Zaikel's POV)
Vetro's eyes locked onto me—not that it helped. I could move faster than any eyes could track. Still, because he was on guard, his skin hardened, and my blade could no longer pierce it.
Every time I slowed down to attack, he countered, hurling stone spears in my direction. Sometimes it felt like he was only guessing where I'd be—but his instincts were incredible. One nearly grazed my cheek, missing by less than a centimeter. It makes me wonder... can he actually see me?
Either way, it's time to stop holding back.
I came to a full stop, just so he could see me—and predictably, he didn't hesitate. He swung that massive sword of his, aiming straight for my neck.
He must've wanted to end this quickly.
I caught the blade with my fingers and crushed it. The shards splintered into the earth beneath us, too deep for him to retrieve or reconstruct.
While he stood there stunned, I said,"Oops… forgot to mention—I had an annoying, strict, perfectionist asshole of an Earth teacher."
Then I attacked. Just like Valin taught me, I targeted the weak points in his defenses—using blades of wind, not lightning. He's resistant to lightning anyway. I should save that for speed. Wind and pressure are the roots of my power.
As I sliced into him, he collapsed to the ground.
But then I noticed the shift. Something was wrong.
He'd already swapped himself with his clone.
All that was left in front of me was a shattered, tempered glass statue.
Tch.It's fine.He'll be back soon.
(Valin's POV)
I resurfaced behind the king just as he slashed through one of Cera's clones with a crystal longsword. The clone exploded, freezing his arm solid. Another clone jumped onto him and turned to ice on impact.
That only slowed him for a second, but it was enough. I pinned him down with gravity.
"Stop!" he barked, but I didn't. He tried standing anyway—and I slammed him into the floor again. He attempted to tunnel into the earth, but I increased the gravity the deeper he went, forcing him into a six-foot pit of our creation.
I dropped in after him, drawing my own blade.
"Hi, Dad," I said with a smile.
That disturbed him. He shakily got to his feet. He was breathing hard—too much damage to be a clone. He must've swapped places with the one fighting Zai.
"Get up. It's time for your appointment," I added, blade pointed at his head.
He wiped his mouth and raised his sword."What the fuck are you talking about?"
I closed the distance in a flash, swinging my sword down. He blocked, but the impact launched him into the pit wall. Before he could recover, I stabbed my blade straight into his gut.
He tried to scream—but blood filled his mouth. Must've punctured a lung by accident.
Oops.
In a panic, he lashed out with everything—crystal spears, stone spikes, boulders—anything he could conjure. But it was useless. My reverse gravity barrier deflected everything, and my skin dissolved whatever touched me.
I twisted the sword 180 degrees and yanked it out, saying,"Your appointment… with pain.For torturing me.For torturing my brothers.For starting this dumbass war you refuse to end."
With every pause, I stabbed him again. And again.
Then I stopped—and dropped him through the floor, tunneling him straight back to the throne room.
Would be a shame if I accidentally killed him.
(Insinz's POV)
"He's back," I told Zai.
He took the cue to evacuate the area with Raijian.
I let Vetro's wounds heal. Some of them closed with thick, knotted scars—proof of how rough Valin had been with him. No wonder he avoided fighting his own son.
Vetro sat up, panting and disheveled.
Two weeks. No rest. Endless battles with my clones—and with me.Today alone: a brutal fight with Zai, and a near-death encounter with Valin.
"What are you waiting for?" he muttered, his voice ragged.
I stood in front of him, black gauntlets forming over my fists."I've been putting this off... facing you directly like this."
He laughed bitterly, breath catching."You… all this time, you were holding back. You fooled me. How did I not notice?"
I tapped my chin thoughtfully."Maybe because you're too full of yourself to ever pay attention to me."
Then I dropped into my stance."Let's fight. I'll be your last opponent."
His eyes shifted to Tana. His expression softened, voice cracking.
"Is this what you wanted? To see me like this? Broken… so you could run off with this bastard?"
Tana stepped forward. She took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eyes.
"That's not the reason.
You used me.You took advantage of me. For centuries.
You made me a stand-in for Mom—and you never cared how I felt.
So yes. I do enjoy seeing you like this. Hurting. Groveling.
Because I ran out of pity for you a long time ago."
He started crying.
I rolled my eyes and stepped back, letting him whimper.
Good.The longer he stalls, the better for us.
(Snowe's POV)
Meanwhile…
Once the nearby soldiers were dealt with, Tana led me to the Infaniyan communication center—just like I asked. Markis enjoyed the fighting, but Tana was lethal with the soldiers who refused to surrender.
I was nervous.But I knew this was the best way I could help secure Zai's future.
The call connected. A woman named Cynthea answered, her holographic form flickering to life. She looked surprised.
"You called me twice in one year? And brought friends this time?"
Tana nudged me. My cue to speak.
"Hello, my name is Snowe. I'm an Infaniyan… like you."
She gasped."Were you abducted?!"
I shook my head."No."
"…Are you lost, perhaps?"
I tried not to laugh. She had to be joking.Still… serious moment.
"I'm aiding in a rebellion against the king," I said firmly.
Her expression sobered.
"I'm… acquainted with the Southern Prince. Can you help me get an audience with him?"
She glanced at Tana."Tana?"
Tana sighed."This is one step toward a peaceful future. If you help us, we can end this war."
Cynthea looked conflicted… then nodded."I'll try."
She cut the call.
Thirty minutes later, she called back.
"The guards tried to send me away. But when I mentioned your name, the Second Prince and King allowed my audience."
A familiar face appeared beside her.
Smoke.
He smiled. "Hey, Snowe."
It's been so long. I was glad he still thought of me kindly.
I explained everything—leaving out Zai's identity as an Afarion, just in case.
Smoke listened silently. Then his older brother—Serco, the King—spoke.
"What do you need from us?"
"This war's gone on long enough. I'm asking for help suppressing the king's remaining supporters… and access to your power-limiting technology.
We can defeat him. But if he dies… this planet might go with him."
"I understand," Serco said, cutting me off.
I noticed his wife in the background. They whispered. Then she stepped forward.
"We'll help you.
Jey's in this fight, right? And that king… is his father.
I once considered him a friend. I want peace too—for both our worlds. For him."
My heart leapt.
"Thank you. This war has gone on far too long. We've both lost so much."
Her voice cracked. She was holding back tears.
The Queen smiled."I agree."
I had no idea RJ had met the Queen of the Southern Quarter. And it seems… they never became enemies. I'm glad.
A few hours later, Tana opened the portal to Infaniya. It's usually reserved for diplomatic affairs, but this time… we were welcoming an Infaniyan army onto enemy ground.
Smoke led the charge, followed by Serco.
Smoke hugged me first. Next was his fiancée, Crescent—which still felt weird as heck. Serco offered me a fist bump. His wife waved from behind, smiling.
I bowed.
"Welcome, Your Majesties. Your help is greatly appreciated."
A young boy peeked out from behind Serco.
"You brought your son?" I asked, surprised.
Serco frowned."He's not my son."
His wife stepped in."This is the Chosen of Lightning from our world. He recently awakened—he'll have no problem helping in this fight."
I turned to Smoke, who avoided my gaze.
So… he knows who Zai is.
There was no need to protect his identity. Smoke already figured it out.
Convincing the remaining armies to surrender was far easier with such a crowd. Anyone who refused—or still swore loyalty to Vetro—was swiftly eliminated.
(Insinz's POV)
After 45 minutes of wallowing in self-pity, he finally charged, full of rage. I kept Vetro at bay, staying close to guard Tana's clone.
...each time I parried his sword, I felt his rage, hatred, and envy. I loved it.
He deserves this.
My acid sword cut through everything he summoned—but not his skin. He'd layered it with protection. The acid just washed over him, useless.
Again. And again. And again.
Then the cracks formed.
The whites of his eyes turned blood red. The air thinned.
He dropped to his knees, gasping.
I crouched in front of him.
He couldn't breathe.
Raijian had been burning away the oxygen, hidden behind a fake wall, an illusion made from my smoke.
Fire Chosen don't need oxygen to survive. And I thrive in toxic environments. The only one suffering… was Vetro.
"Thanks, Raijian. Can you leave us alone now?" I asked.
Raijian responded by kicking his father three times in the gut, then called out to Zai.
"Move him through the floor!"
Zai, who was standing just outside the throneroom door, complied immediately.
Now…I had Vetro all to myself.
Just like I wanted.