It was the first full convergence of the Five Clans in nearly half a century.
The **Naravit Compound**, normally serene with its towering walls of black stone and endless fields of glowing lotus, now buzzed with tension and ceremony. Representatives from each clan had arrived with their banners, guards, and elite members-each carrying centuries of history, grudges, and uneasy alliance.
Phuwin stood at the threshold of the great hall, his hands fidgeting in front of him. He wore ceremonial white, a mark of neutrality and grace, but his heart thundered in his chest.
He glanced toward Pond, who stood beside him in dark robes lined with silver thread, his face unreadable, but his aura unmistakable-commanding, still, and dangerous.
Phuwin whispered, "Are you okay?"
Pond didn't answer at first, then murmured, "Just stay close to me."
As they entered the grand courtyard, a sea of powerful figures turned to watch.
Off and Gun stood at the center platform, their presence regal but guarded. To their left stood **Joong ** from the Archen clan-tall, broad-shouldered, and quietly observing the tension between leaders. He gave Pond a curt nod. Next to him stood **Aou**, flanked protectively by his soft-spoken omega mate **Boom**, who smiled politely at Phuwin.
**perth ** stood near the Thanaboon delegation, a hand resting on the lower back of his pregnant omega, **Santa **, who glowed with happiness and fatigue. Santa's smile widened when he saw Phuwin.
"Phuwin!" Santa beamed, waving him over gently. "It's so good to finally meet you."
Before Phuwin could respond, he heard his name called again-this time from behind.
"Phuwin!"
**Dunk**, **Gemini**, and **Fourth** made their way through the crowd. All three looked relieved but nervous.
Gemini whispered under his breath, "I don't know why... but I'm nervous around him," he said, glancing at Pond.
"Yeah," Dunk muttered. "He gives me chills, and I don't even know why..."
They didn't remember what happened months ago-the day Pond had unleashed a flicker of his true power in front of them. He had erased that memory with surgical precision. All they remembered now was an overwhelming sense of fear around him that none of them could explain.
As the gathering began, speeches were made by each clan leader. Talks of trade, rising tensions with outer rogue factions, and the unspoken absence of the long-awaited **Enigma Ruler**. The air hung heavy with expectation.
Then it happened.
A delegation from the **Neporolin Clan**-a rogue splinter clan unrecognized by the Five-pushed their way in, arrogant and uninvited. Among them, a smug alpha named **Kran** strolled toward Phuwin.
"Well, well," Kran said with a smirk. "Didn't expect to find such a sweet-looking omega among all this muscle."
Phuwin stepped back slightly, discomfort evident in his posture. Pond's body tensed immediately.
"Step away," Pond growled, barely above a whisper.
Kran laughed. "And who are you to order-?"
The world split.
The air cracked with a sound like lightning drawn from the earth itself. The sky dimmed as a violent gust of raw power burst from Pond's body. His eyes glowed - not golden, not silver - but an ancient white threaded with shadows and starlight. Time seemed to slow as the energy rippled through the compound.
Every omega fell to their knees instinctively, every alpha staggered back as their instincts screamed **submit**.
The **Neporolin clan's** front line was erased in an instant - not killed, but **wiped** from existence, as if their blood had never run in this world.
The ground beneath Pond cracked in a wide ring, his robes torn by the surge of energy. The Enigma Mark, a shimmering symbol like shifting glass, bloomed across his chest and along his spine.
Phuwin screamed, "Pond, stop! You're hurting yourself!"
But Pond's expression was blank - somewhere between wrath and pain. His power was too raw, too unshaped. Off and Gun immediately rushed forward, shielding Phuwin with their bodies.
"Pond!" Gun barked. "That's enough-!"
Pond blinked-his gaze softening when it landed on Phuwin.
And then he collapsed.
The power receded with a crash of air, and silence blanketed the gathering.
Pond's body hit the ground like a stone, unconscious, his breath faint but steady. Phuwin rushed to him, collapsing to his knees.
"Pond, please..." Phuwin whispered, cradling him. "wake up."
Around them, the leaders of the five clans stood-shocked, humbled, and certain of what they had seen.
The **Enigma had returned.**
One by one, without instruction, they knelt before Pond's unconscious form-clan after clan, generation after generation-acknowledging their true ruler.
The Awakening of the Enigma
The room was silent, filled with a thick, reverent tension.
Pond lay on a grand ceremonial bed, his skin pale, the Mark of the Enigma still faintly glowing across his chest like silver veins beneath the skin. The room had no windows, only lanterns floating with quiet magic, their flames blue and still.
Around him stood the leaders of all Five Clans.
At the head of the room were **Off and Gun**, his fathers, standing closest, their faces worn with worry and pride.
To their left stood **Tay and New**, the sovereign leads of the **Archen Clan** - stoic, steel-eyed, protective of their heir, but visibly shaken by the display of power.
To the right, the regal and sharp-eyed duo of the **TangsaKyuen Clan**, **Bright and Poon**, flanked by the secondary advisors **Great and Inn**. All four looked stunned, yet reverent, their bodies subtly tilted in a posture of submission.
**Earth and Mix** of the **Thanaboon Clan** stood tall, arms folded, but their eyes flicked to Pond with caution and awe. And beyond them, **leaders from Archen and Tanapon**, all equally shaken, waited in silence.
His friends were also there-clustered together like a wall of quiet emotion.
**Joong** stood back with a clenched jaw, arms crossed, unsure of how to speak to someone who'd just wiped out an entire rogue clan with barely a flicker.
**Aou** was seated beside **Boom**, his hand resting protectively on his omega's back, watching Pond with furrowed brows. **Perth** held **Santa** gently, whispering reassurances into his pregnant mate's ear, though his own eyes never left Pond.
**Dunk, Gemini, and Fourth** stood close to the wall, confused and anxious. They didn't remember what had happened exactly, but some primal part of them now understood *why* they'd always feared Pond.
But **Phuwin**...
Phuwin hadn't moved from Pond's bedside in hours.
His hands clutched Pond's limp one, eyes rimmed red from worry, exhaustion painting dark shadows beneath them. He hadn't spoken much since the incident, and every time someone tried to lead him away, he refused.
"He's burning up," Phuwin whispered, voice trembling. "Why hasn't he woken up?"
Off gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "He pushed his body too far. This was his first awakening..."
"...And that kind of power wasn't meant to be released without control," Gun added solemnly.
Suddenly, Pond's hand twitched.
Phuwin gasped. "Pond?!"
Everyone in the room went still.
Pond's eyes fluttered open slowly - first unfocused, then sharpening. The glowing veins along his chest faded into pale skin as his breathing steadied.
Phuwin leaned in, tears threatening to spill. "Pond... you're awake."
Pond blinked up at him, confusion clear. "You're crying..."
"I thought I lost you," Phuwin breathed. "You scared me."
Pond's voice was hoarse. "Did I... hurt you?"
Phuwin shook his head furiously. "No. But you almost destroyed yourself."
Pond tried to sit up, and Off immediately stepped forward. "Easy, Pond. Don't move too fast."
As Pond finally sat up with help, he looked around the room-taking in the clan leaders, the quiet kneeling posture of their warriors, and the fearful, reverent silence.
"What... what happened?" Pond asked weakly.
Tay stepped forward, bowing his head slightly. "You happened. The Enigma has awakened."
There was a pause... and then, one by one, every clan leader in the room bowed their head to him.
Pond stared, overwhelmed. "No... I didn't mean to-"
Off and Gun stood on either side of him now.
Gun's voice was firm but warm. "You didn't choose this, son... but the world did. And now they know."
Phuwin held his hand tighter.
"You're not alone anymore," he whispered.