The trio sat in one room, all gathered around the center while sitting on the wooden floor. Three bags of food lie in front of them, full of snacks and refreshers. Soda, chips, sandwiches, you name it.
Kairo was the first one to move. He grabbed a handful of cheese bagels, tore open the bag and started munching.
He'd worked up an appetite after all that solo practice. Couldn't afford to be the dead weight of the trio. Renji had strategy. Yuna had glue. And him?
Nothing. Yet.
"So, Renji," He called out, mid bite. "What happened back there? With the map, I mean."
Renji took a soda and popped it open, letting the fizz settle before he answered. "It tore."
Kairo stared at him for a second. His response caused Kairo's eyebrow to twitch, annoyance flaring. He took another bite of his bagel. "I thow ith thore, buth whyth–"
"Eat first, speak later, dumbass." Yuna interrupted, picking out a packet of chips for herself.
Kairo swallowed, then spoke again. "I know it tore, but why'd you do that?"
Renji took a long sip of soda. It hissed in his throat, but he didn't flinch.
"My hands moved," he said flatly, once again, deflecting. Something in his tone had changed from earlier. It seemed almost… detached or cold.
Kairo let out a sigh and decided to drop it, since it was clearly going nowhere. He silently continued munching on his bagel.
The three of them sat in silence for the duration of the breakfast.
Yuna's chip bag crinkled. Renji's soda fizzed.
The sounds echoed louder than they should've—like someone cranked the volume in his skull.
She crumpled the bag, grabbed another, tore it open—crumbs sprayed out, a few sticking to Kairo's cheek.
He didn't bother brushing them off.
Eventually, the three of them were done eating. Renji gathered up all the garbage and picked it up.
As he stood up and started making his way toward the door, Yuna called out to him.
"Renji?"
He froze, his hand an inch from the doorknob.
"Why do your eyes look like that…?"
Renji froze.
A breath passed. Two.
Then he opened the door and left—like she never asked at all.
That was the last straw. Kairo's irritation flared into fury. Whatever was going on, did he have to act like they were strangers?
We're concerned too, dammit.
Was it so wrong to want to help? To be let in instead of iced out like they were nothing?
Kairo stood up, brushing crumbs from his shirt like the whole thing disgusted him.
"Kairo?" Yuna asked.
"Yea?" He asked, hoisting his sheathed sword to his waist and grabbing Renji's set of twin daggers.
"...What're you gonna do?"
He paused mid-step.
"He forgot his daggers," Kairo muttered. "We can't move without them."
He exhaled sharply, dragging the fury down like a lid on boiling water. They still had a mission, that was all that mattered. As long as they still had something to do, some place to be, they could stay together. At least, that's what he hoped.
"Let's go." He said, already leaving through the door.
Yuna stared at the door for a moment longer, her eyes trying to decipher what had happened to both of them. Eventually, she crawled over to the bed and fished out her wand and staff from under it, and walked out.
Renji and Kairo were both standing at the entrance to the inn, staring out from the glass door in silence.
Renji had already fastened his daggers to his belt.
He turned as Yuna approached, gave her a silent nod, and stepped outside.
Kairo followed without a word.
Yuna jogged after them, pausing just long enough to wave a polite goodbye to the innkeeper—then she was gone too.
The walk from the inn to the outskirts of the Royal District was silent.
Not a word passed between them.
Renji led the way, navigating the twisting maze of streets and pausing to ask for directions when needed.
Behind him, Yuna and Kairo followed—quiet shadows in the golden hour.
Kairo walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes locked on Renji's back like he was trying to see through it.
What the hell are you thinking right now, man...?
Yuna's mind wandered the same direction. She wasn't sure what to say anymore—not after this morning. Not with Renji so far away despite being just a few steps ahead.
Eventually, they reached the border of the Royal District.
Before them stood a massive golden gate, at least thirty feet tall, glinting under the fading sun. The usual hum of city life had long fallen behind—no buildings, no chatter, just open road and silence.
The sun was sinking fast, dragging its last light across the cobblestone.
But they had no coin to spare, and no time to lose.
The air smelled... expensive.
A strange blend of blooming flowers and fresh-cut grass—
With a faint undercurrent of earth. Like even the dirt here knew its place.
Renji stepped forward, lifting his voice.
"Seeker! Open the gate!"
Silence.
A breeze passed.
Nothing.
Then—
A yellow glow flickered to life at the top of the gate.
It floated downward, silent and slow, like sunlight caught in a snowglobe.
The mana particles burst outward mid-air—flaring once, then fading like fireflies.
A figure descended from the glow.
He landed softly before Renji, as if gravity had decided he was exempt.
A golden helm crowned his head, holding back sun-kissed blond hair tied into a neat bun.
He wore flowing, ghost-white robes—Roman in cut, otherworldly in presence—paired with simple straw sandals.
The very air around him thickened.
Not from heat. Not from fear.
But from power.
The Seeker's eyes narrowed, locking onto Renji with an almost unsettling intensity.
"And just why," he began slowly, voice thick with suspicion, "would I open the gate to a magicless human... such as you?"
Kairo's hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword without thinking.
It was instinct—his body reacting before his mind even had time to process the danger.
But the Seeker didn't even glance at him. He kept his gaze fixed on Renji, his voice low, almost bored.
"I wouldn't try that," he said, still not shifting his focus.
Kairo's fingers tightened around the hilt for a split second—then, reluctantly, he released it. His muscles tensed, but the tension in his chest didn't go away.
The Seeker repeated, "Why should I open the gate to a magicless human... such as you?"
Renji's voice cut through the silence with his usual sharpness.
"Can't you tell? We're the trio of heroes."
The Seeker raised an eyebrow. His expression, unimpressed, was all the answer they needed.
"'The Trio of Heroes,' eh?" he repeated with a hint of mockery, his gaze flicking from Renji to Kairo. "Well, to me, you look neither like a Trio... nor heroes."
The words dropped between them, heavy and taunting. Renji blinked, confusion flashing across his face. Kairo stiffened, uncertainty creeping in. Neither of them understood the weight of the Seeker's words.
But Yuna…
Yuna understood instantly.
The Seeker's lips curled into a smirk as he turned toward her.
"She gets it," he said, his voice low and amused.
Kairo whipped his head toward Yuna, brows furrowing. "I get the 'heroes' thing," he muttered under his breath, his tone still biting. "But what the hell does the 'trio' part mean? What's that supposed to mean, exactly?"
Before Yuna could answer, the Seeker's voice cut in with a quiet chuckle. "Well, simpletons like you wouldn't get it anyway. So, I suppose I'll help you," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. He leaned slightly toward them, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Tell me… What's the difference between a group of three... and a Trio?"
Renji's eyes widened in sudden realization. His lips parted, ready to speak, but no words came. He stood frozen, the weight of the Seeker's words sinking in.
Kairo scratched his cheek awkwardly, clearly out of his depth.
"Uh… A trio is together longer?" he offered, his voice unsure.
The Seeker let out a low, almost cruel chuckle, his tone sharp as a blade.
"That's as far from the truth as you can get, mortal."
Yuna clicked her tongue in slight annoyance, but her eyes were focused—this time, she stepped forward. The Seeker's gaze shifted to her, a small, sinister smirk curling at the corners of his lips.
"A Trio is three who move like one... am I right?" she said, her voice carrying a sad self-awareness.
The Seeker's smirk widened, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"Ding ding ding," he purred, his tone dripping with mock approval. "And yet... one of you three is completely out of sync with the others." He snapped his fingers, the sound sharp and final.
"I think it's more like a duo with an extra person in this case."
The Seeker raised his arm to the side, fingers unfolding like a blooming flower. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—mana.
Yellow orbs began to swirl toward his palm, glowing brighter as they converged. The energy twisted, warped, and molded into something tangible. A moment later, the light faded, revealing a blood-red greatsword etched with ancient runes, each one pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
All three instinctively stepped back.
Kairo drew his blade in one motion. Renji unsheathed his twin daggers. Yuna raised her staff, the orange glow at its tip flaring to life.
The Seeker chuckled, lifting the massive blade with one hand as if it weighed nothing.
"A ragtag team like you? What could you possibly do to me?"
"We need to retreat," Renji ordered, already stepping back. "On my signal—scatter."
Kairo and Yuna gave a sharp nod.
The Seeker's grin stretched unnaturally wide.
"Three…"
He stepped forward, dragging the greatsword along the stone with a metallic screech that echoed through the air.
"Two…"
The wind picked up, rustling cloaks and hair—an omen of what was to come.
"SCATTER!"
"Oh no you don't."
The second they burst into motion—bam.
All three slammed face-first into something unseen.
An invisible wall.
The thud of impact rang out, followed by staggered gasps. They rebounded off the invisible barrier and stumbled backward, stunned.
The Seeker's laughter filled the silence, low and predatory.
Kairo rubbed his forehead, turning around to face their opponent.
"Well, running away isn't gonna do anything." He noted. "Any other ideas, genius?"
Renji gulped. "He's a god. What're we supposed to do?"
Kairo's eyes widened. "A god?! Why the hell would you even lead us here, knowing that?!"
The Seeker clicked his tongue. "Too late for regrets now, boy."
He raised up his greatsword, his stance completely open. Mocking.
In a blur of movement, he brought it down in a deadly arc.
Right before the steel connected with Kairo's face, he was tackled to the side by Renji.
"Oh hell no you don't." He commented, standing up. "No one else is dying the same way."
"The same way– what?"
Before Renji could answer, The Seeker rushed him, his form barely tangible.
Renji ducked under an overhead swipe, then slipped past a jab. Suddenly, The Seeker appeared in front of him, his leg poised for a roundhouse kick. Renji barely got his daggers up in time before the kick smashed into his face. Sparks flew from the sheer force of his kick, causing him to get forced a few feet to the side.
"Yuna! Do something about the barrier!" Renji ordered, barely fending off The Seeker's attacks.
"On it!" She replied, raising the wand. The Gem on the top started glowing Orange while she muttered some incantations in a foreign tongue.
Kairo watched as Renji and The Seeker were engaged in a deadly duel of sparks and kicks, while Yuna was busy inspecting the barrier.
"To hell with it!" He cursed, before rushing toward The Seeker. "Renji! Duck!"
He raised up his sword, trusting that Renji would hear his warning. He swung it in a deadly arc at the first opening he saw. The sword drew closer and closer, but Renji didn't make any attempts to dodge.
Suddenly, a realization passed through Kairo. Renji hadn't heard his warning. The blade was too fast to stop though. It was barely an inch from his face. Just as it was about to sever it clean, he parried it. The Seeker didn't waste the opportunity though, his shins smashing into Renji's Ribcage, sending him tumbling backward. White hot pain shot through his body.
Kairo's eyes widened as his gaze followed his body like a ragdoll.
The Seeker let out a deep laughter. "Why need enemies when you have friends like that?"
Renji hit the barrier with a dull thud. The area he had hit glowed a bright orange, absorbing the impact, before going invisible again.
"Augh…" He groaned, spitting out a wad of blood.
The Seeker turned his attention to Kairo, who was still staring at Renji. "Got any of that energy for me?" He asked, his tone dripping with mockery.
Kairo's head tilted toward The Seeker, slow and sharp. His words caught in his throat. He took a small step backwards, not out of fear or desperation, but instinct.
"Looks like your body is smarter than you are." The Seeker noted, taking a step toward Kairo. The sound of his greatsword getting dragged against the concrete, the grinding of iron against ground, echoed through his ears as if a speaker had amplified it.
His heart hammered against his ribs. His pulse blasted in his ears.
"MOVE!" Yuna yelled, still focused on the barrier.
Her voice snapped Kairo out of his daze. His eyes refocused just in time to see The Seeker's weapon an inch from his head.
Kairo pivoted—just barely, the blade missing by a breath.
Kairo smirked, leaping backward to gain some space. He landed on his feet, breathing heavy, but alive. "Heh. You're not all you're cracked up to be." He stumbled a step backward, before regaining balance. Something felt off. He was… lighter?
The Seeker slowly turned around toward him, still grinning. "Oh yea?" He paused. "Wanna shake on it?" He slowly raised his arm up toward Kairo.
"What–" His gaze landed on what The Seeker was holding.
His heart skipped a beat. A flood of pain and nausea hit him.
"Wha…Ah… Ahh… AHHH!!" His gaze shot toward his right side.
Where his arm should've been, was a cleanly severed section, still gushing with blood.
The Seeker laughed, using Kairo's severed arm to slap his own knee. "That reaction is priceless!"
"Kairo!" Yuna called out, her eyes widening with shock. Her concentration on the barrier broke, and her spell backfired. Her wand exploded in front of her, causing her to go flying into the opposite side of the barrier.
Kairo collapsed, legs giving out beneath him, blood soaking the floor beneath his trembling hand. He could feel his consciousness slipping. His life dripping away.
Renji still lay unconscious, his daggers fallen at his sides.
Yuna struggling to get her footing, the explosion still ringing in her ears.
The Seeker took a step toward Kairo, throwing his arm to the side. The severed arm spun through the air and slapped Renji across the face with a wet crack—then landed limp in his lap like an accusation.
"Well, let's end this game, shall we?" The Seeker said, his grin fading back to a bored expression.
No no no. Not like this. I can't go out like this. I must be dreaming. T-that's it. I'm just dreaming. Maybe if I don't move… if I just stay still, I'll wake up. Maybe none of this is real. Maybe…
"There's no reason to think that." The Seeker called out. "This isn't some dream world. Welcome to the cold reality." He spat on the side."You Wizards Cult scum… you sicken me."
The Seeker took another step forward. Kairo's mind went blank. His vision swam. His ears rang. His body wouldn't move. The image of the battered Renji, the burned Yuna, his severed arm, they all burned into his retina's like the nightmare that is this reality.
His back gave out. His vision blurred as he fell to the ground, but just before his head kissed the concrete, it stopped.
"Nch nch nch. Not so fast." The Seeker lifted his body up from the hair on his scalp. "You think you can just–"
He was cut off by the sound of dragging feet behind him. His eyes went wide in alarm and his gaze shot around him.
There, stood Renji. Holding one dagger on his left hand and one in his mouth. In his right hand, clenched like a vow—Kairo's severed arm. His eyes were still rolled behind his head.
The Seeker dropped Kairo on the ground, causing a wet splat, along with the lazy ripples of his blood to spread.
The Seeker wiped away the droplets of blood that had splattered onto his face and turned toward Renji. "So you still have some fight in you, huh?" He raised up his greatsword with one arm. "Then com–"
"Skia Nephos" Renji broke in.
Suddenly, the whole inside of the barrier was flooded with unexplainable pressure. It felt as though a skyscraper had been dropped there.
The ground under The Seeker bulged inward, causing him to bend his back to stay balanced. "Wha–"
A large explosion cut him off. The whole barrier was filled with dark smoke, that disabled all senses. It was as though he was swimming through a dark ocean.
He growled something. "Euphorious!" He yelled. The dust cloud disappeared in the blink of an eye. He looked around for the group, but they were nowhere to be seen.
His eyes went wide with anger. "You little–!" He yelled. His face paused. Suddenly, his scowl was replaced by a cruel ear-to-ear grin. He took a deep breath and dropped his sword.
The sword dissipated into mana particles as soon as it touched the ground.
"If that is how you wish to play," He muttered. "Then by all means… go on." A yellow light encompassed him. "Avaritia…"
He started floating up, toward the gate. His gaze lingered on the spot where Renji had stood a few moments earlier. "Or should I say… the Wizard of greed."
After that, he exploded with a bright flash of light, disappearing back into the heavens.