A wave of impossible, divine energy washed over the scarred Earth. It was a light that did not blind but healed, a sound that was not a noise but a song of creation itself.
And then, the miracle happened.
Flesh and bone began to knit back together. Faded spirits were pulled back into their vessels. All across the planet, people drew in sharp, gasping breaths, their eyes flying open as they returned to a life they had lost.
Toki watched, his own breath caught in his throat, as his younger siblings stirred. Color returned to their cheeks, and their chests rose and fell. He stumbled forward, collapsing to his knees and wrapping them in a crushing embrace, his body wracked with sobs of pure, unadulterated relief.
"Thank god," he wept, his voice cracking. "I... I really couldn't afford to lose you again."
His little sister blinked, confused but smiling. "Big brother? Why are you crying? Is everything okay?"
The scene repeated everywhere. People looked around, dazed and disoriented. "The last thing I remember... a beam from a monster... I died... How am I alive?"
Nero stood at the center of it all, a faint, weary smile on his face as his friends gathered around him. "Are you happy now?" he asked, his gaze sweeping over Sugeto, Toki, Myth, and finally, Kim. "Just as I promised. I saved you all. I fulfilled it."
Kim stepped forward, her eyes glistening. "I knew it was you," she whispered. "In that dungeon... you were the one who saved my life. Thank you, Nero. Thank you once again."
Nero gave a casual, dismissive wave, though a hint of warmth touched his eyes. "Chill. It was nothing."
---
A Few Days Later
The world was slowly healing, and so were its defenders. The atmosphere was lighter, the air easier to breathe.
Seino approached Nero, who was finally enjoying a moment of quiet. "So, Nero," he began, a knowing look in his eyes. "Do you want to visit Cosmo Paradise next? I could use your help."
Nero let out a long, content sigh and shook his head. "For now, I'm out. All I want to do is go home. I want to sit at my own table and eat curd and chapati—my favorite food, made by my mom's hands. That's all I need."
(Seino, having overheard the conversation between Nero and Commander Tile, now understood the deep longing for home in his friend's heart.)
Seino chuckled. "Relax, I'm joking. There's still some time for that cosmic trip. But, huh? Make sure you help me when I call you."
"You have my promise," Nero said, his voice firm and sincere.
---
"So, looks like it's time for me to go," Nero announced to the group of friends he had fought and bled with.
There were hugs, hearty slaps on the back, and promises to meet again. After a proper, heartfelt goodbye, Nero raised his hand. Space rippled before him, tearing open a portal that shimmered with the familiar energy of Aryavarta. With one last wave, he stepped through.
---
The moment his foot touched the familiar soil of his homeland, a blur of motion shot towards him.
Nero sidestepped with practiced ease, a grin spreading across his face as a series of coordinated attacks followed—one from the left, one from the right.
"You two haven't changed a bit," Nero laughed, effortlessly dodging the combined assault of Keisuke and Yoshito.
Yoshito lowered his practice sword, a matching grin on his face. "We just wanted to check if you'd gone soft out there in other worlds."
"Bring it on," Nero taunted, falling into a friendly stance. The mock battle was a ritual, a welcome home in its own right.
After the spirited "welcome," everyone accompanied Nero to his house. The moment he was in sight, his mother, Luna, came sprinting out of the door, her eyes wide with a mixture of worry and overwhelming joy.
"My boy!" she cried, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.
"Oka-san, watashi wa kodomo janai," Nero mumbled into her shoulder, his voice muffled. "Mom, I'm not a kid."
Luna pulled back, promptly grabbing his ear. "You will listen to me! I am your mom, and you will forever be a kid to me!" she scolded, her voice thick with emotion. She pinched his cheek. "Look how thin you've become! We can talk about everything else later. First, you eat!"
---
The meal was a loud, happy, and chaotic affair, filled with laughter and the clatter of dishes. That evening, as the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, Nero and Eri went for a walk.
"So, did you contact your grandfather?" Nero asked, lacing his fingers with hers.
Eri nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Mhm. They are happy for us." She grew quiet for a moment. "The battles out there... they're so chaotic. I wonder why people can't just live happily. On Toki's Earth, the cause of everything was those greedy Guilds. If they had never killed Wil... the Gate Users would never have been able to take advantage of the situation."
Nero squeezed her hand, his expression calm but somber. "I guess... that's just fate."
He then changed the subject, a playful glint in his eye. "Oh, I remember something. What were you and my mom whispering about earlier? The thing that made you shut me up before I could hear?"
Eri's face instantly turned a brilliant shade of crimson. She remembered Luna's not-so-subtle hint: "When are you going to give me a grandchild? You two shouldn't wait too long!"
"Nero, stop it!" she stammered, looking away.
"Hey, you're hiding something! That's not fair! I want to know!" he prodded, leaning in with a teasing smile.
It was an intensely embarrassing moment for Eri, and when she finally managed to stammer out the reason, Nero's own face flushed a matching red.
---
Scene Shift: The Royal Castle
Nero and Eri next visited the castle, where they were greeted by Rei and several of their old classmates.
"Nowadays, I hear people saying their new king is the best," Nero joked, clapping Rei on the shoulder. "Am I hearing things?"
Rei laughed, ushering them inside. "Nero, you haven't changed. Come, buddy, have a seat."
They talked for a while, catching up on everything that had happened in Aryavarta during Nero's absence. Rei poured tea, and as Nero was taking his first sip, they heard the rapid, frantic sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway.
The door to the chamber slammed open, revealing a breathless Ayumi.
Nero nearly choked on his tea. "Oh, Ayumi-san! Ohisashiburi dana! Long time no see." He recovered with a charming smile. "You look even more beautiful than before. Or are my eyes deceiving me?"
Before Ayumi could respond, Eri reached over and gently poked Nero in both eyes.
"Ahh! My eyes!" Nero yelped, clutching his face.
"Don't you dare flirt with someone else in my presence," Eri said sweetly, though her smile was razor-sharp.
After the funny commotion settled, Ayumi took a deep breath, gathered all her courage, and blurted out, "Nero... suki desu! I love you! Please marry me!"
Nero stared, utterly dumbfounded. "...What? Rei, tell her something! That's... that's not how things work!"
Rei, the traitor, simply shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, she is mature now. So, I guess you could maintain two wives..."
"See! Even brother agreed!" Ayumi pressed, her eyes sparkling. "So... let's do this! What do you say, Nero?"
Nero opened his mouth, a stupid, flattered smile threatening to break out on his face.
"I will cut your tongue out, Nero, if you dare to speak a word," Eri said, her voice dropping to a deadly, sweet whisper. Then, she turned to Ayumi, her smile bright but firm. "No. I am not agreed. He is mine. Only mine."
---
In the final scene, Eri was seen dragging a laughing Nero by the hand, running away from the castle and the very determined Ayumi, their laughter echoing into the twilight.
And so, in this way, with hearts full and home safe, Season 2 officially drew to a close.
End Credit Scene: A Spoiler for Season 3
The scene opened in a dark, alien dimension. A member of the FateBreakers, his armor cracked and spirit broken, scrambled backward on the ground.
"P-please! Spare my life!" he begged, his voice trembling with terror. "I won't ever come here again! It was my mistake! I thought... I thought that like Cosmo Paradise and other dimensions, we could roam freely here!"
A dark figure emerged from the shadows, its form indistinct but for two burning, crimson eyes that glowed with malevolent power.
A deep, chilling voice echoed through the void. "Everyone is afraid of something..."
With those words, the Gate User's pleas were instantly silenced. His body went rigid, then still, as if his very soul had been snuffed out.
Another, lighter voice giggled from the darkness. "Damn, Big Sis. You got a little rough with that pebble, hehe. Or maybe I should say... he was just already that weak."
Season 3 - Coming Soon