Beyond Realities

Inside the ruined warehouse, the fierce battle between Jack and Vael continued to unfold. The roar of the monstrous three-headed dragon shattered the air, breaking Vael's earlier control over the Domain. Smoke billowed as Vael stood his ground, eyes widening in disbelief.

Jack—he was the Trigon. The very beast that once laid waste to the city of Katra.

Even Cedric, who had stood bravely between them, was frozen in shock. He hadn't expected this.

Jack… is the Trigon? Cedric thought in disbelief. No… It can't be. This was supposed to be a mere errand. How can he…? As the full weight of the revelation settled on him, he turned and sprinted away from the warehouse.

The wind howled against his face as he raced through the alleys, heart pounding. I have to tell Father. He needs to know… unless… he already does. The thought sent chills down his spine. No… he wouldn't keep something like this from me. Would he?

He ran faster.

Cedric finally reached the Vaelen Kingdom, breathless and bruised. He barged through the gates and stormed into the grand throne room.

There, Simon Vaelen stood calmly by the balcony, overlooking his empire. Beside him was a pale man with long black hair and glowing red eyes.

Dark.

Cedric dropped to one knee. "Your Grace! I bring urgent news."

Simon didn't even blink.

Cedric swallowed hard. "Jack… Jack is the Trigon. The three-headed dragon."

Still, no reaction. Simon's face remained eerily still.

He already knew, Cedric thought, shocked. He knew and sent me anyway.

Cedric clenched his fists. "Vael has invaded the warehouse… and he's fighting Jack. In his dragon form."

At that, Simon's eyes lit up faintly. A slow, menacing smile crept across his face. Beside him, Dark tilted his head, amused.

The change unsettled Cedric. Why… why are they pleased?

Simon turned his back. "Leave us."

Cedric stood quickly, nodding. "Yes… Your Grace." He stepped away, but his mind spun. As he reached the great door, he heard hushed voices behind him—Simon and Dark. Their whispers were not for him.

Outside, Cedric stopped in the corridor. A deep sense of dread welled in his chest. "What have I done…?" he muttered, staring at the marble floor.

He knew Jack was the Trigon. He smiled at the thought of Vael fighting him. What game is he playing? Cedric bit his lip, then turned. No… I have to go back. I have to make this right.

And with that, he ran again.

---

Above the shattered warehouse, the Trigon soared into the skies, its wings shattering the ceiling. Vael hurled his chain-scythe, anchoring himself and pulling upward.

Each head of the dragon struck in its own terrifying way—fire scorched the air, ice froze everything it touched, and a shrieking sound wave pierced Vael's mind. Blood dripped from his ears. But he didn't stop.

Vaulting from beam to rooftop, he closed the distance. The battle rose high into the clouds.

Moonlight bathed them as scythe met claw.

---

Elsewhere, Seraphina jolted awake, drenched in sweat.

Her vision—too vivid to be a dream—replayed in her mind. She saw Clied holding Vael's limp, bloodied body, crying out for help in the void.

"No…" she whispered.

Tears welled in her eyes. She rushed to her crystal orb and poured her mana into it. Darkness swirled. Fog. Blood. She gasped.

"It's not possible… That can't be his fate!"

She threw on her cloak and bolted into the city. She had no idea where Vael lived—but she had to find him.

Through alleyways and backstreets she searched, stopping at every turn to sense mana traces.

Then—she felt it.

A wave of sorrow. Thick and heavy. It clung to her skin like cold mist. A grief so powerful, it was like the house itself was weeping.

"This must be it…" she whispered.

She approached the door and knocked urgently. "Kira! Clied! It's me, Seraphina!"

No answer.

Inside, Kira held Clied close. He sobbed, trembling, eyes full of fear. The air was thick with sorrowful mana.

Seraphina's heart raced. "Open the door!" she called again.

But Kira didn't open it. She never opened doors to strangers.

With no time to waste, Seraphina summoned her strength and broke through the door.

Kira cried out in shock. "Wait!"

But Seraphina entered slowly, her eyes locking on Clied.

He was curled into himself, face red, clutching Kira tightly.

Seraphina knelt beside him and placed her hand on his head. Her eyes widened—mana was pouring from him in waves. Dark, overwhelming sorrow. No core. No control.

She drew her own energy inward and sent calming light into him. "It's okay, Clied… You're safe."

The dark mana began to fade. His crying softened. Kira wrapped her arms around him as Seraphina exhaled in relief.

Clied looked up, eyes still wet. "Where's Pat?"

"Where is he…?"

Seraphina turned to Kira. "Where's Vael?"

Kira hesitated, then shook her head. "He's not here."

Seraphina ran to the bedroom—empty.

Outside again, she scanned the horizon. Then she felt it—two powerful mana sources clashing in the distance. One of them was Vael.

"We're going," she said, holding out her hands.

Clied and Kira hesitated, then nodded. They had to know.

---

At the battlefield, the chaos had escalated.

Vael, wounded and bloodied, severed the fire-breathing head of the Trigon. Flames exploded around him.

"I haven't had a fight like this in twenty years," Vael muttered, breathing heavily.

Jack screamed in fury. The ice head spat a frozen beam, encasing Vael's scythe. The sound head followed, blasting a pitch so sharp that it tore at Vael's senses.

"You can't reach me!" Jack roared from above. "You can't win!"

Vael disappeared in a blur.

He reappeared behind Jack.

With one slice, the ice head fell. Trigon's massive body crashed to the ground, shaking the earth.

Jack, now back in his human form, lay slumped in the rubble—bloodied, breathless, and crawling backward like a desperate insect. His face twisted in fear as Vael approached, each step slow and deliberate, scythe dragging behind him like the toll of death itself.

Jack raised his trembling hands, forcing a weak laugh.

"H-Hey… y-you know," he stammered, lips twitching with panic, "all that stuff I said about you… it was a joke, y'know? Hehe… just a stupid joke…"

Vael's eyes were cold, unreadable.

Jack's voice cracked, scrambling as he backed away. "Y-You don't have to do this! I didn't mean any of it! It wasn't even me who sent the hunters—it was Simon Vaelen! I-I was just following orders!"

His feet fumbled over the broken ground, stumbling—

Then stopped.

He had backed into something.

Cold.

Silent.

A presence darker than the night itself.

The air turned thick. The shadows around him lengthened unnaturally, swallowing sound and warmth. Jack turned, breath caught in his throat.

Behind him stood a figure—tall and pale as a corpse, his long black hair flowing like ink, red eyes gleaming with quiet wrath. His coat fluttered as if moved by an unseen wind.

It was Dark.

He didn't speak at first. He simply stood there, towering like a wraith summoned from nightmares.

Then came the voice—soft, low, and razor-sharp.

"You sniveling worm."

Jack opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Dark raised his hand—two fingers extended, glowing with pulsing red veins, like liquid blood molded into blades. Without another word, he flicked them through the air in a blur.

Swish.

A whisper of crimson. A clean, eerie slice.

Jack's eyes widened.

His body trembled.

And then—his head slid from his shoulders, blood arcing through the air like a curtain before his body collapsed.

Dark stepped back from the corpse, shaking the blood from his fingers like water.

"You talk too much," he muttered, voice flat and cold as winter.

From the shadows, Vael watched silently, breathing heavily—blood staining his coat, pain flaring through every limb. But even in his broken state, his eyes held defiance.

"To think…" he rasped, "you're just another dog of the Vaelen family."

Dark didn't flinch.

He let Jack's head roll aside like trash and stepped forward slowly, his crimson eyes fixed on Vael.

"I've waited too long to taste this fight."

Vael spat blood, forcing a grin.

"Then stop talking… and come get it."

And in that shattered battlefield, the two forces of death finally clashed.