Chapter 51: The Message from the Canyon
The meeting in the Hall of Heroes lasted far into the night.
The massive chamber was illuminated by floating crystals embedded in the ceiling. Ancient banners hung from stone pillars, each representing a different hero who had once protected Azura.
Lee Kung stood before a large table covered in maps and blueprints.
Beside him stood Mia, Sio Jun, Commander Pius, and Harris' empty chair.
The sight of that chair alone made Lee Kung's jaw tighten.
Three days had passed since the tournament.
Three days of watching Gin Morino.
Three days of collecting evidence.
And now they finally knew the truth.
Gin was the Final Piece.
The last warrior spoken of in the prophecy.
But somehow he had fallen under Lee Kang's influence.
Commander Pius folded his arms.
"So Gin has been spying on us this entire time?"
Lee Kung nodded.
"Not only spying. He's reporting directly to Lee Kang."
Sio Jun growled.
"I knew something was wrong with him."
Mia sighed.
"The dark energy around him wasn't normal."
Lee Kung placed a glowing device onto the table.
Everyone stared.
The Arc Reactor.
Months of secret work.
Countless failed attempts.
Dragon-level energy condensed into a single core.
The blueprints surrounding it showed calculations capable of vaporizing corruption without harming normal life.
Commander Pius looked uneasy.
"You built this?"
Lee Kung nodded.
"It can erase black energy on a massive scale."
"How massive?"
Lee Kung looked up.
"Entire armies."
The room fell silent.
Even Sio Jun looked impressed.
Commander Pius slowly sat down.
"Remind me never to make you angry."
Nobody laughed.
Because they all knew Lee Kung wasn't joking.
"If we can activate this reactor near Lee Kang," Lee Kung explained, "there's a chance we can separate Dehaska's corruption from him."
"And Harris?" Mia asked.
"We save him too."
Sio Jun looked toward the window.
"And Gin?"
Lee Kung remained silent for several seconds.
Finally he spoke.
"We save him if possible."
"If possible?" Sio Jun asked.
Lee Kung's expression darkened.
"If he chooses Lee Kang over us..."
Nobody finished the sentence.
Because they all understood.
The meeting continued until midnight.
Every detail was discussed.
Every possible outcome.
Every risk.
Every backup plan.
By the time they finally left the Hall of Heroes, everyone was exhausted.
Yet somehow hopeful.
For the first time since arriving in the modern world, they finally had a strategy.
A real one.
One capable of ending this nightmare.
Or so they thought.
The next morning arrived peacefully.
Too peacefully.
Lee Kung sat in class tapping a pencil against his desk.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
His eyes moved toward the empty seat beside him.
Gin wasn't there.
Again.
The teacher continued talking.
Students continued laughing.
Nobody else seemed concerned.
But Lee Kung couldn't shake the feeling.
His instincts screamed danger.
The same instincts that had saved his life countless times.
During lunch he searched the cafeteria.
No Gin.
After lunch he checked the training grounds.
No Gin.
By the final class period his concern had become genuine worry.
When school finally ended he immediately met Mia and Sio Jun near the entrance.
"You found him?" Mia asked.
Lee Kung shook his head.
"No."
Sio Jun frowned.
"That's the fourth time this week."
"Exactly."
The three exchanged looks.
Something wasn't right.
As they prepared to leave, Mia suddenly paused.
"Wait."
She reached into her school bag.
Her face immediately changed.
Lee Kung noticed.
"What is it?"
Slowly she pulled out a folded piece of black paper.
Dark energy seeped from its edges.
Sio Jun instantly stepped back.
"I don't like that."
Lee Kung took the note.
His expression hardened.
At that exact moment Sio Jun opened her own bag.
Inside was an identical note.
So was Lee Kung's.
Three notes.
Same message.
Same dark energy.
Slowly Lee Kung unfolded his.
Written in dark red ink were seven words.
Meet me at the Canyon if you want to see Harris again.
Silence.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The world seemed to stop.
Mia looked horrified.
"Harris..."
Sio Jun clenched her fists.
"It's a trap."
"Obviously," Lee Kung replied.
His voice had become frighteningly calm.
The kind of calm that came before a storm.
Mia swallowed.
"What do we do?"
Lee Kung stared at the note.
Then at the setting sun.
Then toward the distant mountains.
The canyon.
A place far from civilization.
Far from witnesses.
Far from help.
Exactly where Lee Kang would want them.
Sio Jun looked at him.
"We can't ignore it."
"I know."
"It could be Harris."
"I know."
Mia stepped closer.
"And if it isn't?"
Lee Kung folded the note.
"Then we'll make whoever sent this regret it."
A cold wind passed through the school grounds.
Students continued walking home completely unaware.
Laughing.
Talking.
Living normal lives.
None of them knew a war between realms was slowly approaching.
None of them knew that the fate of multiple worlds rested on a handful of teenagers.
Lee Kung suddenly felt something against his side.
His sword.
The Dragon King's Sword.
It vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
The sword never reacted without reason.
Mia noticed.
"It spoke to you?"
"Not exactly."
"What did it say?"
Lee Kung stared toward the mountains.
"It agrees."
"With what?"
His eyes glowed faintly red.
"That this is a trap."
Sio Jun smirked.
"Good."
Mia blinked.
"Good?"
The werewolf cracked her knuckles.
"If it's a trap, then that means our enemies finally stopped hiding."
For the first time all day, Lee Kung smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
Not a happy smile.
The same smile he had worn before destroying Dehaska's shadow soldiers.
The smile of someone who was done running.
Done reacting.
Done being hunted.
"We leave tonight."
Mia nodded.
Sio Jun nodded.
The decision was made.
Far away, beyond the mountains, beyond the forests, beyond the edge of civilization...
A figure stood at the center of a massive canyon.
Chains of dark energy wrapped around a prisoner hanging from a stone pillar.
Harris.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
Barely conscious.
Nearby stood Gin Morino.
His black hair moved with the wind.
His face carried guilt.
Regret.
And fear.
"Do they know?" Harris asked weakly.
Gin lowered his head.
"They will."
A shadow appeared behind him.
Lee Kang.
His white hair glowed beneath the moonlight.
One crimson eye opened.
"They're already coming."
Gin looked uncomfortable.
"Do we really have to do this?"
Lee Kang smiled.
"They need motivation."
Harris spat blood onto the ground.
"You'll lose."
Lee Kang laughed.
A dark laugh that echoed across the canyon.
"We'll see."
High above them, hidden among the clouds, countless shadow soldiers waited.
Watching.
Preparing.
Waiting for Lee Kung to arrive.
Waiting for the battle that would decide everything.
And for the first time since entering the modern world...
Lee Kung was walking directly into the enemy's hands.
To Be Continued...