Scene 1: Reflections Before the Storm
A few days had passed since Ron's raid on the Castle of Wulkeria. Carter was sent on a mission the very next day. Exhausted, he welcomed an invitation from Lia to a quiet dinner. Their bond had grown stronger over time. While enjoying the moment, Carter received a message from Bruce:
> Bruce: "Hosting a small gathering. Bring Lia, Ron… and his wife."
The phrase made Carter pause. He recalled the first time he met Ron—on a mission, when he'd seen Police's (Locki's) younger brother. Ron had been with him then. Carter hadn't known who Ron was back then, but now he suspected that Police's brother was the one who brought Ron to Hero Town… perhaps even the one who found him.
> "Who is Ron really?" Carter thought. He had pieced together enough to know Ron wasn't from this time. That suspicion was confirmed during the House of Mysteries Arc—when Ron casually mentioned waking from a slumber that had lasted hundreds of years.
Lia nudged him out of his thoughts with a call. Just then, another message from Bruce arrived. He was moving back to his old family house and was organizing a welcome party with several high-ranking guests attending.
Later that evening, as Carter walked home, he sent Ron a message. Moments after hitting send, he heard a notification sound—just steps ahead. It was Ron, lost in thought.
> "Ron?"
"Ah—hi Carter, what are you doing here?" Ron startled.
"Heading home. What about you? Out this late? Your wife must be worried."
"Just a walk… I'll head back soon," Ron muttered, thinking, "How do I tell him I can't even look Dream in the eyes?"
"Take care," Carter said and walked away.
Ron sighed. "I should just go home and sleep."
At home, Dream was cooking. She smiled, holding a spoon. Ron's heartbeat spiked.
> "Want something to eat?" she asked warmly.
"No, I'm tired. Going to sleep—don't disturb me," he said hastily and shut the door.
Scene 2: Into the Past
Ron couldn't sleep that night. His inner thoughts were louder than any nightmare.
At sunrise, he went to train in the underground room. As he opened the door, Dream was waiting outside with a soft smile.
> "Good morning," she said.
Ron's heart raced again.
> "You're avoiding me, aren't you?" she asked gently.
Ron couldn't respond—just silently walked past her into the training room.
Later, after reading Carter's message again, he teleported to his room, changed, and appeared right outside Carter's house. He knocked twice—no answer. He dialed Carter.
Meanwhile, Carter, Lia, and Dream were all waiting outside. Dream, as usual, wore her mysterious full-body robe—only her eyes visible. She'd always dressed like that: when Ron first met her in his mind, when he rescued her, even now.
Soon, they all reached the airport and headed to Bruce's place. The party was the next night. They checked into a hotel with three rooms: Carter, Lia, and one shared by Ron and Dream.
> "Damn. Stuck in a small room with her…" Ron thought. But Carter and Lia insisted—"You're married, after all."
Scene 3: The Gathering
Ron and Dream entered their room. Once inside, Dream dropped the act and smirked teasingly. Flustered, Ron excused himself and escaped—teleporting into Dr. Thomas's dimension to rest. Dream saw it, she clenched her fists saying with anger in her voice "Dr. Thomas? why? Is he more important than me?"
Only an hour remained for the party when they returned and got ready.
Bruce had completely renovated the old house—it was nothing like the haunted ruins Ron had last seen. Inside, guests were chatting, music played, and warmth filled the air.
Dream and Ron walked together through the crowd.
> "Ever heard of DA?" Ron asked.
"Just stories… when I was little," Dream replied.
Ron excused himself to use the washroom upstairs. He bumped into Akira Antonito on the way, and they walked together. Ron entered a quiet upstairs room. He didn't really need the bathroom. The magnifying glass Dr. Thomas had given him was glowing and beeping.
He pulled it out. Dr. Thomas's voice came through.
> "Your next mission. A sword called The Immortal Killer. Bring it to me."
After the call, Ron hung the magnifying glass behind the door, freshened up, and headed back downstairs—forgetting the glass entirely.
Downstairs, laughter returned. Drinks flowed. But none of them knew what was coming.
Scene 4: Crack in the Glass
Later in the evening, Akira excused himself and went upstairs. On his way out of the washroom, something caught his eye—the strange magnifying glass hanging behind the door. It looked valuable.
He stared into it.
Something… stared back.
A skeleton—Skelly from Dr. Thomas's world—grinned at him. Akira gasped and dropped the magnifying glass. It cracked slightly against the wall.
Curious and unsettled, he picked it up again.
This time, it was a mistake.
Purple fog seeped through the crack. Skelly grinned wider. The fog burst outward and began taking form—ghastly, rotten shapes.
Zombies.
Akira screamed, "EVERYONE EVACUATE! ZOMBIES!!"
At first, people laughed. But then, the purple fog poured out of the hallway—and with it came the undead.
A single zombie stumbled out.
Then ten.
Then fifty.
The fog crept through windows, vents, and cracks in walls. Wherever it spread, zombies emerged.
The planet didn't stand a chance. In minutes, a full-scale zombie apocalypse broke loose. Those bitten turned within seconds.
Bruce's mansion—equipped with futuristic defenses and ancient protections—quickly became humanity's only stronghold.