Warm sunlight stretched endlessly across the realm of the Fertility Goddess.
Fields of gold flowers swayed beneath endless blue skies while rivers rich with life essence shimmered like flowing crystal. Massive spirit beasts wandered peacefully between valleys untouched by war.
It was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Hiroy sat quietly beneath the massive white tree near the center of the realm, sword resting across his knees while his thoughts drifted elsewhere entirely.
Toward Shiro.
Again.
Lately every conversation somehow returned to him.
Every rumor.
Every ruined city.
Every terrified survivor.
None of it felt real.
And yet—
more names kept getting added to the dead.
Frana.
Lilith.
Entire kingdoms.
Hiroy tightened his grip unconsciously.
Something wasn't right.
But he couldn't tell anymore if the thing breaking apart was the world—
or his trust.
"You're thinking about him again."
Babylis's voice arrived softly beside him.
Gentle.
Warm.
Never forceful.
That was what made her terrifying.
Hiroy looked up as the Fertility Goddess lowered herself gracefully onto the grass nearby. Flowers bloomed instinctively beneath her feet while calming life essence radiated from her very existence.
To anyone else—
she would've seemed comforting.
Safe.
"I'm trying to understand," Hiroy admitted quietly.
Babylis nodded sympathetically.
"That's natural."
Behind them, the rest of Hiroy's party rested peacefully nearby.
Yanita and Aria quietly talked beside the river.
Kara sharpened her weapons while pretending not to listen.
Lani rested against one of the roots half asleep.
Scarlet remained furthest away as usual, silently observing everything.
Especially Babylis.
The goddess glanced toward Hiroy again carefully.
"You still believe Shiro can be saved."
Not a question.
A statement.
Hiroy answered immediately.
"Yes."
Too fast.
Too instinctive.
And yet—
hesitation still lingered underneath it now.
Babylis noticed.
Of course she did.
"I think so too," she said softly.
That surprised him.
Hiroy frowned slightly.
"You do?"
Babylis lowered her eyes sadly.
"Pain changes people, Hiroy. Especially people carrying burdens too large for them." Her voice remained calm. "But that doesn't always mean they're beyond saving."
Hope flickered briefly inside him.
Then she continued.
"But…"
The word landed like a blade.
"…someone still has to stop him before more people die."
Silence settled between them.
Because that sounded reasonable too.
That was always the problem.
Babylis never lied directly.
She simply guided emotions toward the conclusion she wanted.
Hiroy looked down at his hands quietly.
"What if he's being controlled?" he asked finally. "Or manipulated?"
Babylis's expression softened instantly.
"Then all the more reason to save him quickly."
Again—
reasonable.
Scarlet's eyes narrowed faintly from across the field.
She still didn't trust this woman completely.
Not because Babylis seemed evil.
Because she seemed too perfect.
---
Later that evening—
the realm shifted strangely.
The warm winds stopped first.
Then the rivers.
Then the spirit beasts collectively lifted their heads toward the distant horizon.
Even the realm itself seemed uneasy suddenly.
Hiroy stood immediately.
"What is that?"
Far away—
space distorted violently.
Like reality itself had been wounded.
Babylis's expression darkened carefully.
"…That shouldn't be happening here."
A pulse of destruction energy exploded outward from the distant skies.
The entire realm trembled.
Hiroy's heart nearly stopped.
He recognized that energy instantly.
"Shiro…"
The name escaped him before he realized it.
Not fully Shiro.
Not completely.
But close enough to feel horrifyingly familiar.
The distortion cracked open briefly—
revealing flashes.
Chains.
Blood.
A ruined chamber.
Purple eyes glowing through darkness.
Then the vision vanished.
Lani stumbled backward pale-faced.
"What the hell was that?!"
Yanita looked shaken.
"That energy felt… wrong."
Kara immediately drew her weapon.
Scarlet stayed silent.
Watching Hiroy carefully.
Because his expression had changed completely.
Not fear.
Not hatred.
Pain.
Deep, unbearable pain.
Babylis stepped forward slowly, her voice calm despite the tension.
"The dimensional barriers are becoming unstable," she explained carefully. "Someone is forcing destructive power through multiple realms."
Hiroy looked toward her sharply.
"You know that was Shiro."
Babylis paused briefly.
Then nodded.
"…Yes."
The word hit the group heavily.
Because hearing it confirmed out loud changed everything.
Hiroy clenched his fists.
"He's hurt."
Not speculation.
Not assumption.
He knew.
That wasn't someone rampaging freely.
That was someone suffering.
Scarlet finally spoke for the first time in hours.
"Then why does it feel like everyone keeps trying to convince us he's beyond saving?"
Silence.
Babylis met Scarlet's gaze evenly.
"Because if he truly loses control, entire worlds may die."
Again—
reasonable.
Always reasonable.
But Hiroy suddenly hated that answer.
Because nobody else seemed focused on helping Shiro anymore.
Only stopping him.
The difference mattered.
And somewhere along the way—
that difference had started disappearing.
Hiroy slowly stood.
"I'm going after him."
The entire group looked toward him instantly.
Babylis's expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
"Hiroy—"
"No."
For the first time—
he interrupted a goddess.
His voice shook slightly.
But his eyes didn't.
"That wasn't a monster I felt." His fists tightened harder. "That was my best friend screaming."
The realm fell silent around him.
Yanita slowly stood beside him first.
Then Aria.
Kara sighed dramatically before standing too.
Lani followed nervously.
Even Scarlet finally pushed herself away from the tree she'd been leaning against.
Hiroy looked toward the distant fractured skies again.
"If Shiro's really becoming dangerous…" His voice lowered quietly. "Then all the more reason someone who loves him should reach him first."
For the first time in a long while—
Babylis looked genuinely uncertain.
Because this wasn't the outcome she wanted.
Not yet.
High above the realm—
unseen by all of them—
Lyius watched silently through fractured dimensions.
And for the briefest moment—
the Destruction Goddess smiled faintly.