15 years after Van's departure, and his agreement with the Dragon King.
Location: Arataxia.
The Dungeon beneath Supremium, the city of eternal day.
The sacred seat of Goddess Varolia.
Within its depths, the cell of Magus Veil.
"...Why let me talk...?" Magus rasped, voice brittle. "Even if you're no longer under my influence... what reason did you have to come here and talk to me...? After all these years..."
He lay sprawled across the cold stone floor, tilting his head toward the bars—toward her.
Varolia.
The Goddess herself.
Her radiant figure looked almost unnatural against the damp, torch-lit air of the dungeon. Light danced in her eyes. Eyes that narrowed as she folded her arms.
[I just love seeing you like this.] She started with an exhale, a tiny smirk hiding in her lips, [And I was curious what you'd say. After losing everything.]
[Including your powers.]
[Guess I'm admiring my daughter's handiwork. Stripping you of it all.]
She hissed the words with a satisfied edge, then turned away.
"Our daughter," Magus corrected quietly, gaze lowering to the floor.
[Mine.]She stopped herself, her back still turned to Magus, [You may have reminded me what it felt like to be pregnant again...]
[But that ended the moment I gave birth.]
[Along with any sentiment I had left for you.]
Magus let out a dry chuckle. "You've always been like that... getting off on watching people suffer."
[Hmhm.] Her laugh echoed, harsher now. She looked up at the ceiling of the dungeon with a smile; her arms still folded.
[How perceptive. Always the sharp one.]
[Or maybe that's just the last embers of your influence trying to speak through me.]
[Either way, I got what I came for.]
She resumed walking, already halfway up the stairs.
[Enjoy the rest of your life here.]
"Hey." Magus's voice was low now. Barely audible.
"Why don't you just kill me?"
She stopped.
Half-turned. [Because,] she said, [you're still useful. A tool I might need... when Hellix and I meet again.]
"...Right." Magus exhaled again. "If you're really free of my influence, or even his with that dumb curse he has, remind me again why you hate him so much?"
Varolia went quiet.
Then, coldly: [He holds power beyond anyone in this realm... Well, besides my Markia right now, whose existence is neigh conceptual. But she earned that power for being my daughter. Hellix is young and reckless. This is survival. He needs to die. And it has to be by my... Or Markia's hand.]
"...?" Magus raised a brow. "Why you?"
She took a slow breath.
[Because he walks around as if nothing happened. As if erasing his past and cozying up to the Demon Lord excuses everything. Power like that... unchecked... can topple us all. It's an insult.]
[And because of those monkeys who call themselves gods. One show of weakness, one slip, and they'll believe they're my equal. Even though they're all bound to me by contract, they're cunning. They'll turn. Eventually. I can't let that happen. I have to kill Hellix.]
[If that's all,] she muttered, turning again.
"One last thing," Magus said, stopping her as she reached the edge of the prison quarters.
"You came from our world, didn't you?"
She paused.
"You don't remember what it was like? Being human? Having power forced on you? Van... just wants to be happy. I bet you wanted that too, once."
Varolia scoffed softly; a palm placed on her lips.
[Oh my... Are you really trying to reach my "human" side, hero Magus? Without your precious powers whispering into my mind? Pathetic.]
"...."
[You're not doing a good job at reaching out to me... You're dull now. Boring. Powerless. Pathetic.]
Magus gulped, blinking as he looked away.
[I suppose the only thing that ever made you lovable was your power. Strip that away, and you're nothing.]
A flicker passed behind her eyes. She blinked. Lowering her head.
Her smile faded.
[I gave that up... My "Humanity" over 10,000 years ago, when I first arrived in this world. And again, when I forgot what he looked like.]
"...He...?" Magus murmured.
[...] The Goddess pursed her lips in a flinch.
[Yes, Hero Magus. Surprised? This cold, cruel goddess once had people she loved. Someone who mattered more than anything. But that's long gone... I even forgot what he looked like. And even his name. Well, whatever it was; I left my heart and whatever conscience remained; back in our old world.]
[All that matters now... is not losing. Survival.]
Her voice sharpened.
"Huh," he scoffed.
She swallowed. [...What now?]
"I never thought you'd admit to being cruel and cold. Because... truly cold, truly cruel people; they don't say they are." He lifted a weak hand and pointed at her.
"I know because I didn't."
His voice cracked.
"... And I was the definition of those things."
She paused. Longer than at any point in their exchange.
[...Then they're stupid. Reckless. Shortsighted. Just like you.]
[Even with all your ambition and tactics—look where you are.]
[Rotting in a cell beneath me.]
[I will kill Van Hellix. And there's nothing you can say or do to stop me.]
She vanished into the dark.
"Your daughter will, you mean."
[Tomato, tomahto.] Came her distant, uninterested voice. [You will see. I may have failed with my last attempt but...]
[I am not making the same mistake twice.]
Magus narrowed his eyes, as Varolia left.
"... I guess that phrase's not subjective to one person, huh Van?" He pulled himself up and leaned against the wall, "Be wary,"
"Someone more troublesome than everyone you've ever fought is coming your way. Maybe it's best you keep hiding."
------------------
"The child of the Goddess is here!"
"Hail Markia!"
The roar of a thousand Royal Guards from the Capital shook the air as she descended from the heavens—clad in light armor, golden hair brushing against the wind, her eyes as blue as the sky itself.
"Only fourteen... and..." they whispered among themselves.
"...She's stronger than anyone I've ever seen. Not even the Veil party could defeat her. Not even Magus Veil could hold a candle..."
"The First Mythic Rank human!" they chanted.
At the vanguard stood old Nickelson and his daughter, Cerille, both gazing skyward as Markia descended.
Before them stretched the three battalions of Varolon; over a thousand troops in tight formation across the open grasslands outside the Capital. The sun beamed down, indifferent.
Markia landed. Her expression: stoic. Hardened. She strode directly toward Cerille.
"Lady Markia," Cerille called, stepping beside her, though the girl did not even glance her way. "Over a thousand dragons are approaching. We're unsure what provoked this sudden—"
"Why are you so fucking retarded, Cerille?"
Markia's voice cut through like a blade. Cerille instantly shut her mouth.
"..."
The surrounding Royal Guards turned away, faces and ears tense.
"Why this, why that... Just do what you're good at and shut up. Watch me turn those lizards into rotting corpses. Then there's no more problem, right?"
"...Yes, my Lady. But... I believe it's important to understand what brought this—"
Markia grabbed her by the collar and yanked her down to eye level.
"You piss me the fuck off."
Her voice was ice.
"I went out of my way to tell you something, and you still argue? Are you actually that fucking dense? Who gives a shit about their reasons? If they're dead, they're not a threat. Simple."
"I..." Cerille mumbled, averting her gaze, her lips pursed.
"You whore. Still got something to say?" Markia sneered.
"Maybe I didn't leave enough scars last time. What are you even doing here? A weakling like you, pretending to matter by bothering the only one who does matter. Mother was right—there's no end to your idiocy..."
She leaned in with a smirk.
"How about I make sure you never swing a sword again?"
She raised her arm.
Cerille flinched, eyes shut tight.
"My Lady!"
A voice rang out.
"We await your wise commands!"
Markia froze, turning toward the speaker, Nickelson.
"...At least not your whole bloodline is retarded," she scoffed, tossing Cerille aside and striding past him.
"No commands needed. You're all just here to watch me obliterate that arrogant dragon."
As Markia's back turned to them, a knight rushed to Cerille's side and helped her up.
"My Lady... Why do you still try to reason with her?" he asked, offering his hand. "You know how it always ends."
"...She wasn't always like this," Cerille murmured, taking his hand and standing.
"When she was younger, she listened. She welcomed my counsel. Looked up to me and to Father."
She stared at Markia's fading silhouette.
"I suppose I hoped... that girl was still in there somewhere."
She trailed off, then whispered to herself:
"Is this what overwhelming power does? The Demon Lord when she attacked us. The Dragon King. The Fallen Bishop who enslaved the faithful... Even Van Hellix... I heard from the Guards he once had a mean streak too. And now he's left us."
She lowered her eyes.
"...Left to be with her, of all people..."
"Her?" the knight asked, narrowing his eyes.
"...."
"Forget it, Knight." She shook her head.
"Van Hellix chose love over duty. He left the city behind. And I was going to say he abandoned the place that nurtured him, but... that wouldn't be right either."
She exhaled, a bitter smile forming.
"If anything, this just proves it. There's no one in this city he truly cared about. And that's just..."
She bit her lip.
"...A shame."
"PREPARE YOURSELVES!" Nickelson roared, his voice thundering across the field. "Tens of Thousands of Dragons will be upon us any moment—stand your ground!"
At the vanguard, Markia scoffed.
"Yeah... Get ready to witness them all turn to dust by my hand," she muttered to herself.
'TENS of thousands of them, huh...?' She clicked her tongue. 'I won't be able to steal all their abilities before they pass me. Varolon will probably be razed... whatever.'
Her thoughts sharpened.
'All I need to do is stop them from reaching the Circle. Save the Monarch. Save the highborn. That'll be enough to rebuild. Enough for them to worship me...'
A smirk played on her lips.
'Eventually, the dragons will all be dead.'
She chuckled softly.
'Will Cerille die too...?'
She cleared her throat and shrugged.
'Good riddance.'
'And if what Mother said was true—this is perfect. I'll grow stronger with every dragon that falls.'
Her gaze narrowed.
'And then...'
'...I'll hunt you down, Hellix.'
Her teeth clenched.
'You dared to become Mother's nemesis... then vanished like a coward. You've got some fucking nerve. I'll make sure you're tortured for all eternity; your wife, your precious little family that you've probably made for yourself—raped to death before your eyes...!'
She growled low in her throat.
—MEANWHILE, A FEW DOZEN KILOMETERS AWAY—
"❗SOON, WE SHALL REACH THE HUMAN CAPITAL! THE CIRCLE SHALL BE OURS❗" the Dragon King's voice thundered across the sky, echoing through the massive wings of his airborne legion as they blanketed the heavens. Their eyes gleamed with hunger. With desperation.
"Stop," said a calm voice, sudden and absolute.
A figure had appeared midair, directly before the Dragon King's face.
The Dragon King, despite his overwhelming speed, halted instantly. The wind snapped still around him. His vast army followed without hesitation, locking in formation behind their sovereign.
"..." The Dragon King's jaw tightened.
"❗Van... Hellix❗"
Tens of thousands of dragons floated in silence. All eyes were on him.
Van hovered effortlessly, arms folded. He wore a loose short-sleeved shirt, cloth pants, and sandals—an appearance as unassuming as it was unreadable. His gaze didn't waver.
He looked exactly the same as he did all those years ago. As if time had not passed at all for him.
"What's the meaning of this, Dragon King?" he asked, voice steady.
The Dragon King took a breath.
"❗...Thou wert correct when last we spoke, Van Hellix❗" he admitted.
"❗We slay and conquer not from strength... but from weakness. Yet time presseth upon us. The Dragon God hath found our place. His presence we didst feel. We could not remain idle❗"
His wings shifted, sending massive gusts through the skies as the army behind him stirred restlessly.
"You knew I could protect you," Van replied flatly. "We had a deal."
"❗Aye, perhaps thou wouldst have tried❗" the Dragon King replied.
"❗But thou wouldst have failed❗ The pact that bindeth all gods unto thy Goddess also ensnareth them. Should one god fall, the rest shall come to extinguish the threat. Not even thee art strong enough to defy them all❗"
"..." Van looked downward, contemplative.
"❗And even if thou art... couldst thou truly shield us all from divine retribution? Gods whose strength is beyond thy reckoning❗?"
"So," Van murmured, "you won't stop... because you think I'd have failed to keep my end of the deal? You really believe I wouldn't be able to do a thing?" He asked, raising his chin... Almost as he if looked down upon the dragon without meaning to.
As if this was simply nature.
The Dragon King flinched. The man before him—this was not the same Van he had faced all those years ago.
He looked more arrogant now... but it was the kind of arrogance that could be earned. That might be justified.
And yet, the Dragon King could not yield to emotion. Not now.
"❗Nay, I shan't stop❗" he thundered.
"❗'Tis death either by the Child of the Goddess... or by the wrath of all the gods combined❗"
"I see." Van exhaled. "A shame."
"❗Then step aside, or destroy us here and now❗—"
"Well," Van interrupted, raising his hand, "I suppose it's my fault for not showing you this earlier. Perhaps you'd be calmer and play fair."
The Dragon King's eyes narrowed as Van's hand began to glow with quiet, blue power.
"I may not be strong enough to take on all the gods. You're right." Van said. "But make no mistake... I am more than strong enough to avoid bloodshed here and now."
The Dragon King knew it. Just as he'd known fifteen years ago. There was no escaping this man.
And yet... there was something different this time. A calm radiated from Van's eyes.
Not mercy, not arrogance… inevitability.
A solution.
Then Van spoke, his tone soft.
"Hard Swing: Void Orbit."
In the next moment, the sky cleared. Tens of thousands of dragons vanished in an instant. No flash, no thunder, not even a whisper of sound. Just silence.
And Van remained, floating alone in the air.
"Well, that's that. I'd wanted to go with him and show him around, but I promised my daughter to give her a tour in the Capital. I'll visit them later. Time works differently there, anyway," he muttered to himself, then vanished as well.
Meanwhile, several dozen kilometers away...
Markia stood frozen, her mouth open in shock. She had just witnessed tens of thousands of dragons disappear in an instant.
"D… Did…"
"One of the Gods intervene!?"
"Fuck—Or ALL of them, maybe!?"