The merged form of Null and Fang was a symphony of chaos and control. Null's newly darkened hair whipped around him like a storm, his eyes a swirling vortex of black and white. The Echo, a perfect copy of his old self, was no match for this new, unified power. Null moved with a primal, strategic fury, a dance of two souls moving as one. Every strike was a blow from both of them, every parry a shared defense. The Echo, for the first time, was on the defensive, its own mimicry failing against a power it could not replicate.
With a final, devastating blow, Null's blade tore through the Echo's chest, and the creature dissolved into a cloud of dark energy and a mournful cry. The shadows that had once cloaked its form were gone, replaced by a single, fragile memory—a flicker of a smiling family, a boy with bright, hopeful eyes. It was the memory of Soren, the real Soren, finally freed.
As the last remnants of the Echo faded, the immense power of the merger began to recede. Null felt a profound exhaustion wash over him. The combined strength of two souls was a burden too heavy to bear for long. He felt Fang's essence, the loyal commander's will, retreat from his own. The profound connection that had saved his life was dissolving. He fell to his knees, gasping for air, the world around him a dizzying blur.
The next thing he knew, a deep silence had settled over him, a quiet that was more complete than any he had ever known. He was no longer in the Codex of Realm but in a space of pure void. The air was cold, the silence was absolute. He was alone.
Null, his hair returning to its familiar white streaks, and his eyes their brilliant gold, slowly pushed himself to his feet. He was in a small, empty room with walls of smooth, black obsidian. As he turned, he saw a figure standing with his back to him.
The figure was a man, and something about him was unsettlingly familiar. He was a stark contrast to the darkness of the room, his long hair a shocking, brilliant white. It was the color of fresh snow, of bleached bones, a color that seemed to absorb all the light. A small, black clown's head was pinned to the side of his own head, a grotesque and unsettling crown.
The man slowly turned. His face was a mirror of Null's, but colder, etched with lines of profound sorrow and loss. His eyes were the most disturbing feature of all—not gold, but black, a swirling abyss of shadow. In the center of each was a single, piercing white pupil, like a star burning in an empty sky.
"You're a long way from home, aren't you?" the man said, his voice a low, gravelly whisper that seemed to echo from a great distance.
Null's mind reeled. "Who... who are you?"
The man smiled, a tight, bitter curl of his lips. "I am you. Or rather, a version of you. The version that comes after."
Null felt a chill run down his spine. This was his future self, a prophecy made flesh. He looked at the man's cold, dead eyes and the black clown that sat atop his head. It was a vision of a future he didn't want to know.
"I came to tell you something," the man continued, his voice devoid of all warmth. "You can't win this war without sacrifice. You'll lose people. The ones closest to you. The ones you love."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "You will not save everyone. You will lose someone."
Null stood silent, the words a heavy burden on his soul. The vision of his future self was a terrifying glimpse of a dark path. The room began to crumble, the obsidian walls dissolving into a cascade of dust. Null felt himself being pulled back, a rushing sensation of wind and sound. The last thing he saw was his future self, his black eyes staring into his, a cold and desolate warning.
Null's eyes snapped open. He was back in the Codex of Realm, lying on the cold, shimmering ground. The mournful glow of the surviving Star Soul Enforcers cast a soft, ethereal light on his face. The overwhelming silence of the void was gone, replaced by the hushed concern of his friends.
Kai knelt beside him, his expression one of focused worry. "Null, what happened? You... you just collapsed. It was only for a moment, but you were completely unresponsive."
Sooji and Ashley hovered close by, their faces pale. The aftermath of the intense battle, the violent merger, and the Echo's dissipation hung heavy in the air. The reality of what had just happened was a stark contrast to the prophecy that now echoed in Null's mind.
"I'm fine," Null said, his voice hoarse. He pushed himself up, the exhaustion a profound ache in every muscle. The feeling of Fang's essence, once a part of him, was now a hollow echo, a testament to the unimaginable power and pain of their union. He could feel Fang's spirit, dormant but whole, resting within his Prime Stone. The commander had unmerged, fulfilling his purpose, but the strain had taken its toll on both of them.
He looked around, a heavy sense of dread settling over him. The vision of his future self, the cold, dead eyes, the prophecy of loss... it felt more real than the ground beneath him. He had seen himself, a version of him warped by unimaginable pain, and the words "You will lose someone" were a brand on his soul.
"The Echo… is gone," Ashley said, her voice still shaky. "Is that all there was to it? Just a fight?"
Null shook his head slowly. "No. The Echo was more than just a monster. It was a twisted piece of a memory. The King of Stones used Soren's pain, his history, to make a weapon out of him."
He didn't mention the vision, the future self, or the coming loss. How could he? How could he tell them that he had seen a future where he was a hollowed-out shell, a king who had lost everything? It would only sow fear, and fear was the very thing the Whisper fed on. He was the son of the Unwritten King, and his role was to lead, not to falter.
"We need to move," Null commanded, his voice regaining its authoritative edge. The exhaustion was still there, but a new, grim determination fueled him. He had to become whole, to gather the Echoes, to prepare for the war against the King of Stones. But now, that mission was tinged with a terrifying new urgency. The prophecy of loss felt like a countdown.
They continued their journey deeper into the Codex of Realm, the shimmering lights of the Star Soul Enforcers providing a path. Null walked at the front, his senses on high alert. The memory of the black-and-white eyes was seared into his mind. He didn't know who he would lose, or how, but he knew with a terrifying certainty that the prophecy would come true.
His thoughts were a storm of doubt and fear. He had found one of his Echoes—a piece of himself twisted by the Enemy—but now he was faced with a new, even more terrifying puzzle. The prophecy had to be wrong. He would find a way to defy it. He would not lose anyone. But deep down, in a place he rarely let himself look, a small voice whispered a terrible truth: a king's power is measured not by how many he saves, but by how many he is willing to sacrifice. And he knew, with a certainty that chilled him to the bone, that the war had already begun, and he had already taken the first step toward a path he desperately wished he could avoid.
End of chapter 39
See you next time