Chapter 859
Episode 214: The Brothers (Part 2)
Luntia Runkandel.
She was currently trapped within the pocket dimension of the Kaldran Snowfield.
“That’s right. Ever since I heard about her, I’ve been worried sick.”
Jin recalled how Luna always treated Luntia with difficulty. Even during Luna’s fiercest moments, Luntia was the only sibling who could stand up to her.
The brothers mounted their red owls and headed toward Tikan first. To enter the Kaldran Snowfield’s pocket dimension, they needed Veil’s help.
“A teenage knight from a thousand years ago… It’s fortunate that Lord Veil is assisting the family again.”
“Hmph, fortunate? It’s only because I foolishly messed up the sealing spell that this happened.”
“If the youngest is overworked, just let me know.”
“Oh? And what would you do then? Scold the brat who doesn’t even respect our ancestors?”
“No, nothing will change. I just mean you can vent to me.”
“Big sister, eldest sister! Can I call you that? Lady Luna. Haha, I’m Sandra Ziphl, soon to be Jin’s wife. I look forward to working with you!”
“Very well, Sandra Ziphl.”
“Luna, ignore that weird one. Now that she’s part of the team, we can’t kill her anymore. She’s such a pain. I didn’t like her from the moment I saw her in the Sota Desert. Should’ve killed her then.”
“Oh, our little sister is at it again. Honestly, you like Sandra more than you admit.”
“Ugh, go away!”
Sandra laughed boldly as she hugged Yona. Luna found Yona’s flustered, almost normal reaction endearing.
“Oh, our little sister really has her charm. That prickly attitude is oddly cute. Hey! Veil, make sure you treat Jin, our sisters, and the young masters well. If you make them uncomfortable or slip up, I’ll give you a beating when we get back.”
“Sigh… How did I end up like this? Fine, fine. Just stop yelling already…”
“Jin, you’re going to see that Luntia girl, right?”
“Yes, Lady Ameris.”
“In that case, I think I should come along. It might look odd for me to join a reunion of siblings, but ever since I first heard about her, I thought I might be able to help.”
“I was just about to suggest the same before we left. Let’s go together.”
And so, the brothers, Veil, and Ameris mounted their red owls once more and headed toward the Kaldran Snowfield. The vast white expanse was engulfed in a fierce blizzard.
When the Dark God War ended and Jin first went to meet Luntia, his heart was heavy with unease. The pocket dimension was saturated with chaotic energy, and Luntia might have lost her mind and become a monster.
But now, for some reason, he felt a flicker of hope. Maybe today, Luntia could break free from the pocket dimension and return to the family.
Veil entered the cave and transformed, releasing his power. Golden light filled the cavern, forming a dimensional gate leading into the pocket dimension.
“Chaotic energy… it’s lighter than the last time we came.”
They could feel it immediately upon entering. The brothers exchanged glances, sensing something positive had changed inside.
[Oh… what’s this?]
Luntia emerged from the darkness.
[It’s been a while, everyone. I never thought the day would come when I’d be so glad to see my brothers.]
“Luntia…”
Luna and the brothers approached her.
Though no words were exchanged yet, they all noticed subtle changes in each other.
[You must have suffered terribly in the Black Sea, but you seem much gentler than before, sister. Could Father have returned as well?]
“No, only Uncle Zed, the three former Black Knights, and I have come back first. You’re no longer turning your back on the world like before.”
[Is that so? I had already started to change before I was trapped here. After the youngest declared the family headship and shattered me, I found some meaning in life again. Though I ended up like this before I could do anything properly.]
“Hmph, ‘ended up like this,’ Luntia? You’re still amazing.”
“That’s right, sister. While you’ve been training here, we’ve been working hard too.”
“When did you guys get so chummy with Luntia? Flattering much?”
“Oh, Mary, were you close with Luntia? We can get to know each other better from now on.”
“Anyway, wow, Luntia. You were already so strong before, I never thought we’d catch up. But now? It’s hopeless. I can just feel how much stronger you’ve become. I don’t even know who would win if you fought Luna.”
[Not quite, Mary. Yona, why are you so shy?]
“Hehe… I just wanted to touch your horns.”
Yona’s sudden mention of the horns made the brothers flinch and glance around nervously. Luntia chuckled softly and ruffled Yona’s hair.
Along with the horns, the connection binding Luntia to the pocket dimension remained intact.
[Don’t touch those ugly things, Yona. You’ll get bad luck. They’ll disappear once I regain my old form. The youngest promised to help.]
“Yeah, I’m not touching them because they’re cute or pretty. I just wanted to see if I could cut them off. Talking with you feels good, hehe.”
[Me too, Yona. Once I’m out of here, let’s hang out more. By the way, Jin, who’s this?]
“This is Lady Ameris, sister. She’s a being who’s protected the world since ancient times.”
“I’ve heard time flows faster here than outside. You probably don’t have much time to talk with your siblings, so it’s better to discuss me in detail once we’re out. But the reason I came here is to help you. If all goes well, that might happen today.”
[Are you saying you can free me?]
“Judging by your condition, it seems possible. The dark, stagnant energy here is lighter than what Jin described.”
At those words, Jin and the brothers’ eyes widened.
Jin had felt a strange hope when they came, but he never expected Ameris to be so confident. He had thought freeing Luntia would require half the family to return first.
[Ah, the chaotic energy suddenly lessened when I recently made some progress in my training.]
“That’s probably the result of gaining some insight and acquiring a special power through your training. Like Jin’s Eternalization or Luna’s Red Sword Qi.”
[Special power… I haven’t gained any new secret techniques or ultimate moves. I’ve only sharpened the swords I was already mastering.]
“Such power doesn’t always take the form of martial arts or techniques. There must have been some change in you. Think carefully.”
[Now that you mention it, for the past few days, when I channel my energy, a faint light flickers in my palm.]
“Show me.”
As Luntia began to release her energy, the brothers were once again stunned. An indescribably pure and powerful aura and magic vibrated throughout the pocket dimension.
“Ah, my guess was correct.”
Ameris’s eyes gleamed as she examined Luntia’s palm.
[I don’t know what this light means. It’s just a faint glow… and it doesn’t feel like it strengthens my swords at all.]
“This is the manifestation of your will taking shape.”
[My will…?]
“If you don’t know, then neither do I. The will of a being always takes different forms when it manifests. But looking closely, this light resembles stars.”
“Listening to you, Ameris, it does look like stars. Two on my left hand, one on my right.”
“Hehe, it’s really pretty. I have to touch it.”
“You probably revered stars for a long time or wished to become a star yourself—whether symbolically or literally.”
Ameris’s words made Luntia reflect on her past.
‘Stars… stars.’
The admiration for stars, the desire to become one.
Suddenly, memories of her childhood nanny, Risham, came to mind.
—“My lady, you can become a star as grand as Lady Luna. I dream of the day you rise to the sky and shine brighter than her.”
It was the day she lay on the hill, defeated by Luna, gazing endlessly at the stars.
‘Yes… since then, the greatest star to me has been Luna.’
After Luna gave up the throne, Luntia lost her purpose. She spent dull, meaningless days filled with quiet boredom.
Then, a new star—the youngest sibling—rose in her heart. After losing to Jin during the family headship declaration.
—“My lady, good luck. You have always done well, and you will forever.”
The day after the declaration, Risham wept, sensing a new star had appeared for Luntia.
‘The two stars on my left hand are Luna and the youngest… and the one on my right hand is myself…’
Luntia turned her gaze to the stars glowing beside her.
“…I think I understand what these stars mean, Lady Ameris.”
“L-Luntia! Your voice…!”
“Her voice has returned to how it was before!”
The Tona brothers shouted in surprise at Luntia’s sudden change. The dark, chaotic resonance that once colored her voice was gone.
The stars she held shone brighter and stronger than ever.
And Luntia realized.
This was the price she paid—for being betrayed by her mother, for sacrificing herself for Lisham, for becoming a monster, yet never once giving up on life. At last, she had become like Luna and Jin—a star.
She had overcome despair and weariness, and finally grasped the light in her hands.
“All I had to do was show you the true meaning of the power you gained. The life force of the void is already being absorbed into those stars.”
The life force of the void was being drawn into Runtia’s palms. As the connection points began to dissolve, it caused no harm to her.
“Ah, so now it’s your turn to trap the void within yourself. Even if I hadn’t come, as long as you had realized the meaning of that light on your own, you could have left this place anytime.”
Runtia’s ability to draw the void’s life force into her star was because she was determined to keep shining.
She was swallowing the darkness that blocked the light, erasing it. Runtia’s will—born from her worship and longing for the stars—was illuminating herself from within.
Soon, the entire void disappeared into Runtia’s palms. Stepping onto the cave floor, she looked back at her siblings.
Without a word, they embraced one another. In the biting cold of the snowy plain, the siblings felt each other’s warmth.
It was the first time in their lives as siblings that this had ever happened.