The remaining five ships left Antia and finally made their way back to Terria. Their mission was not successful, but they did not return empty-handed. With Youri Kronos captured and Altopereh back under their control, General Mikhail Rozasar still had some leverage to hold onto. Even so, the battle with the Tartarusios and Altopereh had been an utter disaster. They lost two god units and more than ninety-five percent of the entire fleet. Altopereh's rampage had been both unexpected and brutally decisive—an event that exposed just how little the empire truly understood about the god orbitons.
The Battle of Hell had been the first time the empire ever witnessed a god orbiton's full awakening. Though ancient scriptures spoke of the orbitons' power, never once had they mentioned their true forms. That omission left every soldier who had survived the encounter shaken, confused, and haunted.
Back on Millia, aboard Leonora's flagship, doctors and nurses crowded the operating room as they worked on Youri. He lay on the table with a mask feeding him oxygen. The state of his body was almost unbearable to look at. Cuts ran so deep that bone and vein were clearly visible. Nearly all his ribs were broken. Fractures marred his skull, both arms, and his left leg. The room pulsed with the rhythmic beeping of machines.
After six long hours, the operation was complete, and Leonora was notified immediately. She rushed to the med bay. As the doors slid open, light from the hall spilled across the dim chamber, revealing Youri inside a cylindrical pod filled with green liquid. Numerous cables were attached to his body. A tube-mask covered his mouth. He floated motionless, eyes closed, brown hair drifting weightlessly as bubbles rose around him.
Leonora pressed her hand to the glass. Sadness filled her eyes as she stared at her husband.
"You idiot," she whispered. "I don't know what's going to happen to you now… leaving me with all this mess. "A single tear rolled down her cheek. "You should've taken me with you."
A few bubbles rose from the pod.
Deep within Youri's unconscious mind, he found himself floating again in the strange water he always drifted through after separating from Altopereh—a dark, divine place where light only barely reached. As he drifted, a faint glow began to form, growing brighter and brighter until it engulfed him completely.
The light delivered him to a place he had long forgotten—a place that no longer existed. His first home.
It was an orphanage on the outskirts of a planet called Volar. Standing at its front gate—wrought in delicate loops, curls, and twisting vine-like patterns—Youri looked up at the old sign:
Whenever a shadow is cast, don't forget light was present too.
A small smile touched his lips. He stepped inside. Forgotten memories flooded back as he walked the familiar path toward the house.
The structure rose with a dignified permanence. Tall columns framed the front porch, their scrollwork delicate yet confident, like lace etched in wood. Broad steps led to a heavy wooden door, flanked by manicured shrubs that softened the formality of the entrance. Above, balconies and decorative railings traced the upper floors with gentle symmetry.
Now standing before the door, he curled his fingers around the knob and opened it slowly. Sunlight filtered through the far windows, resting in warm pools across patterned rugs and well-loved furniture. A sofa draped with layers of red and floral fabric sat against the wall. A sturdy wooden table rested at the center, bearing a neat stack of books—each one a quiet reminder of afternoons once spent reading by the fire.
Ahead rose the twin staircases, sweeping upward with carved railings formed with meticulous craftsmanship. As he stepped inside, a small shadow darted behind him. Youri turned, but nothing was there. The shadowy figure skittered up the stairs.
"Who are you?" Youri called out.
Hearing no answer, he stood still for a moment, then made his way up the stairs. Each step creaked—just as it had when he was young. Still the same, he thought to himself.
At the second floor he entered a narrow hallway, each footstep softened by polished wood. The walls rose close, paneled neatly, glowing faintly under the dim amber light dripping from the chandelier above. The glass orbs cast trembling shadows that rippled across the ceiling like dark water stirred by a distant breeze. Silent doors lined the corridor, their brass knobs catching faint glimmers of light. At the far end, a curtained doorway waited, the fabric swaying softly as if stirred by breath.
The long hallway seemed to narrow the closer he came to the curtains, drawing him in with slow, deliberate gravity.
Standing before the curtained entrance, he pulled the fabric aside and stepped inside.
The room stretched in perfect symmetry—two rows of beds aligned neatly on either side, blue covers smoothed with careful precision. Each bed held its own fragment of a childhood world: a folded blanket, a tucked-away book, a toy resting beside a pillow.
Youri walked slowly down the aisle, wooden boards creaking beneath his weight. Tall cabinets lined the walls, shelves cluttered with pairs of shoes, hanging uniforms, framed photos, and small trinkets collected over the years. Chandeliers above caught faint beams of light and glinted softly.
Suddenly, the shadowy figure crawled out from beneath one of the beds. It stood behind him."Why are you here?" it asked.
Youri spun around, shocked—and saw a child. Not just any child. Himself.
Young Youri spoke again, voice small yet steady. "This is my home. Are you here to take me away?"
Youri sat on the wooden floor before him. "Don't worry, buddy. No one is taking you anywhere."
"But I want to go," the child said. "I'm all alone. Everyone already left."
Youri placed a gentle hand on the boy's head. "I know, bud. But you have to be brave. The day will come when you'll leave too. Just… remember this: don't let any moment slip by you. Enjoy them. Life is long, and this little time you have now… it'll be some of the best you'll ever get."
A tear slid down Youri's face as he said it.
Young Youri reached up, placing his small hand on the adult Youri's cheek."You too," he whispered softly. As a bright light engulfed the room.