“Honor lives beyond the grave, for the way we are laid to rest speaks of the life we lived and the values we upheld. In burial, we find not an end, but the enduring echo of our deeds and the legacy of our names.”

  Ji-yeon,

  High Priest of the Everlasting Temple Sector 1,

  Sunstone Kingdom. Year 2272.

  The golden light of dawn filtered through the stained glass window above the altar, painting the interior of the everlasting temple in hues of fire and divinity. The scent of sacred oils and burning incense hung in the air like a suffocating cloud, mixing with the acrid scent of ash and sulfur as priests and priestesses in golden robes moved about the altar, chanting a mournful hymn.

  A congregation of nearly a hundred people stood in silence, their gazes somber as they stared at the altar. Many of them were champions, but the vast majority were military officers who had come to pay their respects and mourn Seo-yeon’s passing as she was guided into Aeloria’s fiery bosom for eternal rest.

  Standing at the forefront of the crowd was Seo-min, Seo-yeon’s younger sister and only remaining relative, her green hair waving gently despite the absence of wind. She stood motionless, her fist clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was clad in full armor, an inappropriate attire for such a somber ceremony, but Seo-min wasn’t here to mourn her sister. She was here to avenge her.

  As the voices of the priests rose and undulated. Seo-min stared unblinking at the golden casket at their center. The sight of the empty casket sent a pang of pain into her chest, and Seo-min trembled. Her heart felt as though it had been ripped out of her chest, and what remained was a hollow, searing ache that flared every time she took a breath.

  Half an hour passed by in a blink, and as the sun rose higher in the sky, the everlasting temple shone with colors ranging from that of molten gold to fiery orange. Yet, warmth failed to penetrate the chill coiling in her chest.

  It had been three whole weeks since Seo-yeon’s brutal death at the hand of the Ragnarok’s spatial champion, an evil man called Artemis, and despite their best efforts, it had taken them nearly two weeks to recover her body—if the hacked pieces of flesh and bone they’d gotten back could even be called a body.

  It was evil, the death that Seo-yeon had died. She had literally been torn to pieces, her skin flayed, and her bones crushed nearly to powder.

  It was a terribly dishonorable death, and the high priests had refused to perform any burial rites on such hacked pieces of flesh. Seo-yeon’s actual burial had been carried out a week ago within their family estate in district 4, surrounded only by their friends and servants.

  This ceremony was a sham, a way for the high and mighty to honor Seo-yeon’s legacy without having to sully themselves with the dishonor of her death. Seo-min understood it, but it still hurt like a knife to her chest. Seo-yeon had given her life to Sunstone. She didn’t deserve such a dishonorable death.

  The undulating chants of the priests rose once more, and the ache in Seo-min’s chest rose along with it. The empty casket was soon set on fire, and a memory from Seo-yeon’s actual burial last week surfaced in Seo-min’s mind.

  Fire. Hacked pieces of flesh. Smoke. Ash.

  Her sister, once a blazing champion of Sunstone, had been reduced to embers and smoke. A tear threatened to escape, but Seo-min forced it back, forcing herself to watch as acolytes ran around, filling the air with more incense as the casket blazed with flames.

  Despite their desperate efforts, the incense and scented oils did little to mask the acrid bite of the ceremonial pyre.

  Seo-min tried to convince herself that this was a good thing, that her sister deserved this honor, this ascension, but her mind refused to cooperate. Without a body, the ceremony felt hollow, a grand display of reverence that masked a bitter truth. This ceremony wasn’t for Seo-yeon. It was an attempt to garner the sympathy of devout masses, and it was working spectacularly.

  Outside the temple, thousands of worshippers gathered, sobbing and praying as they mourned the death of a champion. The accumulation of faith and devotion was so dense that it was almost visible, creating a condensation of faith essence just above the temple.

  The embers left from the casket felt like an insult, a lie meant to comfort the people and reassure them of Aeloria’s love, but Seo-min was done with all that religious nonsense. Where was the goddess’s kindness when Seo-yeon was struck down and cut in half? Where was her love when her sister was hacked to pieces by the soldiers of Ragnarok?

  Seo-min’s jaw ticked as the priests chanted their final verses, their discordant voices grating against the pit of anger and grief in her heart. Her eyes never left the casket as the golden flames danced higher.

  The fire reflected in her pale eyes, but there were no tears to be found, not anymore, not after all the tears she had cried. For the last three weeks, Seo-min had spent her time crying and mourning the loss of her last living relative. She had cried all the tears that she had within her, and what remained now was a fury that roared louder than the fire before her. She had no more tears to give and had vowed not to shed any more tears until the day that she killed Artemis and hacked his body to pieces just the way he had done her sister’s.

  She glanced to the side where General Fang stood, his long hair slicked back into a strict bun, and his expression as still as the surface of a lake. He was dressed in his uniform as always, flying the colors of Sunstone with more pride than she would ever posses.

  As if sensing her gaze, General Fang turned to her and offered a sober smile, his expression the only genuine thing in this entire hall. He had visited after Seo-yeon’s burial, and Seo-min had seized the opportunity to plead with him, begging to be included in Sunstone’s inevitable retaliation. However, despite her tearful pleas, he refused, deeming her emotionally unfit to participate in the war for the time being.

  Seo-min had nearly lost all hope of vengeance after that, sinking into the depths of despair until two days ago, when the formal invitation for her presence at this ceremony had arrived, along with a letter of clearance signed by the Supreme herself. Seo-min had been declared fit to participate, and just like that, her motivation to live on had returned. She had no idea what must have happened or why the Supreme had given her this chance, but she hadn’t questioned it. How could she? That letter was all she had been praying for.

  Now, as the casket crumbled to ashes, Seo-min couldn’t help but imagine them as Artemis’s body after she had hacked it to pieces.

  The chants of the priests died, and a solemn silence descended upon the temple as the gathered champions and officers bowed their heads in quiet reverence. The priests soon declared the burial over, and as one, people began to disperse.

  Some lingered to light candles in Seo-yeon’s honor, while others approached her to give their ‘heartfelt’ condolences. Seo-min accepted their words and kind smiles with forced politeness, impatiently waiting for the ceremony to be over so she could go back to her training.

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  When General Fang came to her, presenting her with a gift wrapped in blood-red foil, Seo-min accepted the gift and smiled. “The supreme has declared me as fit for service, and I can now partake in the retaliatory effort. I can’t thank you enough for—

  “I had nothing to do with it.” General Fang cut her short with a shake of his head. “In fact, I was firmly against it. I still am, but the supreme isn’t really listening to him anymore. She has another adviser now.” Smiling sadly, he continued. “You and I know that your intentions for participation in the retaliatory efforts are far from patriotic. You seek revenge, and the battlefield is no place for your self-serving desires. I would advise you to reject the clearance, but I already know you won’t heed me.”

  “If you were in my shoes, would you heed you?”

  General Fang pursed his lips in thought and shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never been in your shoes.”

  “Yet, you advise me.”

  “Yet, I advise you.” General Fang repeated calmly. “Your heart is filled to the brim with rage and thoughts of vengeance. You’re a wild card, and with your emotions all over the place like this, we both know you will have an even harder time working as a team, which will put whatever team you find yourself in in danger. Your intentions are selfish, regardless of how honorable they seem. I do not support it.”

  Seo-min wished she could deny the truth in his words, but she couldn’t. She didn’t care about the retaliatory plans or the war. All she wanted was vengeance. Perhaps General Fang was right, and she should reject the clearance, but Seo-min couldn’t do that either. Her mind wouldn’t let her.

  General Fang read her expressions like the pages of an open book, and his expression sobered even further. He patted her shoulders gently and said,. “There’s still time, and for all our sakes, I hope you change your mind. I would hate to bury the last living member of the Seo family just because she was too foolish to heed my advice.”

  General Fang walked away after that, leaving Seo-min to contemplate his words fearfully. She didn’t get much time to dwell on the topic, though, as more and more people approached her with their condolences and gifts.

  A group of elites brought a statue of Seo-yeon that Seo-min quickly threw into her spatial space. The sight of her sister’s face nearly sent her over the edge, but Seo-min quickly collected herself. She couldn’t afford to reveal any sign of weakness now, not when the clearance letter could still be revoked.

  Another group of awakeneds approached next, and Seo-min nearly snorted when she recognized them. They bowed in greeting, and Seo-min reluctantly returned the gesture, saying,. “It is an honor to have such competent champions at my sister’s funeral. Thank you for coming.”

  The words tasted like ash in her mouth, because to be honest, competency was the last word that should be considered when describing this team of champions. Cowardly was more accurate.

  “Thank you for having us.” Their leader, Warp, replied as she conjured a luxurious-looking gift from reality and handed it over. “Seo-yeon was a dear friend of ours. Her passing hurts us deeply.”

  “Yes,” The one called Patchwork nodded in agreement. “I had the honor of working with her once, and she was absolutely fascinating.”

  “I bet she was.” Seo-min replied with a tight smile, knowing how well Seo-yeon hated this creepy group of champions. Multiple and Legion presented their gift together, unwrapped, to show off the large cosmic emerald stone within it.

  Fools. Who gifted a person jewelry for a burial? Seo-min didn’t voice her thoughts, though, and simply accepted the gift with faux politeness. “May the goddess repay your kindness.”

  The men smiled, and Seo-min turned her gaze to the last Champion in expectance. Luminus was dressed in a beautiful but unironed white robe that covered him completely from neck to toe. His entire appearance was disheveled, but that wasn’t too surprising as the champion had a reputation of being late and untidy for any function he attended. Today was not an exception.

  “Ah… I’m sorry.” Luminus scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I forgot to bring a gift. I shall send it to your residence first thing tomorrow morning.”

  Seo-min restrained the urge to scowl in disgust and simply nodded. “Your presence here is gift enough. Thank you once again for coming.”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Patchwork replied. “Your sister was a warrior of unparalleled valor. She will be remembered as one of Sunstone’s brightest flames.”

  His words triggered Seo-min, and before she could restrain herself, she blurted out. “She shouldn’t have to be remembered, and if you guys had killed Artemis at the plague wraith battle, she might still be alive.”

  Her words were cutting, and the group winced, especially Warp, who had fought Artemis herself. A pang of guilt lanced through her, but Seo-min pushed it aside. Feeling the threat of welling tears, Seo-min turned away from them and opened her eyes wide to prevent the tears from falling.

  The champions must have taken her actions as a sign of remorse, because Patchwork said. “I’m sorry for the pain you feel. We all mourn her loss.” Rather than let out another cutting statement, Seo-min nodded stiffly and said,. “I know; I’m just so tired of sitting around and doing nothing. I wish I could do something.”

  “Well, you’re in luck because there’s something you can do.” Legion offered enthusiastically, and Seo-min snapped to attention.

  Despite being cleared by the Supreme as fit for active service, the other generals and champions still deemed her too unstable and had refrained from inviting her to their meetings. Seo-min didn’t care much about the plans and meetings as long as she got to partake in the event itself, but it seemed she was finally being brought into the loop.

  She glanced at the group in curiosity, and Warp sighed, “The Supreme has authorized your addition as well as that of two others to our team in preparation for our retaliation. Plans are already underway, and this time it’s not just going to be a scuffle, but an actual bloodbath.” The mention of blood caused Seo-min’s heart to bubble in anticipation and excitement. Finally! She would get the chance she had been craving for weeks.

  “When are we attacking?” She asked, unable to suppress her excitement.

  “I’m not sure yet. We—”

  “Guess.” Seo-min cut her off impatiently, and Warp scowled. “Like I said earlier, I’m not sure.” Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step forward. “Vectoris, we’ve worked together before, and I know how you can be, so I want to make things clear. Your position within this team isn’t that of a leader, strategist, or even coordinator. You’re only a member, and even that is probationary. One wrong move and you’re out.”

  Warp’s words hit Seo-min like a hammer to the gut, and her expression hardened. The truth was that unlike other champions who gathered themselves into teams, Seo-min and her sister had always preferred to perform their missions solo. Seo-min, in particular, was terrible at working as a team, and on occasions where she had been forced to do so in the past, things hadn’t ended well. In summary, she had a reputation, and Seo-min didn’t like it being thrown in her face like this one bit.

  She glared at the other champions, every hint of faux politeness draining away from her face to reveal the disgust she’d tried to hide earlier. Still, she couldn’t afford to piss off the only team willing to work with her, so rather than speak her mind and blow this situation to the heavens and back, Seo-min swallowed her preferred response and said,. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m perfectly stable.”

  “Good, then we will have no issues. Also, training begins tomorrow; you’re expected to join us.”

  “I will.” Seo-min replied, and after the champions left, she made her way out of the hall and into the corridor of luminaries, a long, winding hallway filled with the statues of dead champions, each one holding a wisp of sunlight.

  She walked down the hallway, passing hundreds of champions until she reached the end where a new statue was being erected in honor of her sister. The statue had no facial or bodily details, and it was impossible to tell whether it was male or female, but the sculptor had captured Seo-yeon’s essence so perfectly that if she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend that her sister was standing right next to her.

  A large mirror stood opposite the statue, and Seo-min turned to stare at herself, taking in her red-rimmed eyes and sunken cheeks. Her face was pale and sallow, but her jade green irises shone with so much intensity that Seo-min imagined her bloodlust was obvious through it.

  Raising her hands to twirl a wisp of vector essence around her fingers, Seo-min stared closely at the mirror, watching herself watch herself whilst contemplating the words General Fang had said earlier. She only contemplated the words for a minute before discarding them. What was right and wrong didn’t matter anymore. Her sister was dead, brutally hacked to pieces by the soldiers of Ragnarok. She had to do something. She had to avenge her sister, and this was the only way.

  At tier 89, Seo-min knew she was strong enough to do it. And if not, then she had the next few weeks to prepare. General Fang had called her intentions self-serving and selfish, but he was wrong. She was fighting for the honor of her sister, and she would not rest until she got it back.

  In that moment, standing before the statues of champions past, Seo-min made a silent vow to avenge her sister at all costs. She was Vectoris, shaper of vectors, and she was prepared to spill a river of blood until her sister’s honor was restored.

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