The ten Divine Lords of Eldoria now have one student each: Theo's master—Lord Aaron; Deborah's mistress—Lady Sapphire; Traven's master—Lord Philip; Klaus's master—Lord Yami; and Auren's master—Lord Daven.
They begin training, for they must protect the provinces of Eldoria.
Theo falls asleep while training, and his consciousness drifts into the void. There, he sees his father, who tells him,
"The Leviathan is breaking the remaining part of the seal. At this rate, in six months, the seal will be totally broken and the Leviathan will be let loose—once again bringing havoc."
Theo replies,
"Don't worry. I can definitely beat the Leviathan. I also have the Sword of Val'thar."
A loud voice filled with anger booms from his father:
"Don't be foolish! You know not the power of the Leviathan. You think with your current strength you can defeat it? Then you are truly foolish."
Suddenly, Lord Aaron pours a bowl of water on Theo, causing him to wake up.
"You fell asleep again, young one. Do you think you can protect Eldoria this way?" Lord Aaron says.
"I'm sorry, Master," Theo replies.
"Follow me," Lord Aaron commands.
He takes Theo to a library and reveals a hidden passage—its key being a particular book on the shelf. Theo is surprised.
"Why would Master bring me here?" he wonders.
In a low and deep voice, Lord Aaron says,
"You can't defeat the Leviathan with your current status."
Theo is shocked. He asks how his master knew.
Lord Aaron replies,
"I am a descendant of the Order of Fire Lotus, an order created by your great-grandfather. We are responsible for training those destined to face world trials—those that came before the Leviathan, and those that will come after."
"Word has come to us that the Leviathan will finally break the seal in less than six months. It is my duty to prepare you for that fight."
He brings out a copy of the Ten Divine Phoenix Sword Techniques from the secret room and tells Theo to master them.
Theo responds,
"I've tried mastering them, but it never works."
Lord Aaron asks,
"Was your power sealed by accident?"
Theo nods,
"Yes, before I was able to flee the Phoenix Sword Clan."
Lord Aaron performs a spell with two fingers, and the seal is removed. He tells Theo to begin training, and Theo soon sees the effects of the techniques.
Weeks pass, and Theo masters the first seven techniques in the book. He begins training openly, and the other students are amazed at his progress.
Traven, Auren, Klaus, and Deborah also make great advancements.
Klaus can now wield water from air and unleash destructive attacks.
Deborah can manipulate lunar energy even under the sun.
Traven, a descendant of the White Eagle Clan, now creates tornadoes, seizes air from entire areas, and delivers powerful air-based slashes.
Auren, clothed in white with dark hair, controls Divine Earth—a fusion of earth manipulation and golden fire. His golden slashes and combat skills have greatly improved.
They all meet at a diner when the Time Thief—Jared—appears. They recognize him as the one who had saved them.
"I guess you all remember me," he says.
"I have an important message. Beyond the Leviathan lies something unexplainable—something capable of more death and havoc. I am a Time Thief; my power lets me travel through time, and what I saw was doom. I couldn't go further… because that was the end of the world—darkness will rule after it."
They are shocked. Jared continues:
"Tell the king to prepare for the Leviathan's second coming. He is but a tool for the darkness. Prepare to fight the one who is darkness. The Leviathan will be freed in 12 months… and the darkness, in 13."
Theo is confused.
"But in the void, my father said six months. How is it twelve now?"
Immediately, Theo falls unconscious. In the void, his father appears again.
"Even in six months, you wouldn't have been ready. So I used my spirit to strengthen the seal and buy you more time."
"I have one last wish… Give me a grandson, so I can finally leave this realm."
Theo, confused, asks,
"What do you mean, Father?"
His father replies,
"After using my spirit to reinforce the seal, my time in this form is limited. I will soon vanish."
Theo begins to cry as he is pushed out of the void and back into his body. Deborah asks what happened, and he says,
"Nothing."
They report everything to King Xavier. Shocked, the king calls for a meeting with the Ten Divine Lords of Eldoria.
Later, in seclusion, Theo asks Jared why no one remembers he is the Soul Keeper.
Jared replies,
"I erased the information from time itself so no one remembers."
After speaking, Jared teleports—but this time, he seems to fade as he vanishes.
---
Two days later, Theo and Deborah are alone in the Garden of Lik, where blossoming peach flowers dazzle like stars.
They talk for a while, and Theo proposes:
"Will you marry me?"
Deborah is surprised and replies,
"I've been waiting… Yes, I will."
Overjoyed, Theo kisses her as peaches fall gently from the trees, creating a romantic aura.
Theo tells Lord Aaron, who is pleased. Lord Aaron gives him a scroll from a wooden locker:
"Your mother left this before she died, saying I should give it to you when you're ready to marry."
Theo is emotional as he reads the letter.
Lord Aaron announces the wedding to the king, and King Xavier announces it to all of Eldoria.
Later that night, Theo is alone in his room. Memories of Diego flash through his mind. Saddened, he feels a soft, gentle touch—Deborah.
"Is it about the Phoenix Clan?" she asks.
Theo replies,
"Do you think I should invite the Wise One? His anger must have faded after all these years."
The next day, Theo visits the Phoenix Clan. Some citizens welcome him, while others badmouth him. Calmly, he visits the Wise One.
"Your Highness," Theo says.
The Wise One scoffs:
"You lowlife rebel. How dare you come back here after all you've done? Have you no shame?"
"I come in peace—to invite you to my wedding."
The Wise One replies,
"I'll make sure to be there."
Theo returns to Eldoria.
Preparations for the wedding begin, and two days later, the halls are decked in red linens and roses. Joy fills the palace.
Deborah appears in an elegant rose-red gown and a veil that highlights her very essence. Theo, dressed gorgeously, walks beside her.
Suddenly, a harsh voice echoes:
"What a shame…"
The Wise One enters with guards, ambushing the wedding hall. The king, furious, orders the guards to attack. A fight erupts.
The Wise One grabs Deborah, holding her hostage. Theo prepares to fight, but Lord Aaron steps in.
"I'll handle this."
In a blur of speed like light, Lord Aaron rescues Deborah. A fierce battle ensues. The Wise One casts the Sacred Flames of Phoenix Judgment, engulfing Lord Aaron.
The Wise One laughs, but Lord Aaron steps out unscathed.
With a hand gesture and a blue aura, Lord Aaron forms a sword that multiplies into hundreds. The swords fly at the Wise One, who tries to defend but is overwhelmed and taken down.
He is arrested and dragged to the dungeon.
The wedding resumes.
Deborah and Theo exchange vows and are married. The celebration is grand, and the joy lingers in the hearts of all.
That night, Theo and Deborah share a quiet, intimate moment—one of love as they observe the auspicious moment.