Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler[English]

Axel hesitated. “I don’t know her real age. When my father brought her back, she was probably seven or eight.”

Lilith raised an eyebrow. “Your father?”

“I’ll tell you about him later,” Axel said. Then he asked, voice tight: “What did you do to Sergio and the others?”

Lilith’s expression remained neutral. “I killed them.”

Axel felt a sharp, empty pang in his chest. His teeth clenched.

“You…”

Lilith looked at him calmly.

“What? You still have illusions about me? If I were soft-hearted, I wouldn’t be alive today.”

“They died for me. They died because of me,” Axel said quietly.

Lilith stood, squinting at him.

“Oh? So you’re going to avenge them?”

Annabelle froze for a moment, then hesitated before moving slightly closer to Axel.

Lilith’s lips curved into a bitter smile.

“Never mind. I’m not teasing you. I didn’t kill them, because I was afraid the people with Royal Blood might escape.”

Her words dropped a huge weight from the atmosphere.

Axel exhaled slowly, staring at her. “Do you… enjoy this?”

Lilith sat back down, the pale-red sky bleeding into deeper crimson as evening approached.

“Men love that thrill, that heart-pounding fear. I learned that very young. Without understanding that, even my talent wouldn’t have brought me this far.”

Axel thought of his own childhood—if Lilith had come this far alone, the road she walked must have been unimaginably hard.

“Don’t pity me,” Lilith said sharply. “I don’t need that kind of nonsense.”

“Besides, when I approached just now, I only wanted the Royal Blood from you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be alive.” Her voice was calm, almost casual.

Axel was still absorbed in the memories stored in the crystal, completely unguarded.

“I didn’t kill them,” she added. “So I can’t return to Krythos. I won’t entrust my life to anyone else’s promises. And one of their ancestors might have been my enemy—so it’s better we don’t meet again. I don’t want friends.”

She flicked another cigarette from the pack and turned to Axel.

“Now… let’s get to the real topic. You’re an orphan, aren’t you?”

“You investigated me?” Axel asked, wary.

“Yeah,” Lilith said, tilting her head with a hint of curiosity. “Just casually.”

“Since we’re this far, let’s call it a confession,” Axel said slowly. “My father is Liorael of the Holy Light Organization.”

Lilith’s eyes widened. “Oh… huh?!”

“Liorael? Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Annabelle’s face betrayed surprise. She hadn’t expected Axel to reveal even this.

“Secrets bind people,” Axel continued. “Once revealed, they’re dangerous to both sides. I’d rather be honest than let you manipulate me.”

Lilith’s lips curved into a small smile.

“So you fear being schemed against as well.”

“That depends on the person,” Axel said, reaching for a cigarette from her pack.

Lilith gestured, and Axel handed it over. She placed it between her lips.

“Hey—that’s for me…”

Click.

The cigarette flared to life. Lilith handed the burning back to Axel, then lit one for herself. She sat slightly closer, exhaling smoke lazily.

“Enjoy it,” she said with a sly smirk. “Keep talking.”

Axel took the cigarette Lilith had lit and placed it in his mouth, a strange warmth creeping over him. Still, he continued his story.

“I only discovered this last year. Four years ago, my father disappeared. My records were altered, marking Annabelle and me as orphans.”

Lilith frowned slightly. “He developed a cure for the Infected. Where is it now?”

Axel’s jaw tightened. “He gave it to the wrong person… and then became an S-class wanted criminal. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

Lilith let out a few cold laughs, her expression unreadable. “Your father was a remarkable man… but, to be blunt, at his age, he shouldn’t have been so naive.”

She leaned back, exhaling smoke. “I have two pieces of advice for you. First: hide your sister. Don’t let anyone see her power again. Second: keep her away from places like Everton and Rutherford, where there are far too many dangerous individuals.”

Axel nodded. “I’ve thought of that too. Our enemies are connected… more than I realized.”

Lilith’s gaze sharpened, piercing him. “You killed the Saint. Returning to Krythos will draw far too much attention, especially with her by your side. You are… too conspicuous.”

Axel glanced at Annabelle and gave a slight nod. “So… you’re not going back to Krythos?”

Lilith’s legs swung lazily over the edge of the cliff, her eyes distant. “From the moment I let Sergio and the others go, it was already decided—I couldn’t return. But… it’s good for Annabelle.”

Her gaze softened as she looked at the girl. “Sergio and the others will report what happened. To anyone who cares, I’m a remnant of the Everstone family. And the Royal Blood is mine.”

“And you?” Axel asked quietly. “You killed the Saint. What now?”

Axel’s voice was measured. “I’m missing one ingredient for the healing potion… most likely the Saint’s blood. Now I have it.”

Lilith raised an eyebrow. “And then? Even if you make the potion, how can you guarantee you won’t repeat your father’s mistakes?”

Axel hesitated. “According to the instructions, the potion can be administered to someone…”

Lilith’s eyes widened. “General Jerome?”

Axel nodded. Lilith remained silent for a long moment, then spoke, her voice carrying a strange mixture of awe.

“He’s truly extraordinary. A man who could single-handedly reshape Krythos… but I don’t trust the power of others.”

Axel was quiet, sensing the weight in her words. “Are… you planning to take revenge yourself?”

Lilith smiled softly, holding a cigarette delicately between her fingers.

“Perhaps. Before I turn forty, maybe I’ll reach Level Nine Awakened.”

Axel frowned. “There’s no way to break the curse at forty?”

Lilith exhaled a long plume of smoke, relief hidden behind her eyes. “Not that I know of. Alright… Sergio and the others have probably regained mobility by now. They’ll be looking for you. I should go.”

She stood, hugged Annabelle once more, then prepared to leap from the cliff.

“Where are you going?” Axel asked, his voice tight.

Lilith glanced at him, a faint, knowing smile on her lips. “I’m twenty-five this year. If I survive long enough to get my revenge… we’ll meet again. And if I don’t show up in ten years, it means I’ve died somewhere in this world.”

She tossed him half a pack of cigarettes, pink with a cartoon cat pattern. “Good luck.”

“Until we meet again.” Lilith’s figure shrank to a small black dot against the red sky, then disappeared.

Annabelle nuzzled against Axel’s arm, her small hands gripping his. “Brother… I’m a little sad.”

“Me too,” Axel admitted.

Before they could speak further, Axel sensed a familiar Force aura in the distance—Sergio and the others had found them.

“Brother, I’ll return to Dune and wait for you,” Annabelle whispered.

“Wait.” Axel reached for Savannah’s severed limb. He carefully extracted some blood, placing it in a small vial. “Take this with you. Protect yourself.”

He gently brushed her face. They hadn’t expected to be separated so soon.

“Don’t worry, brother,” Annabelle said, pressing close one last time before disappearing into the distance.

Axel’s lips curved into a bitter smile. “So… this is Annabelle’s true identity.”

He had always hoped she could walk in the sunlight again, free of all restrictions. After learning about the Everstone family, he knew that was unlikely.

Emerging from the cave, Axel faced Sergio and the others.

His eyes swept over their battered forms. Kenneth’s armor was tattered, a deep, bone-exposing wound bleeding from his shoulder. Nigel looked as though a blade had sliced from his stomach to his thigh. Terrence was worst off, still lying motionless atop Nigel. Only Sergio seemed slightly more intact.

“Lilith… didn’t hurt you, did she?”

“Lilith? Wasn’t she supposed to go with you?” Axel frowned.

Nigel swallowed hard. “You don’t understand… we were all fooled. That… woman… she’s no good! She’s like those Saints. She can transform into the Infected form. If something hadn’t happened later… she would’ve nearly killed us all!”

Tears streamed down Nigel’s face as he recounted Lilith’s brutal attacks, the fear in his voice unmistakable.