★176
The next day, I changed my clothes and we headed out.
"Morning."
Errai greeted.
'Greetings. So weird.'
"I was awake all night staring at the ceiling."
"Oh...you're not used to resting."
"I don't get tired. Why do I need to rest?"
"What was it you said back then? 'Even with limitless stamina, the mind can still grow weary and a weary mind will fail before a tired body.' You told someone who doesn't need rest to get some. I can't say less for you."
"Ok. Fair point. But I never said I don't need rest."
I took the first step on the stairs.
"I don't sleep, nor do I get tired. But I use certain moments to just sit down and do nothing. That's rest."
He explained.
"Can't you be a little straightforward?"
The next step and we've made contact with the earth.
"I can. Sometimes I prefer to drag the conversation."
"Hmm."
We made our way through the city and we could hear Stars & Angels talking about the other night. The Crimson Moon has disappeared. Words seem to fly fast because some were talking about how it disappeared in the other worlds too.
"Some of us haven't seen the night in Classes, while others haven't seen it at all. What you did here is remarkable."
"Too many compliments, I don't like it."
I said.
"The Moon might be gone but you always have to protect your people. That's why I suggested you shouldn't suspend the patrol bots."
"Noted. I'll have them working all night every day. It's better to be safe than sorry, right?"
Ela's quote. I nodded in response.
"But still, robots to maintain worlds...I never thought of that."
"Humans are creating Artificial Intelligence to help them in their day-to-day activities. I don't want to pressure my people, when they can pursue the life they want. So I created them to do my work."
"Respecting one's life, huh?"
"Call it whatever you want. And for the bots, they won't go rogue and be like Terminators or AM. You don't have to worry about it."
He reassured. Besides, if anything happens, he's a Supergod. He'll get the job done in seconds.
"I never was."
I replied. He chuckles slightly.
"You're like a switch. Turning something on & off within you."
Though it was a joke, it was real. I feel like my mind doesn't belong to Antares alone. Unexpected mood swings might be lead to fractured identities. I don't want that.
The dormant portal came to life, its centre glowing with energy as we approach it.
"...It's just who I am."
I replied a bit too late. Without a word, Errai took the lead. I passed through the gate and a blend of different atmospheres welcomed us. It was cold, warm, and threatening at the same time.
'Norvethis indeed.'
We appeared above the land, observing the four various domains as one.
"I don't need to point out which belongs to who right?"
"No."
'The hollow is Fang's, ice land is Fafnir's, and rich green land for Eltanin.'
I classified, my gaze drawn to each side of Norvethis.
"Let's go."
He descended effortlessly and I followed him.
"If it's Supergod stuff, I won't have to go and listen, right?"
"It's your choice. We won't bother if you decide to join us."
"Ok. It's my choice and I don't want to join you all."
Since the choice was in my hands, I pick the honest one.
"..."
"I'll go talk to Fafnir."
I said, already turning towad Isvathis.
"Depending on our conversation, you may have to come fetch me."
"Ok. Be safe. He probably knows you're here so no problem."
"See you later, Errai."
He nodded once, heading to Elyvathis. With that I headed to Isvathis, the cold already welcoming me.
Midway through the cold atmosphere, something shifted.
A streak of darkness tore free from Morvathis and shot toward me at impossible speed. It wasn't a shadow cast by light, it was something denser.
I barely had a second to react. The instant I registered it, he was already there.
The impact cracked the air. I raised one arm on instinct and caught him mid-lunge. The force traveled through my shoulder but I didn't move.
Fang froze in my grip.
Up close, darkness clinging to him, leaking from his form like smoke that refused to disperse. His eyes widened when he realized I had stopped him so easily.
"You."
His voice was strained, unstable.
"What happened to me? Get out of my way, Fang."
I said. He tried to push forward, but my arm held firm, unmoving.
"How dare you!"
He took the bait.
With a snarl, he swung his second hand at me, darkness coiling around his arm like a living thing. The strike was fast, driven by instinct more than thought.
I caught that one too, easily.
Both his wrists were locked in my grip now. The force behind his attack tremored through my arms, but it went nowhere.
"Think for once and stop being a beast."
My voice came out colder than I intended.
He strained against my hold, teeth clenched, but the more he pushed, the clearer it became. This wasn't control, it was desperation wearing rage as a mask.
"Shut up!"
His jaws split open, wider than they should have, darkness condensing deep in his throat.
I felt the heat building, the pressure before what I could only assume to be a draconic breath that can tear everything apart. I couldn't let that loose. Not at this range.
I drew strength forward and drove my forehead into his face.
The crack echoed as bone met bone. The recoil snapped his head back. I twisted with it, using the momentum, and hurled him downward. His body cut through the air and slammed into the earth below, stone rupturing on impact.
I remained hovering above him, looking down as dust and fractured debris settled around his frame.
"You challenged me, but I won't fight back."
I said evenly.
"I'll give you a world of advice, stop acting like a mindless beast. Even the third head has a mind of its own. Use it."
I said, purely philosophical than any knowledge on how the Cerberus operated. Fang stirred, but didn't rise.
"Do that, and you won't just be feared. You'll be respected. You won't need discipline from those two. And I won't tolerate this kind of act in the presence of the Lady."
I said, as if his performance infront of Ela ment anything to me.
Just the, a slow and deliberate Clap. Clap. Clap filled the air.
I didn't need to turn to know who it was.
"Oh my Dragons."
A voice drawled, amused.
"No outsider has ever talked to Fang like that. Not only did you humiliate him, you added lecture notes."
I glanced sideways.
Fafnir stood at a distance, hands coming together lazily in applause. A faint smile curved his lips, long silver hair swaying in the high-altitude wind as if it moved to a rhythm only he heard.
"The fact that he hasn't come out now is really odd," He added, eyes narrowing slightly.
"That's not so Fang-like."
Below me, Morvathis remained in the crater, unusually silent.
"If you two keep treating him like this, then he'll never have a mind of his own. You always outshine him and make him look inferior and odd. That's not how triplets do."
I said, using human bonds to express their situation, even though it's inapplicable.
"You guys should be equals not the other way around. He may be incomplete, but it's your duty to make sure he's not lacking in any aspect even though it's not possible."
I added. I didn't care about their roles or their distinct personalities. But this is simply unjust, and according to Antares senses of advocacy, that's inappropriate
"How much were you able to see?"
Fafnir asked.
"Only what you put up that day."
"It's not my fault."
He began, trying something tricky.
"We had a division. Eltanin leads, I plan & Fang operates. You have no right to say otherwise. You're not a Dragon, you can't relate."
"You're right. I'm not a Dragon, I'm a Star. I respect Eltanin being the leader but that doesn't mean you two shouldn't get your hands dirty. It surely doesn't mean Fang shouldn't be capable of something other than that."
"You know. I'm only exchanging words because of your status. That doesn't mean you have the right to tell us what to do."
He said, trying to make this a confrontation.
"Nah, I think he's right."
The voice didn't come from below.
Fang was still hiding, silent inside Morvathis, listening. Fafnir stood poised, waiting for me to make the first move.
Eltanin and Errai stepped forward. No, they had been there the entire time.
"So you're a troublemaker, aren't you?"
Errai asked lightly but I didn't answer.
"Hey, what are you talking about?"
Fafnir barked, irritation flashing across his face.
"Shut up."
Two simple words, not a roar or amplified, they just were, but the effect was immediate.
Norvethis trembled, the lingering pressure in the air fractured. Fafnir's magic flickered, his composure cracking for the first time. The high-altitude currents that had been holding him steady wavered, his body dipping slightly as his balance faltered.
"While I won't let you change our foundation which the First Head is responsible for thinking and leading the Cerberus, now that we aren't whole, I can use your point."
"..."
"Can you come with me? You alone."
I glanced at Cepheus and he nodded.
"Sure."
"We won't take long, Cepheus. We'll be back before you even know it."
Eltanin assured.
"You should've been back by now."
He replied before we got teleported somewhere else. How Errai-like.
We appeared in a desolate area, the earth scorched, the heat still lingering in the atmosphere.
'Something happened here. But what?'
"This is where the Trinity Guardian, Phorathis crashed."
He said calmly. It crashed Classes ago, yet the heat and pressure is this potent.
"Back then, we weren't called Eltanin, Fafnir and Fang. We had a name based on our attributes.
Aurexis, the Golden Authority welding the power of light. Iskaron, Frozen Intellect, with the power of ice and Veynar, Dark Fang holding the power of darkness."
"I thought..."
"It's a bit blurry, but our memory as Phorathis is within me. The Goddess knows but decided I shouldn't tell the other. She gave us new names and kept us close."
'Ok. I get that. But you didn't bring me here to tell me that. Besides, this wasn't the reason why he chose to intervene. What are you planning, Eltanin.'
I slightly shifted my stance, ready to do literally anything if something happens.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Honestly, I don't know."
His gaze wandering around the scorched earth, never meeting mine.
"But I think somehow, you can make things right."
"What things?"
"What you said back there, woke me up. I let Eltanin take over Aurexis, and somehow I feel like I shouldn't overshadow the past me."
There was no anger in his words but raw honesty. He paused briefly before continuing.
"I haven't been leading us as I should. Eltanin kinda failed as the First Head."
The words hung heavy in the air. It wasn't mockery or blame, it was acknowledgment.
"There was a time Fafnir rebelled. So I gave him that scar. A reminder of who's in charge."
He sadi quietly, his fingers tracing his face, the same exact spot Fafnir's scar was.
"He said a lot of things about me, and he was right. I know I'm not doing my job. I rarely see Fang, and it's my responsibility to make sure he's doing well but… Dragon."
His gaze lowered.
"I'm a bad leader."
He admitted.
"No, you're not. You're just trying to fit into this new world without discarding your previous one."
He looked up at me, searching for doubt in my face.
"I'll take your word and give it a try."
"It's just my point of view. Are you sure you want to do that?"
If something went wrong, if my words carried weight they weren't meant to. I didn't want that responsibility pinned to him later.
This wasn't about dominance anymore. It was about choice.
"Cepheus told me what you did."
Eltanin said, his gaze held something unreadable, curiosity, maybe a hint of respect.
"About the Crimson Moon. I never expected someone in the M-Class to neutralise the Art of an A-Class Star. But considering who you are, it might be possible. And I know it'll be good for us."
"Good luck with that."
His words didn't demand anything. Just acknowledgment.
"So, what were you going to ask Fafnir?"
He asked, dragging the topic at hand.
"About Dragons and Kalidor. I want to explore the Star Realm, and I mean the Star Realm, Kalidor included."
Eltanin exhaled slowly, as if weighing the idea before answering.
"Well, there are no direct entries leading to Kalidor. And we don't know much about the Dragons."
"Even your mind can't tell you something?"
"Blurry."
He admitted. The frustration in his tone was subtle, but real.
"I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Kalidor is just unique and scarce in the Star Realm. It's a shame I won't be able to set foot inside."
"What are your goals for Kalidor?"
"Nothing much."
I replied.
"Witnessing the world and its creatures is more than enough for me."
"Just those two?"
He asked, surprised.
"If I take a quick tour, then yes."
"And if you could get a long ride?"
"I'd learn a thing or two from them."
Eltanin paused, considering it. There was silence for a moment, as he considered his next words.
"I can get you to Kalidor."
He finally said
"But I don't know where you'll land. The worst-case scenario is you appearing in the last two realms."
The implication hung there. The last two realms, places Ela treated with caution. Unknown territory.
I didn't flinch.
"That's a risk."
"It is."
He watched me, assessing whether I understood what I was asking for.
I met his gaze, unwavering.
"The Void Dragons' territory."
"Yes."
"I'll risk it. The odds are 2 to 8. The probability is high. I can do it."
"It's not about you anymore. The Goddess must be involved in this."
"No. This can happen without her consent.'
"It's impossible. The portal won't open without her knowledge. You have at least two seconds or less before she appears."
"Don't worry about that. I'll jump the moment it's activated."
'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can't let it slide.'
"What if there's a way?"
"There's none."
"Just listen to me."
In that instant, something happened.
.
.
.
.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you."
"Damn right you are. Now open the portal."
My tone shifted like a blade sliding from its sheath. The easy calm vanished. Darkness seeped from me, pressing against the air.
Eltanin stiffened, his composure no where to be found.
"That's…"
"Shh."
I lifted a finger to my lips.
"You don't want to find out what this bad boy is capable of. Just activate the portal and let me go."
It wasn't a joke. The aura around me writhed, serpentine, a restless pressure that made the space between us feel narrower.
Eltanin swallowed.
"Okay. Just hold on…"
He reached out, channelling his energy. The portal before us flickered, ancient mechanisms stirring after a long slumber. Light crawled across its surface, clearly unstable.
"Are you sure about this? Even I don't know where you'll land."
"Step back."
My aura kept him at a distance, an invisible boundary he respected. I moved forward, standing directly before the portal.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."
The portal thrummed. It felt wrong, like a door forced open after years of neglect. The edges wavered, the destination obscured. Yet it's now or never.
'My worst-case scenario right now is to fall into the Sub Space. But that's highly unlikely, I can use Aether Move to neglect the distance between the two ends. Well, trying won't hurt.'
"If I make it out, I'll see you around."
"You're tough. You will."
Eltanin replied.
I turned away, stepping toward the portal. Just then, the air flared white, a sudden brilliance swallowing the space.
'She's here.'
A faint smile touched my lips, my steps unstoppable.
'A bit too late.'
I had taken measures, extreme ones, to ensure no one could follow. The void itself guarded the threshold, an indifferent force that rejected intrusion. A command that must be obey without hesitation or indifference.
Yet, something dare to reached for me. A hand. It wasn't Eltanin's, he wouldn't survive a direct contact with my energy. It was Ela, it had to be.
Her arm pierced the void barrier, intent on grasping me. The void reacted, a silent defense. It should have erased the intrusion entirely, yet I hesitated. Just for a fraction of a second but it was enough to change the command.
The void deflected her reach instead of annihilating it, pushing the arm aside.
"Antares..."
She called out, voice muffled the barrier and high pitched noise form the portal.
"I'll be back in no time, Lady Elara. Just wait for me."
I didn't know if she heard it. The portal's light swallowed sound, and the words might have died before reaching her. Still, I said them. I couldn't leave without it, without some promise, however fragile.
I stepped forward into the portal.
It's corridor fractured as I expected. The space was cracked, jagged edges drifting like broken glass. I closed my eyes, utilising Aether Move, closing the distance in a single motion.
Light awaited on the other side. A different atmosphere both hostile and unknown. It felt like stepping into a place that had never seen me before.
THIRD POV
The portal died with a mechanical, final sound, like a door locking forever. The cave fell silent. Elara stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty space where Antares had been.
'Antares is gone.'
The thought struck her without mercy. Cepheus had failed to protect him, to keep him safe. And now, her little gem is all alone in a foreign world of dragons.
Eltanin had shown him the portal. He's to blame. All in all, she had allowed Antares to leave too soon. Antares shouldn't have left the palace until he was at least a thousand years old.
'It was my fault.'
She turned slowly toward Eltanin.
The playful warmth that usually surrounded the Goddess of Life was gone. Her expression was obscured in shadow, unreadable and cold. Eltanin dropped to his knees, dread flooding his face. Sweat beaded on his brow.
"I… I can..."
His words stopped as his body seized, limbs jerking violently as they snapped backwards as if something unseen had taken control.
He collapsed, unable to kneel, hitting the scorched earth with a dull sound. His breaths came ragged and shallow.
Elara approached. He tried to lift his head, muscles straining, but it moved too far. His neck was forced upward in an unnatural motion, his pleading gaze meeting her.
He stared at her from an awkward angle, eyes wide with terror.
"I'll be happy to know why you let him go."
She said.
There was no malice in her tone. Just the quiet weight of judgment. Eltanin understood then, this was not a conversation, it was a reckoning.
Before the light left his vision, he glimpsed Errai, Fafnir, and Fang, each suspended in places of torment, their conditions brutal and unyielding. It was a sight meant to convey one truth without words:
Actions had consequences. And it was time to pay.
Meanwhile, Antares who was falling head on open his eyes. The first thing he saw was darkness. The earth, if it could be called a landing surface was black.
It could be a pit, a still sea of darkness, perhaps the gateway to the abyss itself. Whatever it was, he'll get to know what it was sooner rather than later.
To be continued...