine decided to step in.

”Your Majesty, if I may...” Kaine stepped forward.

It was only when he talked does the two of them recognized his presence.

”Kaine, can you please tell the duke to leave?”

”Leave? I’m not leaving until you—”

Before Duke Lorcan could finish, Kaine stepped in front of him, gesturing for him to step back.

A shouting match would not get them anywhere.

In fact, it would only make matters worse.

”Let me handle this,” Kaine whispered, gesturing for Duke Lorcan to step back for a second.

Seeing this, Duke Lorcan reluctantly backed away.

”Your Majesty,” Kaine bowed politely, respectful even in this matter of urgency. ”I’ve looked into the treasury—and found a secret bed chamber. I believe the empress knew more about it since she had been spending time in the treasury lately. May I kindly ask to know where she is right now?”

”You too, Kaine?” Emperor Dominar exhaled lightly.

”Your Majesty, I would not come to see you if I were not certain this is worth investigating.”

”I thought you’d see that she has nothing but good intentions for the empire after you investigated.”

”That is also what I am hoping for—but I cannot simply turn a blind eye to what I see. I understand you have been trusting the land even before you’ve crowned the emperor, but please grant me this request. If the land ever blames you for suspecting it, then I’ll bear responsibility for it.”

”Very well...”

Even though Emperor Dominar was reluctant, he decided to heed the request.

He never thought the day when he questioned the land would come, but he also couldn’t dismiss it.

Kaine and Duke Lorcan were assets to the empire.

If the two of them cornered him like this, then there’s not much choice for him in the matter.

Emperor Dominar cut his palm and then extended his arm forward.

He allowed a drop of blood to fall into the lake’s surface.

Duke Lorcan and Kaine stepped forward; both wanted to eagerly know where the empress was.

Upon being crowned empress, she underwent a blood ritual binding her to the land, and also to Emperor Dominar himself. The rite forged an unbreakable link between them, allowing each to sense the other’s state, converse across distance, and summon one another when needed.

Naturally, it can also tell where the other was.

But beyond its extraordinary benefits, the bond carried a built-in protection.

If one suffered a grievous wound, the others would feel it immediately.

And if one neared death, they would be teleported straight to the nearest member of the royal line.

Now, Emperor Dominar was requesting her location.

Slowly, the water where the drop of blood went began to turn reddish and swirl like a vortex.

Emperor Dominar watched the lake in absolute stillness, waiting for the bond to reveal her location. Moments later, the surface began to ripple. Not from wind, but from the ritual itself—until an image slowly took shape in the reflection.

A place untouched by the Black Rift.

And at its center, a massive stone formation rose like an ancient monument.

Emperor Dominar, Duke Lorcan, and Kaine looked at the image intently—analyzing where it was.

But then, it suddenly blurred again.

Splash!

Before their very eyes, the water exploded.

All three of them watched the water column that splashed skyward with widened eyes.

”It’s the interference,” Duke Lorcan muttered in absolute shock.

He’d come here knowing Emperor Dominar possessed a guaranteed way to locate Empress Morgana—but he never imagined that method could fail. Which only sharpened the question: who could unleash interference powerful enough to smother even this?

”As I said, something is wrong!” Duke Lorcan roared. ”Really wrong!”

”That place... We can narrow a few places from that,” Kaine muttered, summoning a map—out of thin air, and began searching for a location that matched the brief image they were shown earlier. ”Must be far away from the royal bubble.”

”It should be somewhere near the Deific Grove of Concordia,” Duike Lorcan added.

At this point, even Emperor Dominar couldn’t deny that.

His eyes were still staring at the water’s surface as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Nothing should be able to do this.

Not even the neighbouring countries could create an interference this strong.

Emperor Dominar raised his gaze.

A flicker of light appeared above them, and it slowly manifested into a figure.

One that the three of them recognized instantly.

”Divine Saintess,” Emperor Dominar’s brows narrowed. ”Why have you come here?”

”Tomb of Heroes,” Kei Xun said, completely ignoring the question. ”She’s in the Tomb of Heroes, and there’s a battle going on there. I suggest you hurry and come before she makes irreparable damage to the empire.”

”Is Sir Rex also there?” Kaine asked. ”She’s aiming for him, isn’t she?”

”Yes, he’s there...” Kei Xun nodded. ”And let me make one thing clear. I’ve protected this empire for thousands of years because of the Sun Ecclesia churches—and I am also rather fond of it. But make no mistake—if the Haeltara Empire is against Sir Rex, then my protection might cease to exist.”

”What...?” Emperor Dominar stared at her in utter confusion.

First of all, their relationship runs deep.

And second, Rex is nothing but a knight, so how could she side with him this much?

”What about my daughter?!” Duke Lorcan asked.

”She’s safe but is now heading to where the battle was,” Kei Xun replied; she could see Princess Davina turning around—instead of returning back home. ”I’m suggesting you hurry. Once she gets involved in the fight, she won’t be able to get out.”

Almost instantly, as soon as Kei Xun disappeared, Kaine and Duke Lorcan bolted away.

It was only Emperor Dominar remaining on the edge of the beautiful lake.

He lowered his gaze, eyes trembling with disbelief. ”Have you failed me... this time?”

...

”We have been separated from our home. How long? I’ve already forgotten.”

A figure was walking out of a cave.

Each step was heavy and followed by the thudding sound of a cane slamming against the ground.

”Time flowed differently here—but it happened a long time ago. And our memories about that time... they’re blurry. No Alpha. No packs. No help. It has been difficult... surviving in this world, we lost so much. From thousands to a handful.”

Dark wind swept into the cave.

It was biting cold, a sign that the voidal energy concentration in this area was higher than normal.

However, the figure’s fur was able to withstand the rush.

”But survive we did... Our bodies adapted, evolved, and we became different from our normal kin back home. Our change was grim. Sad. But survival is of utmost importance for us right now, and we have to accept our new selves.”

Upon emerging from the cave, the figure looked up.

Just like every single day, the sky was blotted with clouds of darkness.

No light—sunlight or moonlight couldn’t penetrate through.

”Even though we’re now accustomed to this world, everyone still clung to the hope of returning home. It has never left our minds. Every single one of us yearned to go home. To reunite with our kind. Our Origin. Our... families.”

Slowly, the figure looked down from the cliff and saw that the shadow was staring back at her.

Dozens of them.

Each was exuding excitement that was supposed to be long gone before.

”Our hope waned with time... There’s no returning home for us. A prophecy of a dead man circulated. He said one day, someone who has the ability to bring us home would come. It sounded suspiciously like the wish of a dying man, but many believed it.”

”I didn’t... I certainly didn’t. That is, until you came. And this time, I’ll allow myself to hope.”

Clang!

The figure slammed her cane against the ground, blasting a soundwave that reached for miles.

She stared at the shadows, the survivors of her kind.

”I am your Shaman!” the figure exclaimed loudly, addressing the shadows with unrelenting fervor. ”I’ve heard of your plea. A mysterious creature that donned our scent now roamed our lands. The prophecy held true! And now... Let’s go find him.”

Aoouuuu!