At the age of 5,201, Ian walked across a land where the sky never changed. It was always red, always cracked like dry skin. He felt calm. Behind him, the ground was still broken from the fight. The three Devils didn't follow.
The wind was silent.
He found a hill with no name and sat. For three days, he sat without sleep, without food. A soft hum came from his body. His True Paths Devil Ki was growing again. It no longer felt like power. It felt like a part of the world, tied to the wind, the stars, the quiet.
At the age of 5,210, Ian met a girl with no shadow. She said she had lost it while dreaming. He gave her a word, just one, and her shadow came back. She smiled and forgot his name. He smiled too.
At the age of 5,220, the Grand Devil appeared again. She stood in the sky like a moon with no warmth.
"You did well," she said.
"I only walked," Ian replied.
She threw a small cube at him. He caught it. It was cold and empty.
"This is your next path. Open it when you're alone."
