The sky's deep blue stretched across the morning, soft curls of cloud mirrored on the river's surface, clear as glass.
A small group of freshwater fish drifted downstream, unbothered by the gentle current—
Splash!
Amid the quiet forest, a lone figure lunged toward the riverbank. His feet left the firm ground as he leapt high above the water, crashing down with a thunderous splash. Pebbles scattered beneath the impact.
Without wasting a second, his arms cut through the surface in one swift, precise motion, catching two fish while the rest darted away in flashing streaks of silver.
"Hahaha! I got two fish!" Bell shouted, grinning ear to ear as he lifted them high. Water dripped down his arms like silver threads.
A splash followed close behind. Another figure landed beside him, sending ripples across the river. His expression burned with irritation.
"You glutton! I spotted them first—give them here!"
Bell puffed his cheeks. "I got them first! They're mine to eat! Find your own!"
"Find my own?" Amon's smile twitched as he stared down at the riverbed with mock seriousness. "Look around you, genius. You scared all of them away."
"Not my problem." Bell hugged the fish to his chest, stubborn. "I'm eating these."
The older boy lunged, splashing water everywhere. "No, you're not!"
They wrestled in the shallows, laughing and shouting until—
Smack!
A sharp double tap landed on the backs of their heads.
"Enough, both of you," a firm voice said.
Their eldest sister, Lucila, stood on a smooth river rock, arms crossed, sunlight gleaming off her damp red hair. Her glare alone froze them mid-splash.
"First, you're about to drop the only two fish we have. Second…" She plucked the fish neatly from Bell's hands, her nose wrinkling as if she'd just picked up garbage. "…you two stink. Go wash yourselves."
Bell's face fell. "But I caught those…"
Lucila sighed. "You'll get your share after, Bell. The river isn't your kitchen."
Amon smirked quietly—until Lucila turned her sharp gaze on him.
"And you, Amon. Stop picking fights with him. You're the older one—act like it."
Amon grumbled under his breath, sulking. Bell splashed him one last time for revenge.
From behind the three, Pluto's dry voice drifted over.
"You mean your kitchen. At least that's what Amon wanted to say."
Smack.
Another perfectly timed strike.
Up the slope, three more figures appeared—Deus, dark purple hair slicked back and a lazy grin tugging at his mouth; Levia, arms crossed in faint amusement; and little Acedia, trailing behind with half-closed eyes and unhurried steps.
Deus stretched as he approached the edge, fixing his gaze on Amon and Bell."Can you two, for once, not turn every morning into a routine play? Some of us would appreciate it if the sun wasn't above our heads by the time your bath's done."
Hearing Deus's comment, the veins on Lucila's forehead bulged.
"Oh, I agree very much," she said through clenched teeth, shooting him a warning glare. "That's why I think, for once, you should act like an older brother and make sure these two actually bathe."
With a nervous smile, Deus looked toward the sky, pretending not to notice.
"Don't worry, Pluto," he said with mock politeness, glancing at his brother. "The dependable eldest brother's got this. I, however, have a far more important task—looking after our princess, Acedia."
He turned to the little girl with a smug smile. "Right, Ace?"
A soft yawn drew their attention. Acedia appeared—sleepy-eyed, hair unbrushed, her small hand gripping Deus's fingers.
"Sun bathe," she mumbled, giving a lazy thumbs up.
Beside them, Levia snorted. "You just don't want to help."
"Observation and accusation," Deus said smoothly, pausing for dramatic effect, "both correct."
Lucila's tone cracked through the air like a whip.
"Deus!"
He flinched, then sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine," he muttered, stretching lazily. "I'll join after my sunbathing."
Soon, the sound of splashing returned as Pluto helped Bell and Amon wash up, both muttering under their breath, while Lucila and Levia headed off to prepare breakfast.
Deus and Acedia lay nearby on a flat stone, soaking in the sunlight like lizards melting into the warmth.
Morning carried on softly—water rippling, sunlight gleaming, and the family's small, imperfect harmony echoing beneath the endless blue sky.
Snap.
Pluto's head turned sharply. The sound of a branch breaking carried clearly through the forest.
The others hadn't noticed—except Deus. The lazy ease in his posture vanished, replaced by quiet alertness. Their eyes met, a silent exchange passing between them.
Without a word, Pluto reached into the shallows, fingers curling around a smooth stone—heavy as a ten-kilo weight.
The air went still. Leaves trembled.
Another branch shifted. Just barely.
Without hesitation, Pluto hurled the stone toward the sound.
Whirr.
The rock never landed.
A hand reached out from between the trees and caught it midair—effortlessly, like plucking an apple from a branch.
The branches parted as a man stepped into the light. His hair was abyss-black, catching faint glimmers in the breeze. His expression was calm, almost amused, as he examined the stone.
He looked at it for a moment, then back at the boys. "Good aim," he said lightly, letting the rock fall with a dull thud.
Recognising the voice, Bell turned instantly.
"Oh! Dad's here!" he said, grinning.
The man gave a small nod, his tone even but questioning.
"Seriously, how are you all so calm? Your little sister came back crying, saying she got separated from her siblings."
Pluto frowned. "Lost who? What are you talking about? Everyone's here."
The man's expression hardened. Confusion flickered in his eyes.
"Was she not with you?"
A faint realisation crossed the man's face. "I see… she must have gone with Lucila and Levia…"
He paused, noticing Pluto's and Deus's confusion, his brow furrowing. "I'm talking about Acedia. She's with your mother."
Pluto turned toward Deus.
Deus met his gaze but said nothing. Slowly, he looked upward toward the rock above them. His voice came soft, careful—almost hesitant.
"Wake up, little Ace… Dad's here."
The air grew still.
Near the river, a small figure shifted above the rocks—Acedia, messy-haired, dressed in a silky white gown. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, unaware of the silence closing around her.
The man's face drained of colour. His breath hitched.
For a long, dreadful second, no one spoke.
Except Acedia—her small voice breaking the silence as she smiled faintly."Dad…"
But the man didn't react.
He stood frozen, eyes wide, lips parting as he whispered—words faint, but heavy as stone.
"….Falsehood That Consumes Reason"
The moment the words left his lips, the world itself seemed to react.
A pulse—silent yet deafening—rippled through the clearing. The air shuddered, the river froze mid-current, and an unseen pressure crashed down like the weight of the sky itself.
The children fell to their knees, trembling, barely able to breathe beneath it.
Pluto forced his head up, his voice breaking. "Dad… this… is divinity!"
No response.
When he looked again, he saw something he had never seen before.
For the first time in his life, Pluto saw raw, unmasked fear etched across his father's face.
The man clenched his jaw, his voice cutting through the air with fierce urgency.
"Pluto, make sure you all stick together. Run away from that divinity you felt. [HE] can't mask His presence for long—and even [HE] can't break the rules without consequence."
The words barely had time to sink in.
A storm of emotion flickered across the man's face—fear, resolve, and something almost like sorrow—before he turned toward the forest.
Under his breath, barely audible, he murmured, "Why…"
Then, with a single step, the air split apart.
A thunderous crack tore through the clearing as the ground quaked beneath him.
BOOM.
Then another.
And another.
From deep within the forest, each step came with a deafening sonic boom, shaking the trees to their roots.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!