Emmet walked ahead, his pace quickening with every step. The sprawling, fortified silhouette of the North grew larger, promising a false warmth and a forgotten familiarity. He breathed in the cold, crisp air, his heart filled with a bittersweet mix of anticipation and dread, until he stood right at the invisible threshold of his homeland.

  Finally, I have come back home. One more step and I... then a barrier seemed to react to Emmet. A spark flared, causing him to instantly pull back his hand just as he was about to step forward.

  “What’s this? A barrier? Is this the Northern Veil?” Emmet thought. “But why is it reacting to me?”

  He attempted to enter again. This time, an energy field completely tried to prevent him from entering, sparking violently as it reacted to his presence. “It’s truly preventing me from entering. What’s happening? The Northern Veil has protected the North for many years. Does it consider me a threat? Am I not welcome anymore?”

  Then he remembered: Is it because of the dark energy flowing from me? It no longer welcomed him.

  Then, from the barrier, emerged five beings cloaked in the heavy, shadow-draped robes of the North. Their faces were completely obscured by deep hoods, making them appear less like men and more like spectral extensions of the Veil itself. They moved with absolute silence, floating into existence with unsettling grace. These were the Guardians—a legendary, fearsome presence and the ultimate elite of the North.

  “Another demon attempting to enter, huh?” the lead figure stated, their voice carrying a cold, echoing authority.

  “Begone, demon!”

  The command was a precise cue. In a flash of perfect, inhuman coordination, three of the figures moved simultaneously. The very air around them grew heavy; the figure summoning the shield radiated a shimmer that made the snow beneath them instantly solidify into ice, while the one conjuring the fireball created a wave of unnatural heat that Emmet felt even at a distance. Their power was not merely technique, but a fundamental control over the elements of the North.

  The fireball shot toward Emmet.

  Emmet managed to jump back to evade the strike. “Wait, please stop! I am not a demon!” he called out.

  They’re Elemental Divinants? Emmet said to himself. They are targeting me, or rather, they are driving me away like I’m some kind of enemy. More importantly, they don’t recognize me... Emmet observed their unified stance. "So these are the Guardians that protected the barrier. I've only heard of them. They are truly strong."

  Then, the leader paused, tilting his head slightly as he stared at Emmet's face through the cowl's shadow. The movement was barely perceptible, but it broke the flawless coordination of the group.

  “Hold,” the leader commanded, telling his team to stop the next wave of attack. He stepped closer, peering at Emmet's features. “That face... it is familiar. It is the young man... the one the council warned us about.” He let out a sigh that sounded like the rustling of dry leaves. “Emmet Langer! It is you. You’ve come back corrupted. Was it not enough that you killed so many people before joining that group?”

  Emmet was puzzled. “What is he saying?”

  “Your exploits outside the Northern Veil have all become known. You murdered people while using your identity as a Pilgrim of the North. Not only did you bring shame upon us, but you also became corrupted yourself,” the guardian stated with cold authority. “The Council has already disowned your association with the North. You are no longer welcome here. As a previous Northerner and a former nobility, we will allow you to leave, but if you push any further, then do not blame us for doing our job as guardians.”

  Emmet stood in silence. The biting Northern wind, usually a comfort, now felt like a thousand tiny needles. Truly, I am no longer welcome. The sheer weight of the declaration from the Guardians crushed him; years of loyalty, sacrifice, and heritage extinguished in a moment. His chest felt hollow, a sudden, icy void where his pride had been.

  Emmet then mustered his courage. “I am indeed Emmet Langer, and I do not deny the accusations. I did kill, but only to save others and stop the demon cult. I know this still won't be enough to be allowed entry, so I won't force it. But, I am here to send a report about the cult.”

  One of the guardians immediately dismissed him. “Irrelevant. Anything from outside the North is irrelevant. We do not want to involve ourselves with them, so anything you report is irrelevant.”

  “Then... my mother? My territory?” Emmet asked, his voice catching slightly.

  “Your mother will be safe and protected, and she will retain the nobility as keeper of the territory, as ordered by the High Council,” another guardian replied.

  Emmet took a deep breath. “Then, as long as Mother is safe, I, Emmet Langer, accept to be disowned. I am no longer a part of the North, no longer a Pilgrim. Anything I do will no longer represent nor reflect for or against the North.” Emmet made this a solemn declaration. “I am simply an outsider now. Thank you for listening up to now.” He had no more questions and no longer pursued entry.

  Stolen story; please report.

  The five guardians spoke among themselves. “Poor guy. We are only following our orders, and Emmet is one of the true geniuses of the North.”

  “We do not question orders,” another stated flatly.

  “I know,” the first said. “He is lost to us. The barrier itself no longer welcomes him. He is one of the corrupted.”

  “Why didn’t we purge him?” a third asked.

  “He may be corrupted, but he was once one of ours. The least we can do is allow him to leave,” a fourth reasoned.

  “He could be a problem in the future,” the fifth cautioned.

  “Enough. It’s an order. Let him be. If he comes back again, then we will purge him,” the leader concluded. The rest nodded and agreed.

  Emmet, carrying the crushing weight of their verdict, turned his back on the invisible boundary. He walked away with the stiff, slow movements of a man whose bones had turned to lead, leaving the North not with anger, but with a deep, aching despair. He was a lifeless man whose roots had just been severed.

  “So, that’s it,” Emmet muttered to himself. “I’m no longer welcome to the home I was so excited to come back to. Well, I have to thank the guardians; they didn't pursue the matter and halted their attacks. Well, that's that then.”

  The decision was final, the facts accepted; there was no use dwelling on it. The North considers me an unacceptable risk. Their response is correct, and they allowed me to leave.

  "Well, that chapter's closed," Emmet murmured. "I'm not welcome, but the outcome is reasonable. The Guardians did their job, and I’m free to focus on what’s next." No feelings of distress. My mental state is clear, even if my body has changed.

  Hmm, it doesn’t seem to hurt that bad. Emmet didn't feel as bad as he thought he would. It’s understandable. The swift rationalization was chilling. So, that only confirms I have changed—I'm no longer the usual me. The demon energy in me... I truly have become part of it. There's no helping it, then. Mother, I'm sorry I can no longer be with you, but at least I'm sure Ember and Mother are truly safe in there.

  Emmet decided to go back to Jasper, at their hideout. Thinking about his future, he thought, Yeah, I think teaming up with them won't be so bad. Well, I have to embrace this. This is the path I have chosen, and I am one of them – the defective vessels. Guess I’m heading there.

  After walking a significant distance from the North, he noticed a lizard that seemed to be lurking and following him.

  The lizard instantly recognized the man from many years ago. He knew it was the very boy who had temporarily enslaved him and made him his ride. The boy now looked older, taller. But so am I! I am bigger and stronger now! I have to get my revenge on this guy! Hahahaha, I will beat him to death. Then, he heard the man, and it seemed the man recognized him too. Now, the lizard wanted to beat the guy all the more.

  “Chompy! It is you!”

  Emmet dashed so fast that he almost teleported in front of the lizard. Just as the lizard wanted to swipe a deadly, retaliatory strike at Emmet, the human was already there, a blur of motion. Emmet’s hand shot out and simply caught its strike, stopping the thick, clawed limb mid-air with barely a flex.

  No chance. My glorious revenge... foiled by his annoying speed! Chompy thought, frustrated.

  Emmet seemed happy to see the lizard. “It really is you, Chompy,” Emmet said happily. “Oh, so you still remember me too, and you're still the same old you, still wanting to play! Fine, let's play.” He caught the strike. “Ahuh, stopped it! You have grown stronger, Chompy. Did you want to show off your strength? Were you excited to show me how much stronger you've become! You did become strong, Chompy. Okay, show me more.”

  Chompy made strikes using its tail. Emmet evaded them. “Ooh, that's a strong tail you have now! That would have been damaging if it hit me! Glad you tried to slow it down.” Emmet, feeling happy to see Chompy, noticed the lizard losing breath from its continuous attack, so Emmet said, “I guess that’s enough, Chompy.”

  Chompy stayed put, his chest heaving, as if understanding what Emmet said.

  This person has become too strong! I have no chance. Oh well, I have to submit to save my ass. Chompy shifted his gaze, his predatory focus broken, and locked onto Emmet’s worn leather satchel. He didn't just notice the meat; the scent of dried, smoked deer flesh—a scent he’d pursued for years—wafted from the bag, sharp and irresistible against the dull forest smell. Every instinct screamed: The meat! Sacrifice your pride for the prize!

  Emmet noticed that Chompy was looking at his bag. “Oh, you shrewd one! Still looking to win your prize. Well, you knew I have meats, right? Here, take them all.” Emmet gave all the meat he had to Chompy. “So, how about it, Chompy? Are you willing to give me a ride, just like the old times?”

  Chompy devoured the meat. Having no choice and driven by the simple necessity of survival, he agreed to submit to Emmet, just like the last time.

  Emmet was riding on Chompy, lying down on the lizard's back. Emmet narrated what had happened as if Chompy were listening, recounting his travel to the North and meeting Jasper.

  “Yeah, and as you can see, Chompy,” Emmet said, “I am now on my way to go back to Jasper. I think they are the only ones who can accept me as who I am today. No, I am not going back to Raze and the others. I am no longer the same. My purpose is different now. I can't drag them down with me, as my goal no longer aligns with theirs. Well, Raze is too good and pure. I don’t want to taint that purity in him. So, if my goal is to truly embrace this demonic energy, then it is better that I separate myself totally from them.”

  Chompy seemed submissive and just continued his travel, hoping that Emmet would just leave. And this guy is so noisy! What is he mumbling about?

  Observing Emmet from up in the air was a man with blue hair styled in a ponytail that looked like a lizard's tail. His eye was pressed against a magnifying glass, acting as a telescope, as he watched Emmet from afar.

  “Hmm, this guy has corrupted a lizard. He was shooed away by the Guardians of the Northern Veil. Hmm. Definitely a member of that cult. I'm surprised he wasn't killed by those guardians. Today is a lucky day! I'm sure this one has a demon crystal with him. He doesn't seem to be a threat; he looks too slim and weak. Pretty sure he is just some lower-ranking cultist who got lost... My levitation ability seems to be cooperating today! Hahahahhaha! I'll kill this man and take his demon crystals. Well, this is a good gift for them, and they will be happy to see me. I can't wait to see the look in their eyes, seeing me controlling my breath and flying. Oh, back to that guy. I'm sorry, little guy, but I'll make this quick.”

  The man dove from the air, targeting Emmet like a falcon catching its prey.