"Who even are you?" Kylin sked, not sure what to make of the situation.
Primus's gaze softened, though the glint in his eyes remained unnerving.
"Like you, I am also a puppet, created by The Sovereign." His tone was almost… sympathetic. "In fact, there are hundreds of thousands of puppets in the realm from which I came—a truth unknown to humans."
It all made sense now. His strange powers. His unnatural outbursts. The hollow emptiness that had always followed him.
Kylin's thoughts swirled with questions—but right now, he couldn't find the strength to ask them.
As Primus and Kylin stood in tense silence, a voice broke through the stillness—light, teasing, laced with venomous amusement.
"Well, would you look at that? It didn't take much effort to finalise the contract, did it?"
Kylin's gaze shifted toward the voice. A girl emerged from behind Primus, her stride lazy. He looked at Primus, as if expecting an answer, while Primus's expression frowned upon recognising the voice.
The girl's violet eyes glinted as she tilted her head. "I suppose this is our first time meeting? You can call me Flemmi." Her voice dripped with mischief.
"Flemmi…" Primus's tone was low, edged with disappointment. "I believe I instructed you to stay away."
Flemmi's smile widened. "Yes, you did. You told me to stay away until the contract was complete." She shrugged, her gaze playful. "I did it for longer than I should have."
Kylin watched the exchange in silence, his expression unreadable. Primus's golden gaze shifted toward him, noting his stillness.
"Was that all?" Primus's voice was calm, measured. "You have no other questions?"
Kylin had one doubt swirling in his mind for quite some time. His voice came out low, almost hesitant.
"Who's the sovereign?"
Upon hearing that, Flemmi looked at Kylin with a shocked expression, as if he had asked something very stupid.
"Lord Primus…" she turned towards him. "Have you been slacking off? How have you not told him yet?"
Primus didn't look at Flemmi, his expression unchanged.
"The Sovereign is the one who has created all the puppets, as well as the realm in which we all live."
Kylin's mind churned beneath his calm exterior. The weight of what he'd just learned pressed down on him, making it hard to form coherent thoughts.
Primus studied him for a moment before speaking. His tone softened, as though aware of Kylin's struggle to process it all. "We will have time. After all, understanding is part of our contract." He stepped forward, his gaze sharp. "It will make more sense once we reach Velmora—the home of all puppets."
Velmora… Primus had mentioned this place when they first met, though he didn't explain anything at that time.
"What is Velmora?"
A light laugh broke the tension. Flemmi leaned lazily against a pillar, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"Velmora?" Her smile sharpened. "It's a place shrouded in tragedy. Puppets there indulge in the most vile, detestable acts you can imagine."
Primus, clearly unamused, rebuked her description, "Don't listen to her. She spouts nonsense."
"Velmora is a place that transcends all boundaries of the human world. It is a paradise, where you can get everything you desire." Primus responded; his description of the place seemed straight out of a fairy tale.
Kylin felt the description to be an exaggeration, but he didn't want to judge anything without seeing it himself.
Flemmi sighed, her tone dripping with mock disappointment. "Geez, can't even take a joke, can you?"
"Shall we?" Primus raised his hand forward. His voice was calm, expectant, his golden eyes watching Kylin closely.
Flemmi let out a soft laugh, tilting her head toward Primus. "That's a classic— offering a choice when there isn't one. Some things never change, do they, Lord Primus?" Her voice curled around mockingly.
Primus's gaze remained steady, unfazed. Kylin knew he had no real choice in the matter. Whatever lay ahead, he had already crossed the threshold.
"Sure." Kylin's voice was low but resolute.
The three of them stood in the centre of the room. Primus then moved his hands in a strange, intricate manner, weaving together an arcane pattern.
As he did, a portal materialised in the nothingness before them, its ethereal glow pulsating with an unusual energy that sent shivers down Kylin's spine.
"This is the gateway to Velmora." Primus's voice was quiet but sharp, cutting through the heavy air.
If the gateway alone carried this much power, what kind of place was Velmora itself? All of a sudden, the explanation of Velmora didn't seem all that far-fetched to Kylin.
"You two should head inside, I'll catch up later." Flemmi's tone was light, almost careless.
Primus's gaze didn't shift. "Very well." His eyes darkened slightly as he turned toward Kylin. "Step inside, Alpha."
Flemmi watched them vanish, the faint shimmer of the portal fading into stillness. Her eyes darkened.
She sighed, stretching her arms behind her head. "If only you had agreed sooner… I wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble."
Her frown curled into a twisted smile.
"But I must say… it was worth it. After all, broken people are the easiest to manipulate."
-On the other side-
As Kylin's gaze swept over the scene, his heart swelled at the breathtaking sight that greeted him. He found himself standing before a bustling town nestled amidst mesmerising mountainous terrain, its peaks kissed by the soft hues of the evening sky.
Waterfalls cascaded gracefully down rocky cliffs, their gentle murmurs harmonising with the symphony of nature. Floral banks adorned the edges of the town, painting the landscape with vibrant splashes of colour.
Towering behind him stood a lavish palace, its architecture a marvel of grandeur and elegance, each intricately carved detail a testament to the craftsmanship of its creators.
Primus's tone was calm yet commanding as he began, "Listen here, Alpha. Velmora is a whole new dimension, divided into four kingdoms. Protected from the human world by an enchanting abode, known as the Barrier."
He swept his arm across the horizon, as though presenting the world itself. "The land you are standing on is the Veridian Kingdom, the most beautiful of Velmora."
Kylin's eyes, still dulled and lifeless, shifted toward the vast scenery around him. The emerald skies shimmered faintly, rivers glowing like strands of light. For the first time in a long while, he felt something stir within him. "It's really… beautiful," he admitted softly. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before."
Primus gave a faint smile, though it faded quickly as he continued his lecture. "Each kingdom is governed by a powerful ruler, overseeing different aspects of the realm's existence. You will meet them all soon."
He turned and gestured toward the towering palace that loomed behind them, its spires piercing the strange, swirling skies. "The Veridian Kingdom is controlled by Lord Vortex. He possesses the formidable ability to manipulate the weather and nature of this entire underworld as he pleases."
Kylin's gaze lingered on the structure, unease flickering in his expression. "He sounds… dangerous."
"All rulers of Velmora are dangerous," Primus said flatly, before continuing. "In the east lies the Fyresian Kingdom, ruled by Flemmi. She wields the power to craft illusions and manipulate minds. Much of her time is spent wandering the human world, gathering intel."
Primus's voice grew quieter, more deliberate.
"In the west," he went on, "Lady Nyx reigns over the Nyxian Kingdom. She possesses the extraordinary gift of quick healing and regeneration, and she is tasked with creating and managing puppets."
Kylin stiffened at the word puppets, but stayed silent.
"And in the south," Primus concluded, "lies the Arcadian Kingdom, under the rule of Lord Astrum. He governs the realm of technology and rapid enhancement. It is there that puppets are trained, shaped, and given their… location."
"Location?" Kylin echoed, confusion settling in his voice.
Primus pointed at Kylin's right hand. "It is the pattern embedded there. It serves as an identity and allows puppets to communicate with each other."
Kylin lifted his hand, staring at the strange mark— a circle enclosed within a triangle, faintly glowing as though alive. His breath caught. "This… this is my location?"
"Yes." Primus's eyes narrowed. "The pattern was embedded the moment you forged the contract. With it, you can now call upon any puppet."
Kylin clenched his fist around the mark, a chill crawling down his spine.
It was clear the torrent of information was flying over Kylin's head. His eyes darted helplessly, his mind struggling to grasp the intricacies of this world.
Primus noticed his dazed expression and softened his tone. "It might seem like a lot in one go, but you will grow accustomed to it… sooner than you think."
Kylin frowned, still unsettled. "But Primus… you never told me what your power is."
The question seemed to hang heavy in the air. Primus fell silent, his gaze turning distant as though weighing how much to reveal. At last, he spoke, his voice calm yet laced with gravity.
"Ah, that…" His eyes flickered with a strange light. "My power is the ability to manipulate and control the very fabric of time and space itself."
Kylin froze, dumbfounded. His chest tightened at the thought—powers like that could bend reality itself. With such abilities, these rulers could easily dominate the human world. And yet, they remained hidden, bound to this realm.
His lips parted, questions clawing at his throat. But something—an unseen pressure, almost suffocating—kept him silent. He looked at Primus, unable to speak.
Primus seemed to sense his hesitation. With a short nod, he dismissed the topic. "I think I've said enough for now. We should head to the administrative centre. It is where my palace lies… and the others might already be waiting."
He turned, the faint swirl of energy in his wake hinting at a power far beyond Kylin's comprehension.