The air tightened.
Behind the man, the distortion slowly expanded. It didn't behave like the unstable tears from before. This one was controlled. Stable. It didn't shake or ripple out of control.
It opened.
Like a door.
Masszio stared at it, his body tensing on instinct.
"…you want us to go back there?" Laura asked, her eyes narrowing.
The man didn't look at her.
"…not all of you."
Silence.
His gaze stayed on Masszio.
"…him."
Zyren sat up from his floating construct.
"…yeah, no. last time he went somewhere weird, everything almost died."
Darius crossed his arms.
"…what's in there?"
The man answered without hesitation.
"…truth."
Masszio stepped forward slowly, his focus steady.
"…and if I don't go?"
The man's expression didn't change.
"…then you remain incomplete."
A brief pause.
"…and the next time you face something like that—"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"…you won't survive."
Silence settled over them.
Masszio looked at the distortion again.
That feeling—
He remembered it clearly.
The instability. The crushing pressure. The fear.
But there was something else too.
A pull.
Something calling him.
"…I'll go," he said.
Laura turned sharply.
"…you serious?"
Zyren sighed.
"…of course he is."
Darius frowned slightly.
"…you sure about this, kid?"
Malik said nothing. He only watched.
Masszio didn't look back.
"…I need to understand it."
A short pause.
"…before it understands me."
The man gave a small nod.
"…step forward."
Masszio moved.
The distortion reacted—not violently, but almost as if it accepted him.
Just before he stepped in—
"…wait."
Laura walked closer, her expression more serious than before.
"…don't die in there."
Zyren added without looking at him—
"…and if you do, don't come back to haunt me. sounds stressful."
Masszio almost smiled.
Almost.
"…I'll be back."
Then—
He stepped through.
The distortion closed behind him.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
"…you better know what you're doing," Darius muttered.
The man didn't respond. His eyes remained on the space where Masszio had disappeared.
"…he needs to see it himself."
Malik's shadows shifted slightly.
"…see what?"
The man finally answered.
"…what he really is."
---
VOID LAYER
Masszio landed.
But this time—
He didn't fall.
He stood.
The ground beneath him wasn't stable, but it held together just enough.
The Void stretched endlessly in every direction. The sky was distorted. The land was broken. Pieces of reality floated in impossible positions, like fragments that didn't belong.
But something had changed.
It wasn't attacking him.
Not yet.
Masszio raised his hand slowly.
A piece of debris lifted into the air.
Smooth.
Controlled.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…it's working…"
Better than before.
More stable.
He clenched his fist.
The object compressed instantly.
No resistance.
"…so this is what he meant…"
A voice cut through the silence.
"…you came back."
Masszio froze.
He turned.
Standing behind him—
Was her.
Artermis.
Unchanged.
Calm.
Watching him.
Her presence felt heavier now. More defined. More real.
Small traces of blood floated around her, moving slowly, like they were alive.
Her eyes locked onto his.
"…you're different now."
Masszio narrowed his eyes.
"…you're still here."
She tilted her head slightly.
"…this place doesn't reject me."
A short pause.
"…it listens."
Masszio's expression hardened.
"…then tell me what it is."
Silence.
Artermis stepped closer.
"…you already know."
Masszio didn't respond.
She raised her hand slightly.
Blood gathered in the air, forming a thin blade.
"…this world…"
She looked around at the broken space.
"…isn't separate from yours."
Her gaze returned to him.
"…it's connected."
A brief pause.
"…through you."
Masszio's eyes widened slightly.
"…what?"
Artermis didn't explain.
Instead, she turned and began to walk.
"…come."
Masszio hesitated.
"…where?"
She didn't look back.
"…if you want answers—"
Her voice remained calm.
"…you need to see what's deeper."
The Void shifted.
Far in the distance—
Something moved.
Massive.
Not a Strider.
Something worse.
Masszio felt it instantly.
That pressure—
It returned.
Stronger than before.
His power flickered for a moment—
Then stabilized.
"…this feeling…"
Artermis stopped.
"…you can feel it now."
A pause.
"…good."
She looked ahead.
"…that means it's aware of you."
Masszio's chest tightened.
"…what is?"
Artermis's voice dropped slightly.
"…the source."
Silence.
"…the thing everything comes from."
The Void trembled faintly.
Something—
Was waking.