【Beginning】
After passing through the fifth seal, Sean reached the end of the stairs with his companions by his side. Yet, it was there they saw the Valkyrie blocking the door; to pass through, they must defeat her.
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: ‘Warriors accepted by Odin! Prove yourselves to me!’
Sword in hand, Nathaniel advanced, but was forced back by the sudden surge of dark elements. With a swing of her scythe, the Valkyrie knocked Duncan’s spear out of his hand. As the spirits of the deceased was in abject horror of the Taker of Souls and her reputation, the most Endor could do was to defend herself through her power of elements.
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: ‘Unlike Idun, I will not be gentle!’
With a wave of her hand, Valkyrie’ s soul-reaping power slammed itself into Molly. Sean immediately stabbed out with his sword but Valkyrie dodged, unfazed. However, it did at least compel her to rescind her power. Sean, took advantage of this to get close, believing it would prevent another scythe strike. Yet, Valkyrie unleashed the elemental scythe and Sean had to summon dragonfire simply to withstand it.
Inferno Swordsman Sean: Hey all of you need to go through now! Don’t get entangled here with her!
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: ‘Are you confident you can defeat me, warrior?’
A wave from Valkyrie’s weapon knocked Sean to the side; blade of fire and the long-bladed weapon clashed back and forth. Taking advantage of the Valkyrie’s distance, Nathaniel rushed to the door and opened it. The Valkyrie, being distracted, was unable to prevent this; Endor and Duncan also ran through the door and only Molly was still hesitating.
Marquess Nathaniel: Come here! Quickly! If we are all here, Sean cannot utilize his dragonfire.
Aqua Elementalist Molly: But ——
Inferno Swordsman Sean: Open the door for me!
Nathaniel pulled Molly with him towards the door. Sean, conjured his fire elements and the flames around him, flared even greater with flames, engulfing the entire stairway as well as Sean and Valkyrie.
Inferno Swordsman Sean: I am my father’s son; I cannot ignore the challenges placed before me!
【Before Battles】
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: Ignite your soul! Show me your blazing inferno.
Dragon Rider Sean: Fighting you would me my honor.
【Enemy Dialog】
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: Your strength......This nostalgia-inducing color......
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: There is only one ending for those who possess this fire......
Valkyrie, Taker of Souls: Come, let me guide you——
【End】
Previously, Sean’s soul had already merged with the fire elements even before the victor was determined; yet, the runestones showed Sean an alternative future in an illusion ——
Sean defeated the Valkyrie, and had convinced Endor and Nathaniel with the help of Molly and Duncan. They contributed their strength to enhance the seal on the tower and stopped the Demons’ scheme.
Having lost half of their strength, the five scattered: Duncan returned to the forest to teach the younger generations; Nathaniel continued to lead the army in combat; Molly returned to the college where she stays on the campus along with Sean. He enjoyed a brief peace of calm, but could not resist the urge to return to the army.
Initially, the pair had kept in touch through letter. Yet later, Sean went into a chaotic battlefield where even the mere delivery of letters was difficult. Despite insisting upon writing letters, Sean would silently throw his incompleted bloodied letters into the fire when he fetched them out from his armor after each battle; he would begin writing anew by the campfire.
In the process, he would intermittently pause as in lamentation of the past, following asleep after wallowing in nostalgia... The next day, the letter would again be drenched in blood after the battle; thus, in the post-battle night, it will be reduced to ashes by flames again.
Sean watched the illusion uninterruptedly, seeing his death on the battlefield in the protection of others. His comrades would send out the letter kept on his body. The bloodstained letter would mingle with the letter of many other soldiers. Yet, when Molly received this letter, she would spot the circular burn marks and his final words - her tears unable to remove the stain of blood.
Dragon Rider Sean: Can I keep watching this while time races by, and actually see the future?
The illusion ended at Sean’s question; he smugly stated:
Dragon Rider Sean: I have not been confused for a long time!