The days at Leonidas's stronghold should have been peaceful. Ava laughed more than she had in years, Chloe's cries filled the halls with life, and Nyx and Medusa were slowly relearning what it meant to live rather than simply survive.
But for Megumi, every smile, every sound of joy, felt faint—muted, as though he stood behind glass.
⸻
The Training Yard
"Your stance is slipping," Leonidas said, circling Megumi with his spear raised. "You're distracted."
Megumi snapped back to reality and parried, his movements sharper, faster. Too fast. The clash of their weapons echoed like thunder, and with a single swing, Megumi's blade shattered Leonidas's spear in two.
The old king staggered, breathless. "You're not fighting me anymore, are you? Whoever it is you see… it isn't me."
Megumi lowered his blade, sweat running down his face. He opened his mouth, but no words came. Instead, he simply turned and walked away, leaving Leonidas frowning after him.
⸻
The Courtyard
"Megumi!" Medusa called, smiling with Chloe cradled in her arms. "Come here, she's reaching for you!"
The baby stretched out her tiny hand, and for a moment, warmth flooded Megumi's chest. He stepped closer, about to take his daughter into his arms—
And then it hit him. A flicker. A vision. His hand was no longer his own; it was blackened, jagged, monstrous. Chloe cried in terror, recoiling.
Megumi froze. He backed away, shaking his head violently. "I—I can't—"
Medusa's smile fell, confusion turning to concern. "Megumi? What's wrong?"
But he was already gone, vanishing into the corridors before his daughter's wails could pierce his ears any deeper.
⸻
The Chamber
That night, Nyx cornered him as he stood at the window, staring into the moonlight.
"You're slipping," she said, her voice low and steady. "I can feel it. Your aura—it's unstable. Like something is trying to bleed through."
Megumi's jaw clenched. "Stay out of my head."
"You can lie to them," Nyx pressed, her eyes narrowing, "but not to me. I've walked through shadows long enough to know when someone's being eaten by their own."
His hands trembled, and for a second he wanted to unleash the truth, to let it all spill out—but the fear in him was louder.
"If I told you what was happening," he said bitterly, "you'd all turn against me. Or worse… you'd try to stop me."
Nyx stepped closer, her tone softening. "Megumi… we already swore to follow you to the end. Whatever it is, you don't have to—"
"I said DROP IT!" Megumi roared, the force of his divine voice rattling the chamber walls.
Nyx's eyes widened. For the first time since she had pledged her loyalty, she took a step back from him.
And in that silence, Megumi felt something inside him splinter.