Several minutes ago.
Leah ran towards Arthur's room with utmost urgency.
The alerts rang through the entire estate like a death sentence. Every second away from her son was a second a part of herself died.
She would fight the universe for the sake of her son. And nobody would stand in the way of that… not even the Intergalactic Council.
"Arthur!"
She burst into her son's chambers, only to see him already awake and crying.
"M-mommy. I-I'm scared…"
Lead's heart tightened at the sight of her baby boy, frightened and confused. She ran to him and carried young Arthur in her arms, rocking him.
"It's okay, Arthur." She consoled him tearfully, her voice strained. "Mommy's here. Everything will be f-fine."
She had to lie.
From the windows, the searchlights beamed across the room like an executioner's blade.
Tightly holding her son in her arms, Leah ran out, her heart racing, fear evident in her every move. They had made plans, but she was reluctant.
She ran across the hallway, making her way towards the estate's underground series of tunnels.
Within one of the hidden chambers of these tunnels was a warrior geared up in battle armour.
Karen Troy — a female warrior.
Raised from childhood by the clan, she had unmatched loyalty. She was battle-tested, strong-willed, and willing to sacrifice it all for her clan. And most importantly, she loved Arthur like a brother.
When she had learned of Arthur's nature, she had been conflicted.
Frightened.
Karen had taken a while to accept Arthur's nature as a Dimensional Shifter.
She had consulted past records. Studied every known case surrounding Dimensional Shifters. Then she made the connection.
The problem had been the dimensions themselves. And the solution they had arrived at was to keep the Dimensional Shifters away.
But it was a delay ploy at best.
Keeping Dimensional Shifters from dimensions was like trying to separate a mountain from a planet's crust.
It could not be done.
At the far end of this chamber was a sleek, metallic ring embedded in the wall. Swirling within this massive ring measuring three meters in diameter was a portal to another world.
A hidden world.
An unregistered world.
This portal was a newly designed portal meant to overcome Portal Interference signals.
And it worked.
Bursting through the doors of the chamber was a heavily breathing Leah with a whimpering Arthur.
"Karen—"
"Everything is ready, Lady Leah." Karen cut in quickly, realising time was of the essence.
"Good."
Leah sighed as she lowered young Arthur to the ground. This was the hardest part of all — saying goodbye to her son.
"Arthur, my darling." She said, her voice tinged with emotion. "You'll have to go with your Aunt, okay?"
Tears streamed down her face as the words escaped her lips.
"W-What…" Arthur could barely get the words out, his whimpers cutting deeper than any blade could. "What about you and Daddy?"
"Daddy is taking care of the noise outside." She assured, wiping away his tears. "We will join you soon after."
"Promise?"
The question had been innocent, but it had almost crushed Leah's resolve.
"Promise."
Unable to look her son in the eyes, she hugged him, sobbing silently. She glanced at Karen with pleading eyes.
Karen nodded but stayed silent.
"Aunt Karen will take care of you until then. But Arthur… You have to promise mommy. Promise me you'll blame no one. This isn't your fault. It's no one's fault."
"O-okay."
Young Arthur nodded, not truly understanding the weight of his mother's words.
"My son…" She called in a voice tinged with a mother's pride. "Know that your father and I love you so, so much."
"I love you too, mommy." Young Arthur replied innocently.
And for many seconds, mother and son embraced each other, the weight of unspoken feelings silently passing between them.
Suddenly, the moment broke when a distant boom shook the walls around them.
"It's begun…"
Karen muttered and looked at the duo with a flicker of sorrow. But as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced with a warrior's resolve.
"Lady Leah…"
"I know."
Leah sobbed harder as she pulled back. Her heart tightened, her beautiful face streaked with tears. She rested her hands on Arthur's shoulders, her hands unbearably heavy with guilt.
"Take care of yourself, Arthur. And listen to your aunt—"
Another distant explosion, one more powerful than the last, made her flinch.
Her time had run out.
With a final kiss to Arthur's forehead as goodbye, Leah stepped back as Karen picked up the boy.
Facing her matriarch, Karen had no words to say, no sentiments to pass. But a nod conveyed all that remained unspoken.
"Karen…."
"With my life, Lady Leah," Karen replied before Leah could get the words out. "I will not disappoint."
Leah nodded, watching Karen take Arthur to the swirling portal as her tears fell.
Arthur looked at his mother and waved. He wanted to stay with her. He wanted to be by his father's side.
But he was a good boy. He could only listen to his mother. She had promised she would join him with his father.
And that was enough.
Before her teary eyes, Karen disappeared with Arthur, forever taking away a piece of herself.
"Ah… Arthur. I'm so sorry…"
Alone in the chamber, the last vestiges of strength left her, bringing her to her knees. Leah sobbed in agony, hands covering her face.
She knew what had to be done next. But she was reluctant.
The portal served as the only way back to her son. Destroying it meant severing that connection. But her future was uncertain.
This much she knew.
Even so, she had to make the sacrifice. For the sake of her son. For his survival, it had to be done.
Finding her resolve amidst the shaking of walls, Leah stood up and extended a hand at the portal, aiming for the core of the portal.
Gradually, a swirling mass of concentrated energy gathered in her palms, expanding.
"Godspeed, Arthur." She whispered with a heavy heart. "Live a life free of burden. A good life. Your father and I have done all we could. The rest is in your hands."
As the final words of her goodbye echoed across the chamber, the destructive mass of energy shot forward.
BOOM…!
And so… Arthur Soren, a boy born with a nature he never asked for, lost everything he ever knew.
Leah Soren, unwilling to stay any longer, turned around and left. Her husband needed her.
Moments after she left, a figure appeared.
Standing at an impressive height of two meters was a man who looked to be in his fifties. He had long black hair with white streaks, tied in a samurai bun.
Reiner Soren.
Father to Orion Soren and one other. Grandfather to Arthur Soren.
He ignored the shaking walls and destruction above as he silently stared. Orion had been sure he had kept Arthur's nature a secret, but Reiner had always known.
He had no reason to interfere or voice his thoughts. Arthur was his grandson; he was his blood.
Reiner could never do it.
But more than that, their foundation had been founded by a Dimensional Shifter many millennia ago.
'Stay safe, grandson. I'll be watching from the shadows.'
Leaving these thoughts behind, his figure flickered and disappeared. He had his own preparations to make for what was ahead for the clan.