Edrin expected more darkness.
More pressure.
More things trying to understand him.
Instead—
There was a sky.
"…That's new," he said, blinking at the open horizon.
They had stepped out of the endless path into something else entirely.
A vast plain stretched before them, covered in pale grass that moved gently with the wind. Above them, the sky shimmered—not blue, not gray, but fractured, like glass barely holding together.
Lyra stepped beside him.
"We're out," she said softly.
Edrin frowned. "…Out of what?"
Kael answered.
"The inner domain."
Edrin blinked.
"…There was an 'inner' part?"
Ronan laughed. "You really thought that was the whole thing?"
"I was hoping!" Edrin replied.
The air felt different.
Lighter.
But not safe.
Just… real.
Edrin took a careful step forward.
The ground didn't react.
Didn't shift.
Didn't watch him.
"…Okay," he said. "…I don't hate this."
Ronan stretched his arms. "Finally, something normal."
Edrin immediately frowned.
"…You said that too confidently."
Lyra looked up at the sky.
"It's unstable."
Edrin followed her gaze.
The cracks above them shimmered faintly, like something pressing from the other side.
"…That doesn't look good."
"No," Kael said. "It isn't."
Edrin sighed.
"…Of course it isn't."
They moved forward across the plain.
No enemies.
No pressure.
No voices.
Just wind.
Edrin didn't relax.
"…Something's wrong," he said.
Ronan groaned. "Again?"
"No," Edrin said. "…this time it's actually wrong."
Lyra nodded slightly.
"He's right."
Kael's gaze sharpened.
"…Too quiet."
Edrin crossed his arms.
"…I liked it better when things tried to kill me immediately."
Ronan smirked. "That's a weird preference."
"It's predictable!"
They continued walking.
The horizon didn't seem to get closer.
The sky didn't change.
The wind didn't stop.
Edrin slowed.
"…Are we moving?"
Lyra frowned.
"…Yes."
"…Are you sure?"
Kael stopped.
Looked around.
"…No."
Silence.
Ronan blinked. "…Wait, what?"
Edrin's stomach dropped.
"…We're not getting closer."
The plain stretched endlessly.
Unchanging.
Unmoving.
Unaffected.
"…Okay," Edrin said slowly. "…I don't like this again."
Lyra stepped forward—
Then stopped.
"…We're being held in place."
"By what?" Ronan asked.
Edrin looked up.
At the sky.
At the cracks.
"…That."
The fractures above them shifted.
Subtly.
Then—
Something moved behind them.
Not through the cracks.
Behind them.
Edrin froze.
"…That's new."
Kael turned.
Ronan readied himself.
Lyra raised her hand.
The sky broke.
Not shattered—
Opened.
And something fell through.
Fast.
Heavy.
Alive.
It hit the ground in front of them—
The impact sending a shockwave across the plain.
Edrin stumbled.
"…That's definitely not normal."
The figure rose slowly.
Tall.
Armored.
Different from the Invaders.
Solid.
Real.
Edrin swallowed.
"…I don't think that's from the same place."
Lyra's voice was tense.
"No."
Kael stepped forward.
"…New threat."
Ronan grinned.
"Finally."
Edrin shook his head.
"…No, no, no—this is not 'finally,' this is 'again.'"
The figure lifted its head.
Its eyes glowed faintly.
Not like the Invaders.
Not observing.
Not analyzing.
Burning.
Focused.
On them.
Edrin took a small step back.
"…It's not trying to understand me."
"No," Lyra said.
"It already decided to fight."
Edrin sighed.
"…I almost miss the other ones."
The figure drew a massive blade from its side.
The sound echoed across the endless plain.
Heavy.
Real.
Dangerous.
Kael raised his own weapon.
Ronan stepped forward eagerly.
Lyra prepared her magic.
Edrin tightened his grip.
Hands shaking again.
"…Alright," he muttered.
A pause.
"…New arc, new problems."
Ronan laughed. "That's the spirit."
Edrin shook his head.
"I don't have spirit," he said.
A breath.
"…But I do have bad luck."
The armored figure stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath its weight.
The sky above fractured further.
And this time—
There was no learning.
No hesitation.
No understanding.
Just battle.
Edrin exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
A pause.
"…This one just wants to kill us."
Ronan grinned.
"Now that's simple."
Edrin nodded.
"…Yeah."
A small, nervous smile appeared.
"…I like simple."
The figure charged.