The night was cold, the stars sharp against the black sky. The wind tugged at Megumi's cloak as he stood at the cliff's edge, Ava only a few feet away with Chloe nestled against her chest.
For a long time, he didn't speak. He just watched Ava's eyes—so steady, so unyielding. She deserved the truth.
"…Okay," Megumi said at last, his voice low. "I'll tell you."
Ava didn't move. She waited.
⸻
The Revelation
"There's… something awakening," Megumi began, his tone heavy. "Something older than Olympus, older than Cronos. Something I thought was gone forever. But it isn't."
Ava's brow furrowed. "What is it?"
"The original Fallen King," Megumi said, and the words themselves seemed to thrum with dread. "The one who bore the crown before me. The gods erased his name, buried his existence, swore he would never rise again. But he's stirring. I can feel him—his presence is everywhere. He whispers when I sleep, when I fight, even when I hold you and Chloe. And every day, his voice grows stronger."
Ava's grip on their child tightened, but she didn't flinch. "And you kept this from me."
"I didn't want you to carry this burden," Megumi said quickly, stepping closer. "I thought I could find answers before it reached you. I thought I could protect you from it."
Ava's eyes glistened, but she met him without wavering. "Protect me? Or protect yourself from me seeing you like this?"
Megumi froze. The words cut deep because they were true.
⸻
The Strain
"I feel him trying to pull me apart," Megumi whispered, his voice shaking. "Like I'm a vessel, nothing more. The more power I use, the more I feel his shadow. Sometimes I wonder if I'm still myself—or if I'm just keeping his throne warm until he takes it back."
Ava stepped closer, laying her free hand on his cheek. "Megumi Valentine," she said softly, "you are not a shadow. You are my husband. You are Chloe's father. You are the man we all chose to follow. Don't you dare let him steal that from you."
Tears burned at the edges of Megumi's eyes, but he held them back.
"I don't know if I'm strong enough to fight him," he admitted.
"Then don't fight him alone," Ava said, her voice unwavering. "You have me. You have Chloe. You have Leonidas, Nyx, Medusa. We'll face this together."
For the first time in weeks, Megumi's shoulders eased. He rested his forehead against hers, feeling her warmth, grounding himself in it.
"…Thank you," he whispered.
But as the waves crashed below and the stars glittered above, Megumi couldn't shake the thought pressing at the edges of his mind:
If the original Fallen King truly awakens… even together, will we be enough?