Later that day, Renen was outside the cave, swinging his sword in measured arcs. Rem watched from behind a rock, not a large one, so her hiding place was obvious.
"Hm? What is it, brat? You wanna learn the art of the blade?"
She shyly crept from her cover and nodded.
"For a girl like you to be drawn to the sword so strongly… you must've been through hell," Renen muttered, watching her carefully. "Alright then. I'll teach you. But it won't be easy, and I won't go soft on you. Got that?"
Rem nodded again, just as slowly.
"Good. Now, catch." He tossed his sword straight at her.
Isira appeared in a blur, snatching Rem out of the way. The sword clattered to the ground and promptly morphed into Kiki.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" both Kiki and Isira screamed.
"What? I was just gonna train her."
"With a real sword?! Are you insane, Ren?!" Isira shouted.
"I said I wouldn't take it easy on her!"
"YOU'RE A MANIAC -KIKI! SHE'S A CHILD!" Kiki barked, smacking Renen in the head.
Renen frowned, confused. His father, Bjorn the Flying Axe, had taught him blacksmithing and fencing when he was barely taller than a blade. What was the problem?
Isira grabbed his arm and pulled him aside. "Kiki, can you take Rem inside? I need to talk to Renen."
"Sure thing -kiki! Let's go, little one." said Kiki, guiding Rem gently by the hand.
Isira turned to Renen. "Come on. Walk with me."
"Hm? What for?"
"Because if I yell at you here, in front of her, it won't help either of you."
"…Fair."
They walked in silence for a bit, weaving through the ridges on the outskirts of the underground city. Above them, the soft blue-green glow of bioluminescent algae shimmered on the ceiling like a starless sky. The hum of life in the city below gave way to quiet, and the tension between them slowly settled.
"So," Renen said, stopping. "Why are we here, Isira?"
Isira's eyes drifted across the glowing vista. "Remember when you taught me how to fight? After sparring, we'd take long walks like this, out in the forest."
"Under the old pine. I remember."
"Back then, I couldn't even imagine a normal life. My father arranged my whole future, sold off my mom and forced me into an engagement with a monster. If you hadn't taught me to fight, I would've stayed trapped in that mansion, living under someone else's thumb. You gave me a way out, Ren. Thank you."
"…Why are you bringing this up now?"
"Because when I saw Rem watching you today… I saw myself. That look in her eyes, it wasn't excitement. It was desperation. She's not chasing strength for fun, Ren. She's still fighting something we can't see. She's scared."
Renen frowned, glancing at the cave in the distance. "She asked to learn, didn't she?"
"Yes. But not like that. You tossed a real weapon at her without a second thought. That wasn't training. That was a trauma trigger waiting to happen."
"I went at it haphazardly, huh?" Renen sighed. "But Isira… the sword gave you strength, didn't it? If not for the blade, we might never have met. When I had nothing; when my whole village spat on me; the sword gave me something to hold onto. Maybe I couldn't erase your pain, but I gave you the means to fight back. I thought… maybe I could do the same for her."
"You did give me that strength. But I'm not her. Rem's just a child. She doesn't need a sword right now. She needs safety. She needs to know she doesn't have to fight anymore, not alone."
Renen nodded slowly. "Then that's where you come in. You're her anchor. I'll be the blade, if she ever chooses to pick it up."
A quiet moment passed between them, lit only by the faint bioluminescence of the city ceiling.
"Hey, Ren," she said softly.
"Hm?"
"I just wanted a normal family, you know? And when I saw you toss that sword at her like it was nothing… it felt like that dream slipped a little further away."
Renen lowered his gaze. "Normalcy, huh… I wish I could've given you that."
"Renen…"
"I wish I could've asked you beneath a sky full of stars, somewhere high and quiet, where the world felt far away, and all you could hear was my heart."
She chuckled, "Oh, Ren…"
"I wish a day would come where I could just do this --" He suddenly scooped her up by the waist and spun her in the air. She gasped, then laughed, clinging to his shoulders. "-- and dance with you like there's no war, no demons, no guilt. Just us. If I were stronger… maybe that day would've come sooner."
He held her close.
Isira leaned her head against his chest. "It's okay, Ren. We're getting there."
Isira murmured before closing the gap, kissing Renen deeply. Their embrace was so tender, they both fell into the glowing grass, the world feeling suspended around them.
"Ren, I wish I could love you freely, without worrying about the weight of tomorrow. I wish I could hold you forever, kiss you without fear, but it never feels like enough to express how much you mean to me." She whispered, her voice trembled with the ache of unspoken fears, a deep longing to be closer, but tethered by the unspeakable uncertainties that always loomed.
As she slowly revealed more of herself, the intensity of the moment began to snap Renen back to reality.
"Wait, Isira... I think we're going too far," Renen said, pulling gently away, his heart racing, both from love and sudden doubt.
"I'm sorry," Isira whispered, her voice faltering.
"No, I'm sorry too," Renen replied, his voice strained.
They sat in silence, the awkward tension between them palpable. Despite having been married for a decade, their love remained intense but distant, caught in a complex web of hope and fear. The two of them had consciously avoided intimacy, never able to shake the nagging thought that bringing life into this fractured world would be an injustice to a child. And yet, that desire for closeness lingered, creating an aching void between them.
"Hey, doesn't this seem like a nice place for a picnic?" Isira said, her gaze drifting to the glowing Amarula tree above them, dragonflies weaving in and out of the shimmering branches. "We should come back here with Kiki and Rem."
"For real?" Renen looked around, taking in the quiet beauty of the spot. "Yeah, I guess we could."
After a few quiet moments, back at their humble abode, the familiar rhythm of lunch began. The table was set with a steaming pot of sunroot stew, thick and golden, infused with wild herbs and fire-blossom petals that added a faint warmth with every spoonful. Beside it sat a basket of honey-glazed flatbread, still warm from the stone oven, wrapped in linen and smelling faintly of cinnamon bark. A small dish of smoked river trout, cured with moon salt and lemonleaf, flaked apart at the touch. In the centre, a simple salad of pickled Crescent fruit and greens sparkled like dew in the low torchlight, finished with a drizzle of olive oil.
Isira hummed softly as she ladled the stew into carved wooden bowls, her apron dusted with flour. Cooking was her love language, a way to care for those she cherished, and she always seemed to go all out when it came to Renen.
"Oh boy! This looks amazing! I can't wait to dig in!" Renen exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement.
"Me too -kiki!" Kiki chirped happily.
"Teehee! You guys are too kind! You're making me blush!" Isira placed a hand on her cheek, feigning modesty but smiling nonetheless.
"THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD!" Renen and Kiki shouted in unison.
Isira glanced over at Rem, who was sitting quietly, staring at the food before her. "Hey, Rem. Aren't you going to --" Her words faltered as she noticed the tears rolling down the girl's cheeks.
"Thank you…" Rem choked out, her voice trembling as she grabbed the food with shaking hands. "Thank you, thank you, thank you…" The tears kept falling, too many to count, as she hunched over, overwhelmed.
Isira's heart ached as she gently pulled Rem into her arms, holding her close. "This is your home now, Rem," she whispered, her voice soft but firm with the certainty of her words.
Rem continued to sob, her small body wracked with emotion as she tried to process what this all meant. Between the sobs, she managed a strained, "Waaah~!!" Her cry was full of confusion, relief, and the unspoken weight of her past.
Renen and Kiki exchanged glances, a quiet understanding passing between them. They both smiled, proud of the home they were building for this little girl who had no place to belong -- until now.
A few hours later, Renen stood with his arms crossed, pointing at a massive hole in the wall, the remnants of his fists' handiwork from the week before. "Alright, little squirt. This is your new room. I even got you a little bed. I punched the hell out of that wall to make this space for you, so you better appreciate it. Got it?"
Rem immediately ran and hid behind Isira, looking up at Renen with wide, frightened eyes.
"Geez, Ren, you don't have to intimidate her," Isira said, giving him a playful shove before gently petting Rem on the head. She smiled softly at her, offering reassurance.
Renen and Isira tucked Rem into bed. Isira sat beside her and began to hum a soft melody, a Kemmutian lullaby.
"This is the song my mother used to sing to me," she said gently. "I didn't understand the words back then, but the Oracle translated them for me years later. Do you want to know what they mean?"
Rem nodded silently.
Isira brushed Rem's hair back and sang softly:
"Sleep, little one, beneath the moon's gentle eye,
Iteru's soft waves will sing you a reply.
Isis enfolds you, her wings warm and deep.
No serpent shall sting you, no crocodile creep.
The stars are your blanket, the reeds your sweet bed…
Close your eyes, child, and rest your head."
Rem's eyes fluttered shut, her breath steadying. Kiki, Renen, and Isira all exchanged quiet smiles. Before leaving, Isira leaned down and kissed Rem's forehead.
Later that night, all was still. Renen and Isira slept soundly, with Kiki curled at the foot of the bed like a loyal pup; a safeguard against temptation, as the couple still held firm in their vow of abstinence, fearful of bringing life into a world not yet ready for it.
A faint rustle stirred Renen from sleep.
He opened one eye and nearly jumped. Rem was standing at his bedside, her eyes wide, her cheeks stained with tears.
"Whoa!" Renen gasped, clutching his chest. "Ugh… it's just you."
He blinked the sleep from his eyes and sat up slightly. "What is it, kid? What're you doing up?"
"Nightmare," she whispered.
"You had a nightmare?" he murmured, rubbing his forehead. "Well… at least you're self-aware enough to know it's just a dream. Now go back to sleep."
Renen pulled the blanket over his head with a groan. A soft poke landed on his shoulder.
"What now?" he muttered.
"I'm… scared."
He peeked out from beneath the covers. Rem stood there, small and solemn in the dark. He sighed.
"Alright. Just for tonight. You hear me?"
Rem nodded. She crawled into bed, nestling between him and Isira. Renen groaned internally. With Rem in the middle, cuddling Isira was off the table. Still, it was a minor inconvenience. He figured she'd outgrow this kind of thing soon enough.
Days passed, and the three of them fell into rhythm; awkward at first, but slowly becoming something close to a family. Rem began helping Isira cook and clean around the house. She mimicked Renen's training in secret, brandishing a stick like a sword whenever his back was turned. Whenever he glanced her way, she'd duck behind the same small rock, convinced it made her invisible. It didn't, but Renen pretended not to notice. Day by day, her swings grew bolder, less shy. One morning, without a word, Renen handed her a sturdier stick and adjusted her stance. No ceremony, no speeches. Just a quiet nod. From then on, they trained together in silence; two shadows dancing beneath the cavern light. Sometimes she curled up beside him; copying him as he sketched the contours of the city or the soft lines of Isira's face.
She formed a quick bond with Kiki, too. Once the nightmares faded, Kiki became her bedtime companion. A plush, living comfort she clung to as she slept.
Renen sometimes took her flying around the city on his old carpet, pointing out landmarks and hidden corners of their world. Eventually, he brought her to Sefu's bar and introduced her to his comrades. They welcomed her warmly, toasting to the strange, beautiful fact that Renen had built something resembling a family.
Now and then, they'd all share ramen at the stall in the heart of the Underground City, laughing and trading stories over steaming bowls. On quieter days, Renen and Isira would take Rem to visit the grave of the Flying Axe. Little by little, the weight of the world outside faded. When Renen was with Rem, Isira, and Kiki, he didn't feel like a survivor anymore; he felt like a man who had something worth protecting.
The new family often gathered beneath the glowing amarula tree for picnics, where the soft grass shimmered with bioluminescent flecks and dragonflies danced in the filtered light. Renen and Isira would lounge nearby, watching Rem and Kiki chase the glittering insects through the air. Whenever Rem stumbled and scraped her knee, Kiki would flutter over and heal her with a grumble and a flash of gentle magic.
At night, they would lie on their backs, eyes turned to the glowing algae on the cavern ceiling, pretending the dots of light were distant stars. Bit by bit, Rem's guarded silence gave way to giggles and grins. She laughed freely now. Smiled often. Once, she even stole Renen's flying carpet and zipped through the city on her own, manoeuvring it with such daring precision that even Renen had to admit, she had a streak of mischief in her.
Each morning, she sparred with Renen, swinging a wooden sword nearly as tall as she was. She had a knack for it, picking up stances and strikes with uncanny speed. One afternoon, she enlisted Kiki to help her cook a surprise meal for Renen and Isira. The result was… catastrophic. But Isira beamed with pride anyway, declaring that Renen would honour her by eating every bite. He did. He regretted it. His stomach never forgave him.
During one of their picnics beneath the glowing amarula tree, Rem tugged at Isira's sleeve and shyly offered a crumpled sheet of paper. It was a drawing --rough and earnest -- of their little family: herself, Renen, Isira, Kiki, and the flying carpet hovering crookedly above their heads. The figures all drawn with oversized eyes and crooked limbs, coloured outside the lines with a child's fearless abandon.
Renen and Kiki burst out laughing, unable to contain themselves. Isira shot Renen a sharp elbow to the ribs. But then her gaze drifted to the bottom of the page, where two uneven scrawls stood out beneath the taller figures: "Mommy" and "Daddy."
Isira froze. Her lips parted. A tremble passed through her as if the words had reached into her chest and unlocked something long buried. She brought a hand to her mouth, but it was no use. The tears came fast.
Renen wrapped an arm around her shoulders, guiding her into his embrace as she wept against him. Rem tilted her head, puzzled by the sudden emotion, unsure if she had done something wrong. Renen met her eyes and opened an arm.
She didn't hesitate.
Rem darted into his chest, folding into the space between them. Kiki waddled over and pressed himself against their sides, arms barely reaching but trying anyway. Beneath the low-hanging branches of the amarula tree, the four of them held each other in a quiet, trembling hush.
For that fleeting moment, the broken world felt distant. And family felt like the only truth left.
Far away, in a land where warmth had long been forsaken, the sun vanished behind a colossal, inverted pyramid that hovered in the sky like a judgment. A monstrous bee drifted through the desolation, across cracked earth, lakes turned to congealed blood, and fields littered with bones. Crows pecked hesitantly at entrails strung through the blackened branches of dead trees. Decapitated heads adorned the terrain like rotting jack-o'-lanterns.
The bee buzzed onward toward the looming pyramid, but a winged demon intercepted its path. Its claws curved like sickles, each over a foot long. "Another lost soul? Let me free you from your misery."
The clawed demon lunged; claws flashing, poised to tear the bee apart. But in a blink, a blur cut through the air. A second demon, spear in hand, intercepted the strike without even facing his foe. His back was turned, his posture calm, yet his weapon met the blow with flawless precision. The clash erupted in a thunderous shockwave, splitting the mountain behind them into four jagged shards, as if the world itself had gasped.
"Why did you stop me, Xedet?"
Xedet stood still, his form a haunting fusion of armour and flesh, metallic plates merged seamlessly with living tissue, pulsing faintly with unnatural energy. His face was masked by a helmet that looked grown rather than forged, partially obscured by long, snow-white braids, some of which draped across his eyes. Four wings spread from his back…three pristine, one scarred and torn, a relic of some previous battle.
"This is no ordinary creature, Wenex-su," Xedet said, his voice calm and resonant. "Look closer. She carries the lingering will of Meret-Biti, the Queen Bee."
"The lingering will?! That's… that's impossible."
"No. Most likely, she was defeated by the humans."
"What?! Impossible!"
"Do not despair, Wenex-su. On the contrary, this may serve us well. If her soul endures, even faintly, she may yet lead us to them. Her senses, even now, may be locked onto their trail."
"This… this changes everything."
"Indeed," Xedet said. "I must report this to the Ten Akhekhu at once."
With effortless grace, Xedet lifted the enormous bee and ascended toward the pyramid's tip, which hovered in the heavens like a stone omen. "Lead me to the void," he commanded.
The apex of the floating pyramid responded; petals of obsidian stone unfurling to reveal a tunnel aglow with eerie blue light. Xedet flew through, the passage humming with arcane energy. For nearly a minute, he moved in silence, the light ahead gradually intensifying until it burst into a haunting radiance.
He emerged, now standing on a luminous disc suspended over a vast corridor. The walls were built not just from stone, but from the petrified remains of human bodies, fused into the architecture. Their twisted faces still bore the agony of their final moments. Echoes of their souls drifted like whispers through the air, a symphony of despair that didn't so much as stir Xedet's focus.
He walked forward, unwavering, until he reached the gate.
It towered like a monument to forgotten horrors. Constructed from bark blackened with age, its structure was tangled with sinewy roots, gnarled and pulsing faintly; as though breathing. Veins of crimson throbbed beneath the surface, and the wooden texture seemed more grown than built. The gate was alive. Coated in layers of preserved human flesh, it loomed with a presence that defied comprehension.
But the real horror was the face at the centre.
Set above the passage was a grotesque visage; a warped replica of an ekpe mask. Its twisted, horned forehead rose in knots, like a crown of war. Slitted eyes glared, empty and all-knowing. Fleshy, overdrawn red lips stretched into an impossibly wide grin. Beneath them, a row of massive ivory teeth, sharp as a lion's fangs, clenched shut, as if awaiting a fool to dare approach.
As Xedet stepped before the gate, a low growl rumbled through the frame, vibrating the air like a storm waiting to burst.
"Let me in," said Xedet.
At once, with an agonizing creak like groaning bones, the mask's mouth began to open; splitting at the seams like torn bark. The jaw dislocated not just outward, but unfurled grotesquely, blooming like a cursed blossom. Inside: no tongue. Only a black tunnel of writhing vines and echoing whispers, pulling the soul forward. A gust of cold, fetid air burst forth, reeking of wet wood, old blood, and something older still.
This was no mere doorway, but a threshold between the seen and unseen. A trial of spirit. Only those strong enough to withstand the smile and the silence could pass through.
As Xedet walked into the passageway of the mouth, the gate grinned wider, proud, perhaps, or hungry.
A hush fell over the air the moment he crossed the threshold of that living gate. On the other side lay a vast chamber with the Horn Of The Underworld suspended beneath a thunderous black cloud. The chamber held ten pale stone pillars, each one rising like a spine broken into the sky. Moonlight filtered through unseen windows, casting the columns into ghostly towers whose capitals vanished into gloom. Atop each pillar sat a lone figure; beings with an oppressive aura emanating from them. Each of them gleamed at Xedet with patient curiosity. These were, the ten Akhekhu.
Xedet stepped forward, the echo of his steel boots pulsing like a heartbeat in the stillness. Each step disturbing the silence as the shallow water below his soles erupted in ripples. The floating horn overhead offered nothing but shadows. Behind him, the mouth of the gate slammed shut with a final, hollow thud, sealing him in.
As he advanced and dropped to one knee, the Ten Akhekhu tilted their heads in unison. A low chant rose from the flooded stone floor, vibrating in resonance with a human's pulse.
"Greetings, great saints of Lord Apep. I come with great news," said Xedet. Each word slithered up the pillars, as though spoken by the wind itself.
"In a world that hath noght good to offer," intoned the katana-wielding Akhekhu seated upon the central throne, "what manner news is that thou art come to telle us, Xedet?"
"I shall start with the unfortunate news first, Milord. Meret-Biti has been defeated… by humans."
"Who is this Meret-Biti that thou speakest of?" asked the katana-wielding Akhekhu, his voice as calm as it was ancient.
"She was one of your most powerful spawns, Milord. The Queen of the Bees."
The Akhekhu raised a cup carved from bone and sipped from it. The thick blood within clung to the rim. He frowned slightly, delving into the dim vaults of memory.
"Queen of the Bees, thou sayest? Hm. Certes, I can scarce mind me the existence of such a soul. Yet, alas, her death is not to be mourned. Such is the fell way of this wretched world. At the least, she hath found some comfort and rest in death, as all living things are destined to. Pray, tell us the matter plain, that we may understand thy meaning."
"Very well, Milord," said Xedet. "The Queen of the Bees possessed a formidable gift: by simply sensing an enemy once, she could track them to the ends of the earth, until her bloodlust was quenched. This power extended not only to her, but to all her subordinates."
The katana-wielding Akhekhu leaned forward, fingers stroking his chin, intrigued.
"This giant bee I bear in my arms is one such subordinate who survived the assault. And not only did it survive, within it lingers the will of Meret-Biti herself. Through it, we may now track the remnants of mankind… including Renenhotep and Isira."
"Merveillous, indeed," said the katana-wielding demon, "that this Meret-Biti hath been so steadfast in her pursuit of oblivion for al menneskynde. I preise hir diligence and unyeldynge spirit. Thurgh her vertu, we may sone finde deliveraunce from this cursed lyf, and falle into the endless silence of oblivion that abideth us alle."
He raised his cup once more.
"Thou hast owen us graunt mercies for this tydynge, Xedet. Go forth, and fulfille thy purpos."
"Thank you, Milord," Xedet said, bowing his head again.
He departed the pyramid, his message delivered. At the summit, Wenex-su stood waiting.
"So, how did it go?"
"Let us return to the Longxia Kingdom. We will plan our strategy from there," said Xedet, and took to the skies.
"Very well," Wenex-su replied, following him into the horizon.
A few hours later, the two demons arrived in the capitol of the Kingdom of Longxia. This Kingdom was once the largest empire in the Eastern continent. Now it was a negative of a photograph. Where buildings once stood, skeletal frames clawed at the sky, their steel ribs twisted into shapes that defied gravity, like the bones of a fossilized beast petrified mid-scream. The streets had been scoured to a glassy sheen, fused sand glittering like a field of crushed diamonds under the sun. Shadows lingered where they shouldn't. A woman's outline burned into stone steps, her hand forever reaching for a child who had been vaporized mid-stride. The air hummed with a phantom heat, carrying the stench of burnt hair and ozone, a metallic tang that clung to the tongue like the taste of a battery.
The river flowed black, choked with ash and bodies bloated beyond recognition, their skin sloughing off in translucent sheets. Trees stood leafless and split, bark stripped to reveal wood polished smooth by the onslaught of demonic attacks, as if sanded by a god's careless thumb.
The valley cradled its wounds like a mother cradling a stillborn child. The explosions caused by the demon's magic had bitten into the earth with a dragon's maw, leaving a crater where factories and homes had folded inward, collapsing into a slurry of molten brick and flesh. Spiders and insects crawled over the shattered porcelain, remnants of tea sets from kitchens that no longer existed. A Septumian cathedral's remnants stood as a broken jawbone. Stone saints lay headless, their limbs sheared off mid-prayer. A bell tower had toppled, its bronze bell cracked open, the clapper rusted in a puddle of rainwater mixed with ash. The hillsides were carpeted with pine trees burned into charcoal sketches; their needles replaced by glass tears.
There was a surreal stillness. Birds avoided the skies. Insects refused to burrow in the soil. Even the sunlight felt altered and harsher, as if the screams of the people of Longxia had cracked the lens of the sky itself. Most disturbing was the incompleteness of the destruction. A single sake cup, unbroken, sat upright in the ash. A unicycle, its frame warped around a tree trunk, wheels still spinning faintly in the wind. A schoolyard chalkboard, half-melted, still bore the chalk marks of a lesson interrupted, 'Homework: Write letters to your future selves.' The landscape felt like the end of time.
At the centre of this desolation stood a colossal jade castle, half-collapsed and open to the sky. Its courtyard was littered with the charred remains of Imperial soldiers who had fought to their bitter end. Wind whistled through its shattered walls, sounding like the wailing of spirits unable to let go, unaware that this world had nothing left worth holding onto.
This accursed fortress had become the citadel of the Cult of Apep; a gathering of beings who had once been human, but whose essence had been irrevocably altered by their devotion to forbidden knowledge. They were disciples of ancient Kemmutian priests who, in their arrogance, had forsaken Ma'at, the principle of cosmic balance and order, in favour of Isfet; the unnameable force of chaos, and undoing. To them, Isfet was not a mere concept, but a god; a devouring, void-born serpent that coiled around existence itself, unmaking it inch by inch. In their eyes, the end of the world was not merely inevitable, it was necessary. It was a cleansing, a return to the cold and timeless void that had birthed the stars.
In their madness, the Cult of Apep had forsaken all hope, believing that destruction; total, unrelenting, and absolute; was the highest form of truth. They revelled in the annihilation of life, for in their shattered minds, only through obliteration could the shackles of order and reason be broken. In the great serpent Apep, who devoured the sun each night, they found their god. Those who drank of the blood of the Ten Akhekhu; ancient beings of unimaginable power; were transformed into demons, their forms now shaped by a twisted union of human and otherworldly horror. Together, they had brought ruin to the world, turning it to ash and dust, their minds consumed by the madness of Isfet.
When Xedet and Wenex-su returned, the castle's fiends gathered in the throne room. Xedet addressed them, laying out his plan to use the Queen Bee's lingering will to track the surviving humans.
"That about sums it up," said Xedet. "Does anyone have anything further to add?"
"I do," said Wenex-su. "I want to take command of this operation."
"I have no objections," replied Xedet. "Shall I join you? Renen and his strongest legions will surely be present."
"Nah," Wenex-su waved him off. "I don't plan on turning this into a full-scale confrontation. I just want to take something important from Renen. That'll lure him into the palm of our hands, where we can offer him to the Akhekhu. I'll be bringing an army. No need for reckless theatrics."
"Then you have my support. Track the bee. Do not harm it. It is vital to our plan."
"You have my word, partner. Shahahaha!" Wenex-su laughed.
"I would like to join you on this little excursion, Mr. Wenex-su." A voice echoed from beyond the jade pillars. "After all, I have a bone to pick with Ragna and Roberta… or should I say, Renenhotep and Isira."
A figure stepped from the shadows. A blond-haired man with a chiselled jaw and a scar cleaving through his left eye, which was hidden by a black eyepatch. A single long horn jutted from the right side of his skull.
"Victor Von Einsbern," said Xedet. "You seek revenge? You would risk the fate of mankind for a grudge?"
"Oh, most certainly," Victor grinned, childlike and vicious. "These scars still ache like hell. Until I settle things with them, they'll never heal."
"Wouldn't you consider that selfish? In human terms?" asked Xedet.
"Selfish? That's harsh. I'm doing this for my people too!" Victor gestured to the crowd behind him. "Renenhotep gets crowned with titles like The Sword Saint, The King of Mankind, The Chosen One. They feel unearned. Some of us don't want a nappy-headed monkey as our so-called savior. It doesn't sit right, does it, boys?"
"YEEHAW! WHOO!" his followers roared.
They were known as The Hoodwinked, a terrorist group from Septum, infamous for centuries of lynchings and hate crimes against people from the Dark Continent. After the world collapsed and the Akhekhu rose, they turned to Isfet, resentful that their potential savior was a non-Septumian. They adopted the very ideology born in the lands they despised. In a cruel irony, they defaced Kemmutian artifacts to resemble Septumians; artifacts that would vanish entirely if their side succeeded. They had sold their humanity to become demons, betraying their own ideals of racial purity. Worse still, they secretly kept sex slaves from the East and the Dark Continent.
"Very well, human," Wenex-su's voice dripped with icy disdain. "You may prove useful."
Following the great bee, Wenex-su departed the ruined castle, his presence a disturbance in the fabric of reality itself. Victor, now bearing batlike wings that stretched grotesquely from his back, followed closely behind.
"Hard to believe I'm leaving Longxia again," Victor mused, his tone filled with eerie nostalgia. "This is where I mastered the art of Chi."
"Shut your trap, human," Wenex-su snapped, his voice venomous. "Don't play friendly with me. As much as I despise humanity, I hate traitors more than anything else."
"Well, that's funny," Victor smirked, his eyes alight with cold amusement. "Aren't you planning to destroy everything, including yourselves? Isn't that a betrayal of demonkind?"
"Shut it!" Wenex-su's voice turned guttural, his fury like a boiling abyss. "We don't pursue destruction for petty revenge. We do it to liberate all life from entropy's suffocating grip."
"Liberation. Freedom." Victor sneered. "How I hate those words. They cost me my eye and my dignity. And who are you to speak of freeing a species you despise?"
"I care nothing for humanity. I fight for demonkind. The Ten Akhekhu are the only ones who still feel pity for mortals. That is why they must be eradicated. We destroy them with violence, yes, but in the end, the pain will cease. The sentiment, the memory, it will remain."
"That's... twisted," Victor muttered, his voice barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of a thousand broken dreams.
Behind them, a thousand members of The Hoodwinked ascended into the air, their black-robed forms swirling like an unnatural cloud, blotting out the sun as they followed the bee into the dying world. A world that seemed to tremble at their approach, as though it knew the weight of the annihilation they would bring.
After a couple of hours, they reached the northern part of the Dark Continent, deep in the heart of Kemmutu. The bee continued south, following the winding path of the Iteru River.
Meanwhile, in the underground city, a festival was underway -- the Wonderbloom Night. This ceremony traditionally took place during the first week of summer in the Kingdom of Kemmutu. Now, the practice had carried over into the subterranean city, adapted through cultural osmosis as various demographics learned to live alongside the Kemmutians.
Renen and Kiki were ready to head out of the house for the celebration. Renen wore a black boubou robe adorned with white engravings. Kiki, in turn, wore a black kufi cap meant to complement Renen's outfit.
"Hm. I wonder what's taking them so long," Renen muttered.
Rem stepped out, flanked by four attendants, their silks whispering as they walked. She wore a shimmering kalasiris dress, her hair styled in bold, jumbo box braids that cascaded like ropes of polished obsidian. She looked both regal and bashful, like a princess. Befitting of the child of Renenhotep and Isira.
Renen and Kiki's eyes lit up with pure joy. They bounced on their toes, hands clasped beneath their chins as if holding back an explosion of excitement. A pink blush bloomed across their cheeks, and a high-pitched squeal burst from their mouths. They swayed side to side, practically vibrating with happiness; like a kettle about to boil over.
"WHOA!! REM, YOU LOOK SO CUTE~!!!" they both screamed at the top of their lungs.
"Huh?! You think I look cute?" Rem blinked, cheeks puffed in mock indignation, but a smile peeked
through. "I-I don't usually wear stuff like this, b-but... if you think it's nice, then… then I like it too!"
She punched her fists up like a tiny boxer rallying courage.
Renen and Kiki let out another squeal and lunged forward to hug her.
"SO CUTE~!!!" they yelled.
"You both look cool too!" said Rem, laughing. "Kiki, gimme that hat when you're done with it!"
"NOT A CHANCE IN HELL -KIKI!!" Kiki replied bashfully.
Then the scent of jasmine and myrrh wafted through the air as Isira stepped out of the bedroom, attended by four more servants. Her kalasiris was the colour of ripened peaches, and her albaso-style braids framed her face with elegance and grace. Renen caught sight of her, and time hiccupped.
He stood frozen, blushing, mouth slightly agape as if struck by a divine vision. Kiki and Rem swayed in place again, overcome by awe.
"IS THAT A GODDESS?! KIKI!" shrieked Kiki.
Rem ran up and hugged her. "Mom! You look so pretty!"
Isira knelt, placing her hands on Rem's cheeks and gently cupping her face. "Oh, Rem, you look absolutely beautiful. Let's make today special and enjoy the festival together, alright sweetheart?"
"Yeah!" Rem shouted, nodding enthusiastically.
The eight servants blushed and chuckled among themselves, charmed by Rem's cuteness.
Isira looked up at Renen and twirled, her curls cascading over her shoulders. "We're ready to go, Ren," she said with a warm smile.
Renen was speechless. He swallowed hard before stammering, "Right! L-let's go!" He marched ahead stiffly like a malfunctioning robot, heart pounding.
She looks just like she did on our wedding day. Ten festivals later and I'm still not used to this… he thought.
"Dad! You forgot to tell Mom that she's beautiful!"
"GAHH!!" Renen flinched like he'd been zapped.
"Yeah! You spaghetti-headed jerk! Kiki!" yelled Kiki.
"Yeah! You black boubou wearer!" shouted Rem as she stuck her tongue out.
"Wait, Rem… 'black boubou wearer' isn't an insult. That's just what he's wearing -kiki!" Kiki explained.
"White boubou wearer!" Rem yelled again, doubling down.
Kiki facepalmed. "Rem, c'mon! That's just laundry choices. If you wanna roast your dad, you gotta go big! Think: Mop Top! Knotzilla! Rope Ranger! Loc Star! Tentacle Head! You know, something like that! Kiki!"
"Blue boubou wearer!" Rem shouted.
"NOW YOU'RE JUST MAKING STUFF UP!! KIKI!!"
Renen scowled, and Isira scowled right at Kiki.
"DON'T TEACH THE CHILD TO INSULT PEOPLE!" Isira yelled, punching Kiki in the back of the head. He flew forward toward Renen.
Renen spun around, cocking his fist. "DON'T MAKE FUN OF MY LOCS, YOU BEAN BAG!!" he roared, launching an uppercut that sent Kiki flying toward the rocky ceiling.
Bang!
Kiki smashed into the rock. His body flattened like paper, and he slowly drifted down like a leaf in autumn, landing in Rem's arms.
"Pancake," Rem said, looking down at him.
Kiki wheezed, "You're… enjoying this… way too much… kiki…"
Renen exhaled. He turned to Isira, gaze steady. "Isira. You look beautiful."
"You look great too, Ren."
They locked eyes and chuckled softly. Rem looked up at them, grinning from ear to ear, glowing from the love and warmth her parents radiated.
As Renen and his family stepped out of the house with the eight servants, they found Joe Cloud Van Dammit, Seijuro Yamashita, and Lin Zexu waiting for them near the cave, overlooking the city. All three were wearing boubous.
"Hey! Sorry for keeping you guys waiting," said Renen.
Lin Zexu bowed silently. Seijuro turned away without a word.
"Hiyah!! Don't stress about it, Renny boy! We've got the whole day ahead!! Hiyah!!" Joe Cloud Van Dammit shouted. "And by the way, you all look splendid! Allow me to perform the backflip splits in honour of your radiance! Hiyaaah!!"
With that, Joe launched himself ten meters into the air, flipped, and landed hard in the splits, right on his groin. He didn't flinch. Instead, he punched the air with fierce resolve.
"Wachaa!!"
Rem, Isira, Kiki, and the eight servants all clapped with sparkling eyes. "Whoa!"
"Thank you for that little… demonstration, Van Dammit," said Renen. "Where's everyone else?"
"They're still at the bar, Renny boy! But they'll be joining us soon! Wachaa~!" Joe replied, still holding the splits like it was a victory pose.
"Alright. We'll meet them ahead. Let's have fun at the festival, everyone. Okay?!"
"Yeah!" came the resounding reply.
The cavern thrummed with music, laughter, and a riot of golden light.
Steam curled from food stalls shaped like sandstone papyrus scrolls, their surfaces etched with hieroglyphic menus that shimmered in the heat. Linen banners stitched with glyphs fluttered from obsidian spires, catching the glow of drifting motes from the cavern ceiling. High above, luminous bubbles called whisperblooms floated lazily through the warm air.
The scent of cumin-lamb skewers tangled with bursts of incense and syrup from date palms. Vendors hollered over one another, selling honey-soaked basbousa, tamarind-stuffed lotus pastries, and clay whistles shaped like scarabs and ibises. Painted children darted past. Renen's group wove through the revelry, swept up in its warmth and noise.
"Mom! Mom! Can I try the beetle toss?" Rem begged, tugging at Isira's sleeve. She pointed to a game stall where players flicked polished obsidian beetles across a low silt-board into floating lotus bowls heated by geothermal vents. Land one, win a prize.
Isira handed a few shell-beads to the vendor. "One round. Make it count."
Rem gripped the beetle with both hands, her tongue sticking out in concentration.
Kiki, her ever-loyal shoulder gremlin, leaned in. "Aim for the left one. Right one's rigged -kiki!"
"No cheating," Renen deadpanned, gently flicking Kiki into a nearby rock.
Nearby, Joe Cloud Van Dammit stood on one pinkie finger atop a sandstone block, his silhouette framed by glowing fire-lanterns. "Behold! The ultimate festival pose! HIYAH!" he cried, flipping into a handstand and somehow catching a meat skewer in his teeth on the way down.
"Showoff," muttered Seijuro, clutching a stuffed linen crocodile he'd just won at an archery stall.
Lin Zexu nodded in approval. "I'll have to admit, his center of gravity is quite admirable."
In a quiet alcove between incense sellers and spice weavers, an elder priestess sat cross-legged behind a low wooden table. Her hands moved with a slow, practiced grace, mixing henna from crushed rose quartz and black lotus sap.
"Each line is a promise," she murmured, beckoning Rem forward.
Isira nudged her gently. "Try it. It's fun."
Rem hesitated, then clambered onto the stool, holding out her hand. Kiki perched on the priestess's shoulder instantly.
"Make hers say she'll win all the beetle tosses next year -kiki!"
The priestess grinned. "Perhaps. Or perhaps she'll be queen of the stars."
Rem's eyes sparkled. "Can I be both?"
"Fate allows more than you'd think," the priestess whispered.
Isira got a henna as well. She gently pressed her hand into Rem's, and their designs aligned, forming a complete sigil of unity. Both of them chuckled.
Music spiralled up from the heart of the cavern, a hypnotic rhythm of finger drums and reed pipes. Dancers spun across the mosaic floor, barefoot and laughing, their silk wraps dyed in the colours of desert twilight. Each twirl loosed a puff of coloured powder into the air, tracing joy in motion.
And then, with the grace of a very determined tumbleweed, Joe Cloud Van Dammit launched himself into the dancers' midst, imitating every move with wild, exaggerated flair. Rather than shoo him away, the dancers pulled him in, spinning him through the choreography.
And then, with the grace of a very enthusiastic tumbleweed, Joe Cloud Van Dammit hurled himself into the choreography, mimicking every step with exaggerated flair. Instead of stopping him, the dancers pulled him into the rhythm.
The men watching flinched and looked away with pained expressions, as if the whole moment had been hijacked. Whatever magic had been building in the air promptly evaporated the moment as Joe struck a wide-legged stance and shouted, "HIYAH!" with both thumbs up. The soft sighs and stolen glances were replaced by groans and muttered curses.
Isira narrowed her eyes at Renen and kicked him lightly in the shin.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"That look on your face before Joe showed up. Don't play dumb."
"I was admiring the coordination."
"You were admiring something."
Renen gulped.
Children whooped and joined the whirling dancers, including Rem and Kiki, who spun each other around like tops. Renen and Isira stood arm-in-arm at the edge of the crowd, chuckling softly as they watched their child's joy bloom like a flower in sunlight.
On the fringe of the dance floor, Lin Zexu tapped his feet in precise rhythm. Beside him, Seijuro stood motionless, arms crossed and unmoved.
"Hey, Mr. Swordsman," Renen said, nudging him with a smirk. "Aren't you going to join the rest?"
"Nope. Dancing ain't my style."
"That's a shame. I hear a true warrior's reflexes are tied to rhythm. Since you clearly lack rhythm, I guess it's safe to say you'll never catch up to me. Oh well…"
Seijuro narrowed his eyes. "Like hell I'd fall for--"
"But it's true," Renen cut in. "Even Lin knows this. Hey, Lin! Am I right, or am I right?"
Lin nodded solemnly. "Indeed, Lord Renenhotep. As a practitioner of Kung Fu, I can confirm this fact."
Renen grinned wide. "Ha! See, I to-- Huh?"
He stopped mid-sentence. Seijuro had vanished.
He blinked, scanning the dance floor. There Seijuro was; in the middle of the crowd, stiff as a board, moving like a puppet with tangled strings. No rhythm, no grace, just raw effort.
Renen, Lin, and Isira tried to hold it in but failed spectacularly, bursting into laughter. Seijuro flushed with embarrassment, but one of the dancers gently took his hand and guided him. He mirrored her steps, softened his stance. Slowly, a faint smile tugged at the edge of his lips.
As the night deepened, a kalimba chimed from the shadows, joined by the melancholic hum of an erhu from Longxia. Drums added heart to the music. Couples gathered. Isira giggled, grabbed Renen's hand, and pulled him to the dance floor. Whisperbloom bubbles ascended in soft, glowing streams. Off to the side, Joe Cloud Van Dammit broke into an aggressive solo breakdance. "Wachaa!!"
A short walk away, Rem and Kiki sat cross-legged with other children, watching a stage show. A towering puppet of cloth and wood, animated by hidden performers, swayed and struck like a serpent; Apep, the enemy of Ra.
A shirtless man in a mask, usekh collar, and loincloth wielded a massive khopesh, dancing in ritual combat.
"Be gone, Apep, enemy of Ra! May your flame be extinguished, your name forgotten!" he cried, pretending to drive his blade into the puppet's head.
A burst of steam veiled the stage, and the puppet vanished in an instant, to thunderous applause.
Then, inevitably, Joe Cloud somersaulted onto the stage.
"HIYAH!! Now, ladies, gentlemen, and those who walk between both worlds, watch what I would've done… with my Splits Kwon Do!! WACHAA!!"
The crowd howled in laughter and applause.
Later, further down a winding path lit by floating lanterns, market stalls shimmered with wares of copper, turquoise, and ivory. Amulets etched with sigils dangled from threads, tokens for protection, fertility, memory, and renewal.
Seijuro stood before one of the stalls, arms folded, clearly frustrated.
"Hm," he muttered. "Too many choices…"
Lin Zexu stepped beside him. "What brings you here? I wouldn't have taken you for the type to care about trinkets."
"It's not for me!" Seijuro snapped. "Just… thought I'd get one. For someone. For good luck, alright? It's needed. Desperately."
Lin raised an eyebrow. "Could it be… a special someone?" He smirked. "That dancer, perhaps? She was quite the looker."
Seijuro flushed a deep shade of red, quickly turning away. "Sh-shut up! I don't engage in such worldly drivel! No woman will ever capture my heart! The only thing I'd ever fall for is the art of the blade! Do you understand?! Hmph!"
"Whatever floats your boat, man," Lin Zexu said with a shrug.
Lin examined a line of amulets, then quietly selected the Eye of Horus and offered it to Seijuro.
"She might like this," he said simply.
Seijuro glanced between him and the pendant. "... Hmph! I would've chosen it myself. Damn Peking flea."
"A simple 'thank you' would have sufficed. Kabuki rat," Lin muttered, rolling his eyes.
Seijuro merely huffed in response.
Nearby, Rem and Joe were locked in a tug-of-war over a plush mummy-cat doll.
"HIYAH!! I saw it first! HIYAH~!!" Joe insisted.
"You already have like ten!" Rem snapped back.
"WACHA WACHA OOOH~~!! Never underestimate the power of SPLITS KWON DOOO~!!"
Isira facepalmed, trying not to laugh. "Come on now, Joe, you're a grown man. You can't be fighting over a stuffed animal. Especially not with a child."
She gently picked Rem up and dusted her off. "You aren't hurt, are you, Rem?"
"Nope," Rem replied with a grin.
"Hmph! It's cool to see you don't cry as much as you used to, huh?" Renen said with a warm smile.
"Shishishi," Rem chuckled, proudly rubbing her nose with her index finger.
Meanwhile, Joe Cloud Van Dammit stood triumphantly, holding the plush doll high in the air and spinning around like a top. "HIYAH!! WACHAA!!" he shouted, battle cries echoing through the air. But then, he abruptly stopped. "Hm, something about this… isn't revolutionairre~!"
With a dramatic flourish, he walked over and handed Rem the doll. Her eyes lit up in delight.
As the laughter of the festival began to fade, the food stalls slowly closed, turning to ash, and the clink of cups to distant echoes. The air, once warm with the heat of the crowd, began to cool. Lanterns swayed gently in a quieter breeze. Even the children, so full of energy before, now moved slower, drawn by something deeper. A quiet moment that lingered in the shadows of the day.
The brass bells tolled, soft and clear, calling all to gather near the inner sanctum. The motes of light dimmed. Drums stilled to a heartbeat. Now, it was time.
The wish ceremony was about to begin.
Laughter melted into silence, leaving only the gentle thrum of bioluminescent fungi and the soft bobbing of whisperblooms; pale, floating orbs that shimmered like caught starlight. They drifted through the geothermal mists, silents as snowfall.
Renen's group gathered near the fungal forest's edge. Renen stepped forward into the soft glow of a hundred whisperblooms. He lifted his hand, and silence fell.
Renen lifted the ivory-inlaid key-crystal to his lips. Its surface glowed a faint gold as his words pulsed through the hidden web of runestones. Moments later, his voice echoed along every cobbled street and cavern archway, as if the city itself had spoken.
"My friends, my family, tonight we stand not as survivors of one more endless battle, but as bearers of hope. Each of us has known loss: the fallen walls, the empty cups, the screaming nights. We have felt the weight of fear pressing on our shoulders like armour too heavy to lift. Yet here we are, alive, together, beneath the same roof of stone and light. Tonight, we do more than speak wishes; we cast our dreams into the sky. We declare, in spite of everything, that we believe in tomorrow. We believe that our laughter still matters, that our bonds still hold, that our hearts still beat against the darkness. So, when you step forward, do not shy away. Speak your truth with every ounce of your spirit. Let these blooms carry our promise to the stars: that as long as we draw breath, we will never stop reaching for the day when this world is whole again."
He drew a steadying breath, eyes glinting in the bloom light. "Now, let us begin."
With that, Renen settled beside Rem and Isira, and the first leaf-papers of hope were offered to the waiting blooms. For the first time all night, Rem was quiet.
Isira knelt beside her, holding out a slip of leaf-paper. "Go on, Rem. It's your wish."
Rem took it with both hands, like it might crumble. Her fingers shook as she knelt before a whisperbloom, breathing fast. She looked to Renen, then Isira. Then to Kiki, who nodded solemnly and murmured, "No one's rushing you -kiki."
Rem's voice was barely a whisper. "Can… can I write more than one?"
Renen knelt beside her. "You can write as many as you want. The bloom'll carry it all."
She clutched the paper to her chest, eyes wide with something fragile and sacred. Then she began to write. Slowly, carefully. When she finished, she folded it in half, then again, like closing a door that would never reopen.
She pressed in gently into the whisperbloom.
The thin membrane shimmered, accepting the folded slip. The paper began to dissolve inside, like breath on glass. A rose-pink glow unfurled from the centre.
'I wish we could stay like this. All of us… together.'
The bloom lifted. Slowly. Reverently.
It was Isira's turn. She didn't speak. She just stared at the paper for a long time, her thumb rubbing the edge raw. Her wish was short, but written with slow, deliberate strokes. Her hands trembled.
The leaf was placed into the bloom. The bloom accepted it.
'I wish that one day we'll all still be alive to lie beneath an open sky together, watching the stars.'
The wish dissolved like memory into water, and amber gold bloomed from within. The bloom slowly rose to the sky.
Kiki fluttered forward with a snort and a sigh. He wrote his wish like it hurt to form each word.
He pushed the wish into the bloom. Not rough, just fast, like if he held it too long, he'd fall apart. The bloom turned tangerine orange, flickering with edges of violet.
'If it all falls apart tomorrow… let me still be there. Let me be the reason someone smiles, even if it's the last thing they do.'
The bloom rose quickly, like it couldn't bear to stay close.
Seijuro didn't speak either. He wrote with deliberate strokes, but his hand trembled when he folded the paper. The bloom accepted the wish like a breath held too long.
'I wish we make it. Even just once. I wish we wake up one day and there's no screaming. No bloodshed. Just silence. Just peace. Even for a day.'
The bloom glowed ashen blue, like twilight before the dark and drifted upward.
Lin Zexu took his time. But his eyes never left the other. He wrote with the calm of someone used to endings. He bowed his head slightly and placed the paper into the bloom.
'I wish…we get to finish something. Anything. A song. A story. A year. Together.'
The bloom shimmered a still, clear sky-blue and rose.
Joe Cloud didn't hesitate. Didn't overthink. Just scrawled it fast, like he was afraid the ink would dry before the truth got out.
"WACHAAA~!!!" He shoved the paper into the bloom with a grin, but his fingers lingered a second too long.
'I wish we stay this stupid. All of us. Laughing at nothing. Tripping over our out feet or snapping our hamstrings during a split. Even when the sky's falling. ESPECIALLY when the sky's falling. HIYAH!!'
The bubble pulsed electric yellow, cracking at the edges like laughter. It shot upward, zigzagging like a firework with too much to say.
Renen didn't write at first. He just stared at the leaf in his hand. A blade without a handle. A question without an answer.
The others didn't speak.
When he finally wrote, the words were barely more than scratches. He folded it carefully, too carefully, like folding a flag over someone's grave.
'I'm supposed to be enough. To fix this. To be the light. But what if I'm not? I feel like a kid holding a candle in the storm. I wish… I was more than that. I wish I could be enough.'
Rem slipped her hand into his. As he glanced at her, she was also holding Isira's hand. Renen glanced at Isira who gave him a gentle smile. Renen closed his eyes and breathed out.
'Please. Give me the strength to protect my family and the people in this city. If not strength, help me find a way to save them all. Please.'
Every single person in the city watched as the blooms floated upward, carrying each of their wishes with them. Their colours trailed behind like painted smoke. The papers dissolved as they climbed, melting into their light. And when they touched the cavern ceiling, the burst.
A silent bloom of colour. Not noise. Not fire. Just light. Like fireworks made of memory. Like something the world forgot how to make.
The mist rainbow colours rained down. It looked like an aurora appeared on the roof of the cavern. And for a moment, it felt like hope had been fully reinstalled in the hearts of the people, Renen and his group included. Like maybe the world wasn't lost.
Elsewhere, just minutes before the ceremony, in Sefu's bar, deep in the middle of the scrapyard, sparks danced in the dim basement light. The hiss and crackle of his welding torch mingled with the soft hum of monitor screens, illuminating Sefu's intent expression as he fine-tuned the device that would change everything.
Sefu pulled off his welding mask the moment he stopped welding, letting out a heavy sigh. "At last, mi done build it! Di time machine, Renen! Mi finally finish it, yah!" he shouted, laughing as he leaned back in his chair, relief washing over him. It had been three months since Renen had brought him the materials, and now he'd kept his end of the promise. The possibility of changing the future was finally within reach.
"HEY, SEFU! COME ON, MAN! THE WISH CEREMONY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" yelled Jean-Pierre, pulling back the curtains at the entrance of Sefu's basement. "HUH? WAIT A MINUTE, IS THAT…"
Jean-Pierre's eyes widened in amazement at the sight before him: a small device on Sefu's desk, with a clock and a floating diamond on top. The diamond glowed, casting an aurora-like light across the room.
"Yep, just like yuh think, mahn, it real," said Sefu, holding his cigarette with a grin.
"ALRIGHT! YOU DID IT!!" Jean-Pierre shouted. "HEY GUYS, THE TIME MACHINE HAS BEEN COMPLETED!!"
"What? Are you for real?" Njomane, the Lion man, shouted as he rushed into the basement with Ola Bishop. "No way! It's real! It's actually real! Finally!" Njomane's eyes welled up with tears of joy. Jean-Pierre couldn't hold back either. The two hugged each other tightly, overcome with emotion.
"Heehaw!!" Ola Bishop whooped, twirling her pistols in the air before shooting at the ceiling in excitement. "Hey, Sefu! This calls for a celebration, don't it? How's about we join Joe and the others?"
"Hmph, dat don't sound like a bad idea at all, mahn. Mi earn dis, mi tell yuh! Hey, man dem an' woman. Di booze pon me tonight!" Sefu said with a thumbs-up.
"YAHOO!!" Jean-Pierre and the others cheered in unison.
[Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!] The monitors suddenly emitted a loud alarm.
"Hey! Sefu, what's that?" Njomane asked, his voice sharp with concern. Sefu turned toward the monitor and wheeled his chair closer, his expression darkening as he studied the screen. Horror flashed across his face.
"Oh rahtid, no sah!!" Sefu jumped back in shock.
"Sefu, what is it?!" Ola demanded.
"Is di demons, man! Dem 'bout 150 kilometers out!" Sefu exclaimed, his voice strained.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! THE DEMONS WIPED OUT NEARLY EVERYTHING IN DUNYA-KELEN, SO WHAT REASON DO THEY HAVE TO BE FLYING AROUND IN DROVES LIKE THAT?!" Jean-Pierre asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"Mi askin' meself di same ting, mi man. Dis cyaan be good! Jean-Pierre, start di Gollum-bots protocol, now!" Sefu ordered, his eyes never leaving the screen.
"Right!"
"Njomane, turn on di city intercoms! We haffi let di people know wah gwan!"
"On it!"
Jean-Pierre immediately began the protocol, awakening the sixty dormant Gollum-bots hidden beneath the southern part of the Iseru River, roughly 95 kilometers from the city. The robots rose from the river like silent guardians, powered by steam as they ascended into the sky, ready to face the impending threat. They sped toward the demons at an incredible velocity, preparing for battle.
"What are these supposed to be?" Wenex-su sneered, looking at the robots.
"I don't sense any life coming from them," Victor added, his voice cold.
"Well then, let's get them out of our way. We have no time to play with mechanical dolls," Wenex-su said with a dismissive wave.
The two sides collided in a violent airborne clash.
Back at Sefu's bar, Njomane shouted, "Sefu, the intercom is on!"
"Respect, mahn! Thank yuh!" Sefu grabbed the mic. "Everyone in di city, yuh hear mi? We have a serious emergency! Please, stay calm. Don't panic!"
Meanwhile, Renen and the others were in the middle of the city square, enjoying the festivities. The moment Renen heard Sefu's announcement, he froze, his gaze snapping toward the roof of the cavern where one of the intercoms was placed.
"An emergency?" Renen muttered to himself, his stomach tightening.
[An army of demons is closing in on the base of the River of Iteru! They'll be here in less than thirty minutes! We must step in, no matter di cost, before everything spirals out of control! As things stand, di Gollum-bots can't handle them, they're getting wiped out fast!]
"Oh no, this sounds like bad news, Renny Boy!" Joe Cloud yelled, panic rising in his voice.
[Mi sorry fi interrupt di festivities, everybaddy, but right now, we haffi prepare fi war! Please, arm unnu selves an' grab yuh teleportation devices so mi can send yuh to di battlefield quick! Fi di ones who cyaan fight, mi beg yuh, evacuate di city! We nuh know how dis gonna turn out!]
"AAAAHHH!!!" The city erupted into chaos, screams echoing through the streets.
The warrior class quickly led their loved ones down the evacuation hatch, then returned to their homes to grab their equipment. Sefu's teleportation devices would be their ticket to the battlefield.
"Renny Boy! Seijuro, Lin, and I will head to Sefu's bar to get our gear! We'll meet there! Hiyah!!"
"Right!" Renen called back, his voice steady despite the chaos. He turned to his wife. "Isira, please take Rem with you and evacuate along with the others!" he said, gently shaking her by the shoulders.
"Right!" Isira nodded, determination in her eyes. "Do your best, Ren."
"Yeah!"
Rem tugged at Renen's pants. "Dad… will you come back?" Her voice trembled with fear.
Renen smiled softly, his heart aching. He knelt and took off the necklace his father had given him, carefully wrapping it around Rem's neck. "I'll come back soon, kiddo. I promise." He kissed her gently on the forehead.
He watched as they disappeared into the crowd, before setting off himself. "Kiki, transform!" Renen called, his voice resolute.
"You got it!" Kiki responded, morphing into a broken blade sword.
Renen dashed through the streets, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, his movements almost defying gravity. He eventually reached his house, grabbed his teleportation device, and donned his armour. With a burst of speed, he launched himself off his front yard, high into the air. He whistled as loudly as he could, summoning his magic flying carpet, which caught him mid-flight. He sped toward Sefu's bar.
When Renen arrived, he saw his comrades; Joe Cloud, Lin Zexu, Seijuro Yamashita, Ola Bishop, Jean-Pierre le Roux, and Njomane Elibukhali; already waiting, fully equipped for the battle ahead. Most of them, except for Joe, Seijuro, and Lin, rode on pegasi. These creatures gave them an advantage, enabling them to face the demons on equal footing. Each pegasus was also equipped with a teleportation device linked to its rider.
Fifteen minutes passed in frantic preparation, while the Gollum-bots were being destroyed left and right, and the demons drew closer.
"Alright, guys, let's go kick some demon ass!!" Renen yelled.
"YEAH!!!"
Meanwhile, Sefu pulled a lever near the monitor. "Teleportation initiation protocol ready fi go!" he yelled, as the teleportation devices glowed green, signalling they were ready for use. The warriors pressed the buttons on their devices, and were instantly transported to the battlefield.
The demons were greeted by an army of warriors riding pegasi, charging across the sky with weapons raised high, determined to protect the people they loved. Like Valkyries descending to face the dark forces of evil.
Alongside the pegasi riding warriors was Renen on his flying carpet, wielding Kiki. Alongside him was Joe Cloud, suspending himself in the air by doing the splits midair while spinning around like a pin wheel. "Hiyaah!!"
Lin and Seijuro pushed themselves off the air with superhumanly strong kicks, allowing them to travel through and remain in midair for an extended period.
The colour of the teleportation devices turned blue, signalling that the warriors had arrived at their designated location.
"Hahahahaha!! Ragna!! We meet again!!" Victor yelled, charging at Renen with violent force. Their swords clashed with a deafening shockwave, knocking both human warriors and demons back.
"Victor, I'm surprised you managed to survive. Why are you fighting against your own kind?!" Renen shouted.
"You're delusional if you think we're the same species, Renen!" Victor snarled, pushing Renen away with all his might. As Renen was sent flying, he righted himself in mid-air, only to see Victor follow him.
"I've got more than one sword now, Ragna!" Victor growled, wrapping his wings around himself before spinning like a top, creating a violent tornado of wind.
"What could he be planning?" Renen muttered under his breath, his eyes tracking Victor's every move.
In mid-spin, Victor unfurled his wings, twisting through the air with acrobatic precision, sending slashes of violent wind at Renen. The air blades cut through the sky, narrowly missing Renen as he darted and weaved to avoid them. Some of the gusts even struck the demons behind Victor, knocking them aside.
"This guy's a long-distance fighter too, huh? Well then, let's take it back to close-quarters combat, for old times' sake." Renen grinned, increasing the speed of his flying carpet and rocketing toward Victor. Victor followed suit, eager to clash blades once again.
As the two combatants closed in, Renen didn't hesitate. With a swift movement, he sliced Victor across the ribs. The sheer force of the blow sent a shockwave through the air, slashing through the demons and Hoodwinked members behind Victor.
Victor howled in pain, his hand instinctively clutching his side, blood pouring from the wound like water from a broken tap.
"I don't remember you being this incompetent, Victor. I'm really disappointed," Renen said coolly, resting his sword casually on his shoulder, his gaze unwavering.
Victor's breath grew ragged, his chest heaving with the effort of staying upright. Blood continued to drip from the gash, pooling around his hand.
"I shall not lose to a peasant like you, Ragna!!" Victor snarled, his fury rising. With a burst of speed, he dashed at Renen again, their swords meeting with a resounding clash.
'This guy's mastery of bawu is insane. He completely concealed his presence. I barely sensed him when he first lunged. Had to rely on pure instinct just to react. He's no pushover, that's for damn sure.' Renen thought, eyes narrowing.
"I'm no peasant, Vic," Renen said with a smirk, knocking Victor across the face with the hilt of his sword. "I'm ranks above you. I'm a king." With a sharp spin, Renen followed up with a roundhouse kick that sent Victor spiralling through the air. Victor flailed, then spread his wings to steady himself mid-flight. He shook his head, teeth clenched, trying to clear the dizziness.
"You damn--!" Victor launched himself back at Renen, and the two clashed in a flurry of steel, their blades sparking under the cavern's eerie glow.
Meanwhile, Lin, Joe, Jean-Pierre, Njomane, and Seijuro tore through the swarms of demons. Ola laughed wildly as she fired into the air, blasting down demon after demon with twin pistols. The battlefield was chaos incarnate.
Out of nowhere, a massive shadow loomed behind Joe Cloud.
"Whoa--!"
A giant demon slammed into him, sending him crashing into a jagged mountainside.
Cough, cough "What the hell just hit me?" Joe groaned, crawling from the rubble.
A towering oni with leathery wings and four bulging arms stepped forward. Its face twisted in a sour grimace, as if it had sucked on a lemon dipped in vinegar. Muscles pulsed across its grotesque frame.
"Just as I thought," the oni snarled. "An attack like that wouldn't kill you. All the better. Once I devour your flesh, my power will ascend beyond measure."
Joe stood up, cracked his neck, and narrowed his eyes. "Hiyah! And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"I am Borro Yeng the Devourer--master of the MMA!"
"MMA?" Joe blinked.
"Murderous Mutilation Arts!!" Borro roared, slamming all four fists together.
Joe smiled. "Alright then, I'll introduce you to a little something I call Splits Kwon Do!" He leapt into the air, did the splits, and began spinning like a furious pinwheel. The two warriors collided in a brutal, high-speed brawl.
Meanwhile, in the underground city's evacuation centre, Isira oversaw a headcount with several officials. Panic and fear filled the air.
"My child!" a woman sobbed from the crowd. "My child is missing, please, someone has to find him! He's all I have left!"
The crowd murmured, glancing at each other in unease.
"Be reasonable!" one of the officials barked. "We can't risk lives chasing after one child in the middle of a crisis like this!"
More murmuring followed, some agreeing, some conflicted.
"I'll search for him," Isira said.
Everyone turned to her in shock.
"Wait, Queen Isira, are you hearing yourself?" asked another official. "This is suicide!"
"Yes, I hear myself," she replied firmly. "Every soul in this city is my responsibility."
She turned to the woman. "Ma'am, what's your child's name?"
"You're out of your mind!" the official shouted. "You're the Queen, not a soldier!"
"Silence! I've already made up my mind, and I won't budge!" Isira declared.
The officials stood speechless, stunned by her resolve. The broken mother stared at her in awe, tears streaking her face.
"Nok… That's the name of my child," the woman said, almost ashamed to answer.
Isira approached and gently took the woman's hands, gazing into her eyes.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll bring your child back safe and sound. You have my word."
The woman collapsed to her knees, sobbing.
"Thank you, Queen Isira… thank you!"
Without another word, Isira turned and raced out of the evacuation chamber, her feet pounding against stone as she surged through the underground corridors. Her speed was inhuman, driven by purpose and compassion. When she reached the city, she paused.
"It's better to preserve my energy. Who knows what might lie ahead…"
She weaved a series of hand signs, then pressed her fingers into a diamond shape toward the ground. "I compel thee to come forth, Papyrus!"
With a puff of smoke, a massive broom-sized papyrus sheet appeared, floating before her. She stepped onto it, hovering above the ground.
"But where do I even start…?"
As she stood thinking, catching her breath, something tugged at her sleeve.
"Huh?"
She looked down.
"Rem?! What on earth are you doing here?! You were supposed to stay in the evacuation chamber!"
Rem scratched her head and gave an awkward laugh. "Heh… sorry, Mom."
Together, they soared through the city. Isira cleared her mind and began scanning for life signatures. A flicker,faint, emerged from the cavern's edge, near the old oasis.
"I think I found something!" she said.
They arrived at the oasis moments later. There, a young boy, no older than nine, was kneeling in the grass, placing small notes into whisperblooms; delicate, glowing flowers that hovered above the water. With each note, the boy cried silently.
"Excuse me, little one," Isira said gently. "You're supposed to be in the evacuation chamber. Say… is your name Nok?"
The boy looked over his shoulder. "Yeah. That's me."
He turned away again, reluctant, guarded.
"Your mother is worried sick. I came to bring you back."
"No!" he snapped. "I'm staying here!"
"It's dangerous. If something happens to you, then--"
"I'm not leaving! Even if you drag me away, I'll cling to the ground until my nails rip off!"
Before Isira could respond, Rem punched him on the back of the head.
"Rem!" Isira gasped. "Why would you--?!"
"Don't play with your life like that, you idiot!" Rem shouted. "If something really happens, do you want your mother to cry? Your life isn't a toy to gamble with!"
Her voice cracked with emotion. Memories flashed in her mind. Blood, fire, her parents' last screams. And then, the moment Renen found her, broken and abandoned in that alley.
"Rem…" Isira whispered, recognizing the pain in her daughter's voice.
"You think I don't know that?!" Nok cried. "That's why I'm here!"
He sobbed harder.
"I just wanted to stay and make as many wishes as I could! Maybe… if I wished hard enough, all the monsters would go away. Maybe then no one else would have to cry! Maybe we wouldn't have to live like moles underground anymore!"
He pointed to the whisperblooms. Dozens floated on the water, some already dissolving. One petal bore the words: "I wish all the monsters would disappear."
The child's desperate hope; so pure, so impossible…pierced them.
Isira stepped forward and wrapped him in her arms.
"You're brave, Nok," she said softly. "Braver than most. To carry the hopes of others on your little shoulders… your mother raised a good soul. And that's exactly why I want to bring you back to her. Like you, I'm tired of seeing good people cry. I'm tired of watching them hide behind smiles just to keep others from losing hope."
She cupped his face in her hands, gently wiping his tears.
"Nok, I believe the gods have heard your wishes. But now, it's time to fulfil your mother's wish. She just wants to see you again. Can you do that for her?"
"UWAAAHH!!" Nok burst into uncontrollable sobs, collapsing into Isira's arms. She held him tightly, letting him cry until the pain softened.
Eventually, he sat up and wiped his face, still sniffling.
"You don't want to cry in front of everyone else, do you?"
"H-huh?"
"I know that embarrassed look. You'd shrivel into a raisin if you cried like that in front of your mom." She chuckled.
"No, I wasn't crying! My eyes were just sweating. I'm allergic to whisperblooms, that's all--"
"You don't need to pretend. Crying takes strength. A man who can cry for others has what it takes to change the world."
Rem watched silently. Her mother's warmth, that boundless compassion, that was the light that had pulled her back from the brink. Isira's kindness was the anchor that kept Renen grounded. She was his reason for fighting.
Isira stood, helping Nok to his feet. She brushed the dirt from his clothes and took his hand.
"Let's go see your mother," she said with a soft smile.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, there were casualties on the human and demon side. The teleportation devices helped to ease the mortality rate on the human side by teleporting the humans back to the underground city, near the obelisk. Wenex-su was curious about the nature of these teleportation devices, so he studies them carefully. He realised that whenever the humans were in a critical condition or found no means to keep fighting further, they could simply press the blue button on those devices, and they disappear from the battlefield leaving no trail of their energy signatures behind. He had noticed those devices before during previous encounters but paid no mind to them. However, now of all days, they truly bothered him.
He dashed on over to kill a one of the humans by impaling his chest and pulling out his heart before crushing it to bits. He grabbed the teleportation device from the corpse and tossed the body to the side like it was nothing.
"Oh no! That demon has gotten his hands on the device!" said one of the other human soldiers.
"What?!" yelled Ola. She aimed her bullets at Wenex-su and shot at him rapidly, but he shielded himself with his wings. While shielding himself from Ola's onslaught of attacks, he caught wind of Renen overwhelming Victor. So, Wenex-su spun around like a top and vanished immediately. In a mere second, he appeared behind Renen and swung his arm to attack him. Renen's senses were sharp enough to guard himself from this attack, however the impact created a shock that blew Renen and his flying carpet away.
Wenex-su made use of that moment to toss the teleportation device at Victor.
"Huh? What's this?" asked Victor.
"Just wear that device around your waist like a belt, and press the blue button. Clearly you don't have what it takes to take down Renenhotep in combat. But this might be the next best thing for you to get back at him. I'll take care of things this side," said Wenex-su. Upon hearing this revelation, Victor let out a devilish grin.
"Thank you, Wenex-su. Hahahaha!" laughed Victor.
"Oh no! Damn it!!" yelled Renen as he saw Victor reaching out to press the teleportation button.
However, before he could even reach Victor, Wenex-su tackled him into the side of a mountain. Causing an explosion of debris. This gave Victor the chance to press the button. 'VOOSH!' Just like that, Victor was gone. "Everyone! Take the devices from the humans now! They will send you to their hiding spot! We have a chance to annihilate them all!"
"Yeah!!" The demons roared and cheered at this revelation. With this, their bloodlust and cruelty deepened.
Renen's body was plastered into the wall of the mountain due to the impact of Wenex-su's kick. Wenex-su floated in front of him in a taunting manner with his arms crossed.
"Now, there is nothing you can do, Renenhotep. Our forces have infiltrated your bastion for mankind. Even if you kill me here, everyone in that city is pretty much doomed. Victor may be an easy opponent for you to beat. But for an average human? Not so much. The thing you worked so hard to protect will be shredded to pieces and burnt to ash! Hahaha!!" Wenex-su then went on to unleash a flurry of attacks at the now vulnerable Renen.
Meanwhile, Victor had reached the Underground city. He was teleported to the front of the obelisk. There he saw a group of doctors treating wounded warriors who retreated from the fight. Dr Yeun was there too. The doctors screamed in terror when they saw him appear out of nowhere.
"Doctors, please stand back!" said one of the injured warriors.
"No matter our condition, we must protect our home at all costs!!" said another.
"YEAH!!" The rest of the warriors yelled in order to pump their spirits up despite all the pain their bodies were enduring.
Victor was dismissive of these warriors and their resolve as he glanced at the city.
"So, this is supposed to be the final bastion for mankind? Talk about sad. I would have just let the demons kill me rather than be forced to live in a pigsty like this. How barbaric." Victor swung his sword once. This swing was so powerful that is sliced the air, thus, piercing the warriors and the doctors. The force of the attack was so powerful that is left a trail of destruction in its wake, even destroying the obelisk. The warriors on the floor had to watch the final memory of their fallen comrades collapse in front of them as the slowly bled out. This was the final image they saw as their eyesight began to fade to black. A few kilometres away, Isira and Rem were floating on the giant Papyrus plant like a flying broom as they searched for Nok. From that distance, they saw the explosion caused by the destruction of the obelisk from Victor's attack.
"Hey, isn't that were the doctors are stationed? Maybe there's more people there. But what could have caused that explosion? Maybe we should check it out!" muttered Isira. She then took off toward the direction of the explosion. Little did she know what it was that awaited her there. Victor's life signature and bloodlust was so tranquil that it was difficult for even the most powerful warriors to detect him. Not even Meret-Biti would have been able to track down his presence.