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Shattered Chains, Rising Shadows
CRACK!
The last of the chains snapped.
The magical wards etched into the ancient stone glowed briefly—then fizzled into dust. A surge of cold wind howled through the dungeon, and every torch was snuffed out.
The Third Soul stood unshackled for the first time in centuries.
Her feet touched the ground—bare, light, and yet each step made the stone tremble.
> "The world still turns… but the wheel is broken."
The red-cloaked girl had fled long ago, but her fear clung to the air.
And above, in the royal palace, all the mirrors cracked at once.
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The Capital Trembles
In the throne room, nobles screamed as crystal chandeliers shattered overhead. Priests stumbled from their temples, clutching their hearts. Seers wailed. Statues wept.
The Hero clone collapsed to one knee, gasping.
> "Something… old just woke up."
A voice echoed inside his mind.
> "Come find me, little light. Let's see what you've become."
He screamed—and the crowd saw it. The people stared in horror.
For the first time… the Hero showed fear.
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In the Sanctuary
Serian stared into the night sky.
The stars had shifted.
Lira joined him quietly, holding a blade wrapped in silver runes.
> "You felt it too," she said.
> "She's awake," he nodded. "And she's moving."
> "Will she come here?"
> "No," Serian whispered. "We'll go to her."
His eyes gleamed with something dangerous—curiosity… and challenge.
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Underground Orphans' Shelter
The children raised by the Demon Lord clone suddenly awoke in the dead of night, shivering. The fanatical clone stood at the highest rooftop, staring at the capital.
> "Our Queen has returned," she whispered, smiling wide.
> "What Queen?" one child asked.
> "The one who will devour the sky."
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Back to the Dungeon
The Third Soul reached the final gate.
With a wave of her hand, it melted into dust.
Sunlight hit her face for the first time.
Her form shimmered—shifting between a girl, a warrior, a ghost, and a star.
> "I am not your god. I am not your villain. I am your forgotten ending."
And behind her…
Something vast moved in the dark.
Something ancient… and hungry.
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