When the Dark God arrives, he senses that something is wrong. Strong waves of ehr are swirling around Cina and Kresi as the entire forest begins to dissolve into ehr, being replaced by dark walls. He widens his eyes when he realizes what's going on. He dashes toward Kresi and finds her hand stuck on Cina's chest.

"Adira, stop this." Cina pants for breath. Metallic golden chains are tied around his arms and legs. His powers are sealed already. If the prison formation isn't stopped, he will be stuck in Qeshaya for a long time.

Adira ignores him and grabs Kresi's hand. Her body and soul are on the verge of diffusing into ehr. But the talisman refuses to release her hand. He grits his teeth. This must be done quickly.

He cuts her wrist, separating her hand and her arm. There's no blood. Soon, Kresi's hand dissolves into ehr. He heals the wound and carries her in his arms. Once the prison formation begins, it can't be stopped. He must leave immediately.

When he turns around, he realizes that it's too late.

Golden runes shine on the dark walls. There's not a single door or window. This is the prison that he's familiar with. He glances at Cina. The god of trees and lands is asleep on the floor. Unlike Adira, he hasn't lost his heart yet. However, the rune on the talisman is older than Iravan itself. Cina can't move or wake up. The chains on Cina's body is keeping him in a dormant state.

Adira stares at the runes on the wall. Qeshaya. He's back here again. No god or Mortal can break it from inside. How long will it take this time?

He lays her down on the floor and checks her wound. Enhancers. Why is she so troublesome? How much energy did Kresi give to the talisman?

The wounds are healed, but the body and the soul are too damaged. If he let her be, she will be gone completely. The runes on the walls sap the energy of the prisoners. Kresi is no exception.

Should he let her die?

***

Leave them alone for a moment and they end up wiping out an entire forest…

Noras lets out an exasperated sigh. He's a moment late. The entire forest is gone. Wiped out. Clean. There's only unfertilized barren land stretched as far as he can see. He rubs his glabella. The god of trees and lands is gone from this world.

"What's going on here?" He bends down on his one knee and presses his hand on the charred spot on the land. Closing his eyes, he tries to sense the spell. Foul magic. Forbidden runes. His eyes snap open. "Qeshaya?"

Did Kresi do this? This rune… Only gods are supposed to know its formation. How did that woman find out?

His head hurts. Why does that one woman keep causing trouble? He should have never let her come here.

"Huh?" He feels another faint energy at the spot. "Adira was also here?"

A bad feeling rises in his chest. Just what happened here? Did Adira form that rune to seal Cina? No, Iravan found peace after a long time. Adira won't do this. Sealing God affects the entire world.

He must find Adira first. Before he could leave, the three moons appear in front of him. Raya, Ril'Yah, and Riha are dressed in white robes. Their hairs are braided into twin tails. Noras has never been able to tell which one is who. Spare him! He has never interacted with the triplets much.

"God Noras, we have something to tell you," Three of them utter together. "We saw what happened here."

"Tell me everything," He says quietly. It's not unusual for these little moons to witness what happened here. These three are basically Mirinae's spies.

The three little moons reveal everything to God Noras. "The Dark God is also taken along with God Cina and Kresi."

He holds his head and sighs. This is worse than he imagined it to be. Cina is not just the god of trees and lands. That god is also the gate maker. Qeshaya, the shadow prison, is built by him. No prisoner can escape from that place. The key to that prison? Didn't that god give it to Belan before they went to sleep?

Even Adira is gone.

Having the key isn't enough. They must wait for the right moment to summon the universal gate. The gate can only be opened on the night of union.

It was the Renasir who freed the Dark God. She should have the universal key with her.

God Noras goes to the Dark Castle. He rushes to the room where Ari is. When he opens the door, he finds her struggling to remove the dark ehr chain around an invisible entity sitting on the chair. Now, what is going on here?

"God Noras?" Ari blinks her eyes. "Why are you here?" Without notice? Not even bothering to knock the door before coming in? Did he think that this is his home? These gods know no manners.

Mogrok gives him a deep bow. He signals him to leave. He needs to talk to Renasir alone. But there's another person in the room. Nobody can hear or see this nameless creature. It's not worrisome if this creature hears this. "Renasir, I am here on urgent business."

"Before that," Ari points at Ai, "Can you help me remove these chains?"

"..." Nobody has ordered him around before. Except for Adira. The Dark God's bride also has the same attitude. Noras closes the door and looks at her sternly. "Renasir, where is the universal key?"

"Universal key…" She creases her forehead. Didn't she use that thing to release Adira? "Why do you need that?" She gave it to Andareanesi in exchange of getting released from a contract that Kresi made.

"Due to some circumstance, the Dark God is in Qeshaya again," Noras tells her calmly, though his heart is turbulent. Even as a God, he can't open the gate without the universal key.

"What?" Her eyes become round and big. "Did you imprison him again, you bastards? I am going to kill all of you. What do you think of yourself? Was ten thousand years not enough? Why is my Adira back in that place? If you don't bring him out of that place at this instant, I am going to send all of you to that place."

"Renasir," He seethes. He has enough. He's still a God. How could a mortal talk to him like this? "Adira went to that place when he was trying to save Kresi, the woman you helped during the trial."

"Huh?" Ari knits her brows. Adira did go to the forest to save Kresi from Cina. "How?"

Seeing her shocked and pale face, Noras feels a tinge of regret. He shouldn't have yelled at her. He's anxious for his friend. With a tensed voice, he reveals everything that he knows. Ari sits down on the bed, feeling numb.

"I need the universal key. Where is it, Renasir?"

Right! The prison can be opened again. There's no need to worry. Ari turns her head to Noras. "I gave it to Andareanesi. He should have it."

"The halfling?" Noras asks her again. "Andareanesi Bagoodi, the son of God Bagoodi?"

God Bagoodi is a minor trickster god of brooms.

"Yes, him." Ari stands up. "Take me with you. I am --"

The god is already gone.

"..." She hates this teleporting ability of the gods.

Adira is gone. She releases her breath. She did fight with him, but she didn't want this. She crosses her arms. Her heart is drumming against her chest. He would be released right? They won't let him stay in Qeshaya like this. She's not a harbinger anymore. But can she open that gate? She doesn't even know how to summon the universal gate.

"That idiot!" She kicks the bed. "How could he go to Qeshaya after impregnating me? How am I going to give a true name to Ai without him? He told me to value my life more. But he let himself get imprisoned because of his first wife?"

She can't help but feel jealous. He did say that his heart was affected because of Amara. He would go back to Qeshaya for Amara? They are together in Qeshaya right now. His heart won't get too 'affected', right? No, he said that he won't think of anyone else.

Ari inhales and exhales. First of all, Adira and Kresi must be released from that place. She trusts Adira. That lustful god won't dare to waver.

"Mother, don't worry." Ai senses that she's distressed. She's been making tensed expressions since she heard the news. "He will come back."

After hearing the child's words, she gives him a weak smile. "I know. He will come back home safely. Nothing would happen to him. He has to come back before I give birth to your sibling."

If he doesn't come back in time, she's not going to talk to him for a week. Maybe a year.