Somewhere in Pangea...
The snake bracelet on Thirteen’s arm glowed faintly.
The teenage boy was currently asleep, so he didn’t notice the glowing light coming from Tiona’s body.
A moment later, the eyes of the black snake regained clarity as if she had just woken up from a dream.
She then slithered away from Zion’s arm and crawled toward her Master’s chest.
The teenage boy was holed up in his workshop within the Headquarters of the Central Government, crafting Cranky’s battle armor.
He’d been working nonstop and only paused when he fell an hour ago, now sleeping peacefully.
Tiona stared at him for a little while longer before transforming into her human form.
She then picked up Zion’s body and carried him to the couch, so he could at least sleep on something soft instead of the hard floor.
After making sure that Zion was properly sleeping, she raised her hand and summoned the banner of the Parade of a Hundred Demons.
She summoned a few demons and gave them an order.
"Take this to Rocky," Tiona ordered as a red crystal appeared on the palm of her hand. "Go."
The black shadow wolf bit on the red crystal and nodded its head.
It then dove towards the ground and headed north to find Rocky, who was still recovering from his serious injuries.
Several demons followed behind it, forming an escort squad to ensure the shadow wolf’s safety.
Tiona then glanced at the sleeping teenage boy on the couch before an idea came to her mind.
She gently moved the teenage boy’s body until his head rested on her lap.
Tiona had no idea when her Master would open her eyes, but she would make sure that the first thing he would see would be none other than her.
She had waited long enough to show Thirteen her true form, as well as tell him that this time, she would stay by his side until death do them part.
Within the Order of the Apocalypse...
"It seems that the time has come," Metatron muttered as his gaze landed on Zaphiel, who was visiting the Celestials and Fiends one by one and inviting them to join him in his quest to break free from the shackles that bound them in Solterra.
Deep inside, he wanted Zaphiel to succeed, but he also knew that it would be an uphill battle for the Celestial to acquire Pandora’s Box.
The God of the Apocalypse then glanced at the names of the members of his organization and the points that they had accumulated.
Two weeks ago, the one in the lead was none other than Kamrusepa, who was granted the privilege of being able to enter the Sixth Layer of the Treasury of the Apocalypse.
At first, Metatron thought that she would be the first one to unseal the 13th Layer of the Treasury, but he was greeted with a pleasant surprise a few days ago.
Kamrusepa’s name had fallen to second in the rankings.
Above her name, written in bold golden letters, was the name Thirteen.
And right now, the teenage boy gained the privilege of opening the 8th Layer of the Treasury.
This all happened when he killed Lucan, who was a High-Archon despite being a Rookie.
The number of points Zion gained during the war in the Cygni Continent, as well as his battle against the Artemian Commander, had reached millions.
It was an unprecedented event, and Metatron had a feeling that once the war ended, Thirteen would be able to unlock the 9th or even the 10th Layer of the Treasury.
This would make Thirteen one step closer from opening the thirteenth layer, which housed the Divine Relic, Pandora’s Box.
’Who will be able to get it first?’ Metatron mused. ’Thirteen or Zaphiel. Regardless of who takes it first, this world will never be the same again once the box is opened.’
Of course, Metatron was playing favorites.
Although he wanted Zaphiel to succeed in his endeavor, the one whom he truly wanted to obtain the relic was none other than Zion.
’But first, he needs to survive,’ Metatron thought. ’Too bad, I can no longer interfere in Pangea. I just hope he survives until the war ends.’
His gaze then landed on Mount Orthys, where Pandora’s Box was sealed and guarded by powerful Titans, whose might rivaled that of the Fiends and Celestials.
They were the guards The One had placed to protect the Divine Relic, the final line of defense behind the layers of protection and seals that the God of Wanderers had scattered throughout the entire mountain.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was the most dangerous and most protected fortress in Solterra. No one, not even the Fiends and Celestials, would be able to invade it without paying a hefty price.
The Titans and the traps were just a portion of the deterrents. The mountain itself served as an effective defense.
Ancient magic had woven itself into the air of Mount Orthys. Its faint shimmer was beautiful, but angels and demons alike, if not careful, would fall from it.
Time slowed in some places and raced in others. Gravity bent to unseen whims.
Entire valleys within the mountain range were said to exist outside the laws of reality, trapping intruders in endless loops until their minds shattered.
And then, there was the heart of the mountain, the final sanctuary where Pandora’s Box lay.
Rumor spoke of a guardian older than the Titans themselves, one who did not sleep, did not falter, and whose very presence could erase a soul from existence.
But the wheel was turning, and Metatron could already see the paths converging.
Zaphiel in the north, chasing the whispers of a forgotten map, Kamrusepa weaving her schemes in the shadows, the members of the Order of the Apocalypse forming an alliance in order to challenge new heights, and Thirteen... breaking the rules of the world by simply existing.
The God of the Apocalypse smiled faintly, though the expression held more danger than warmth.
"Let the end come like a storm without mercy," Metatron said softly. "When the last scream fades... we will see who crawls from the ruin."
Far away, in the frozen spines of the north, the Bastion of Helgard rumbled as ancient wards stirred for the first time in centuries.
And deep beneath Mount Orthys, in the chamber where Pandora’s Box rested, a single eye opened—golden and cold as the void—its gaze turning toward the mortal realm.
Searching for the one who would finally free it from its chains and fulfill the prophecy of the ancient past.