The darkened space around Zordus and Connor warped—ten, maybe fifteen feet ahead, a spiral of blinding white light distorted the air. A being cloaked in flowing silver emerged. No eyes. No mouth. No form beneath the cloth — only presence.
No footsteps. No sound. Not even a breath. Only silence.
It raised a hand — pale, lifeless, yet unwavering — and in its palm lied the Marble of Betelgeuse. "THE MARBLE OF GENISIS."
"Time's stopped…did you do it?" Connor asked Zordus, standing in alert — his focus fully on the being that emerged from the thin air.
"It was necessary." Zordus spoke, the excitement on his face gone — replaced by a dead serious look. Both their cloaks remained still in the air, the dust and the rocks of the moon froze mid air.
Zordus took a few steps forward, while Connor remained still in his place — his expression neutral, his hands clasped behind his back, yet he was full on guard.
"You didn't take too long… it's impressive how you managed to get what I wanted." Zordus spoke to the being, its hand still stretched out towards Zordus. It held a marble which emitted a bright — almost blinding purple light.
"Even with time frozen... it still glows? Impressive." Zordus lifted his hand as he took the bright purple marble in the palm of his hand. He felt as if an unseen force started weighing down on his very soul, it still surrounded his hand with its energy even though the flow of time was stopped.
The being cloaked in flowing silver pulled back his hand, disappearing as it went back — only the silver cloak remained wrapped around an unseen body.
"It is not in my nature to speak. But beware — the core holds power no mind can fathom, no mind can tame…Time bends towards your will… I hope you put it into good use." Zordus heard the voice of the being inside of his head, it did not speak directly, but rather transmitted its thoughts with Zordus… and so with Connor.
The silver cloak disappeared without creating any disturbance — as if it wasn't even there to begin with. The rocks and moon dust that froze mid air, slammed back on the surface. Both their cloaks draped back.
"You've started the flow of time again I suppose?" Connor asked, his shoulders visibly relaxing.
"Yes. The time is only stopped to a certain degree around my hand. Come here, take a look." Zordus spoke, his voice carrying a hint of satisfaction.
Connor nodded and took a step closer. He leaned forward slightly, taking a good look at the marble. His expression turned more curious as he looked at the marble. He gazed into it, feeling as if the very presence of it could destroy the moon if even an essence of the marble were to be released.
"The marble of genesis. It's the very core of the betelgeuse. That being… who handed this to me… first stopped the entire flow of time around the universe so that the balance of the universe remains. The being then re-created the birth of the star and continued till it matched with the current one. After that, using its supreme authority over space and gravity. It compressed the original betelgeuse until it was an atomic energy marble." Zordus explained, his gaze still focused on the marble that held in the palm of his hand, ready to obliterate anything in its way.
"But who is this entity? So powerful to even do such a thing?" Connor asked, standing upright.
"Orr'hazem — The Soundless Collapse. An entity beyond dimensions. It does not speak, nor does it think like mortals. When summoned, it does not arrive — space itself becomes its body. Stars dim. Oceans rise. And those who look upon it begin to forget what it means to exist." Zordus spoke, the marble disappearing into a portal that he had opened. He then pulled down his hand.
"You say it cannot speak, nor does it think like a mortal… then why did I hear it talk like one?" Connor asked curiously.
"Yes, it does not speak, it converses through minds, taking the intelligence of the one standing before it. That's how it warned us about the core. That being… we cannot hear its true voice, had we were to do so, our whole existence might erase itself from the reality. That's why it used intelligence and a voice from us. That's why it sounded familiar." Zordus explained, his expression dead serious.
"I see." Connor nodded, trying to fathom the sheer intensity of the being. He let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair.
Zordus looked at Connor and shook his head as he let out a small chuckle. "Let's go back to earth before your brain gets fried by thinking about it…brother."
Connor nodded politely, knowing better than to who to get annoyed at. "Yes. That'd be better. And we also have a meeting with… someone specific, right?"
"Yes. That's right, though I wonder if we'd be able to arrive at the banquet in time." Zordus nodded as a portal tore open before them, spilling blue light into the emptiness of space.
The moment after, they both were gone. The portal itself disappeared swiftly.
VOID~
The balcony stretched from the royal wing's second floor, carved from old stone and framed by arches worn by wind and time. Below, waves crashed against the fortified base of the castle— thick slabs of ancient brick, darkened by the salt and storms of centuries.
The ocean was endless from here. Not calm, never calm— but alive, moving, roaring in the distance like a beast with no name.
Void stood still, his figure draped in a long, ornate Duke's coat — deep navy, silver-threaded patterns that flicker like constellations when touched by the moonlight, half-washed in candlelight, half-soaked in moonlight. The glass of red wine in his hand tilted, catching a fragment of the stars… yet untouched.
Behind him, crimson curtains swayed gently, their folds glowing gold under flickering candlelight. The soft rustle of fabric, the rhythmic crashing of the sea — and silence. A silence that belonged to him.
"Ah, I'm so tired." He mused to himself, in a half exhausted tone.
His midnight hair, long and shadow-woven, shifts like liquid midnight as the wind brushes past, crimson eyes that look to be bathed in blood.
The glass of wine held in his hand, untouched. The smell— aroma that filled his nostrils.
"Still don't drink…" a soft voice followed his ears, He didn't need to turn to know who it was. He felt it, like the sea felt the pull of the moon.
A person stepped into the light, white hair catching the gold like winter catching fire. The waves didn't stop — but for a moment, it felt like everything else did. A small smile cracked at the corner of his lips as he replied in a gentle and polite tone.
"Well I thought it'd be better if I had someone to accompany me in this lonely space."
A figure appeared from the room, now standing beside him. A girl just entering her twenties— her figure neither too small nor tall, but resting gently above the average. Slim and graceful, like someone carved out of snow with hands that understood silence better than words.
Her hair, finer than freshly fallen snow, spilled like silver silk across her shoulder, icy white, yet warm in its quiet shimmer. And then her eyes...
Two deep blue crystals, catching the crescent moon's light like a still lake beneath the stars. Eyes that didn't need to speak to be heard.
Her skin, delicate and pale, not sickly, but soft like untouched snow. The kind of softness that felt unreachable, like a winter dream you'd never want to wake up from.
"Why would you be lonely when you're surrounded by these many people, Void?"
She asked, her gaze falling down at sight of him holding the glass of wine that was yet to be touched. Her gaze soon followed to his face, a delicate smile formed on her face.
"It is lonely when you don't have the person beside you" He glanced at her for a moment, a delicate smile forming on his weary face as he looked back at the shimmering stars. "who you have deeply engraved in your heart…"
Void's voice came out softer than intended, his gaze fixed on the stars. The wind disrupted their conversation, making him shiver slightly.
The girl stood there, silently. Listening to him, her expression filled with sadness and longing.
"I know… you don't have to tell me about that person, so that I already know who it is." She replied, a warm and tender smile tugging at the corner of her lips— her voice carried by the wind itself.
Void let out a weary chuckle. Breaking his gaze from the stars, his gaze following her hers, followed by an exhausted smile on his face. Their eyes locking with each other, as a comfortable silence fell for a moment between them. A few moments later… Void broke the silence, his hand still held the glass of wine.
"How have you been… Charlotte."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled under the blue light of the crescent moon, her heart fluttered at his tone. Her own voice came out slightly shaky, as if holding her emotions back.
"I've been fine. How about you…Void?"
Void let out a sigh, his figure taller than hers. He gazed at her face, his smile never leaving. He was someone who didn't prioritise these types of moments, but it was different with her. Because she was someone who was close to him.
"I've been fine as well. It's been almost six months since the last time we met, huh?" Void replied.
"Rose's father held a royal banquet, so it was obvious that he'd invite us well." Charlotte spoke softly, a warm and happy smile on her face.
"Royal privileges." He teased, letting out a soft scoff.
Charlotte looked at him, amused. "Lean down a bit, you're ridiculously tall for me." She asked, her icy white hair waving in the air as the cold night breeze hits their faces.
Void looked at her, pondering for a moment before he set the glass of wine aside on the edge of the wall, leaning down forward towards her. "Yes, what is it, milady?"
He asked in a tone that almost felt royal yet bound to duties.
Charlotte lifted her hand up, pinching his cheek gently. "You could've come to meet me, yet here you were, waiting like always. You shouldn't do that to a lady, you mob."
She spoke in a mock annoyance, though her words held no real heat behind them.
Void couldn't help but let out a chuckle, feigning hurt. "That's so rude, milady…"
He let out a sigh before continuing again. "Even if I wanted to… I couldn't. His gaze fell on her face, noticing how close they were. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, after a long pause, he continued.
"You're a Princess of another continent. And I'm just a knight serving a Princess of another continent. I didn't want to get you in trouble, or in any kind of gossip."
Void spoke, his voice growing solemn ever so slightly,— so was the expression on his face.
"I know… I just wanted to lighten up the mood a bit." Charlotte spoke, her voice tinged with longing. Her hand still on his cheek, but caressing his face instead — her touch gentle.
Void's eyes widened a bit, before he closed them, leaning into her touch. Relishing the ever-so-rare moment with her.
After a moment, she slowly, reluctantly lowered her hand. Letting out a sigh, she spoke softly. She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the edge of the wall, her delicate face resting in her palms.
Her gaze followed the crescent moon, that looked lonely— but it wasn't, accompanied by the stars.
Void gazed at the ethereal scenario unfolding in front of him, a certain ache in his heart that would always flicker for some reason whenever he was with her.
Void stayed silent for a moment, following her gaze and slowly looking at the dark sea in front of them, the sound of the waves creating a soothing symphony. He closed his eyes for a moment, his hand coming up to touch his cheek where she had pinched and caressed him.
For a moment, they both stayed silent— falling into a comfortable silence. Both stood in each other's presence, the distance wasn't enough between them, yet they were still too far away from each other. Just like the setting sun and the sea.
Charlotte glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a delicate smile forming on her face. She gazed back at the moon and spoke.
"Rose told me what happened today."
Void's gaze snapped, his focus on her now. He nodded and leaned against the wall beside her, a certain distance between them, not much, but it was there.
"Did she now?" He asked, his gaze flickered towards her.
Charlotte nodded. "Yes, she did. You were pretty belligerent towards the guy, huh?" She asked, her crystal blue eyes slowly finding their way towards his face.
Void scoffed, trying not to say anything sarcastic— but alas… "A commoner is a commoner, just as a snake is a snake. No matter what you do, how much you've cared for it…it'll still try to bite you."
"Hmm. Not everyone is the same, you know?" Her gaze followed his eyes, looking into the distant dark sea, and she continued. "Just because a few were…it doesn't signify that everyone is. Do you understand me, Void?"
"I know…but I can't help but be cautious. Who knows what his intentions might be towards Lady Rose. I can't let the same thing happen to her what happened to you…I still regret not being there that day…" He clenched his fists, though he remained composed, his voice turning more melancholic. "She's barely above 16…"
Charlotte's expression softened ever so slightly, she covered his clenched first with her delicate hand. "You're quite the assiduous moron, huh?" She sighed, giving his hand a gentle squeeze that seemed to melt under her touch. "Gray, was it? She told me about him…and it doesn't seem like he's that type of guy…you need to know how to trust other peoples judgement, Void…"
He gazed down at their joined hands, fervent— he sighed, a bit reluctant to admit that she was right. "I suppose…you're right, but I just can't help it, you know? Not after everything that has happened before…"
"I know. But just this once, trust her judgment. I can tell that this 'Gray' isn't that type of guy. Okay?" She asked, tilting her head so she could get a better look at his face.
"Sigh. I suppose I can. I was acting impetuously, huh?"
His reply sounded Mellifluous to her, calming her a bit. "Thats good, you should also apologize to him when you get the chance." She smiled, a chuckle escaping her lips.
Void scoffed, trying to stop the way his lips curled at her laughter. "Yeah, sure…whatever you say, mildly." His gaze flickered back at the untouched wine glass, he sighed and picked it up, bringing it up to his lips. "Though…there was something to him, something seemed wrong with that boy…"
The snowy haired girl looked at him, following his every movement. Her expression turned a bit more thoughtful and then confused. "What do you mean by that?" She watched as he took a sip from the glass. "Dont be furtive, tell me something, will you?…"
His expression turned a bit more austere, taking a few more sips— he spoke. "It's like…he isn't even alive— like he's dead inside. The first time I saw him, I stood near him…I didn't feel his mana core…there was no flow of magic around his body. Just a dark abyss that…"
Charlotte fell silent for a moment, her eyes widened ever so slightly, considering what she had just heard. Magic and mana cores were what signified a person's worth in this world: and hearing that he doesn't even have a mana core, or magic…startled the girl a bit.
"Are…are you being serious?" The girl asked, holding her breath for him to confirm.
The knight nodded, his expression serious as he sipped the wine again. "Yes. It's hard to believe…I wonder if he knows that he really does not have any talent for magic."
Charlotte nodded, a hint of understanding in her expression. "I see."
"It was like a tempest of two different forces ragged within him. I didn't know what it was…but it was slowly transcending its might. I could feel chills run down my spine when I was there with him." He said, clutching the glass in his hand a bit
"I don't think Rose felt that as well, considering that she's still in her mana core developing stage….But the king definitely felt it."
"I hope that everything stays fine." She sighed, both of them fell silent for a moment— gazing at the dark sea above them.
Void sighed softly and finished his wine, setting the glass aside. "I hope so too…let's just enjoy the ephemeral moment for now."
Charlotte nodded, a soft smile flickering across her face, she replied gently. "Mhm…let's do that. But you better apologize to him soon. Hehe."
Void smiled and gazed at her face. "Yeah, yeah…I will."
The wind breeze was slightly cold due to the ocean, but masked by thlie warmth of the room and their presence. Like a person standing in front of the empty furnace— everything around them was like a blur at that moment, all that mattered was they both, each other— for the moment.
GRAY~
Standing outside a building that looked like a herbalist shop in a thin alley, Gray pondered for a moment. "Ugh…I came back a little too late after the time I spent with princess Rose… I don't know if I'll even survive Miss Rebecca's scolding."
Gray talked to himself, as he felt a hand on his shoulder from behind. "Welcome back Gray." A sound that was soft yet held a dangerous tone behind it…
'Oh, heavens…save me.'