"Drive, now!"
Startled, Miyoshi turned to find a figure sitting in the passenger seat. The stranger's features shifted subtly-a brief glimmer of a hawk's keen eye, then the comforting semblance of a human face. "I am a Solan," the figure declared quietly, its tone both commanding and reassuring.
"We don't have time for questions."
"Wait-what just happened? Who were those things? Why were they after me?" Miyoshi demanded, his voice a mixture of confusion and rising anger.
The Solan's gaze remained steady, yet its form shimmered with an unearthly quality. "This town is no longer safe for you, Miyoshi. You must drive-get as far away from here as possible."
Miyoshi's brow furrowed. "But I need answers. I need to know-who are they, and why do they want me dead?" His words spilled out, desperate for clarity.
"I'll keep this short, Miyoshi." the Solan replied, its tone measured and distant. "The Vor are dark entities that prey on lost souls. You are marked-without your soul. You upset the balance. We cannot linger here."
A surge of indignation and fear mingled within Miyoshi. "This can't be true. There has to be more to it?!"
The Solan stayed silent. The truck lurched forward as Miyoshi pressed the accelerator. The engine roared to life, and the vehicle sped into the night. Tires screeched against the rain-slicked pavement, and Miyoshi's heart pounded in sync with the deep, unsettling noise that filled the air.
Glancing into the side mirror, Miyoshi's blood ran cold. High above, silhouetted against the night sky, more Vor circled like vultures drawn to a carcass. Their eerie, high-pitched screeches pierced the night, closing in fast.
"This is so fucked up!" he shouted over the roar of the speeding truck, his voice strained with panic.
Miyoshi's grip on the wheel tightened as he wrestled with conflicting emotions. "I barely know you! How do I know I can trust you? Why are you helping me?" he demanded, frustration lacing his words even as the Vor's relentless approach filled the mirror with their dark forms.
The guardian's expression remained inscrutable. "My duty is to guide those endangered by the darkness. For now, trust that I have seen what lies ahead-if we do not leave, your fate is sealed."
"What about Gwyneth? My Brother? The others? Aren't they in danger?!!" Miyoshi said with a panicked tone.
Once again The Solan doesn't answer. Miyoshi's frustration continues to grow as they speed through the town with The Vor closing in on them.
"Damn it! CAN you at least Teleport us with your magical wizard powers again?!"
"That's not how my divine ability functions." The Solan said dryly.
Miyoshi was desperate to find answers and sanity but finding them was not in his favor. The truck was beginning to reach its top speed as his feet pressed down as much as it could. It
seemed like they would never get out of the town but eventually they did, leaving behind everything, and driving into the desert with the nightsky hovering above. The Vors who sought to catch them detached themselves from pursuit.
In a moment's notice, Miyoshi quickly slammed on the breaks. Wheels screeching whilst the smoke kicks from behind. Finally, coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road. Around them stood miles and miles of desert. Miyoshi was beyond stunned and quickly reality set in as he turned toward The Solan, eyes widened.
"What the hell..."
For a brief second, The Solan sat in silence once more, this time it's face expression changed, it showed a more serious look.
"Cut the silent treatment bullshit! Tell me what's really going on you pale freak."
The Solan looked over to Miyoshi and exhaled. The air between them thick with the weight of
unspoken truths. He turned his gaze toward Miyoshi, his hawk-like features flickering between human and something more celestial, as if caught between two realities.
"The Vael," he finally said, voice steady yet solemn, "are the holy entities sent to escort you to the Ultimate God."
Miyoshi blinked, still gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. "Ultimate God? Escort me? Like... I'm supposed to go meet him? Now? Gwyneth and her friends were right? No fucking way..this is a load of bullshit."
The Solan nodded. "Indeed, they were right Miyoshi and you will see the ultimate god. He demands it. In fact, He's been aware of you for quite some time, but until recently, he did not know where you were."
Miyoshi gritted his teeth.
"What do you mean, 'until recently'? Stop speaking all cryptic and besides If he's some all-seeing divine entity, shouldn't he have known where I was from the start?"
The Solan hesitated before answering.
"The balance of the living and the lost is maintained by order, but even the Ultimate God does not interfere without cause. Your presence should not exist, yet it does. The Vor's presence in your town grew rampant, the disturbance forced us to investigate, and that's when we found you."
Miyoshi's mind raced. If the Ultimate God hadn't been able to find him before, that meant something-or someone-had been shielding him. But why? And for how long?
Miyoshi narrowed his eyes. "And the old man from the shop-was he one of you?"
The Solan's expression didn't change. "No. But he was a sign. His words were meant to warn you that your time in hiding was ending."
Miyoshi scoffed. "A warning? 'Choices have consequences'? That's not a warning, that's cryptic nonsense!"
The Solan remained silent for a moment, then said, "You are frustrated. I understand."
Miyoshi clenched his jaw, gripping the steering wheel harder.
"You don't understand, you expect me to believe that my existence is some kind of mistake, that I should've been dead, and now, the Ultimate God suddenly wants to have a meeting about it.." He shook his head.
After a long silence, he exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Alright. Fine. Let's say I go through with this. If this place is real, where and how exactly am I supposed to meet this "all-powerful" entity?"
The Solan lifted a hand, palm facing upward. Slowly, golden light coalesced above it, forming a shape-an archway adorned with intricate symbols, standing against a backdrop of endless stars.
"The path to the Ultimate God's domain is not one you can travel alone," the Solan said.
"The Vael will guide you as I've said before. When the time comes, we will take you beyond this world-to the plane where all fates are decided."
Miyoshi stared at the glowing image, his pulse thrumming in his ears.
"Great," he muttered. "Guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"
The Solan gave the faintest hint of a smile. "No, you do. But the right choice may be the only one that keeps you alive."
Miyoshi sighed and leaned back against the seat, staring up at the empty desert sky.
His heart was still pounding from the escape, from the impossible things he had seen, from the reality that nothing in his life made sense anymore. The Solan stood beside him, watching him with that unreadable gaze.
Finally, the being spoke. "Miyoshi, the time is now. Are you ready to meet The Ultimate God?"
The words hung in the air, heavy and absolute. Miyoshi opened his mouth, then closed it again. Was he ready? He didn't even know what that
meant. He didnt know if it was real. If it was, How could anyone be ready to stand before something that governed all of existence?
"I don't know," he admitted, fingers tightening on the wheel. "This shit-"
Miyoshi was cut off by the solan
"The unknown is often feared, But you have already stepped beyond the boundaries of what you once believed. The only path now is forward."
Miyoshi took a slow breath, the weight of everything pressing down on him. If this was where all of this had led, if this was the only way to get answers, then he couldn't turn back now
"Alright," he said. "Let's go."
The Solan raised a hand, and the air around them shifted. The ground trembled slightly, and a deep, resonant hum filled the space. Then, as if stepping from the fabric of the world itself, they arrived.
The Vael.
Figures draped in flowing black and silver cloaks, their faces obscured by featureless, glowing visages. They did not walk; they moved, gliding forward in perfect silence, their presence so immense that the air itself seemed to bend around them.
Miyoshi was extremely shocked, so much so he almost passed out. A pressure settled in his chest, an instinctual understanding that he was in the presence of something beyond mortal comprehension.
One of them-taller than the rest, standing at the center-spoke. Its voice was layered, as if multiple beings were speaking in unison.
"The request has been made. The one without a soul is to be escorted beyond the mortal veil."
Miyoshi stiffened. He wasn't sure he liked being referred to as that.
The Solan inclined his head. "The path has been set. We move now."
The Vael turned, lifting their hands, and suddenly-reality itself folded.
The ground beneath Miyoshi's feet was gone. The sky above twisted into something vast and unknowable. And in a single, seamless breath, they were no longer on Earth.
They stood in a city unlike anything Miyoshi had ever seen.
It was minimalist, yet vast-gold monoliths lay in the distance rising into a sky that was neither night nor day, but an expanse of shifting, celestial hues. The Royal palaces took the surrounding space and the vibrant grass blanketed the ground. It's beauty was beyond mortal understanding.
Miyoshi took it all in, his breath slow, controlled, trying not to let the sheer enormity of it overwhelm him.
"This is The Threshold," the Solan said beside him. "The space between existence and eternity."
Ahead, they reached a quiet town hall, where an enormous throne stood. The Vael came to a halt. The tallest among them turned to face Miyoshi, its glowing face unreadable.
"Miyoshi, the one without a soul. You have been brought here by decree. You stand at the precipice of judgment."
Miyoshi's jaw tightened, but he kept silent.
The others raised their hands, and in the space before them, something formed-a towering gateway of shifting light and void, its edges crackling with unseen energy.
"The Ultimate God," the lead Vael said, lifting its hands. "We call upon You."
The air dimmed. The very essence of the city seemed to tremble. Something vast, something beyond all comprehension, began to stir.
Miyoshi exhaled slowly, standing before the unknown.
Whatever happened next, there was no turning back.
The space before Miyoshi ruptured-not violently, but grandly. Light and darkness twisted together, forming an expanding, golden vortex. From within, a deep, resonating chime rang out,
followed by a thunderous, celestial fanfare. It was as if an entire orchestra had been waiting for this exact moment to play the most dramatic introduction in the history of existence.
Then, in a burst of shimmering brilliance, He appeared.
The Ultimate God.
Not in a form Miyoshi expected.
A towering figure, wrapped in flowing, resplendent robes that shimmered like the fabric of the cosmos itself. His golden hair floated weightlessly, his eyes gleamed like twin galaxies, and his grin-yes, he was grinning-radiated an overwhelming mix of mischief and divinity.
"Miyoshi!" His voice boomed, echoing in every direction, yet it carried an undeniable warmth. He threw his arms wide as if greeting an old friend.
"Man, what a journey you've had!"
Miyoshi blinked, stunned by the sheer energy radiating from the god standing before him.
The Ultimate continued, pacing back and forth as if presenting a grand speech.
"You've been chasing the unknown, dodging death, unlocking secrets, and now-here you are!" He gestured dramatically.
"In my grand presence! Searching for truth!"
Miyoshi's expression tightened.
The Ultimate noticed and nodded knowingly. "Right, right. Let's cut to it, huh? You've been thinking I was just some imaginary god, and guess what? I'm not, haha! Miyoshi I knew you were special." He leaned forward, golden eyes glimmering.
"Ever since you were a kid, in fact."
Miyoshi stiffened, a sudden weight settling in his chest.
"I had tabs on you, all the way back when your REAL parents were still alive-before that whole Hong Kong plane crash thing." The Ultimate's voice dipped slightly, the playfulness waning just a bit. "But not long after... well, something weird happened."
The city around them seemed to hush, as if it, too, was listening.
"For a while, I was still keeping track of your soul while you were under Shamika's care. But then, one day..." He made a quick flicking motion with his fingers. "Poof. Gone. Just-off the grid. No traces. No echoes. Nothing."
Miyoshi swallowed hard, his mind racing. "You're saying... my soul disappeared?"
"Precisely!" The Ultimate spread his arms, spinning slightly in place. "And, at first, I was just as confused as you probably are now. I mean, that doesn't just happen." His grin faded slightly, and for the first time, a real seriousness entered his voice. "Then I realized there was only one explanation."
Miyoshi braced himself.
"Someone sold your soul. Not just yours, but your brother's soul as well"
Then it was silent.
It was as if the entire cosmos had paused to let those words sink in.
Miyoshi's breath caught in his throat. He opened his mouth, then stopped, his mind scrambling to make sense of it.
The Ultimate God continued his thoughts "Point is, Miyoshi-you and Kanda need to face the music. "
Miyoshi clenched his jaw. "And what does that mean, exactly?"
The Ultimate God's smirk widened as he folded his arms, his golden robes shimmering with celestial energy.
"You and your brother, Miyoshi, will work for me."
His voice echoed across the Threshold, layered with power, impossible to defy.
"You see, I have plans, grand designs that require those who have defied fate itself. And you, my dear soul-less wanderer, are perfect for the job."
Miyoshi stiffened, his fists clenching. "Work for you? Doing what exactly?"
The Ultimate God chuckled, pacing slowly, each step resonating like a drumbeat through the fabric of reality.
"Oh, nothing too complicated. You'll fight for me, carry out my will, and in return, I'll grant you the power to save those you care about."
His golden eyes gleamed. "Oh! I almost forgot, Miyoshi-those friends of yours? They're in danger -if they're not already being hunted, they will be soon. So, you'll need the powers I will grant you."
Miyoshi swallowed hard, his mind racing. "So what? You're just handing me divine powers so I can go play hero?"
The Ultimate God let out a deep, resounding laugh. "Handing? Oh no, no, no. You will earn them." He lifted a hand, and golden energy crackled at his fingertips.
"I will grant you the abilities of the Solan, but only if you prove you can wield them. One of my best Vael will escort you back to retrieve your brother. But before you return to Baxton..."
He paused, his grin sharp. "You will train and complete the Sunlight's Flame Trial."
Miyoshi's brows furrowed. "I don't have time for training! Everyone could be in danger right now-"
The Ultimate raised a single glowing finger, silencing him instantly.
"Miyoshi, my boy. You don't understand time here." He gestured around them, at the vast, star-filled void of the Threshold.
"In this realm, time flows differently. For every ten minutes you spend training here, a month will pass on Earth."
Miyoshi's breath hitched. His stomach twisted at the sheer impossibility of it. "What-what the hell do you mean a month?! Are you saying if I stay here for an hour, half a year will pass back home?!"
The Ultimate God grinned.
"Exactly."
Miyoshi's frustration surged. He shook his head, stepping forward aggressively.
"Then I can't stay! If time moves that fast, Kanda-"
"Oh, relax."
The Ultimate waved a hand dismissively. "Time may move fast on Earth, but I can pause it while you train. When you return, it will be as if mere moments have passed."
Miyoshi blinked, his anger giving way to disbelief. "Are you serious?"
The Ultimate tilted his head playfully. "Would I lie to you?" His grin stretched impossibly wide before he clapped his hands together. "Now, you could refuse my offer, of course..."
Miyoshi narrowed his eyes. "And if I do?"
The Ultimate God's expression darkened, his golden aura flaring. "Then I send you back. Back to Baxton, back to the Vor-back to be hunted, tormented, and ultimately destroyed." His voice dropped to a chilling whisper. "Without my power, you are nothing but prey."
Miyoshi's jaw tightened. He already knew the answer. There was no choice.
"...Fine," he muttered. "I'll do it."
The Ultimate God's laughter rang through the Threshold, triumphant and echoing. "That's the spirit!" He turned to the Vael surrounding them. "Prepare the training grounds. Our young anomaly has much to learn before he reclaims his fate."
Miyoshi exhaled sharply, frustration still simmering beneath his skin. He didn't trust this god's theatrics, but if this was his only way forward...
Then so be it.