The stars began to bleed.

Across the night sky, the seven stars above Noctis turned crimson one after another.

A red drop of light fell from the first.

Then another from the second.

Then the third.

Within seconds, the entire sky looked as though it had been painted with blood.

Liora stood beneath the ancient city gates, staring upward.

“What is happening?”

Kael didn’t answer.

His golden eyes reflected the seven burning stars.

For the first time since he had awakened in the forest, he remembered everything.

Not all of it.

But enough.

He remembered the palace.

He remembered his mother.

He remembered the war.

And most importantly—

he remembered Liora.

She had been there.

Not as a stranger.

Not as a mysterious girl with silver eyes.

She had been his childhood friend.

His protector.

His promise.

Kael slowly looked at her.

“You really waited.”

Liora turned toward him.

“I told you I would.”

“You don’t remember how long.”

“No.”

“But you still waited.”

Liora smiled sadly.

“Some promises don’t need memories.”

Kael lowered his eyes.

A strange warmth filled his chest.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!

The ground beneath them exploded.

Liora was thrown backward.

Kael caught her before she hit the stone wall.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Another explosion rocked the city.

The ancient throne room collapsed behind them.

The skeleton that had revealed Kael’s past was gone.

Only the black crown remained.

It floated above the shattered throne.

Kael stared at it.

“What is that?”

Liora shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

The crown suddenly flew toward Kael.

He raised his hand.

Blue flames erupted.

The crown stopped inches from his palm.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then the crown spoke.

Not with words.

With memories.

Kael saw a woman wearing a silver crown.

His mother.

She stood before a massive portal.

Behind her, soldiers fought against creatures made of shadows.

A baby cried in her arms.

Kael.

His mother kissed his forehead.

“Forgive me.”

She placed him inside the portal.

A man appeared behind her.

He wore black armor.

His eyes were crimson.

His voice was cold.

“You cannot hide him forever.”

Kael’s mother turned.

“I don’t need forever.”

She smiled.

“I only need seventeen years.”

The portal closed.

The vision ended.

Kael fell to his knees.

Liora rushed toward him.

“Kael!”

He looked at her.

“My mother sent me away.”

“Why?”

“To save me.”

“From whom?”

Kael looked toward the mountains.

“The King of Shadows.”

---

A roar shook the entire city.

Far beyond Noctis, something enormous rose from beneath the earth.

The mountains split.

Black smoke poured into the sky.

Liora watched in horror.

“That can’t be…”

Kael stood.

“What is it?”

She pointed toward the horizon.

A gigantic black tower was rising from the ground.

It pierced the clouds.

Its surface was covered with thousands of glowing red symbols.

At the top stood a throne.

And someone was sitting on it.

Kael couldn’t see the face.

But he knew.

The moment their eyes met across the distance—

Kael remembered him.

The man from his childhood memory.

The man who had hunted his mother.

The man who had destroyed the royal kingdom.

The King of Shadows.

Kael’s hands tightened.

“He’s awake.”

Liora stood beside him.

“Then what do we do?”

Kael looked at the black crown floating beside him.

“We go to him.”

Liora stared.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“You just got your memories back and you’re already planning to fight the most powerful creature in the world?”

Kael smiled.

“I’ve always been reckless.”

“You weren’t like this when we were children.”

“I was worse.”

Liora laughed despite herself.

For one moment, the darkness disappeared.

Then the city bells began ringing.

Hundreds of them.

From every tower.

Every street.

Every abandoned temple.

DONG.

DONG.

DONG.

Liora looked around.

“What does that mean?”

Kael’s expression changed.

“It means we’re not alone.”

The shadows between the buildings began moving.

Thousands of figures appeared.

Soldiers.

Monsters.

Dark spirits.

The army of the Eclipse Court had entered Noctis.

At the front stood Lord Veyron.

He removed his mask.

“Prince Kael.”

Kael stepped forward.

“Veyron.”

Liora looked at Kael.

“You know him?”

Kael nodded.

“He was there.”

“Where?”

“When the palace burned.”

Veyron smiled.

“I wondered when you’d remember me.”

Kael’s eyes filled with blue fire.

“You killed my family.”

“No.”

Veyron shook his head.

“I served the King.”

“Same thing.”

Veyron drew a black sword.

“Then come and take your revenge.”

The soldiers charged.

---

Kael moved like lightning.

Blue flames exploded from his body.

His fist struck the first soldier.

The impact sent him flying across the street.

Three more attacked.

Kael jumped.

He spun through the air and released a wave of blue energy.

The soldiers crashed into the stone walls.

Liora fought beside him.

Silver light surrounded her.

She moved between enemies like a flash of moonlight.

Every time she raised her hand, a silver blade appeared.

Every time she swung it, shadows disappeared.

But the army kept coming.

More.

More.

More.

Kael looked toward the city gates.

“We can’t stay here!”

Liora nodded.

“Then where?”

Kael pointed toward the black tower.

“There.”

Liora stared at him.

“That’s the King’s fortress.”

“I know.”

“You want to go inside?”

“Yes.”

“You really haven’t changed.”

Kael smiled.

“Neither have you.”

They ran.

---

The black tower was surrounded by a wall of darkness.

Kael approached it.

The moment he touched the wall, the shadows screamed.

Liora placed her hand beside his.

Silver light joined the blue flames.

The wall cracked.

A doorway appeared.

They stepped through.

Inside, everything was silent.

No soldiers.

No monsters.

Only a long staircase.

It seemed to rise forever.

Liora looked up.

“How many floors?”

Kael shrugged.

“Probably too many.”

They climbed.

One floor.

Ten.

Twenty.

Fifty.

Their legs began to ache.

But neither stopped.

At the hundredth floor, they found a room.

In the center stood a mirror.

Liora approached.

Her reflection appeared.

But something was wrong.

Her reflection wasn’t copying her.

It was crying.

Liora froze.

“Kael…”

He looked at the mirror.

The reflection spoke.

“You don’t remember what you did.”

Liora stepped backward.

“What?”

Her reflection raised its head.

“You were the one who opened the gate.”

Liora’s face went pale.

“No.”

Kael looked at her.

“What gate?”

The reflection smiled.

“The gate that released the King.”

The mirror shattered.

Liora screamed.

Fragments flew through the air.

Kael raised his hand.

Blue energy stopped them.

One fragment remained suspended in front of Liora.

Inside it was another memory.

A younger Liora.

Seven years old.

Standing beside Kael.

She held a strange silver key.

An adult voice said:

“Only the Silver-Eyed Guardian can open the Shadow Gate.”

Young Liora shook her head.

“I won’t.”

Then the scene changed.

The palace was burning.

Liora was crying.

Kael was being carried toward the portal.

And someone whispered:

“Open it, or the prince dies.”

Young Liora inserted the key.

The gate opened.

Darkness poured through.

The King of Shadows entered the world.

Liora dropped the key.

“No…”

The memory disappeared.

Liora stared at her hands.

“I…”

Kael stepped closer.

“You didn’t know.”

“I opened the gate.”

“You were a child.”

“I caused the war.”

“You were forced.”

“But I did it.”

Kael gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Liora.”

She looked at him.

“You saved me.”

Tears filled her silver eyes.

“I couldn’t save everyone.”

“No.”

Kael smiled.

“But you saved me.”

For several seconds, they stood in silence.

Then a voice came from the darkness.

“How beautiful.”

Lord Veyron stepped into the room.

He clapped slowly.

“Friendship. Memories. Promises.”

His smile widened.

“Humans are so predictable.”

Kael stepped in front of Liora.

“You’re not touching her.”

Veyron raised his sword.

“I don’t need to.”

The floor beneath Liora’s feet became black.

Chains of shadow wrapped around her ankles.

She screamed.

“Kael!”

He reached for her.

Too late.

The shadows pulled her backward.

Kael grabbed her hand.

Their fingers locked.

“Don’t let go!”

“I won’t!”

Veyron laughed.

“The King doesn’t need the prince.”

His crimson eyes turned toward Liora.

“He needs the guardian.”

The shadows swallowed her.

“LIORA!”

Kael was dragged toward the darkness.

He fought desperately.

Blue flames exploded from his body.

The tower shook.

But the shadows were stronger.

Liora’s hand slowly slipped from his.

“Kael…”

“Liora!”

She smiled through her tears.

“Find me.”

Their fingers separated.

The darkness consumed her.

Kael stood alone.

His breathing stopped.

His golden eyes became completely blue.

Something inside him broke.

The black crown appeared above his head.

The entire tower trembled.

Veyron stepped backward.

“What are you doing?”

Kael slowly lifted his head.

Blue flames covered his body.

His voice was no longer gentle.

“No one…”

The floor cracked.

“…takes her from me.”

A massive pair of glowing wings erupted behind him.

The tower shook from its foundation to its highest tower.

Far above, the seven bleeding stars suddenly turned blue.

And deep beneath the kingdom—

the King of Shadows smiled.

“At last.”

“The true Starborn has awakened.”

Kael raised his hand.

The entire tower exploded with blue light.

And somewhere in the darkness below—

Liora opened her silver eyes.

She was no longer alone.

A throne stood before her.

And sitting upon it was the King of Shadows.

He leaned forward.

“Welcome home, little guardian.”

Liora’s heart stopped.

Because the King’s face—

was identical to Kael’s.