Cold wind dragged across the shattered sky.
Fragments of light hung above—cracked, suspended like broken glass that refused to fall.
Darius walked beneath it.
Unhurried.
Untouched.
So he's already moved…
A faint exhale left him.
"…Impatient."
The king didn't waste pieces.
If a guardian had been sent—
Then the boy had already crossed a line.
Darius' gaze lowered slightly.
"…One of those."
The words sat heavy.
Not fear.
Not awe.
Just… calculation.
Incomplete.
Unrefined.
Dangerous.
A pause.
"…Good."
His grip tightened slightly around his spear—then loosened.
If he dies now… he's useless.
If he survives…
A breath.
"…he becomes a key."
His eyes darkened faintly.
"And keys…"
A small, humorless smile.
"…are meant to be turned."
The wind shifted.
Something watched him.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Darius didn't stop.
"…So you've come."
A shape formed in the distance.
Tall.
Distorted.
Wrong.
One of the king's three.
A guardian.
Darius studied it for a moment.
Measured.
Calm.
I can't win.
Not doubt.
Not hesitation.
Just truth.
"…Go."
His voice was quiet.
Certain.
"He's not ready."
A pause.
"…But he will be."
Silence.
The guardian didn't move.
Didn't attack.
Darius stepped past it.
Like it wasn't worth his time.
He needs pressure.
Pain.
Fear.
His expression thinned slightly.
"…That's how things grow."
A final thought lingered—
Colder than the rest.
And when he's ready…
"…I'll take everything from him."
🔻 Back to the Chamber
The air hadn't settled.
Even after the fight—
It felt wrong.
Ria stood still.
Watching him.
Something's different…
Cid hadn't moved since he stood up.
His back faced her.
Shoulders still.
Too still.
"…Cid?"
No response.
Her fingers tightened around her staff.
When he woke up…
Those eyes…
Black.
Empty.
Like nothing was behind them.
"…Cid."
He turned.
And just like that—
It was gone.
His eyes were normal again.
Clear.
Alive.
Human.
"…Huh?"
He blinked.
Disoriented.
"…What happened?"
He rubbed his temple slightly.
"…I was out for a second."
A pause.
Then—
Quieter.
"…Did I hurt you?"
Ria froze.
That question—
"…No."
He let out a small breath.
"…Good."
But something about the way he said it—
Didn't sit right.
His gaze moved across the room.
The damage.
The silence.
The absence of a body that should've been there.
"…Where's Darius?"
Ria hesitated.
"…He left."
Cid frowned.
"…Left?"
"…When you—"
She stopped.
Adjusted her words.
"…When that power came out…"
"…he saw it…"
"…and retreated."
Silence stretched.
Cid looked down slightly.
Thinking.
"…He wanted to kill me."
"…Take my blood."
"…Use it to pass the second trial…"
His jaw tightened.
"…So why stop now?"
No answer.
But the question stayed.
He was winning.
He had control.
So why…
Cid's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Unless…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…he didn't need to win yet."
Ria didn't speak.
But her grip tightened.
Cid turned slightly.
"…Then I'll make him answer."
His voice wasn't loud.
Wasn't angry.
But it carried something new.
"…I'll find him."
🔻 Ava
His eyes shifted.
Ava lay where she fell.
Still.
Breathing—but barely.
One arm—
Gone.
"…Can you stop the bleeding?" Cid asked.
Ria looked at him.
Studied him.
"…You're serious."
He didn't look away from Ava.
"…We need answers."
A pause.
"…And she's the only one left who has them."
Ria hesitated—
Then nodded slowly.
"…I can stabilize her."
"…Not fully."
She knelt beside Ava.
Her hands glowed faintly.
Vines curled gently around the wound—
Sealing.
Binding.
Then she paused.
"…This is wrong…"
Cid's gaze snapped to her.
"…What is it?"
"…She's not fully conscious…"
"…but she's not gone either…"
A breath.
"…It's like the coma."
"…When the continent appeared."
Silence.
Heavier now.
Cid's expression darkened.
"…Can you fix it?"
Ria shook her head.
"…Not completely."
"…But I can stop it from spreading."
Her power pulsed once—
Then faded.
"…That's all I have right now."
Silence returned.
Then—
Ava's body jerked.
Her eyes snapped open.
She saw Cid—
And panic exploded.
"Y-YOU'RE STILL ALIVE—?!"
Cid didn't move.
"If you move again…"
A pause.
His voice dropped.
"…I will kill you."
The air froze.
Ava didn't move.
Couldn't.
Cid stepped closer.
Slow.
Measured.
"I'm going to ask you questions."
His eyes held hers.
"And if I don't like your answers…"
A breath.
"…you die."
Ava swallowed hard.
"…I understand…"
Her voice shook.
But she didn't look away.
"…I'll tell you what I know."
A pause.
Then—
Quieter.
"…I want revenge too."
Ria's eyes flickered.
Cid didn't react.
"…Start talking."
Ava closed her eyes briefly.
Gathering herself.
"…Darius…"
"…he met someone…"
Her voice lowered.
"…in the second trial."
Silence deepened.
"…A king."
A pause.
"…Not a real one…"
"…but strong enough to pretend."
Cid's gaze sharpened.
"…What did they talk about?"
Ava shook her head weakly.
"…I didn't hear everything…"
"…but I heard enough…"
A breath.
"…it was about you."
Stillness.
"…He called you…"
She hesitated.
"…a possibility."
A longer pause.
"…and a risk."
No one spoke.
But something in the room shifted.
Because now—
They all understood.
This wasn't over.
It hadn't even started.