The light was blinding.
Not because it was real--but because Jin wanted it to feel that way.
An artificial sun rose across an illusionary horizon, casting golden hues over the glittering sea. Waves rolled and broke onto pristine white sands. Above, tropical birds made melodic calls, and beside each colorful umbrella were lounge chairs that seemed to scream "relaxation." The salty breeze smelled real, the heat of the sun was real, the waves were... real enough.
Yet, for those stepping out of the strange portal--dragged, floated, and shoved out of Jin's trap--it was surreal.
Rikushi blinked slowly, Hoshina leaning against his shoulder in her starlight dress, eyes still half-lidded with the dazed recovery of her transformation. He looked around in shock.
"We're... on a beach?" murmured Reiku.
"No magic. No weapons," said Jin from a distance, sitting beneath a tall cabana in golden robes. "You'll be here for one week. Consider it therapy."
"What the hell kind of therapy is this?" Valentine barked.
LuLu narrowed her eyes. "This some kind of trap?"
"No," Jin smiled. "This is team-building."
They were trapped--truly. Magic fizzled in the air. Weapons were nowhere in sight. Even Rez, normally skeptical of everything, tested it with a flick of his fingers and a squint. Nothing. Just the warm sun, the laughter of seabirds, and the sound of waves.
Ten cabins lined the beach, each with two rooms for two people each and a shared bathroom. Enough for everyone. A beach bar sat near the middle, where Vera and Rumoto were already giggling, clinking colorful drinks together--splashing each other with water. They somehow locked themselves into "date mode" immediately.
Casa, Loth, Para, and Beau returned from the bar carrying trays of chips, grilled meat skewers, mango smoothies, and some weird neon-green ice cream from.
"You're seriously enjoying this?" muttered Ina, eyeing Beau scarfing three kebabs.
"Food's food," Beau grunted.
Meanwhile, Rikushi and Hoshina sat under the same umbrella. She was curled up beside him, sipping on coconut water, cheeks flushed from the heat... or maybe something else.
"You doing okay?" he asked gently.
She looked at him--her eyes the same, but not. "Still getting used to... everything. The name. The body." Her fangs peeked out a little. "But as long as I have you, Riku..."
He held her hand, fingers intertwining. The waves lapped nearby.
Toku and Yunoi--unexpectedly close. She had dragged him into the shallows to splash him, and when he threatened to retaliate with a full suplex into the water, she just laughed harder. Her laugh echoed like music over the sea.
"You've changed," she said.
"I... I had to..." he replied, before flicking water into her face.
By mid-afternoon, the biggest event was set up: a friendly match.
Four against four.
Ceri, Gem, Glonk, and Blaidd vs Valentine, Faust, LuLu, and Abstra.
Spectators formed a semi-circle around the makeshift arena--a roped-off section of sand with towels and seats. Reiku and Ina sat under a palm tree, quietly judging every move. Kandy and Sori handed out popcorn from a magically-conjured stand.
Even Mek, TLK, Musi, Zamy, and Kuddle were watching from the roof of a nearby cabin, with Musi doing commentary.
"LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMBBLLLLEEEEE!!" Musi shouted through a conch shell.
The match began with Blaidd rushing Valentine, both trading martial strikes with grunts and sand flying everywhere. Glonk suplexed Faust. Ceri and LuLu engaged in a wild acrobatic fight that drew gasps from the crowd. Gem, with a surprising feint, actually took Abstra off her feet.
It was chaos. But it was fun.
For a moment, it felt like the war hadn't happened. That there were no factions. No betrayals. Just... people. Friends. Enemies. Rivals. Existing in a shared space, forced to just be.
Night came. Cabins lit up. A fire crackled in a pit. People roasted marshmallows.
And far away--in a cabin nudged into a corner of the fake area--Jin sat in silence, waiting for something, waiting for what comes next.
The Next Day...
"Sun, Sand, and Spikes"
A synthetic sun shined high over the illusion-crafted paradise, and though no one could quite understand how Jin pulled it off, the beach was... perfect.
Waves gently lapped at the shore. Palm trees swayed lazily. Cabanas with colorful awnings and juice bars lined the outer edges. Cabins big enough for four sat in a neat semicircle, each with glowing number plaques.
But no one was relaxing today.
In the center of the beach, a volleyball net stood tall. A crowd had gathered, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation. Para, Casa, Loth, and Beau walked around passing out snacks--pineapple skewers, coconut ice cream, frozen slushies. Vera and Rumoto strolled by hand-in-hand before settling on a nearby blanket. Reiku and Ina sat cross-legged, commentating to each other with casual amusement.
Rikushi sat under an umbrella, towel draped over Hoshina's shoulders as she sipped a fruit smoothie. She was still recovering, but watching with wide eyes.
On the sand, two teams stretched and smirked at each other for their 2nd match of the week after everyone else stepped in due to it being too 'violent'.
Team Chaos:
Blaidd (determined and half-shirtless for "mobility")
Ceri (eyeing the competition like it owed her money)
Glonk (already wearing two sets of goggles and sweatbands on his wrists and head)
Gem (chewing gum, visor tilted sideways, eyes gleaming with strategy)
Team Havoc:
Valentine (sleeves rolled, flexing already)
Faust (stoic, somehow holding a clipboard)
LuLu (already summoned a parasol for shade, scythe nowhere in sight but attitude still sharp)
Abstra (grinning, having never played, but excited anyway)
Musi shouted: "First team to 21 wins. Two-point lead. Let's keep it clean this time."
Round 1 began normal.
Faust served. Blaidd returned. Ceri set. Glonk spiked. LuLu dove. Valentine countered. Abstra ran in circles.
It was fast. Fierce. Surprisingly balanced.
Until Valentine and Blaidd started showing off.
Valentine: "SUPER HIT!" He leapt, both fists pounding the ball like a meteor. It screamed across the net. Blaidd skid-dived into the sand and saved it--barely.
Blaidd: "ULTRA SPIKE!" He jumped high--way too high--and smashed the ball down hard. It made a crater in the sand.
"DID THEY JUST NAME THEIR MOVEs?" Gem shouted.
"Oh it's like that now?!" Valentine fired back.
For hours, chaos ensued.
Ceri and LuLu exchanged fake insults with real heat.
Glonk started shouting "VOLLEY-RAGE!" every time he served.
Abstra tried teleporting, forgot magic was blocked, and tripped into the net.
Gem summoned war-cries like "GEM SLAMMER MODE" before serving with deceptive gentleness.
Faust never missed a dig. She had a read on everyone. Abstra declared her the "Volleyball Librarian."
The scoreboard ticked up slowly. 14-14. Then 16-17. 18-18.
The sun turned orange. The false moon began to rise.
Sweat rolled down backs. Feet scuffed the sand. Cheers erupted with every point.
Then finally--match point. 20-20.
Blaidd stood at the net, arms glistening. Valentine stood opposite, breathing heavy, eyes locked on him.
"Don't miss," Valentine warned.
"I don't," Blaidd replied.
Gem tossed him the ball.
Blaidd launched into the air. "ULTRA SPIKE--GOD MODE!"
He slammed the ball down--
POP!
The ball burst on impact, spraying sand and rubber in all directions.
A long silence.
Glonk blinked. "...Did we win?"
Valentine tilted his head. "No...?"
Reiku stood and announced: "Due to ball explosion, the match ends in a tie."
"A WHAT?!" Blaidd and Valentine shouted in unison.
Around the court, the others started trickling away. Para led Casa, Beau, and Loth toward a drink stand shaped like a giant coconut, humming as he handed out orders. Reiku and Ina were lounging on beach chairs, whispering between each other and occasionally laughing at the chaotic match they just witnessed. Vera leaned into Rumoto's arm as they walked along the water's edge. Vee shyly pulled Para aside from his group and handed him a drink she got "by accident." He accepted with a smile, cheeks slightly flushed.
Cheers, laughter, and light-hearted groans spread around. LuLu handed Abstra a cold soda. Ceri and Gem high-fived.
Yunoi and Toku had settled under a canopy nearby, wrapped in towels and watching the moonlit waves, quietly chatting about the match and who they would've teamed up with.
"Hmmm... I would 100% Rikushi and Valentine... OH! and definitely you too..." Toku embarrassingly said. Leading to Yunoi giggling from the look on his face after finishing that sentence.
Under a palm tree away from the others, Rikushi carefully set a blanket around Hoshina's shoulders. Her crimson eyes, now fully awakened, shimmered in the gentle glow.
"You okay?" he asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Hoshina smiled, slightly fanged. "Still getting used to breathing again."
He chuckled nervously. "You kinda.. died back there. Not something you're supposed to bounce back from."
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "But I came back. For you."
His hand reached for hers. The moment lingered.
Then--
"GET A ROOM!" yelled LuLu from the distance, waving a paddle like it was her scythe.
Rikushi groaned and covered his face with his hand. "Why is she like this."
"She's just jealous," Hoshina whispered, leaning into him more, causing Rikushi to blush from the small touch and the embarrassment.
As the night settled, the group made their way toward the cabins. Lights twinkled like stars. Fireflies buzzed through the air. The cabins awaited with soft beds, quiet showers, and moonlit windows.
Cabin Assignments (Night 1):
Cabin 1: LuLu, Faust, Abstra, Yunoi
Cabin 2: Valentine, Kaide, Toku, Kuro
Cabin 3: Rez, Davie, Rumoto, Kai
Cabin 4: Tyrant, Mek, TLK, Jin
Cabin 5: Kuddle, Zamy, Kayma, Rikushi
Cabin 6: Reiku, Ina, Vera, Vee
Cabin 7: Para, Loth, Casa, Beau
Cabin 8: Blaidd, Glonk
Cabin 9: Gem, Ceri, Musi, Hoshina
Cabin 10: Kandy, Sori
And while many were already crashing from exhaustion, Rikushi wrapped a blanket tighter around Hoshina, smiling softly as she fell asleep under the stars, whispering:
"You're safe here."
Later that Night...
The sunless night settled fully over the artificial world, and everyone began to retire to their cabins.
Cabin 1, where LuLu, Faust, Abstra, and Yunoi had already claimed their bunks, echoed with arguing about who gets which bed and Abstra trying to explain why she deserves the top bunk because she's "technically older."
In Cabin 2, Valentine tossed a pillow onto Kuro's face, snickering. "Snore again and I'm kicking you out."
"Snore again and I'm haunting your dreams," Kuro snapped, rolling over away from Valentine. Toku and Kaide exchanged silent nods before Toku sneaked out to catch a bit more air with Yunoi.
Cabin 3 was already peaceful, with Rez meditating, Davie tinkering with seashells, and Kai polishing sunglasses that nobody had asked about. Rumoto was noticeably absent--still walking with Vera along the pier.
Cabin 6 was busy. Ina was brushing her hair, Vera slipped in late holding hands with Rumoto, and Vee was staring out the window before Para knocked and handed her a small snack box he "found." She beamed, cheeks pink.
"I'm, uh... glad you're here," he mumbled.
"I'm glad too," she whispered.
They stood there longer than needed, saying nothing, until Vera's voice snapped them out of it.
"Para, get inside or I'm locking you out." Loth yelled with a slightly angry tone.
Para yelped and darted into his own cabin.
Meanwhile, Cabin 9 was... chaos. Ceri and Gem were trying to convince Musi to play "beach truth or dare" while arguing about the rules. Musi had burrowed into the pillows, muttering about peace and quiet.
And far off in Cabin 8, Blaidd and Glonk sat in silence. The air between them was heavy.
"You almost cut her head off," Glonk muttered.
"I had to try," Blaidd replied.
"...You keep saying that."
Blaidd didn't respond. He stared out the window at the moon, fingers twitching against the side of his bed. "Tomorrow. I'll find a better way."
Glonk just sighed. "You always say that too."
As the night deepened, waves rolled in a steady rhythm, fake stars glinting overhead. The magic of the beach couldn't hide the cracks forming underneath. Bonds were tightening--but others were fraying.
Still, for this one night, no one fought. No one died. No one lost anyone.
Just waves. Cold sand. Cool air. And a Beautiful (fake) sky.
The artificial moon was high, its borrowed glow spilling through palm leaves and open cabin windows. Though the beach had quieted, the tension of recent events still lingered in the backs of their minds like the burn of an old scar.
There was peace--however, it was fragile.
Cabin 1 - LuLu sat cross-legged on the top bunk, twirling her hair with one hand, flipping through an old, magazines she found under the cabinet. "Y'all ever notice how half the time we save the world, we look like a hot mess doing it?"
"Because we are a hot mess," Abstra said from the floor, laying flat on her back and straight staring at the ceiling. "I'm still mad the volleyball ended in a tie. What kind of poetic garbage is that?"
"I thought it was kinda fun," Yunoi said softly, brushing her hair in the bathroom. "Even with all the yelling. It was like... normal. Almost."
Faust leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "We've forgotten what that word even means."
There was a brief pause before LuLu peeked over the edge of the bunk. "Hey, Yunoi. You and Toku were talking a lot after the game. What's that about?"
Yunoi's face turned warm, but she smiled. "Nothing. We just... have a lot to talk about... LIKE BEING HERE."
LuLu raised a brow. "Uh huh."
Faust smirked. "Let the girl be."
Cabin 2 - Kuro was already in his bed, staring at the ceiling. "So, Valentine," he said, voice kinda quiet. "What's it like throwing your mortal enemy through a skyscraper window?"
Valentine rolled over to his side to face the wall, one arm behind his head. "Satisfying. Painful. A little exhilarating."
Kaide chuckled from the other room. "You two fight like gods. Scared half the people in that city." he yelled.
"It wasn't about power," Valentine said, his voice suddenly quieter. "It was about choice. Blaidd... chose wrong."
Toku leaned against the wall, quiet. "He lost someone. But it doesn't excuse him. But I think I get the pain."
Valentine didn't argue.
Kaide walked over and patted Toku's shoulder. "Yunoi said you were nice to her tonight."
Toku blinked. "...S-She said that?"
"Yeah," Kaide smirked. "Don't mess it up."
Cabin 3 - Davie was drawing constellations on the wall with a pen, voice and motors humming as he spoke to himself.
Kai watched him, amused. "You know none of those are real, right?"
"In this pocket dimension? Everything's real if you believe in it," Davie answered, scribbling a five-pointed spiral.
Rez sat at the corner, cross-legged, carving aa piece of bark into a butterfly shape. "Where's Rumoto?"
Before Kai could answer, the door opened, and Rumoto stepped in, smelling faintly of sea breeze and floral perfume.
"Vera?" Rez asked knowingly.
Rumoto just nodded. "...She smiled. Genuinely smiled."
Davie grinned. "Nice. About time someone found peace."
Kai leaned back against the wall. "Hope it lasts."
Cabin 6 - Vera dried her hair with a towel, glancing at Vee who sat cross-legged near the window. "You okay?"
"I don't do well with compliments," Vee admitted, looking out at the water. "Para gave me a snack. I think he meant it as a gesture. I panicked."
Ina giggled. "You ate the wrapper."
"I didn't mean to!!"
Reiku, leaning back in a rocking chair, fell backwards and added, "He blushed too, so it's mutual..." as she lays on the ground.
Vera smiled softly. "There's a lot of pain still in the air. But maybe these small moments are how we start healing."
Cabin 8 - The silence had returned.
"Still awake?" Glonk asked, lying on his back.
Blaidd didn't answer immediately. He stood near the window, arms folded.
"He shouldn't have stopped me," Blaidd finally muttered.
"He saved you," Glonk replied. "From doing something you'd regret. Maybe forever."
"I don't regret it."
"...Then why haven't you slept?"
Blaidd's hands clenched tighter.
Glonk sat up, serious now. "You don't talk about it, but I see it, y'know? The way you flinch when you see Rikushi look at you. You do care. That's why this is eating at you."
Blaidd closed his eyes. "I just want him back. My mentor. That's all I ever wanted."
"...Then let's find a way that doesn't kill someone else, especially someone close to us."
Cabin 9 - Gem was braiding Ceri's hair, chattering away. "You should totally get a beach makeover. Like, lightning-themed accessories, a cute two-piece, and a tattoo of a thundercloud."
"Absolutely not," Ceri muttered, but didn't stop her.
Musi poked her head from under her pillow. "If you two keep talking in MY room, I'm gonna throw a pillow at you"
Gem giggled. "Fine. But Ceri and I are starting a summer fashion line after this. You'll see."
"Sure," Ceri said, but her smile was soft.
Cabin 10 - Sori scribbled notes into a journal. Kandy was laying beside beside her, arms folded behind her head, watching the ceiling.
"You ever wonder if any of this is real?" Sori asked.
"Like, the fake beach?"
"No. I mean Nova Terra. Us. The war. The peace. The pain."
Kandy stared for a while. "...Sometimes. But then you look around, and you feel things. Real things. That can't be faked."
Sori looked at her. "So what are you feeling right now?"
She met her eyes. "Grateful. That you're still here."
She closed the notebook, and for the first time in days, she smiled.
Meanwhile... Outside
Jin stood on a cliff overlooking the sea, TLK, Tyrant, and Mek by his side.
"You sure we should be in this place" TLK asked.
"For a week, yes," Jin said, staring into the fake stars. "Time outside is still crawling. One hour here is almost four days out there. You all needed this rest and re-alignment."
Mek turned. "And you? Will you rest?"
"...Eventually," Jin said. "When the world stops breaking."
A few hours later...
The morning sun rose unnaturally fast, its synthetic warmth bathing the beach in a golden hue that felt--strangely--real. Waves lapped gently onto the sand, as if they wanted to whisper; "Forget the war... if only for now."
A soft chime echoed throughout the cabins. Jin's voice, distant but clear, chimed through invisible speakers:
"Good morning, mortals. It's Day Three. You have no powers. You have no weapons. You have each other. Enjoy the illusion while it lasts."
And just like that, another day began.
Beachfront Breakfast
Para, Casa, Beau, and Loth ran the beachfront food stand, flipping pancakes, frying eggs, and pouring fruit smoothies like they were born for the task.
"Don't drop that tray, Para," Casa teased.
"I never drop--AHH--"
CLANG.
"...you jinxed me," Para muttered, while Vee walked by and giggled behind her palm. She left a single paper flower on the counter for him.
Para stared at it like it held the secrets of the universe.
Behind them, tables were scattered along the beach. Most of the group was still sluggishly waking up--except Glonk, who was already jogging laps barefoot across the shoreline, and TLK, who sat beneath a tree, meditating.
Rikushi and Hoshina - Wrapped in a borrowed towel, Hoshina stood on the edge of the water. The air tasted of salt and memory.
"You good?" Rikushi asked softly, joining her side, two cups of something sweet and blue in hand.
Hoshina nodded slowly. "I think I finally heard my own heartbeat again."
He handed her a drink. "We don't have to talk about it."
"I think I want to. Later." She sipped. "But for now... just this."
They stood in silence, the breeze winding around them like a blanket, their shadows touching on the sand.
Yunoi and Toku - Yunoi skipped rocks across the water, laughing at her own terrible aim.
"You're supposed to angle the throw," Toku said, trying to demonstrate.
Instead, the rock hit the water with a plunk.
Yunoi gave him a look. "Smooth."
He blushed. "I never said I was good at it."
There was a beat. Then she nudged his shoulder with hers.
"Thanks for talking to me."
Toku looked at her, soft and awkward. "...You make it easy to want to."
Ceri, Gem, Glonk, Blaiddvs.Valentine, Faust, LuLu, Abstra
They cleared space on the sand.
The net was up.
Game faces were on.
Match #3 - Another Volleyball Game, playing to 14
Reiku and Ina sat with their snacks in the sand, watching.
"Place your bets?" Ina grinned.
"I'm just here for the chaos," Reiku muttered.
First Serve: Faust.
The ball zipped like a bullet, but Gem popped it back effortlessly.
THUD. THUD.
Normal at first--fast-paced, tight.
Until Valentine and Blaidd locked eyes across the court, once again.
"Think you can keep up, old man?" Blaidd teased.
"Watch and learn, traitor."
Valentine leapt, spinning mid-air.
"SUPER HIT VERSION TWO!!"
The ball exploded off both palms.
Gem ducked. It soared overhead and dented a palm tree.
Ceri shouted, "You're gonna get someone killed!!"
"Then BLOCK FASTER!!" Valentine yelled.
Blaidd retaliated with:
"ULTRA SPIKE SUPREME TWO!!"
His hand turning red as he slammed the ball--it cratered into the sand and rebounded like a cannon into the water.
Cue: half the group diving in slow motion.
Musi wandered by with a coconut, muttered "nope," and walked the other direction.
They kept going.
Hours passed.
The boys' shirts came off.
LuLu tied her hair up like she meant business.
Gem did one backflip just to be extra.
By nightfall, the scoreboard read:
Team Chaos: 13 -- Team Havoc: 13
Match point.
Blaidd, breathing heavy, wiped sweat from his brow. "This is it."
He leapt, spun midair, and--
"ULTRA SPIKE PLUS SUPREME TWO!!!"
The volleyball burst from sheer impact, confetti of rubber and sand flying in all directions.
A moment of stunned silence.
Abstra: "DIDN'T YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM LAST TIME?"
LuLu: "So. It's a tie. Again."
Glonk flopped backward into the sand. "...worth it."
Everyone cheered, exhausted and laughing.
Back at the Cabins
The sun faded. The stars--manufactured they were--blinked in place.
Inside their cabins, and scattered across the beach, conversations bloomed again.
Cabin 3 – Vera and Rumoto
Vera sat beside Rumoto, a small crystal flower in her hands.
"You gave me this... right after the war," she whispered.
"I thought you threw it away."
"I almost did. But... I didn't."
He looked at her, unsure. "Why?"
Vera met his gaze. "Because some part of me kept wanting to believe that we will become more one day."
A pause.
Then they leaned in---slow and uncertain---but met halfway.
Cabin 6 – Vee and Para
Para held the paper flower Vee made earlier. He was turning it over in his fingers like it was fragile.
"You know," Vee said gently, "I don't usually give those out."
He swallowed. "I don't usually keep anything unless it explodes."
She laughed.
"Guess we're both weird."
He grinned. "Yeah. But you're my kind of weird." ((Writer's note: He's him))
Cabin 9 – Hoshina and Rikushi
Hoshina sat at the edge of her bed. "You've changed," she said.
"So have you, obviously." Rikushi replied.
She looked at him, then smiled. "Think we changed into better versions of ourselves?"
He hesitated... then nodded. "I'd like to think so."
Outside, the waves whispered.
Later that Night...
No one fell asleep.
They were pulled into something.
Every single one of them, in every cabin, from every corner of the beach, drifted into sleep not with dreams--but visions. Wounds, raw and bleeding. Grief, unspoken. Moments, lost.
They all watched, helplessly.
Rikushi knelt in fire, staring at the ash of a body he couldn't save.
Hoshina reached toward her family, but they turned away--unforgiving.
Valentine saw his kids reaching up to him, asking, "Why didn't you save us?"
Blaidd ran after a dying mentor who called him "traitor" with his last breath.
LuLu stood in a lake of darkness, with voices whispering her sins in reverse.
Rez was forced to relive the day he lost his lover. The day his own heartbeat stopped.
Ceri held a broken mirror that showed her as a monster... a killer.
Rumoto saw Vera falling off a cliff, with his hand unable to grab her, it was so close but--just out of reach.
Toku stood in a battlefield of fallen friends, their eyes staring right at him wide open and steady.
Gem wandered alone in a garden where no one remembered her name.
Reiku watched her allies get a blade drove right through them, in front of everybody.
Everyone saw pain--not just theirs, but each other's.
Their minds overlapped. The dream stitched itself together with shared sorrow. Their breathing synchronized. Tears fell, some silently, some violently, its as if they were all able to connect with each others' minds and memories, watching the pain they went through, feeling the agony they felt, and experiencing their sorrow.
And then--
A CRACK.
A ripple. A sudden stillness in everyone's minds.
They were Awoken.
They all jolted upright.
No sun.
No cabins.
No ocean. No sand.
Just steel beneath their feet. Cold yet familiar.
The beach was gone.
The Vault had returned.
Vast and empty. The same towering chamber they'd fallen into before, yet now darker... stiller... and sealed.
One by one, they realized it wasn't a dream. The silence was deafening.
From high above, standing on a spiraling balcony of pure white light, Jin hovered with his arms behind his back. Gem stood beside him, her expression unreadable.
"Time's up," Jin announced softly, though his voice echoed through the entire Vault.
"Your peace has passed. You've laughed, cried, burned, healed. But it was never real. It never could be."
"Now... comes the next phase."
His hand glowed. A brilliant white flame formed in his palm, then broke into dozens of glowing threads. The threads spun through the air, striking each of the 33 below like strands of fate.
They disappeared.
The Rooms
They reappeared in sealed hexagonal rooms, simple in shape, sterile and pure white, almost too bright to focus on.
Each room held three people, no more, no less. No windows. No doors. Just... each other.
Ten rooms.
Room 1: Rikushi, Blaidd, Rez
The tension was instant. Blaidd remained silent, arms crossed. Rez sat on the far end, staring at Rikushi with a calm, heavy look.
"You should've died instead" Rez whispered.
Rikushi flinched.
Rikushi's voice didn't rise as it didn't need to. "I've forgiven Abstra. I've forgiven Glonk. I've forgiven Blaidd... but you--you--still look at me like I'm not worth the truth."
Blaidd stirred but didn't interfere.
"Do you want to fight?" Rez said quietly.
"No," Rikushi said, eyes piercing.
Rez, still wanting an answer to his ongoing question. "I want you to admit what you did. Then maybe I'll stop wanting to end you."
Room 2: Toku, Ina, Musi
Musi sat cross-legged, hands in her lap. "We're being tested."
Toku stayed close to the wall, whispering to himself, steadying his breath. Ina looked between them. "This room's too white. I feel like it's judging me."
"No," Musi replied. "We're judging each other." as she stared at Toku, the man who ended her father once before.
Room 3: Hoshina, Beau, Kuddle
Kuddle paced.
Hoshina sat calmly.
Beau watched them both. "So, um... anyone know why we're in a glowing Ikea box of emotional confrontation?"
Hoshina muttered, "Maybe it's a test."
"It's always a test," Kuddle sighed.
Room 4: Valentine, Rumoto, Zamy
Valentine leaned against the wall, rubbing his face. Rumoto sat with hands clasped.
Zamy spoke first. "Remember your dream? The one with all the blood"
Valentine's hands dropped. "Yeah."
Zamy nodded. "That was your past, huh?"
Rumoto stayed quiet.
Valentine, voice becoming quieter and raspy, "a form of it".
Room 5: Tyrant, Mek, Para
Silence. Long. Heavy.
Then Tyrant said, "I didn't mean to send us to our graves."
Mek replied, "But you did anyways."
Para leaned forward, brows knit. "Why?"
Tyrant answered quietly, face filled with regret and guilt "Pride".
Room 6: Glonk, TLK, Casa
Casa clapped. "Okay! Icebreaker question: what childhood trauma are you repressing today?"
TLK didn't laugh.
Glonk grunted. "Too soon."
Casa put his fist in his mouth and muttered, "Welp, GG"
Room 7: Ceri, Vera, Vee
Vee wiped her eyes, remembering Para's pain.
Vera spoke softly. "I saw Rumoto die in the dream. I watched him have a sword driven right through his torso."
Ceri whispered, "I saw myself kill you both."
They all sat in silence.
Room 8: Kandy, Faust, Reiku
Faust leaned on the wall with a groan. "Wasn't the fake beach enough?"
Kandy sat hugging her knees. Reiku stared straight ahead.
None of them spoke.
Room 9: Sori, LuLu, Abstra
Sori looked shaken.
LuLu sat with her eyes closed, cross-legged. "We're here to decide what we carry forward."
Abstra muttered, "Or what we leave behind."
Room 10: Davie, Loth
Loth: "... I'm stuck with an android huh."
Davie looked at him.
"Something wrong with that"
Loth answered, "I just don't like looking at my failed creations much"
Davie: "...Wait. You're the 'Robotica-Creator'?"
Overhead – Jin and Gem's Room
Gem stood at the edge of the observation platform, watching the chaos below.
"There are cracks," she said.
Jin nodded. "And I want to see what bleeds through."
She turned to him. "And then what?"
Jin smiled faintly. "Then... we begin Phase 3."
Room 1 – Rikushi, Blaidd, Rez
Silence reigned for what felt like hours.
Rikushi sat cross-legged, breathing softly. Blaidd leaned on the wall, motionless. Rez stared at his hands, then looked directly at Rikushi.
"Your family crest," Rez murmured, voice barely audible. "It was on the rifle that shot a hole through the woman I loved. Five hundred years ago. She died to your family's creation."
Rikushi's head slowly lifted. His brows drew together in quiet confusion.
"That's not possible..." he said softly. "My family's been dead for over a thousand years. I was... all that was left."
Rez laughed bitterly. "Then explain how I saw it. Burned into the side of that weapon. Clean, proud, seared in black steel."
Rikushi sat still for a long time before speaking again.
"I don't know how, Rez. I can't explain it. But if someone took my family's name... if they stained it in blood--I swear to you, that person wasn't me."
"And yet you carry the burden like it is."
A pause. Blaidd glanced between them but said nothing.
Then, Rikushi spoke again--quiet yet raw.
"But, I carry the burden as being what everyone looks up to, because no one else will. My family is gone, and their legacy is warped. Everyone looks to me for protection, for harmony, for training, and even for love. You lost someone. And I did too. But I'm not here to make you forgive me. I'm just... here."
Rez closed his eyes. "I wanted to hate you forever."
A tear ran down his cheek.
"But I've hated too many people already. I'm tired. So... for whatever it's worth... I forgive you."
The moment hung like mist.
Then, the walls shimmered faintly with golden light.
Room 2 – Toku, Ina, Musi
Musi tapped the floor with her knuckle. "Your hands are still stained."
Toku raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"You killed Kuddle in the old cycle. An echo that bled through this one. He doesn't remember fully. But it's there."
Ina looked down, quietly shaken.
Then Musi looked directly at Toku. "You... need stop giving people death so casually."
He blinked. "...Excuse me?"
"You keep putting people in harm's way. Then you either become a coward or kill everyone that opposes you, no in-between. We're here to tell you--to stop. Live. For real. For us."
Valentine's voice echoed from the dream earlier. "Live long and well, okay?"
Toku, for the first time in a while, was speechless.
Then he nodded once. "Okay."
Room 3 – Hoshina, Beau, Kuddle
Hoshina sat on her knees.
Beau hunched over on the ground.
"My inventions have killed someone, I don't even know of their name or what exactly happened. That's what Musi said."
Hoshina smiled faintly. "We all do things we regret."
Kuddle folded his arms. "You didn't mean to, it was an unfortunate accident."
Beau looked up. "Even if I caused them pain in their final moments?"
"All we can do is wish them peace in the afterlife" Kuddle said. "That's all we can do."
Another shimmer of golden light.
Other Rooms – Forgiveness Flows
Valentine and Rumoto clasped arms. Zamy smirked and nodded, the tension gone.
LuLu and Sori hugged in silence. Abstra just said, "You're stronger than you think," to them both.
Ceri, Vera, and Vee cried openly. Ceri whispered her apologies. Vera and Vee held her hands.
Davie and Loth dissolved into laughter after accusing each other of being "the fake."
Faust, Reiku, and Kandy sat in quiet peace, staring at each other with smiles full of happiness.
One by one, golden light began to form at the top edges of the rooms--
Then, every wall vanished.
A second of weightlessness--
THUMP.
Each group landed gently--no more than three feet--onto semi-soft grass.
They were back outside. But not in the desert. Not in the city. Not even in the Vault.
This was a meadow.
Rolling, bright green hills under soft blue skies, with puffy clouds and a warm sun that hummed gently, and nothing else in sight besides what was sitting there in front of them.
A big yellow house with white trim and blue shutters stood there ((menacingly)).
Peaceful and serene.
It looked like something from an old photograph.
It was three stories tall:
First floor: A cozy kitchen with oak cabinets and magical refrigeration, a warm living room with a huge window and soft couches, a round dining room table that somehow seated all 33 of them, and a shared bathroom.
Second floor: A massive open space filled with bunkbeds, lockers, and soft lighting—designated for all the girls. Two bathrooms off to the side, clean and glowing with enchanted-warmth.
Third floor: The boys' room, similarly structured. Comfortable, organized-chaos with enchanted windows showing a fake starry sky above. Two more bathrooms for them.
Outside, in the fenced backyard, was a pool surrounded by stone tile, lounge chairs, towels, and a cabana with drinks.
The pantry and cupboards were stacked full. Food, water, tea, ramen, snacks, desserts--everything they could possibly need. Enough for years.
And then--
A voice, booming and divine, echoed across the sky:
"Two days. Two days, and the final phase will begin."
The voice was unmistakable--Jin.
"Be prepared on the final day... as it will probably be your last."
The sound vanished into a whisper.
Everyone stood frozen.
Some sat in the grass. Some walked forward, stunned. A few wept. Others breathed out laughter.
But all of them understood:
This was the eye of the storm.
And the clock had started ticking again.
Night fell, the occupants of the lonely yellow house went to sleep, with some unable to close their eyes due to the stress they've endured and recently been welcomed to.
The morning began in warmth.
Sunlight filtered through the windows of the Yellow House, spilling golden hues onto the wood floors and soft beds. Birds--mechanical or magical--chirped faintly outside. For a moment, it felt... real, at least real enough.
Inside, the 33 warriors of Nova Terra moved like people on a vacation after a stressful work-week.
Glonk and Casa challenged each other to underwater handstands in the pool, while Beau laughed at them from under an umbrella.
TLK and Mek sat under a shady area, from the house blocking the sun, watching the others with careful eyes.
Reiku floated in the pool on a donut floatie while Ina teased her by splashing water over her face.
Davie, of course, had made pool-safe gadgets and was launching mini torpedoes that Kuddle tried (and failed) to catch with his bare hands, resulting in everyone laughing at him, including Musi.
It was peaceful... for most.
In the early afternoon, when the others were laughing, splashing, and relaxing...
Yunoi and Toku sat together beneath the back deck's railing, sharing a quiet meal. He offered her half of his fruit, and she accepted it, letting their feelings linger just a little longer.
Vee and Para swayed together to soft music playing from the enchanted record player on the front patio. She whispered something that made him blush.
Rikushi, after carrying a sleepy Hoshina back inside from the pool, sat her gently on the couch. She stirred, pulled him down with her, and before either of them could stop it--kissed him on the cheek. Rikushi froze, then... smiled, knowing he would follow her to the ends of the world.
Vera and Rumoto sat on the upstairs balcony. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. When she turned her head to speak, he caught her lips instead--and they stayed there, in stillness.
Later that night,
They all gathered in the living room. Blankets, laughter, stories. Candles floated in the air--Jin's final trick of the night. Music hummed gently.
Couples cuddled close. Soft smiles. Sleeping eyes.
And then--
SNAP.
Everything vanished.
The house, the warmth, the pool.
All gone.
The sky was void. There was no up or down--just dark starlit emptiness. The group floated slowly downward, as if caught in gravity's whisper.
Then... they landed gently on an endless dark platform. The same material as the Vault: obsidian, shimmering, endless.
And at the far end--
Jin.
His glowing yellow eyes shimmered in the dark. His cloak was now full of stars, galaxies shifting with each movement.
"Welcome to the last phase," he said. "No more illusions. No more memories. No more time."
They stood in silence, lined up before him.
"This is where the true heroes shine. And where their stories either end... or start to become legendary."
Then he raised a hand.
"Rumoto. Vera. Vee. Para. Step forward."
The four walked out from the crowd.
Rumoto and Para stood together, solid, nearly shoulder-to-shoulder.
Vera and Vee faced them across a narrow beam of magic that floated between them--thin but impossible to cross. The tension hung like a guillotine above their heads.
Jin looked straight at Rumoto.
His voice rang like thunder:
"You've come far. You've sacrificed more than most. But now--"
"You choose."
"Either you quit, and return to your world... with your dead friends..."
Jin's eyes narrowed, glowing with celestial weight.
"...or you kill Vera."
Pure silence.
Gasps. A few stepped forward instinctively, but couldn't cross the invisible barrier around the arena.
Rumoto stood still, fists trembling. His heart pounding loud enough to hear in his skull.
Vera, eyes wide.
Vee, hand over her mouth.
Para, shoulders tense.
"Choose, Rumoto," Jin said again, calm and cruel.
"Because this... is only the beginning."
Rumoto stood still.
The weapon in his hand was heavy--too heavy. Not in weight, but in meaning and from the choice.
A long-bladed halberd, its edge pulsing with unstable magic, glowing faintly with Vera's own energy signature. A cruel twist. A poetic tragedy.
"You have thirty seconds," Jin said calmly, floating above the field with his arms crossed behind his back.
"Kill her, or die."
Silence.
Vera stood a dozen feet away, arms at her sides, eyes fixed on him. Her lips trembled, but she never blinked.
"Rumoto... I never wanted this," she whispered, stepping one foot forward. "But if it means you get to live... then do it."
"Vera--" Rumoto said, tears rolling down his face like it's the first time he ever cried.
"Do it. I'm not scared. I just--"
She took a deep breath.
"I love you."
That broke him.
He fell to his knees.
Para, standing on the other side of the arena's wall, stared down at a sleek twin-blade in his hand. Its hilt was engraved with the names of the fallen--Beau, Casa, Loth. His brothers.
"Same for you, Para," Jin called out, his tone now like cold steel.
"Kill Vee, or they die again."
Vee, quietly sobbing, ran forward.
"Please..." she cried, grabbing the blade with her bare hands and lowering it to her heart."Just do it... I love you. That's all I wanted to say. That's enough for me."
Two ultimatums.
Two hearts ripped open.
At the same time--Para and Rumoto charged forward.
Weapons raised.
Voices silent.
Eyes burning with grief.
And then--
SNAP.
The weapons vanished.
Disintegrated mid-swing.
Momentum carried both men forward--and they crashed into their partners' arms.
Tears.
Sobs.
Shaky laughter.
No grand declarations. Just a kiss--torn from the raw fabric of desperation. Not full of joy... but full of decision.
A choice to stay.
To fight.
To love, even if it's complicated.
Jin hovered silently for a moment, then spoke:
"This was never about death."
"It was about decision. To see what you'd choose... when your hands were forced. When hearts were broken. When blood was on the line."
He extended one hand outward.
"You passed."
Gasps echoed. Eyes widened.
"I will return you... all of you. Even those who died. But know this---"
"Three years have passed. Time kept moving, even when you were stuck in the Vault."
As his fingers moved gently, a glowing vortex of golden-blue particles spiraled outward, surrounding each warrior.
The particles vanished.
And moments later--reappeared, one by one, at the foot of the great ladder. Back in the Vault. The real Vault. The particles were like a soft-light, lighting up a dim-lit path to the ladder... to freedom.
Jin, floating behind them, motioned toward the exit.
"Climb. The world awaits."
One Week Later
The NTG Village was reborn.
Rebuilt better than it how it once stood, upgraded with new relics, more structures, and thriving with life, it was now divided into four peaceful districts, each ruled by one of the former rival clans.
NT District -- Led by Rikushi and his allies. Builders, Chefs, Teachers of Combat and Magic.
IC District -- Run by Rez and Davie's circle. Hunters, Cultivators, and Scholars.
TT District -- Tyrant's people. Dungeon-Explorers, Loot-Collectors, Defenders of the Village.
RJC District -- Para and Beau's group. Inventors, Engineers, Repair-Crews, and Merchants.
Each district shared, collaborated, and respected the truce, even with some lingering grudges.
Jin, now living in a small cabin just outside the boundary, kept watch. A silent overseer. A guardian... or perhaps something else.
And though peace had come, there was tension beneath it.
The bonds between some had thinned. Others grew stronger. But everyone remembered what happened in the Vault. What they were forced to face. What they nearly lost.
While looking at a map of the outskirts of Eagle City, Tyrant finally thinks to himself
"Wait... Why were we in MY VAULT TO BEGIN WITH?!? DID THEY TAKE ANYTHING???"
End of - Bury it Deep or Keep it Forever - Arc.