The air within the Heavenly Court still carried the weight of what had just been said.
The Immortal Emperor, Jaidis, leaned back slightly on his throne, his emerald eyes calm—but alert. Across from him, Rayon had already made his decision long before the conversation ended.
The silence between them wasn't empty.
It was understanding.
Jaidis finally spoke, his voice steady:
"The last I heard… the Zodiac are gathering forces in the Upper Realms. We don't know their exact objective yet—but everything points toward the One of Many."
A faint murmur spread across the hall.
"They call Ra the mad scientist now," Jaidis continued, a small, knowing smile forming. "You know him. Prideful. Brilliant. Dangerous. And reckless enough to try rewriting existence itself."
Rayon didn't respond immediately.
His eyes lowered slightly.
Then—
A small smirk.
"Since it's come to this…" he said calmly, "I won't blame you."
A pause.
"But he must've forgotten who I am."
Behind him, Erethon's grin stretched wide, almost feral.
"Ahh…" he chuckled, stepping forward slightly. "Are you finally ready to pull strings again, little monarch?"
That title.
It wasn't mockery.
It was history.
Rayon shifted his posture—slow, deliberate.
He crossed his right leg over his left, leaned back slightly, and folded his arms.
For a brief moment—
The entire Heavenly Court felt something they hadn't felt in five thousand years.
Pressure.
Not force.
Not killing intent.
Just presence.
Rayon spoke.
Calm.
Certain.
"I think it's time…"
A slight tilt of his head.
"…to let the Upper Realms know."
His eyes darkened.
"…the abyss will return."
The temperature in the hall dropped.
Not physically—
Conceptually.
Even the immortals seated around the court felt their thoughts hesitate.
Jaidis watched him closely.
Then asked:
"Will you start an all-out war?"
Rayon stood.
And laughed.
Not loudly.
But enough to make the question feel small.
"If I did that…"
He turned, walking past the throne.
"…I'd be naive."
A step.
"…and thinking too small, Jaidis."
That answer alone told the emperor everything.
This wasn't going to be war.
This was going to be control.
Rayon stopped briefly near the entrance, glancing back slightly.
"I'll visit you soon."
A pause.
"When I return… you'll hear what I'll do."
And just like that—
He vanished.
Erethon followed, still grinning.
Nyk cracked his neck once and disappeared right after.
Back to Averis —
The sky above Isola Krein was calm again.
Too calm.
A ripple of shadow tore open the air—and from it, Rayon, Nyk, and Erethon stepped out.
They didn't descend.
They simply… appeared.
Then vanished again.
Azelar sat outside as usual.
Tea in hand.
Unbothered.
Lucifer was laughing—riding on the back of Beelzebub, who had taken the form of a sleek black shadow panther, its star-like eyes glowing faintly.
Nyk stepped forward first, stretching.
"Yo, old man," he said, lighting a cigarette. "You ever thought about doing something other than drinking tea all day?"
Azelar slowly opened one eye.
"…Brat."
Sip.
"Tell me… what is there to do at my age other than enjoy tea?"
Before Nyk could respond—
THWACK.
A slipper smacked him clean across the head.
"MASTER—?!"
Azelar stood up, already reaching for the second slipper.
"Say something you can defend."
Nyk backed up instantly.
"WAIT WAIT—"
Christine stepped out just in time, arms crossed.
"Humph."
She looked at Nyk.
"You deserve it."
Then added casually:
"Womp womp."
Nyk froze.
"…Babe."
"Don't 'babe' me."
Azelar raised the slipper again.
Christine sighed, then turned slightly.
"Master… please don't damage him too much on my behalf."
Azelar clicked his tongue.
"Hmph."
But he lowered the slipper.
Barely.
Inside the Mansion -
Rayon walked in quietly.
The atmosphere inside was warm.
Peaceful.
A rare thing.
Luminous and Nexus were sitting together, talking softly.
The moment Nexus saw him—
She smiled.
"Hey, babe."
She leaned in and kissed him.
Rayon returned it naturally.
"Hey."
He sat beside them, relaxed.
Then looked at Luminous.
"Everything alright, Light?"
Luminous froze.
"…I—I'm fine."
She turned her head quickly.
Too quickly.
Nexus immediately noticed—and started laughing.
"Oh?"
She leaned slightly closer.
"Why are you blushing?"
Luminous snapped back.
"I am NOT—"
Her face got even redder.
"…humph."
Rayon just smiled quietly.
Then his gaze shifted.
To the crib between them.
Esdeath was awake.
Her black star eyes—slowly rotating.
Calm.
Observing.
Then—
She moved slightly.
Tiny hands lifting.
Her lips parted.
"…Ma…"
Nexus froze.
"…Da…"
Rayon's eyes softened.
"…Da…"
Luminous blinked.
"…Da…"
Silence.
Then—
Luminous covered her mouth slightly.
"That's… so cute…"
Rayon leaned forward, smiling gently.
"Hey, lil Es."
Esdeath immediately reached for him.
No hesitation.
He picked her up carefully.
And just like that—
She settled in his arms.
Comfortable.
Like that's where she belonged.
Nexus watched.
So did Luminous.
Both of them—without saying it—felt the same thing.
This man.
Rayon.
The one they first met—
Was not this man.
That version of him…
Saw the world for what it truly was.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
Without illusion.
He wasn't good.
He wasn't evil.
He simply acted.
Efficient.
Ruthless.
Unstoppable.
And he still was.
But now—
There was something else.
Something new.
Something… human.
Two children.
Lucifer.
Esdeath.
They didn't weaken him.
They changed him.
And somehow—
That made him even more dangerous.
Esdeath looked up at him.
Smiled softly.
And said one more word.
"…li.terwawy." (Literally)
Rayon blinked.
Then laughed quietly.
"Yeah…"
He looked at both his children.
Then at Nexus.
Then briefly at Luminous.
"…literally."