The chamber remained quiet after Kael revealed the names of the two dimensions.
Echo.
Fragment.
Two broken halves of the same existence.
Layla stood silently near the ancient projections while the silver-haired boy sat against one of the stone pillars trying to process everything he had heard.
Sunny still lay unconscious atop the stone platform nearby.
Grey mist drifted faintly around his body while the glowing fractures beneath his skin pulsed weakly.
But something had changed.
The spreading cracks had slowed.
Kael noticed it first.
His golden eyes shifted toward the center of the platform.
A small stone embedded within the ancient structure had begun glowing softly.
Silver-blue light flowed through thin lines carved into the platform itself, spreading slowly beneath Sunny's body.
Layla frowned slightly.
"…What is that?"
Kael walked closer calmly.
"The chamber is responding to him."
The silver-haired boy blinked.
"The chamber can do that?!"
Kael ignored him.
The glowing stone pulsed again.
THUMP.
Warm energy spread through the room gently this time.
Not violent like Aether.
Not oppressive like corruption.
Stable.
Ancient.
The grey mist leaking from Sunny's body slowly calmed as the glowing energy flowed into him.
The fractures across his arms stopped spreading entirely.
Then—
Sunny suddenly inhaled sharply.
His eyes snapped open.
The silver-haired boy nearly jumped.
"Oh finally."
Sunny immediately grabbed his chest and sat upright breathing heavily.
The pain was still there—
but weaker now.
Manageable.
He slowly looked around the chamber.
Layla.
The silver-haired boy.
Kael.
Then his eyes narrowed immediately at the unfamiliar figure.
"…Who are you?"
Kael studied him quietly.
"…Kael."
Sunny frowned slightly.
"That explains nothing."
The silver-haired boy pointed aggressively.
"THANK YOU."
Layla exhaled softly in relief.
"At least you're stable now."
Sunny looked down at himself slowly.
The glowing fractures across his skin had faded significantly.
"…What happened?"
Kael answered calmly.
"The chamber healed you temporarily."
Sunny immediately noticed the glowing stone beneath the platform.
"…Temporarily?"
Kael nodded once.
"The seal inside you is destabilizing faster than expected."
Sunny's expression darkened immediately.
Again with the seal.
Again with vague answers.
He swung his legs off the platform slowly and stood.
Still weak.
But functional.
Then his red eyes shifted toward the projections still floating across the chamber walls.
Two dimensions.
Echo.
Fragment.
Sunny frowned.
"…What did I miss?"
The silver-haired boy stared at him blankly.
"Oh, not much."
Then he began counting on his fingers.
"You apparently have an ancient king sealed inside you, Arthur's family survived the last Collapse seventy years ago, Lucifer exists, reality is breaking apart, and there's a book that can destroy dimensions."
Sunny blinked once.
"…What?"
Layla rubbed her forehead slightly.
"It's been a long conversation."
Sunny looked toward Kael again.
"…Start explaining."
Before Kael could answer—
the glowing stone beneath the platform pulsed harder suddenly.
THUMP.
The chamber lights dimmed faintly.
Grey mist spread slowly around Sunny's feet again.
Then—
a second heartbeat echoed through the chamber.
Everyone froze instantly.
THUMP.
Sunny's expression changed slightly.
Because this time—
he heard it too.
Not outside.
Not around him.
Inside him.
Then a deep ancient voice echoed faintly through the mist.
"…Fragment is dying…"
The chamber froze.
Grey mist spread slowly across the floor while the second heartbeat echoed again through the ancient walls.
THUMP.
Sunny grabbed his chest instinctively.
He could feel it clearly now.
Something inside him was awake.
Layla immediately stepped forward.
"Sunny?"
But Sunny barely heard her.
The world around him suddenly sounded distant.
Muted.
Even the chamber lights seemed dimmer now.
Only the grey mist remained clear.
Flowing around him.
Watching him.
Then the ancient voice spoke again.
Not through the chamber.
Not through the air.
Directly inside Sunny's mind.
"So…"
The voice was deep.
Ancient.
Heavy beyond description.
"…you are the one carrying my throne."
Sunny's eyes widened slightly.
His body locked in place instantly.
Kael noticed immediately.
"…He's communicating with it."
The silver-haired boy frowned.
"With WHAT exactly?!"
But Layla remained focused on Sunny.
The mist around him had begun moving unnaturally now.
Like living shadows circling their king.
Inside Sunny's mind—
everything changed.
The chamber vanished.
Darkness stretched endlessly around him.
No ground.
No sky.
Only grey mist drifting through an infinite void.
Sunny slowly looked around.
"…Where am I?"
Then—
footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Slow.
Calm.
Ancient.
A figure emerged from the mist ahead.
Tall.
Wrapped in dark robes resembling flowing shadows.
Long silver-grey hair drifted weightlessly behind him.
But his eyes—
his eyes looked terrifying.
Ancient golden irises containing endless ruined worlds.
Sunny instinctively stepped backward.
Every instinct in his body screamed danger.
The figure stopped a few meters away.
Then studied Sunny silently.
"…Weak."
Sunny immediately frowned.
"Excuse me?"
The figure ignored the reaction completely.
"You are unstable."
Grey mist spread beneath his feet slowly.
"Emotional."
Another step forward.
"Inexperienced."
Sunny narrowed his eyes.
"And you're annoying."
For the first time—
the ancient figure smiled faintly.
"…Good."
The pressure around them deepened instantly.
The void trembled slightly.
"My power does not belong to cowards."
Sunny's expression hardened.
"…Who are you?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then—
the figure answered.
"…I was the first king of Fragment."
The mist exploded outward across the void.
Ancient ruined cities briefly appeared around them.
Massive armies kneeling beneath grey skies.
Thrones made from black stone.
Worlds collapsing.
Then everything vanished again.
Sunny stared silently.
The First King slowly approached him.
"…For thousands of years, vessels have carried fragments of my power."
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Most were unworthy."
Sunny folded his arms slightly despite the overwhelming pressure.
"So what now?"
The First King stopped directly in front of him.
Then—
the grey mist around them began swirling violently.
"…Now I decide whether you deserve to inherit what sleeps inside you."
The void shook violently.
Massive cracks spread through the darkness itself.
Sunny's pupils shrank slightly.
Then the First King raised one hand slowly.
Grey mist condensed around it instantly.
"…If you fail…"
The pressure became monstrous.
"…your body will break."
Sunny clenched his fists immediately.
"And if I pass?"
For the first time—
the First King's expression became interested.
Then—
he smiled faintly.
"…You will become worthy of ruling Fragment."
The First King stared at Sunny silently.
Grey mist drifted endlessly around them while the infinite void trembled beneath the pressure of his existence.
Sunny remained tense.
Even breathing felt difficult here.
Then—
unexpectedly—
the First King turned away.
The overwhelming pressure vanished instantly.
Sunny blinked.
"…That's it?"
The ancient ruler stood with his back facing him now.
"For now."
The grey mist surrounding the void slowly calmed.
Sunny frowned slightly.
"You said you were going to test me."
"I will."
The First King's deep voice echoed across the darkness calmly.
"But not yet."
Sunny narrowed his eyes.
"…Why?"
Silence followed briefly.
Then the First King answered quietly.
"…Because your body would break before the trial even begins."
Sunny clicked his tongue slightly.
Annoying answer.
But probably true.
The First King slowly raised one hand.
Grey mist condensed around his fingers beautifully now instead of violently.
Then—
he pointed toward Sunny.
"This…"
The mist surged forward instantly.
"…is a gift."
Sunny's pupils shrank.
Warm energy exploded through his body violently.
Not painful.
Heavy.
Ancient.
The glowing fractures spreading across Sunny's skin began repairing themselves rapidly beneath the mist.
Broken Aether pathways stabilized instantly.
The pressure crushing his chest disappeared completely.
Even his exhaustion vanished.
Sunny looked down at himself in shock.
"…What did you do?"
The First King finally glanced back toward him.
Golden eyes glowing faintly.
"I returned your body to its proper state."
Sunny flexed his hand slowly.
The unstable feeling was gone.
Completely.
For the first time in a long while—
his Aether felt balanced.
Controlled.
The First King continued calmly.
"Consider it proof."
Sunny frowned.
"Proof of what?"
A faint smile appeared on the ancient ruler's face.
"…That I have acknowledged you."
The void around them trembled softly again.
Then the First King's expression became colder.
"But do not misunderstand."
The grey mist deepened.
"You are not worthy yet."
Sunny's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
Surprisingly—
the First King laughed quietly.
A deep ancient laugh that echoed through the endless darkness.
Then—
the void around them slowly began collapsing.
The chamber beyond the mist becoming visible again.
Layla.
Kael.
The silver-haired boy.
The First King's form slowly faded into the mist.
But before disappearing completely—
he spoke one final time.
"…Soon…"
His glowing golden eyes locked onto Sunny.
"…I will return unexpectedly."
The mist swallowed him entirely.
"And when I do…"
The pressure vanished completely.
"…you will face my trial."
Sunny's eyes snapped open inside the chamber.
He inhaled sharply.
Grey mist burst outward briefly—
then stabilized instantly.
Layla immediately stepped forward.
"Sunny?!"
The silver-haired boy blinked repeatedly.
"…Why do you suddenly look healthier than me?"
Sunny slowly stood up from the stone platform.
No pain.
No instability.
No spreading fractures.
Even Kael's calm expression shifted slightly.
"…Impossible."
Sunny looked down at his hands silently.
Then clenched them slowly.
The grey mist around his fingers moved smoothly now.
Controlled.
Balanced.
Kael stared at him carefully.
"…The First King acknowledged you."
Sunny glanced toward him calmly.
"…Apparently."
The chamber remained tense even after Sunny recovered.
Grey mist flowed calmly around his hands now, far more stable than before.
The silver-haired boy was still staring at him like he'd witnessed something illegal.
"…So you just nearly died, talked to an ancient king, and came back healed?"
Sunny shrugged slightly.
"Pretty much."
"That is NOT a normal sentence."
But Layla wasn't paying attention to Sunny anymore.
Her eyes remained fixed on Kael.
Watching him carefully.
Analyzing every reaction.
Because something still didn't add up.
Far too much didn't add up.
Kael had known about the Collapse.
About the vessels.
About Levi and Alexi.
About the First King.
And somehow—
he even knew how the System behaved.
That wasn't normal knowledge.
Not even for ancient beings.
Layla stepped forward slowly.
"…You still haven't answered my questions."
Kael looked toward her calmly.
"Which one?"
"All of them."
The symbols beneath Layla's sleeve glowed faintly again.
"Who are you really?"
The chamber quieted slightly.
Layla continued immediately.
"What's your purpose?"
Her pale blue eyes narrowed.
"And how do you know so much about the Collapse, the vessels, the System, and Arthur's family?"
Sunny glanced toward Kael too now.
Honestly?
He wanted answers as well.
The silver-haired boy pointed dramatically.
"THANK YOU. Finally."
Kael remained silent for several moments.
Then he slowly walked toward one of the ancient walls of the chamber.
His fingers brushed against old symbols carved into the stone.
"…Because I was there."
Silence.
Layla's expression sharpened instantly.
"There during what?"
Kael turned toward them slowly.
"…The first failed merge."
The chamber froze.
Even Sunny's expression changed slightly.
The silver-haired boy blinked twice.
"…Excuse me?"
Kael's golden eyes reflected the glowing symbols around the room.
"I have lived through multiple Collapse cycles."
Nobody spoke.
Because that statement alone sounded impossible.
Kael continued calmly.
"Not fully as human."
The shadows around the chamber shifted faintly.
"Every failed merge leaves behind remnants."
Ancient projections appeared again around the room.
Broken timelines.
Destroyed civilizations.
Collapsed dimensions.
"I became one of them."
Layla's heart pounded once.
"A remnant…"
Kael nodded slowly.
"A being trapped between Collapse cycles."
Sunny frowned slightly.
"So you're immortal?"
"…No."
Kael's expression darkened faintly.
"Immortality implies living."
The chamber temperature lowered slightly.
"I exist because the System refuses to erase me."
That answer unsettled everyone.
Especially Layla.
Because it implied something terrifying.
"…The System knows you exist?"
Kael looked directly at her.
"I once belonged to it."
Silence.
The silver-haired boy immediately pointed again.
"THAT sounds important!"
Kael ignored him.
Instead, he looked toward the glowing system notifications still faintly visible around the chamber.
"…Long ago, before the cycles became corrupted…"
His golden eyes dimmed slightly.
"…I was one of the five vessels."
The room went completely silent.
Sunny's eyes narrowed instantly.
Layla looked genuinely shocked again.
Even the silver-haired boy forgot to speak.
Kael slowly lowered his gaze.
"The merge failed."
The ancient projections around the room shattered violently again.
"Lucifer interfered."
Worlds collapsed across the walls.
Vessels died.
Reality broke apart.
"But unlike the others…"
Kael's voice lowered quietly.
"…I survived the reset."
(Meanwhile after the battle against Scarlet )
The battlefield settled into a strained silence.
Dust drifted slowly across broken stone and shattered terrain, settling over bodies that could barely move.
Arthur lay on his back, staring up at the cracked sky.
Every breath still hurt—but it was no longer unbearable.
Tom stood a short distance away, one arm still injured, golden Aether flickering weakly around him as he looked toward the horizon.
Not Grey Hollow.
Not the Ashen Shroud.
But further.
Farther.
Toward the Black Continent.
His expression tightened.
"…She's close."
Arthur's eyes shifted slightly.
Tom continued, voice lower now.
"Your mother… Alexi Ravenheart… she's being held less than two kilometers past the outer containment line."
Kierran lifted his head weakly from the ground.
"…Two kilometers?"
Lucas coughed, sitting up slowly while pressing a hand to his ribs.
"That's… basically nothing compared to what we just went through."
Tom nodded once.
"But it's guarded."
A pause.
Then—
"…And we have one day left."
Silence fell over them.
Arthur slowly clenched his fist.
"One day…"
Tom turned slightly toward him.
"If we push now, we reach her before the next anomaly wave hits the border zone."
Kierran let out a tired breath.
"…So basically: we either go now or we get erased later."
"Pretty much," Lucas muttered.
Arthur forced himself upright again, slower this time.
Still shaking.
Still broken.
But awake.
Tom watched him carefully.
"…Rest first."
He reached into his pack and threw a small container toward Kierran.
Then another toward Lucas.
And one toward Arthur.
Kierran caught it immediately.
"What's this?"
Lucas opened his, sniffed it cautiously.
"…Smells like metal and herbs."
Tom answered flatly.
"Compressed recovery potions. Stabilizes Aether flow. Stops internal collapse."
Kierran blinked.
"…You MADE these?"
Tom didn't look impressed.
"Yes."
Arthur stared at his container for a moment.
Then slowly drank it.
Warmth spread through his body instantly.
Not healing everything—
but stabilizing him.
The pain dulled.
His breathing steadied.
Even his Aether stopped fluctuating wildly.
Kierran's eyes widened slightly.
"…Okay that's actually insane."
Lucas exhaled in relief as his ribs began to settle.
Tom sat down finally, exhaling slowly.
For the first time, his posture loosened slightly.
They were alive.
For now.
A rare pause in the chaos.
But it didn't last long.
A faint shift in the air made Arthur look up again.
A presence.
Not hostile.
Not heavy like before.
Just… familiar.
Black hair.
Brown eyes.
Alex appeared a short distance away without sound.
No dramatic entrance.
No explosion of power.
Just there.
Like he had always been standing there.
Kierran immediately tensed.
"…I still hate how he does that."
Tom didn't react outwardly—but his eyes narrowed slightly.
Arthur stared at him.
"…Alex."
Alex glanced around at their condition.
"Better than I expected."
Lucas scoffed weakly.
"That's your greeting?"
Alex ignored him.
His attention stayed on Arthur.
Then—
"I need to speak with you."
Arthur blinked slightly.
"…Now?"
Alex nodded once.
"Now that you're stable."
Tom looked toward him briefly.
"…About what?"
Alex didn't answer immediately.
His gaze shifted slightly toward the Black Continent in the distance.
Then back to Arthur.
"…About what you are becoming."