Evan's side.

In the darkness, Evan fought countless immortals. Wounds covered his body and the immortals moving like wild beasts. Ten slashes aren't enough to kill one, he doesn't even remember just how many immortals he had been slain and how many days have passed.

But thanks to continuous fight, he manages to control his death force more efficient and evolve a way to use with other means.

"Ha!"

Evan swings down his sword and long death force formed and cut down an immortal. The death force then spread like whips and slashed other immortals. Another immortal coming at him from above, Evan dodged and punched the immortal right one the stomach. His punch contained massive amount of death forces and sent the immortal flying.

The more he fighting, the more his instinct polished and becoming stronger physically. Intense fight without stop didn't bother his stamina at all, his stamina is endless and he could use his magic to boost himself. But what bothering him that how long do he have to continue fighting?

After he defeated final immortal, Evan couldn't relax a bit. Every time a wave ended, he will absorb death forces from the dark substance and fight again against immortals. He wouldn't dare to slack off. He expecting that it would be endless wave.

But his expectation went off. The room brighten and the dark substance dispersed.

"It's finished?"

"Indeed."

Domineering voice resounded inside the room but he didn't know the source.

"I thought you are some kind of intruder. But to think you reached this kind of level and comprehending the use of death force by yourself. You're very talented."

"Who are you?"

"I'm the guardian of this place. My master, the one who found the way to use death force tasked me to guard this place and guide someone who enter this place in appropriate manner."

"I'm sorry, i got an accident before."

"That's fine."

The voice laughed in good mood.

"You're clearly beyond my expectation, those fake immortals even not your match."

"Fake immortals?"

"Yes, master had created many fake immortals to replicate the amazing power of Undead king and transcending beings."

"Transcending being?"

"Yes, do you know that our world is only the beginning? We are the weakest and there are many transcending beings out there, but there is a rule that they mustn’t interfere with our world."

Evan didn't expect to get information like this. If they are the weakest, then, how strong the transcending being is?

"Since you possessed good ability, you shall be bestowed with master's heritage."

Dark substance appear and shrouded him. In instant, Evan appeared at different place.

He stood on the snowy ground, ruined pillars and walls, light entering from the holes on the ceiling. A carve of woman and an altar in front of Evan covered with snow, the place looks ancient as if it was untouched by people for long time.

"Shrine of Alcausa, untouched and forgotten after Undead king reign. This place is an accursed place where many people sacrificed for Alcausa, the woman of magic or to be exact, the woman of wicked. People blinded by her words and proclaimed herself as goddess but she is just a mortal!"

The woman carved on the wall, she is Alcausa Deinzen. Priest of Shalion and the most powerful figure back in the day. Her words gain people's hearts and she led the most powerful zealot back then. Sacrificing her own followers and people who opposed her, she obtained immeasurable power and then disappear without trace.

"My master, Rigard Estelon. On his journey to obtain more knowledge about death force. He arrived here, he didn't expect to meet Alcausa's avatar and spoke with her. His wrath emerged and they clashed each other. Master was weaker than Alcausa's avatar, but he manages to inflict a wound against Alcausa's avatar."

"Is this related to immortal?" Evan spoke.

"Yes, Alcausa's avatar is half-immortal. But master wounded her with death force. Thus, he gained a knowledge that death force could wound or even kill immortal. Unfortunately, due to his injuries because his fight with Alcausa, his life is short and with one hope, he created the test of immortals."

"Transcending beings can't interfere, so how she got here back then?"

"That is, i don't know......"

Evan in thought for a moment but couldn't find a reason why Alcausa could return. Back then, 1000 years ago. Evan met Alcausa when she was a human. Only by glance, Evan truly not wish to come closer with Alcausa no matter what.

"Then, why i'm here?"

"To obtain master's heritage, you need to pass a final test."

"Another test? What kind of test?"

In instant, his surrounding changed into snowy land with snow falling rapidly. Then, thunderous shouts coming from behind him. Countless men running on the snowy land towards what in front of Evan. A familiar castle and never he forgets that in this snowy land, countless lives will be sacrificed.

Countless undead rising from the ground and charging at the men, this is the fight between undead and the people. A bloody battle which determine survival of this world. A battle because of one selfish undead.

"My master participated in this war, one of lucky survivor from this war but his hatred towards undead never cease to fade. This is the terror of undead from my master's memories."

The war was fierce and many fell, but, as soon as the news of Undead king is defeated. People cheered happily and nightmare winter disappear.

A man, stood alone with unhappy face. Despite they won the war, the sacrifice is huge and that man lost people he loved.

Obviously, this man is Rigard Estelon. Hatred filled his eyes and upon returning to his homeland, nightmare aftermath began to spread. Driven by his hatred, he hunts down every single undead like a madman and by chance of luck he encountered death force and learn how to use it.

That man met a dwarf who constructed a tomb for the fallen heroes of war. He helped the dwarf and also made the tomb as a trial. Not long after that, he encountered a spirit which is became his familiar. The spirit has humanoid figure.

"That was me." The voice spoke in reminiscent.

Then the surrounding changed to Shrine of Alcausa. There, Rigard encountered Alcausa. A woman with long orange hair, white skin just like snow, domineering amber eyes and alluring body. She is just like a vicious beautiful snake.

"You- how did you-"

Rigard showing an expression of anger towards Alcausa. But she didn't care at all.

"To think i would met someone here. Well, what happened to this world?"

"Why would i answer you?"

Rigard obviously had hatred towards her.

"You don't know your place, aren’t you? If weren't for me unable to come here, i would kill you for sacrificial."

"What? You are here, what do you mean?"

"Obviously lower being like you wouldn't understand. Do you think the sacrifices i made just for lunatic? Those are for me to transcended! But who would have though i was restricted." Alcausa showing displease and hatred in her eyes.

"Transcended? People died just for your own selfishness?! You're absolutely lunatic!"

Alcausa just shrugged her shoulders and doesn't care at all about him.

"Now, care to tell what happened to this world?"

"What's the exchange?"

"Of course i'll spare your life. Do you know, it is really easy to kill you?"

Rigard shivered once Alcausa exerted her sinister aura.

"The Undead king is gone."

"Who is the Undead king?"

Alcausa never once met Undead king, she transcended before Undead king appear. Rigard explained about the Undead king to Alcausa.

Her face was stiff and became ugly upon hearing the war.

"The Undead king.... he sacrificed lot more than me."

Rigard was upset after heard that. He couldn't believe that she treated those people as mere sacrifices but then again, he is a fool to think that Alcausa have heart to empathy.

"But he is defeated? Really? Did you have the body?"

"No."

"Hm, suspicious. Well, whatever. Since i came here, i don't want going back for nothing."

In instant, her eyes flashed and she moved at high speed towards Rigard. He was shocked by her speed and quickly retreating with enhancement magic. However, Alcausa shot a violet light towards him and a hole appeared on his left shoulder.

"Don't think that you can escape."

She smiled beautifully but it is very vicious.

"I won't die! Not this far!"

He unsheathed his sword, Rigard is a knight. He is not skilled in magic except in enhancement only. But, Rigard isn't normal knight, he is the best knight and very skilled in sword. Yet, in front of Alcausa, he is nothing at all.

His attacks were deflected and instead he got injured. No matter how hard he did, she is beyond him now.

"Give up, right.... and i will give you swift death."

"Dream on!"

Rigard shouted and his body covered by death force. With his last power, he is charging towards Alcausa and swings down his sword. She snorted and launched a violet light ball shaped towards him, however, the light was cut down and a slash of death force coming towards her.

Without time to react due to shock, his attack succeed hits her.

"Aaaah!!"

She screamed in agony.

"What is this?!"

The death force which hits her on her chest spread out as if eating her body.

"My avatar?! How could a lower being like you-“

Before finished her words, she was swallowed by the death force and violet light shot out and a sinister crystal formed after the death force swallowed her.

"She escaped unfortunately, her avatar manages to keep the soul away."

The voice became depressed, then they returned to the present shrine.

"Now, the test is embracing death force?"

Evan furrowed in confusion. He doesn't understand what is embracing means on this term.

"Soon, you will know."

Death force emerged around him and surrounding him. He tried to absorb it but it was futile. Soon when his body covered wholly, he felt mixed feelings.

The death force represents the emotions of people who death. Their last moment before dying are appearing and overflowing his mind. Death force which he absorbed also giving the visions and forcing Evan to deep mental state.

'Is this embracing death force?'

Evan could only watch every last moments of different people. He couldn't do anything about them. Embracing death force is embracing the death of people. Different emotions mixed, anger, happiness, sadness, all of them expressed before death. There are people unwilling to die, people who accepted death, people who feared death, and people who struggle to keep living despite death is their end. People who keep struggle despite death is their adversary, once they died, death force they produced are bigger than others. Will of life, will to keep living is what makes death force stronger.

Although the death force can only be obtained after slain an undead, it was undeniable that the death force once come from living being. When living being slain, life force could be absorbed, when undead slain, death force could be absorbed. Life force and death force is similar to each other; they possess great deal of living and dead.

'If life force is the power of living then death force is power to avoid death. Eventually, they are heading to one meaning only. To keep alive.'

'Eternal life, eternal death. Death will seek life and life will seek death. Endless cycle.'

Evan opened his eyes after long understanding towards death force. He opens his arms widely and accept the death force surging inside him.

Human wouldn't be able tolerate excessive death force. No living being could do so. The death force devouring life force but the life force did the same. Two forces struggle each other inside him. He could felt unbelievable pain as if he is dying countless time and being born again.

Outside of view, Rigard's familiar was shocked. He didn't believe that Evan would let the death force entering him. What he wanted that Evan embrace the death force as the weapon to end undead.

The sky turned darker and the familiar could sense something is wrong. He looking towards other sky and it also dark. A bad omen has come, he thought.

While from another place. Noel under Clara's teaching noticed the sky turned dark. He couldn't help but feels something is wrong too.

Not just him, Clara secretly worried. Not just them, people around the world felt it too. The bad omen and something is going to happen, something that they do not wish to be happen.

Yet, it come unexpected.

Snow falling hard like storm. It's not winter and yet it's snowing. It's still spring and it's snowing.

Many people confused but many other people recognized this sign.

"Oh my...."

An elderly man wearing white robe, stood on the top of Union tower. His eyes shown fear and alertness, his body trembling and couldn't move.

"Elder Waiz, this snow..."

A woman with white robe spoke. There are other three people behind her too. They have worried and scared expression.

"Undead king.... the old Undead king."

He trembled as he spoke those words. For him, for them, who couldn't forget the legend of Undead king. The legend of nightmare winter who devoured countless souls.

At other side, Carbiz kingdom.

A young man with messy hair sinisterly smiled as he watching the snow falling down. He is Goru who stood in front of his private house.

"Ah, truly.... this is really unexpected." He laughed afterwards and says, "Master! You finally come! Hahaha! I will show you what you can't see!"

With sinister laughter, he turned his body and entered his house.

Somewhere, near Alainstein.

"Master, snow has falling. This is..."

A man with pointy ears and colorful suit knelt in front of the new Undead king.

"I know." The Undead king spoke without worry.

"The old king has arisen. It was our fault to mistaken for his downfall long ago."

"Master, we could-"

"Forget it. None of us are his rival. The one who can cast legend of nightmare is something beyond my reach for now."

The pointy ears man had worried face. He is the new Undead king's servant. He obviously worried that the old is coming back and now there are two kings. In history, there is never two Undead kings. He is supporting his master but also afraid of the old Undead king power.

"But do not fret, the old Undead king is merciless too. We could share same idealism."

Although the Undead king spoke those words. It wasn't something assuring at all, because the old Undead king is merciless that he might doesn't care about the new Undead king.

The new Undead king watching the snow falling down. His power isn't enough to cast such massive magic and destructive one. If he could, he would already trample this land.

The snow he watching suddenly stopped falling down. The sky become clearer but there is no one who had joy about this. If a winter could happen today, it could happen again and if the winter is long lasting, then the 1000 years ago incident will repeat itself.