The sky roared with thunder as two figures faced off on the shattered battlefield. Sweat and blood dripped, but neither yielded.
"You betrayed everything we stood for," snarled the taller one, eyes burning like molten steel.
The other's grip tightened on his blade, voice low and bitter. "I did what I had to — to survive. You wouldn't understand sacrifice."
Cael's nostrils flared. "Sacrifice? You turned your back the moment the Council refused your plan. You knew the risks. You knew what would happen if you acted alone."
"And I did it anyway," Veylan said. "Because they were too slow. Too blind. We were losing ground every day while they argued over traditions and protocol. I saw a chance to change everything — and I took it."
"By aligning with the very tyrants we were sworn to fight?"
"No," Veylan snapped. "I used them. I made a deal to buy time — to buy us time. But you were too righteous to see the long game. You thought purity would save us."
They weren't just enemies. Once, they were brothers in arms, bound by a promise to protect their people. But ambition poisoned loyalty, and the thirst for power tore them apart.
"You sold out our cause for selfish gain. Our people are dying because of you," the taller one spat.
"And you're blind if you think your way was any better," came the cold reply. "You refused to see the world changing — so I took control."
Lightning cracked the sky, and their clash sent shockwaves through the earth. Around them, the world seemed to fracture, the air shimmering with unstable energy.
"I won't let your recklessness doom us all," the taller one growled.
"Then finish this," the other said, a flicker of regret crossing his eyes.
Suddenly, a blinding light tore open beneath their feet.
"No!" the taller one shouted, reaching out — but it was too late.
Both warriors were swallowed whole by the glowing portal, their fates uncertain.
Light became mist. Time unspooled. The world blinked.
And when it opened its eyes again, the storm was gone.
Endless green grass stretched around them. Trees swayed under a pale sun. There were no cities here. No satellites. No war.
The warmth of the sun felt unnatural—too calm for men who'd just torn the sky apart.
Cael stood first, muscles still coiled, breath controlled. The red trim of his long coat fluttered in the breeze. He scanned the horizon, sharp eyes narrowing. The world felt wrong. Too quiet. Too ancient.
Veylan knelt nearby, gloved fingers brushing the earth like it might vanish if he pressed too hard.
"Where the hell are we?" Cael asked.
Veylan didn't answer at first. His jaw clenched. "Not our world. Not our time."
A creaking carriage rumbled into view down a dirt road, pulled by two gray horses. The driver—a broad man with a thick beard and sun-wrinkled eyes—slowed as he caught sight of them.
"You lads look lost," the man said with a slow drawl. "Need a ride somewhere?"
Cael glanced at Veylan. The space between them still crackled with tension, unspoken and sharp. But they both knew better than to stand still after watching the sky tear itself open.
"We'll take the ride," Veylan said, cool and even, climbing in.
Cael followed silently, never taking his eyes off the other man.
Inside, the carriage smelled of hay, leather, and old wood. Neither spoke. The silence sat heavy between them. Wheels bumped along the dirt road, rhythmic and dull.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours.
Then Cael broke the silence. "Still think you were right?"
Veylan didn't look over. "I know I was."
Cael's stare lingered. "Then why does it feel like we lost?"
From the front, the driver called, "We're nearin' Celestria, good folk. Kingdom of the high mountains and deeper secrets."
They passed beneath a marble archway guarded by silver-armored knights. Beyond it, a city sprawled—strange sigils etched into stone, banners of sapphire and ivory twisting in the wind. Music echoed faintly from the streets, foreign but alive.
And then she appeared.
On a balcony above the square stood a woman cloaked in white and crimson. Her presence radiated control. Her eyes were cold steel.
"That's Princess Diana," the driver said with reverence. "Daughter of the Highblood line. Wise, beautiful... not one to be crossed."
Cael leaned forward, something flickering in his expression.
Veylan watched her just as intently, his mouth set in a tight line. "This world has rules we don't understand yet."
Cael's hand drifted toward the hilt of his relic-sword.
"Then we learn fast."