The Nasarik estate didn't sleep that night.
Not really.
Something in the air had shifted.
Not tension.
Not danger.
Expectation.
The garden lights flickered softly as the wind brushed through the trees.
Eryndor stood beside Lyanna, calm, composed—
Different.
Behind him, the shadows stirred.
And from them—
Darius Mike/ Sletti stepped out, his presence quiet but heavy.
Before anyone spoke—
A voice cut through the stillness.
"Good."
Zephyr Nasarik walked out from the estate, hands behind his back, eyes sharp.
He looked at Eryndor.
Then Darius.
Then the sky.
"…Now you've reached a level that can truly define you as gods."
Silence.
Then a faint smirk crossed his face.
"Darius. Eryndor."
He rolled his shoulders once.
"…Let's spar before you leave tomorrow."
Eryndor smiled.
Darius cracked his neck.
But before they could respond—
A familiar voice echoed from the gates.
"Dad… don't start without me."
The main gates opened.
Aldric Vaelith walked in, relaxed, smiling like he'd been waiting for this moment all along.
Zephyr's grin widened.
"…Good timing."
Eryndor exhaled slowly.
Then looked at Darius.
"…Every hour, we switch."
Darius nodded.
"…I'm ready."
And just like that—
It began.
No countdown.
No warning.
Eryndor moved.
The ground beneath him cracked as he launched forward—
And Zephyr met him halfway.
Impact.
The air detonated.
Lightning exploded across the sky—
Dark clouds forming instantly above them.
Their fists collided—
And the world shook.
Eryndor moved first.
A short step.
A pivot.
His shoulder rolled inward—
Deflecting Zephyr's follow-up strike—
Then a knee came up—
Fast.
Clean.
Zephyr blocked.
Barely.
"…Good."
Zephyr twisted his torso—
Elbow snapping toward Eryndor's temple—
Eryndor tilted his head—
The strike grazing past him—
He stepped in—
Close.
Too close.
A palm strike—
Boom.
Zephyr slid back a full meter.
And smiled.
"Again."
Elsewhere—
Darius Mike/ Sletti moved like a ripple in darkness.
Chains flickered behind him—
But he didn't use them.
Not yet.
Aldric Vaelith stepped forward calmly.
"…Show me."
Darius didn't respond.
He vanished.
A shadow blink—
He appeared behind Aldric—
A blade forming from pure darkness—
Slash—
Aldric tilted his head slightly.
Missed.
"…Too predictable."
He grabbed Darius' wrist—
Twisted—
And drove a knee into his ribs.
Impact.
Darius didn't cry out.
He dissolved.
A shadow clone.
The real Darius rose behind Aldric—
Chains shot forward—
But Aldric caught one mid-air.
And pulled.
Darius was yanked forward—
Straight into a punch.
Boom.
Darius skidded across the ground.
He stood.
Wiped blood from his mouth.
And smiled.
"…Again."
Time lost meaning.
Every hour—
They switched.
Eryndor vs Aldric.
Darius vs Zephyr.
Then back again.
And again.
And again.
By the third rotation—
Something became clear.
Eryndor wasn't just fighting.
He was adapting in real time.
His movements—
Minimal.
Efficient.
He wasn't thinking.
He was…
Flowing.
That state.
That near-trance.
Now controlled.
Not fully.
But enough.
Zephyr noticed.
"…You're touching it again."
Eryndor didn't answer.
He stepped forward—
A punch—
Zephyr blocked—
But—
A second strike followed immediately.
Different angle.
Different timing.
It landed.
Clean.
Zephyr slid back.
"…That's one."
Hours later—
Eryndor would land—
Two hits.
Total.
Against Zephyr.
And four—
Against Aldric.
Each one earned.
Each one precise.
Darius pushed harder.
Faster.
Sharper.
His shadow manipulation had evolved.
Not just control—
Dominion within range.
Every shadow.
Every angle.
A weapon.
But still—
He couldn't keep up fully.
Zephyr overwhelmed him.
Aldric read him.
And by the end—
Darius had landed—
One hit.
On each.
He stood there.
Breathing heavy.
"…Tch."
Zephyr chuckled.
"…Don't look so disappointed."
Aldric added calmly—
"…You survived. That's already impressive."
Darius smirked slightly.
"…Yeah."
"I'll do better next time."
Elsewhere — The Others
Rein Clark
Rein Clark stood in silence.
His body—
Untouchable.
Metal shattered on impact.
Water parted.
His punches—
Absolute.
But his authority—
Still incomplete.
"…Upper realms…" he muttered.
"…Guess that's where it's at."
Kael/Kealus Magna —
Kaelus Magna hovered mid-air.
Wind circled him endlessly.
Blades formed from nothing.
Compressed.
Sharp.
Invisible.
He moved—
And the sky followed.
"…Heh."
"…I like this."
Elsewhere—
Stellar McLaren stood atop a frozen peak.
She inhaled.
Snow stopped.
Mid-air.
She exhaled—
It melted.
Then fell.
"…So I can do that now."
Her eyes gleamed.
"…Nice."
Back at the estate—
The ground was ruined.
Cracked.
Burned.
Shattered.
Eryndor stood.
Breathing slowly.
Zephyr looked at him.
"…You've grown."
Aldric nodded.
"…More than I expected."
Darius dropped onto the ground.
"…I'm dead."
Eryndor laughed lightly.
"…Same."
Zephyr turned.
"…Rest."
"…You leave tomorrow."
Next Morning —
Sunlight filtered into the room.
Eryndor opened his eyes.
Beside him—
Lyanna Nasarik slept peacefully.
And between them—
Aren.
Small.
Warm.
Eryndor leaned forward.
Kissed Lyanna on the forehead.
She stirred.
Then hugged him tightly.
"…I miss you every time you leave."
He held her.
"…I know."
"…I'm sorry."
He paused.
Then spoke quietly.
"…I have to go to the Upper Realms."
She looked up at him.
"…To protect us."
His voice was calm.
Firm.
"…Some beings won't let things continue."
"…Not me."
"…Not Aren."
He smiled softly.
"…I'll fix it."
Aren stirred.
Opened his eyes.
"…Papa?"
Eryndor grinned.
"…Happy birthday, son."
Later—
In the market—
Eryndor walked beside Aren.
"…What do you want?"
Aren thought.
"…Something like yours."
Eryndor chuckled.
"…Alright."
He bought a simple chain.
No pendant.
They returned home.
Eryndor sat down.
Held the chain.
Darkness.
Lightning.
Wind.
A tiny construct formed.
A small—
Black Sun.
He attached it to the chain.
Then knelt in front of Aren.
"…Here."
Aren's eyes lit up.
Eryndor smiled.
"…Whenever you miss me…"
"…Hold onto this."
He tapped Aren's chest.
"…I'm always here."
Aren hugged him tightly.
"…Okay, papa."
At the gates—
Kaelus Magna arrived first.
"…You ready?"
Eryndor nodded.
Darius Sletti stepped forward from the shadows.
"…Let's go."
Eryndor turned one last time.
Looked at Lyanna.
At Aren.
Then faced forward.
"…Yeah."
The three of them stepped out.
Toward the future.
Toward the academy.
Toward something much bigger than Atlas.