The journey to find Eternis had begun.
Aarav, Zabuza, and Saanvi teleported across ruined cities, trying to decipher the final cryptic words of the unknown entity. Their search brought them to the heart of the first city attacked in Europe—a place now swallowed by poison and despair.
The city reeked of death. Poison clung to every building, and the few humans who had survived were no longer human—they had turned into ghouls. As soon as they spotted the team, the ghouls attacked mercilessly. Aarav noticed something strange: a pair of dark eyes watching them through the ghouls—someone was controlling them.
That someone was Drothul. Watching. Waiting. Tracking every move.
Realizing the danger, the trio fled through the broken streets and hid in a half-collapsed house. Aarav turned to Zabuza, "How much of Eternis's power do you still have?"
"About 50%," Zabuza replied.
"I need all of it," Aarav said firmly.
Zabuza hesitated, shocked. "If I give you everything, I won't survive…"
Strangely, Saanvi agreed. "You should give it to him," she said softly.
Zabuza's instincts screamed. This isn't Aarav…
Just as the thought struck, Aarav was shown in a completely different place—he had never left the outskirts.
There, the real Eternis stood before him—shining in full cosmic form. "Give me the remaining 1% of your power," Eternis said calmly.
But something was wrong. Too perfect. Too polished. Aarav stepped back. An illusion.
At the same time, Saanvi was facing her own test. Standing beside who she believed was Aarav, he turned and asked her, "Give me your power."
Saanvi froze. "The real Aarav would never ask that," she whispered—and attacked the illusion immediately.
Eventually, all three passed their trials and found one another in the real world. They confirmed it with a private code only the real versions of themselves would know. Once certain, Zabuza used teleportation magic to bring them back home.
Safe inside, they talked about their illusions. Each had been asked for power—each had refused.
That's when Aarav finally cracked the code left by the unknown entity:
"The weak must consume the weaker… to reach the next stage of power."
And suddenly, it all made sense.
"The twelve magical beasts… they are all part of me," Aarav whispered. "They absorbed my parents' power… Now I must consume them to grow stronger."
Shocked, Saanvi and Zabuza hesitated. Was this still an illusion?
"No," Aarav said calmly. "I'm not asking for your lives—I'm asking you to return the power I once gave you."
Saanvi and Zabuza agreed.
Aarav's power climbed from 0.85% to 2.35%.
Then came the final moment. He took out the blank crystals of his mother and father—their final remains. With tearful eyes and a soft goodbye, he began to absorb their essence.
But their power had changed. He could only absorb 7.5% from the fragments—before the crystals turned to dust.
"I will carry you both inside me forever," he whispered, eyes filled with grief.
Saanvi and Zabuza comforted him. He was no longer alone.
Then, without warning, Aarav disappeared.
He had teleported alone—to keep them safe.
His destination? A dense forest.
There, an old man stood with his grandson, feeding animals in the quiet jungle. The old man turned to Aarav… and smiled—gently, knowingly.
To be continued...