The morning sun peeked through the academy windows, painting the stone halls in soft gold. Theodore stirred awake, stretching when a cheerful voice greeted him.
"Good morning, Theo!"
He blinked, rubbing his eyes. "W–woah, Lucy? Why are you here so early? I haven't even gotten ready yet."
Lucien Vespera stood near his bed, her pale cheeks flushed with warmth. "It's fine, Theo. I'll wait for you. I wanted us to go together today." Her voice carried the shy yet unshakable sincerity that always left Theodore's heart unsteady.
The boy sat up, brushing his messy hair back. "Together…? Do you mean—"
"Yes," Lucien interrupted softly, then smiled. "A date. If you don't mind."
Theodore felt his chest tighten, caught between nervousness and happiness. "Lucy… I'd like that. Just give me a moment."
---
Later, Theodore emerged in a neat tunic, a nervous but eager smile on his face. Lucien clasped her hands behind her back, her ruby eyes sparkling.
"I'm ready," he said, exhaling slowly. "So… want to go to the new café that just opened in the district?"
Lucien's smile widened. "Yes, Theo. Let's go."
They strolled side by side through the bustling streets, their steps awkward at first, but gradually falling into rhythm. The café was lively, filled with chatter and the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread.
The two found a quiet corner table. They laughed as Lucien tried a strange pastry dusted in sugar and Theodore accidentally spilled a drop of tea, his clumsy attempt to impress only making her giggle harder.
"You're too honest, Theo," Lucien said softly, resting her chin on her palm. "That's what I love most about you."
Theodore's ears burned, but he smiled. "And you… you're too dazzling for someone like me. Yet you're here, sitting with me."
For a moment, the weight of politics, titles, and expectations faded away. They were just two fifteen-year-olds, stealing happiness in a fragile world.
---
Meanwhile, in the depths of training, Aizen stood within a circle of black flames. The masked man, his presence calm yet heavy with authority, studied him carefully.
"Aizen. Since mastering the Beast Fang will take time, I want you to try another technique," the man said, his voice echoing behind the mask. "A vision of what may come. Future Sight."
Aizen tilted his head. "Future Sight?"
"Yes. It lets you glimpse five minutes forward. No more, no less. It isn't invincible—it can only guide you if you trust what you see. To use it, you must focus your mana into your eyes, then release it in a steady flow. Imagine time itself as water, and your gaze a stone skipping across it. Let it ripple forward."
Aizen closed his eyes, following the masked man's instructions. Slowly, his golden irises began to glow, threads of stormlight weaving through the darkness.
Then—he saw.
---
The vision struck him like lightning.
He wasn't Aizen anymore. He was Raizen, walking alongside a little girl with a playful smile—his little sister. Her laughter echoed, innocent and pure.
Then, the world shifted. A shadowy monster, its form writhing like ink, erupted from the ground. Before Raizen could react, the beast's jaws snapped shut around the girl. Her scream was swallowed in an instant.
"No—Sarah!!" Raizen's voice broke, reaching out too late.
The ground collapsed beneath him. A black hole pulled him in, devouring his body and tearing his soul apart. The boy Raizen was gone—reborn as Aizen Arcime.
The scene changed again. Aizen stood in the void, facing the Destroyer Goddess. Her presence was crushing, her eyes vast as galaxies, her voice an endless abyss.
He roared, unleashing every ounce of storm and fury he had. Lightning swallowed the skies. His Black Mana surged like an ocean without end. He fought with everything—claws, fists, spells, the Beast Fang itself trembling at the edge of awakening.
And yet—
It wasn't enough.
The Goddess raised her hand, her expression bored. With a flick of her finger, his body was torn apart, his soul silenced in an instant.
Behind him, his friends—Lyra, Theodore, Lucien, Lina, Amethyst—screamed as the shadowy monster devoured them one by one. His family. His world. All consumed.
---
"Aizen!"
The masked man's shout snapped through the void. He rushed forward, shaking Aizen's shoulders.
The Black Lion stood frozen, his golden eyes lifeless, his face pale as ash.
"My family…" Aizen's lips trembled. His voice was hollow. "I lost. I was defeated by her… the Destroyer Goddess. And my little sister… I saw her devoured. What does it mean? Was that the past? The future? Or… both?"
His fists clenched, his whole body trembling. "I'm… confused."
For the first time, Aizen Arcime—the boy destined to stand against gods—looked not invincible, but utterly broken.
---
End of Chapter 66