The Last Step Chapter 38: The Swarm Tyrant

Celia's Perspective:

The second I heard the knock, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. My fingers clenched slightly before I shook the hesitation away and rushed to the door.

I already knew who it was.

Kaiser.

I could almost picture him standing there, his usual blank expression, his blue eyes eting mine. Maybe he'd finally realized his mistake and co back to first. Maybe he felt bad for leaving behind. Maybe... maybe he missed , too.

A warm, giddy feeling bubbled up inside as I reached for the door. I pulled it open in one swift motion, my lips already forming his na—

"Kai—"

The word died in my throat.

It wasn't Kaiser.

It was Levi.

I blinked, my heart sinking, and I felt the excitent drain from my face.

Levi's eyes imdiately caught the shift, and a slow, amused smirk spread across his lips. He leaned lazily against the doorfra, tilting his head.

"Oh?" He tilted his head, pretending to be hurt. "That's the fastest I've ever seen soone's smile disappear. What, not happy to see ?"

I blinked, quickly straightening myself. "I—No, I just—" I cleared my throat. "I thought it was Kaiser."

Levi snorted, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "Yeah, I got that. What gave it away? The part where you yelled his na?"

I puffed out my cheeks, walking past him towards the dinner table. "Hmph."

The second Levi took a seat at the dinner table, I knew I was dood.

He leaned back, resting his arm over the chair like he owned the place, and lazily tilted his head toward the vase in front of him. His blue eyes glead with curiosity, but there was sothing else there, too—amusent.

"So," he drawled, tapping his fingers on the table. "Not to alarm you or anything, but why is your flower bleeding?"

I stiffened. My eyes darted toward the vase, where a single withered flower stood—except it wasn't just withered. The petals had turned black, curled inward like they were screaming in agony, and thick, crimson liquid dripped down the stem, staining the water inside a deep red.

Okay. That... was not normal.

I swallowed hard and quickly averted my eyes. "I... I don't know anything about that."

Yeah. Smooth. Totally convincing.

Levi didn't even blink. His smirk widened like he could see right through . Then, without saying another word, he slowly turned his head, scanning the entire room.

Panic blood in my chest.

Crap, crap, crap. Don't look around. Don't—!

His eyes flicked over the shelves, the furniture, the open window—then, finally, they landed on sothing near the right side of the other room.

The book.

I felt my stomach drop.

Levi stood up and casually strolled over, plucking the old, slightly worn-out book from the table near the window. He turned it over in his hands, flipping through a few pages. His smirk hadn't vanished, but his brows did lift slightly.

"This looks familiar," he mused. "Oh, right. It's mine."

I winced. Oof.

I tried to play it off with a nervous chuckle. "Ahaha... um, funny story about that—"

Levi snapped the book shut and looked at . "Celia."

I flinched at the way he dragged out my na like a disappointed parent.

I sighed, slumping my shoulders. "Fine. I was trying to learn basic cursed magic."

Levi leaned against the table, resting his chin on one hand. "Basic, huh? Which one?"

I hesitated before muttering, "Withering Touch."

Levi raised a brow and glanced at the flower still bleeding on the table. He reached out, plucking it from the vase and holding it between his fingers. The dark red liquid stained his fingertips as he turned it slowly, studying its decayed form.

Then, he exhaled a quiet chuckle. "Yeah, see, that's the problem." He twirled the dead flower before tossing it back onto the table. "Withering Touch doesn't do this. It's supposed to just cause minor decaying, not—" He gestured vaguely at the bleeding ss. "—turn a flower into a bleeding crying ss."

I bit my lip, gripping the hem of my dress tightly. I already knew that.

My gaze flickered to the shriveled petals, dark veins of decay crawling through them like sothing alive. The deep crimson droplets at the edges of the withered bloom made my throat tighten. Blood. The flower was bleeding. And I—I did that.

I swallowed, shifting in my seat. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." My voice ca out soft, maybe a little too soft to be believable. I turned my eyes away, pretending to be absolutely fascinated by the grain of the wooden table.

Levi didn't respond imdiately, which was sohow worse. I could feel his stare like a weight pressing against .

He exhaled, and in a much lighter tone, he asked, "Okay, so, let's pretend that wasn't a totally obvious lie. What do you think happened here? A ghost? The air? Maybe the flower just... got tired of life?"

I bit the inside of my cheek. I really didn't want to answer. But Levi had this annoying way of waiting—just sitting there, grinning like he had all the ti in the world.

Eventually, I sighed and folded my arms. "I was... experinting."

"With?"

I hesitated, but it wasn't like I could hide it now. "The flower."

Levi arched a brow, looking mildly impressed. "The flower, huh? That's pretty edgy of you." He tilted his head. "Which spell?"

"Withering Touch," I admitted, tracing a small circle against the table. "It's supposed to be weak."

Levi humd. He lifted the flower, turning it between his fingers. "Yeah, well, this isn't weak. This is straight-up plant homicide."

I clenched my hands into fists, the realization creeping into my mind like a whisper I didn't want to hear.

Withering Touch was weak. It barely did anything. A small shriveling effect, nothing more. But my magic—my jealousy—it hadn't just drained the life from the flower. It had twisted it, crushed it, left it bleeding.

I chewed on my bottom lip, my heart pounding a little too fast. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

The book had said jealousy was the weakest of emotions when it ca to cursed magic. But my jealousy—my envy—had made sothing as small as a flower die in agony.

That wasn't normal.

Levi's voice cut through my thoughts again. "By the way, I noticed sothing weird when I got back." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "The grass outside? The flowers near the yard? All withering. You sure you didn't go on a little death-touch rampage out there?"

I blinked. My chest tightened. "I... I didn't touch anything else."

Levi tilted his head, watching . "Then why's everything dying?"

That question hung in the air between us, heavy, pressing, suffocating.

I hadn't touched anything. Not outside. Not the grass. Not the flowers.

Then why?

Levi tapped a finger against the table before speaking again, his tone still light but a little more thoughtful. "Maybe it's not just your touch. Maybe..." He trailed off before smirking. "Oooor, plot twist—you're secretly an ancient evil goddess of death. Pretty cool, right?"

I shot him a glare. "Levi."

"Alright, alright," he chuckled, then leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "But really, if you didn't touch anything, and Withering Touch is a physical spell, then..." He paused. "What if it's your aura?"

I swallowed.

"My aura?"

"Yeah," Levi shrugged. "You were proably negative and emotional, right? Maybe your aura's reacting to that. Maybe your emotions don't just affect you—they affect the world around you."

That thought made sothing cold crawl down my spine.

Because if that was true, then what would happen if my emotions got worse?

If jealousy alone could do this...

Then what would happen if I ever truly lost control?

I can feel my face flush as I glare at Levi. I was just... waiting for Kaiser. Maybe I was hoping for so peace, sothing calming... but no, I get Levi teasing like I'm so kind of joke.

Levi laughs that laugh of his, the one that's way too cocky for anyone's good. "You know," he says with a smug grin, "for soone who's supposed to be all serious about this cursed magic stuff, you're causing so serious trouble, Celia."

I squint at him, narrowing my eyes. "I didn't ask for a lecture, Levi."

"Sure you didn't," he teases, strolling around the room like it's his personal stage. "Though, I gotta say, you've got more chaos than an S-ranked mage on a bad day. Look at that flower... really withering."

I cross my arms, trying to keep the irritation off my face. "Well, I didn't know it was going to react that badly. It's not like I'm a self-claid strongest like you." I roll my eyes dramatically, making sure he knows how much I'm over his teasing.

Levi gives a raised brow, grinning even wider. "Of course, you're with Kaiser so much that you've started talking like him, huh?" He leans in, eyes gleaming. "Guess that makes you a Kaiser simp, huh?"

I freeze, eyes widening. "I'm NOT!" I snap, my cheeks burning. "I just heard him say that! It's not like I was—"

Levi interrupts with a laugh, hands raised in mock defense. "Yeah, sure, sure. You're just a clingy Kaiser girl then, huh?"

I try not to fu. "Stop saying that! I'm not clingy!" My voice wavers a little, despite trying to stay serious. I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks again, but it's not just embarrassnt. There's a twinge of sothing else, a deeper feeling I don't quite know how to explain.

Levi laughs again, that loud, carefree sound filling the room. "You're cute when you're flustered, Celia." He leans back, still chuckling like he's won so grand victory.

I puff out my cheeks and pout, feeling like an irritated child, but I can't help the small part of that wants to smile at his ridiculousness. He's a pain, but there's sothing... oddly comforting about him, even if he's always teasing .

Finally, his laughter fades, and I notice he's scanning the room, eyes flicking toward the window. It's dark now, the shadows in the corners of the room stretching across the floor.

"Where's Kaiser and Emma?" he asks, his tone oddly serious now.

I bite my lip. Where are they? A cold knot twists in my stomach. I glance at the door as if expecting them to walk in any second, but no, there's nothing. "They're... not here yet," I say, my voice quieter than usual. "They... haven't co back."

Sothing shifts in Levi's expression. The easy confidence is gone, replaced by sothing darker. His eyes narrow, his lips pulling into a tight line. "Wait, what? They're still not ho? It's dark outside now." His voice takes on a serious edge, and a heavy feeling settles over .

I feel my own stomach churn at the sound of his voice, the way his words almost seem to press down on my chest. "What's wrong, Levi?" I ask, my voice shaking a little.

Levi doesn't look at imdiately. His eyes stay fixed sowhere far away, as if thinking deeply, processing sothing I don't understand. Then, his gaze flicks back to , cold and sharp.

"This... is bad, Celia. Really bad. The things happening nearby... they're not just rumors anymore." He pauses, eyes hardening. "Villages are getting wiped out. Entire villages, just... gone."

I feel my blood run cold. "Wiped out? What do you an?"

Levi exhales slowly, and I can see a flicker of fear in his usually confident eyes. "A few towns over... there was a mass execution a few days ago. The whole village was destroyed in hours. Not just killed, but... completely devoured. No one's left standing. Not a trace."

A chill runs through , my heart thudding painfully in my chest. I can barely breathe as I process his words. "But... why?" I whisper, barely able to form the question.

Levi looks at , his expression becoming even more serious, his voice lowering to sothing that feels like a warning. "The Swarm Tyrant." He says it like it's a na ant to make my skin crawl, and it works. I feel the fear creeping in, tightening around my throat.

"A grotesque, towering insectoid overlord. It stands at the peak of an evolutionary nightmare. It leads an army of creatures that adapt endlessly, constantly changing, growing. They're... never satisfied. They consu everything, Celia. Everything. Including their own kind. They even use the bones and exoskeletons of the fallen to forge weapons and armor."

I gasp, my hands trembling. "That... that sounds like a nightmare..."

Levi nods grimly. "It is. And they're spreading. The Swarm Tyrant's army is unstoppable, devouring everything in its path. It just destroyed a village... in a day. Every single person was eaten. Alive."

I feel my stomach turn, my heart racing faster. My legs feel weak, and I stagger a little, gripping the nearest table for support. "Kaiser and Emma... they're outside the town... and they... they don't know about this?!" I gasp, my voice breaking.

Levi's jaw tightens. "Exactly. That's why I was planning to tell Kaiser to get out of Levinton with you. But now, with them out there..." He trails off, eyes darkening.

I shiver at the thought of it. "Why isn't it safe anymore, Levi? What's happening?"

He ets my gaze, and for the first ti, I see the fear in his eyes. A fear that matches my own. "It's coming. The Swarm Tyrant isn't stopping. Levinton's not safe anymore... I don't know what's going to happen."

I swallow hard, the terror in my chest bubbling up as I feel the weight of his words. The world feels like it's closing in, and for the first ti in a long ti, I don't know if I'm ready for what's coming next.

Kaiser's Perspective:

The night stretched over the forest like a thick, endless veil. It was quiet, but not the kind of quiet that made you feel safe. It was the kind that whispered, that crawled under your skin, that made the trees feel like they were watching.

The moon barely cut through the branches, leaving us in a dim, shifting twilight. The air was colder than it should've been. Crisp, sharp—like the kind before a storm, but there was no wind. Only the sound of our footsteps pressing against the damp earth.

Beside , Emma walked with an easy, unbothered stride, her hands tucked behind her head as if we weren't surrounded by endless shadows. "You look way too serious right now," she said, glancing at .

I barely shifted my expression. "That so?"

"Yep," she nodded. "Like, super serious. Scary serious."

I smirked slightly, keeping my gaze forward. "Maybe I'm just thinking about dinner."

Emma gasped dramatically. "You do look like the type to kill a man over food."

"Wrong," I corrected. "I'd kill a king over food. Gotta aim high."

She snorted. "Okay, yeah, that's fair."

A joke. A casual back-and-forth. It made it seem like nothing was wrong. Like the unnatural stillness around us wasn't setting off every instinct in my body.

Because it was.

Sothing was off.

I didn't react, didn't let it show, but I could feel it. The forest wasn't just quiet—it was listening. And sothing inside it was moving.

Not animals. Not the natural rustle of leaves or the scurrying of small creatures in the underbrush. No, this was different. The way the darkness shifted—slow, deliberate—it was as if sothing was watching.

Tracking us.

I adjusted my pace subtly, positioning myself slightly ahead of Emma, between her and the treeline. Just enough to make sure if sothing ca out of those shadows, I'd be the one to deal with it first.

"Okay, seriously," Emma said, eyeing . "What's up? I can practically hear your brain working."

I sighed, tilting my head slightly. "Would you believe if I said I was thinking about how slow you are?"

Her eyes narrowed instantly. "Oh, screw you, Kaiser."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Relax, we're almost at town."

Not a lie. But not the truth either.

Because the closer we got, the worse the feeling beca. The edges of Levi's town were barely visible through the thinning trees, but sothing about it felt wrong.

I glanced toward the path ahead, then back to the forest.

There were too many shadows. And not enough noise.

The town's entrance ca into view, dimly illuminated by scattered lanterns. The warm glow should have felt welcoming, but sothing was off. The air carried a strange weight, like a warning lingering just beyond the senses.

I stopped walking. Emma nearly bumped into before she realized.

"Huh?" She blinked up at . "What's wrong?"

I glanced toward the streets ahead, then down at her. "You should head ho first."

Emma frowned. "What? No. Let's just go together."

Her grip on my sleeve tightened—a small, almost unnoticeable action, but I felt it.

I shook my head. "I need to check sothing."

"That can wait, right?" Her voice was light, casual—but there was hesitation underneath. "I an, co on, it's late. Whatever it is, it can wait till morning."

I stayed silent.

Her fingers twitched, then suddenly, she grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. "You promised," she whispered. "You said you wouldn't leave ."

I stilled.

Promises.

I had made plenty before, and I had broken just as many.

I had been the kind of person who would have manipulated her. Twisted words, played on emotions, made her believe she wanted to leave on her own. I could do it now—easily.

But not anymore.

I wasn't going to do that to her anymore again.

She was looking at now, her grip firm, her eyes uncertain. She wanted to trust , but the fear of being abandoned was clawing at her.

I exhaled slowly, then let my expression shift into sothing playful. "Fine, fine," I muttered. "If you're that worried, how about this?"

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What?"

I smirked. "We race."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"I'll take the long way around," I said smoothly, pointing to the side. "You take the straight path. Let's see who gets ho first."

Emma's brows furrowed. "That's dumb. Why don't we just walk together like normal people?"

I clicked my tongue. "Where's the fun in that?"

She deadpanned. "Oh, I don't know—maybe in not making run at night?"

"Scared you'll lose?"

Emma narrowed her eyes.

I shrugged. "I'm giving you a head start, y'know. And if you win, I'll take you out tomorrow as well."

Her expression flickered. "For real?"

I nodded.

Emma's eyes lit up. "Promise?"

I held out my pinky. "Promise."

She studied for a second, then grinned widely and hooked her pinky with mine.

"You're so losing," she declared.

I chuckled, stepping back. "We'll see."

Her fingers slowly uncurled from my sleeve.

Then—

"Go!"

Emma bolted forward, her laughter trailing behind her as she dashed toward ho.

I waited until her figure disappeared into the streets.

Then, without a word, I turned and headed in the opposite direction.

Because I wasn't going ho.

I had sowhere else to be.

Celia's Perspective:

I looked at Levi, my voice shaking as I tried to keep it steady. "Levi," I said, urgency creeping into my words, "you have to take Emma and leave this town. It's too dangerous. You can't stay here. It's the only way she'll be safe."

Levi didn't even flinch. He just stared at , his expression unwavering. "No," he said, the word sharp and final, like a door slamming shut. "I can't."

I blinked, confused. I hadn't expected that answer, not from him. He was always so confident, so quick to jump into action when things got tough. Why wouldn't he leave? Why wouldn't he protect Emma and get out of here?

What's going on with him?

"But... Levi," I stamred, my confusion mixing with frustration, "why? You're putting your life and Emma's at risk if you stay. You could leave. You could protect her by leaving. Why won't you?"

He leaned back in his chair, his hands running through his hair like he was frustrated with sothing I couldn't see. "I'm not running," he said quietly, his tone much darker now, colder. "Not again."

I felt a chill run down my spine. Not again? What did that even an? What was he talking about? His words didn't make sense. I walked closer to the table, my feet carrying without thinking. I needed to understand.

I needed him to explain. His hands were on his face now, hiding sothing. Was he hiding his pain? Or was it sothing else?

"Levi," I asked, my voice softer now, almost a whisper, "what do you an by 'running away'?" I took another step, closer to him, my heart pounding louder with every movent.

Levi didn't answer right away. He just stared at the table, his jaw tight. I waited, my pulse thumping in my ears. Sothing felt so wrong about this. Sothing wasn't right.

Finally, he spoke, his voice rough, like it pained him to say it. "Take a seat, Celia."

I hesitated for a mont, but I obeyed. Reluctantly, I sat down across from him. My mind was still racing with unanswered questions. Why wouldn't he leave? Why wouldn't he protect Emma like I wanted him to?

As I sat there, my thoughts drifted back to Kaiser. Where is he? Why isn't he back yet? My heart squeezed in my chest, the worry crawling up my throat. What if sothing happened to him? What if I never saw him again? The thought was unbearable.

I couldn't stop thinking about him. Please, Kaiser... be okay. Please be safe. I'm not strong like you, I can't protect you... But you promised ... you promised you'd co back. My breath hitched as the fear crept in, cold and suffocating. Please, Kaiser...

My whole world, for that mont, was filled with thoughts of Kaiser. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. My heart was a ss, twisted in knots, and all I could do was pray. Please, be safe...

Levi's voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. "You and Kaiser should leave," he said, his words sharp. "I'll get Zain to protect Emma and take her out of town. As for , I'll stay with the guild. We'll deal with the grotesques ourselves. We'll take down the Swarm Tyrant."

I felt a rush of anger—no. I couldn't accept this. I couldn't let him face that alone.

I stood up from the chair, my hands shaking with frustration. "Why must you do it?" I asked, my voice rising in disbelief. "You can't keep putting yourself in danger. Why do you have to stay? Why can't you just leave with us?" I turned to him, my chest tensing as I continued.

"Emma only has you, Levi. You're the one person she relies on. You should be the one protecting her, not running off to fight this... this monster alone!"

I didn't realize how loud I'd shouted until my voice echoed in the room. I was shaking, my emotions tearing through , but I couldn't stop. Why? Why wouldn't he leave?

Levi's eyes flickered with sothing I hadn't seen before—pain. It was quick, just a flash, but it was enough to make pause. He stood up from the table abruptly, his voice louder now, filled with frustration. "I KNOW!" he scread, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"I know it more than anyone! I know that Emma needs ! But I can't... I won't run again. I'm not going to do it. Not anymore. I can't let the past dictate what I do now." His voice wavered, almost breaking, and for a mont, I saw a crack in his armor.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding. There it was again—the past. What happened to him? I knew it had to be sothing terrible. But I could feel it, deep in my gut—this wasn't about . It wasn't about Emma, either. It was about sothing inside of Levi, sothing he wasn't ready to confront.

I took a slow step closer to him, my voice softer now, my tone almost pleading. "Levi, please. You can't keep this to yourself. I know sothing happened. I can feel it. But you don't have to hide it within yourself." I paused, looking into his eyes. This isn't about being strong. This is about letting go of the weight.

He didn't look at . He couldn't. His gaze drifted, his jaw tight, as if he were battling sothing deep inside. But I wasn't going to back down now.

"Levi," I continued, my voice steady but full of empathy, "I'm not trying to push you. But I need to understand. I'm not asking because I want to know for my sake—I'm asking because I care about you. I care about Emma. But most of all, I care about the fact that you're carrying this pain, and it's not going to let you go unless you face it."

I watched as his fists unclenched, his shoulders sagging, just for a mont. "I'm not asking you to forget. But I am asking you to trust . Let in. Let help you like you helped ."

There was a silence that settled over us, thick and heavy. I could almost hear the weight of his hesitation, the inner battle he was fighting.

He finally spoke, his voice quieter now, like the words were coming from a place deep inside him. "You don't know what it's like..." He trailed off, his voice raw. "You don't know what I've seen. What I've done."

I took another step closer, now standing just inches away from him. "I don't need to know everything," I said softly. "But I need to know why you're doing this alone. You don't have to do this alone, Levi. Please."

His eyes flickered back to , this ti full of sothing—vulnerability. It was brief, fleeting, but it was enough.

"I..." He let out a shaky breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "I failed once. I ran. And people paid for it. They died because I wasn't strong enough to protect them."

is voice cracked, the weight of the admission hanging in the air. "I can't run again. I won't. Not with Emma. Not with anyone else."

I saw it then. The crack in his resolve. The fear, the guilt, the sha. I stepped forward, placing a hand gently on his arm.

He stared at for a long ti, his expression unreadable. But after what felt like an eternity, he finally nodded, his voice barely audible. "Fine," he whispered. "I'll tell you." He paused, looking away. "But only because of Emma. I need you to understand."

I didn't say anything. I didn't need to. The mont he agreed, I knew it was the first step toward healing. Towards sothing better.

Levi let out a long breath and finally, his walls ca down, piece by piece.

Levi took a deep breath, his voice wavering as he spoke. "A few years ago, Emma and I lost our parents." He paused for a mont, his fingers trembling ever so slightly. "They passed away... or at least that's what she told you, right?"

I nodded, my heart sinking at the ntion of their parents. "Yeah," I said, my voice small. "Emma told about it."

Levi shook his head, his eyes darkening, a shadow of regret clouding his expression. "She lied to you. Just like I did." His words were cold, but they carried a weight, as though the truth had been a heavy burden he could no longer bear.

I blinked, feeling the air in the room shift. "What do you an? What are you saying?"

His gaze flicked down to the ground, his hands gripping the edge of the table, his knuckles white. The energy in the room seed to thicken with each passing second. "Our parents didn't pass away like that. They were murdered... because of ." The words were barely a whisper, but they hit like a sledgehamr.

I froze. My mind struggled to process the magnitude of what he'd just said. "Murdered? But... why? How?" I stuttered, my voice catching in my throat, unable to comprehend what he was saying.

Levi couldn't et my gaze. His face was downturned, his eyes filled with sothing I couldn't na—regret? Guilt? Maybe both, or sothing deeper, like a wound that never healed.

"Because I ran, Celia," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I ran when I should've stayed. I couldn't protect them. I couldn't even protect Emma. I was too scared, too weak... and it cost them their lives."

"I never got to use a sword earlier in my life," he started, his fingers curling into tight fists on the table, almost as if he was holding onto the words for dear life.

"I didn't know what it ant to hold one, to fight. My God-Speed awakened before I ever truly had the chance to understand it... to understand myself." His eyes flicked to the floor, avoiding my gaze. "I hated it, Celia. I hated holding that sword and fighting. I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't ready for any of it."

The words struck like a cold gust of wind, chilling to the core. This was Levi—the strongest Sword Saint I knew, the one who'd always been so confident, so unshakable. But now, in this mont, I could see the cracks in the armor he'd spent so long building around himself. The fear, the doubt—everything he'd hidden away was coming to the surface.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant, almost lost in his thoughts. I could feel the weight of what he was about to say.

"As a young Sword Saint... I was so new to life," Levi continued, his voice dropping lower, filled with regret. "I wasn't used to having all this power. It was... overwhelming. And then that day ca. The day I failed."

I sat down across from him, my eyes never leaving his face. I could sense the trembling in his hands as they rested on the table, the subtle twitch of his fingers as if they were rembering the weight of a sword he wished he'd never had to hold.

His shoulders sagged as he spoke, as though the burden of his past was too much to carry, even now.

"A horde of grotesques... They ca out of nowhere. Monsters, creatures born of twisted flesh and bone, moving so fast, so... horrific. My village, the place I called ho, was peaceful. We had everything we needed. But then they ca. And I... I froze."

I couldn't help but feel my chest tense, my heart racing with the horror of the image he painted. A young Levi, full of doubt, faced with sothing so much darker than he could have imagined. And he had been paralyzed by fear.

"The fear... it was too much. I couldn't move, Celia. Despite being a Sword Saint, despite all the power I had... I was terrified. Terrified of dying. Terrified of losing. And in that mont, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't protect anyone." Levi's voice cracked as he spoke, and he looked down, as if ashad to face the weight of his own words. "I ran, Celia. I ran away."

I sat there, speechless, my heart aching for him. I had always seen Levi as this cocky, invincible force. But now, I was seeing the broken man beneath all that bravado.

"The grotesques tore through my village," he continued, each word heavy with pain. "I saw Emma. She was just a child. She watched in horror as they killed our parents. She thought they were demons. But they weren't demons, Celia. They were the consequences of my fear. My failure."

I wanted to say sothing, anything, but my voice caught in my throat. How could I comfort him when he was the one bearing the scars of such a traumatic event?

"Emma never told you the truth. She never told anyone," Levi said, his voice distant, eyes clouded with sorrow. "She never wanted anyone to know... the truth about why everyone died that day."

I shook my head, my breath shallow as the weight of his confession sank in. "But... why? Why didn't she tell ?"

Levi's eyes t mine then, and I could see the deep pain in them. "Because, Celia, I couldn't protect them. And she didn't want anyone to hate for it. But the truth is... I left them to die. I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't brave enough."

I couldn't keep silent any longer. I reached out, placing a hand gently on his, trying to offer him comfort, though I knew it would never be enough. "Levi... I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

He sighed, his head lowering as if he couldn't bear to look at anymore. "I'll never forgive myself for what happened that day. I couldn't protect them. And I'll never be able to undo it. That's why I promised myself I would never show fear again. Not to anyone. Not ever."

I could feel my own heart break for him, for the man who'd buried his fear so deep, locked it away in a cage he'd built around himself. But I couldn't just leave it at that. He had to understand that he wasn't alone in this. Not anymore.

"You don't have to carry it all alone, Levi," I whispered. "You don't have to be the invincible Sword Saint every second of every day. It's okay to be human. It's okay to feel... to be scared."

Levi looked at , his eyes full of hesitation, but sothing flickered behind them—a vulnerability he'd been keeping hidden. "I just... I don't know how," he admitted quietly, his voice almost breaking.

I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll figure it out together."

And for the first ti, Levi didn't pull away. He didn't brush off. Instead, he sat there, the walls around him slightly cracked, as if—just for a mont—he was allowing himself to be human again.

Then suddenly...

Another knock on the door. My heart skips. It has to be them, right? Kaiser and Emma—back together, safe. I can finally breathe again. I rushed to the door, my feet barely touching the ground as I almost tripped over myself in my excitent.

Levi stood up from the chair, his usual cocky confidence back in place, as though nothing had changed. As if nothing had ever been wrong. But I didn't notice him much. I was focused on the door, on what was behind it.

I flung it open, grinning wide, and then—

My heart stopped. My smile faltered.

There, standing in front of , was Emma. Just Emma. No Kaiser. I felt a sudden emptiness that I couldn't shake.

"Did Kaiser return first?" Emma asked, her voice as bright as ever. It made my chest tighten even more.

I shook my head, barely able to manage a smile in return. "No..."

But sothing was wrong. I could feel it. Why wasn't he here? My stomach twisted. My thoughts were suddenly loud and chaotic, like a storm inside . Sothing didn't feel right. I couldn't just stand here. I needed answers. I needed to know where he was, why he wasn't here.

Levi stepped forward, his tone sharp, a little too quick. "Where is Kaiser?"

Emma blinked, her smile still there, but she seed a little confused now. "We agreed to race. He gave a head start and went around the town edges, near the dark forest."

The world froze.

Levi's face twisted in a way I'd never seen before—his usually confident, cocky deanor crumbling. His eyes, full of sothing darker, told all I needed to know.

He knew exactly what the consequences were. The grotesques. They could be anywhere, watching, waiting for the perfect mont. And Kaiser... he was out there. Alone.

Why wasn't he here with ? Why was I alone, standing in this suffocating silence, while others got to be with him? I could feel the heat of rage creeping up my spine, curling its fingers around my throat.

I shouldn't be left behind. Not again.

No one, no one, should have the right to stand beside him, to touch him. That right belonged to , and only .

The fear, the ache in my chest, wasn't just because I missed him. It was because I could feel it—that terrible, maddening sense of losing him. Like I was slipping through his fingers, like he was being torn away from by forces I couldn't even na.

And I would not—I refuse—to let that happen.

I'll tear apart anyone who stands in my way.

Kaiser was supposed to be safe. He was supposed to be with , not out there in the forest, with danger lurking in every shadow. We were supposed to be together.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to pull him close and hold him forever, keep him safe from everything that could hurt him. But instead, I stood there, frozen, while the seconds ticked by, slipping away like sand through my fingers.

What if it's too late?

What if he was already too far gone? What if the grotesques found him first?

I could feel my heart breaking, my thoughts scattered. Why is he out there? Why isn't he here? It didn't make sense. He knew better. And yet...

Why wasn't he with ?

I couldn't think. I couldn't stop. The fear was suffocating, tearing at my chest. The thought of him—out there alone—shook to my core. What if sothing happens to him? What if soone else is with him, keeping him safe while I'm stuck here? The jealousy burned inside , and it was overwhelming. No one else should be with him. No one but .

I couldn't just stand here, useless. I couldn't wait for soone else to find him. I couldn't. The fear was sharp, but so was the burning need to get to him. I wouldn't let anyone else take my place.

Without thinking, my body moved, pushing out the door. I rushed into the unknown, heart pounding, knowing the dangers that waited for . But none of it mattered.

I have to find him.

No matter what it takes. No matter how dangerous it is. I'm not scared. I'll bring him back. He won't be alone.

I repeated it, over and over, as my legs carried toward the one place that terrified the most: the edge of the forest. But fear didn't stop . Not when it ca to him. He's mine to protect. And I will get him back, no matter the cost.

Kaiser's Perspective:

I finally reached the dark forests, the shadows creeping closer, not just fignts of my imagination but real, tangible things lurking in the depths.

I could feel them, watching, waiting. They were always there, gathering information on the townspeople, keeping tabs on every movent, every breath.

I had lied to Emma about the race. It wasn't about the challenge or the fun—those weren't my real intentions. The truth was far more urgent. While she thought we were just playing around, I was tracking sothing else.

Them. The shadows that had been watching us earlier, as Emma and I were returning to the town. They had been following us, inching closer, and now I was going to make sure I wasn't just another prey in their ga. I had to find them before they found .

They weren't just watching, though. They were waiting for sothing. What that sothing was, I had no idea. But I wasn't about to stand around and wait to find out the hard way.

As I walked closer to the edge, I glanced back at Levinton. It was still lively, filled with the night's hum of life, people going about their business, completely unaware of the dangers hiding just beyond the tree line.

Standing on a hill, I couldn't help but admire the night sky above it all, the stars twinkling as if mocking . Beautiful. Peaceful. And yet, everything beneath it was a farce.

Even though it was Levi's town—the one that claid to be the strongest, the cocky bastard—there was sothing so undeniably... fragile about it all. Lmao.

But none of that mattered now. Turning my back to it all, I walked toward the dark forest.

And that's when the whispers ca.

They slithered into my ears, as cold as ice, as dark as the void. A low, guttural voice calling , pulling in.

"Kaiser..."

I stopped in my tracks.

"Accept it. You were never ant to be here. Join us. End it all. Embrace the nothingness. Embrace the void."

The words crawled under my skin, a sickening poison in my veins. I could feel it trying to pull into the dark, into its endless, empty grasp.

It promised peace, no more struggle, no more pain. A quiet, silent nothingness.

But I couldn't—wouldn't—fall for it.

I stood firm, shaking my head. "Not this ti," I muttered under my breath, my voice strong, defiant. "I'm not giving in to you."

"You never belong here. You don't belong in this world."

I know. I've always known. I wasn't ant to be here, in this world, with these people. I wasn't even supposed to be born.

Six tis. Six failed attempts before I finally ca into existence, each one tearing apart, leaving closer to the edge of nothingness. The world didn't want . Fate didn't want . Yet, I was still here, still breathing, still fighting.

But that's the way it's always been for , hasn't it? To exist when I wasn't ant to. To stand in places I don't belong. But it doesn't matter anymore. Whether I belong or not, I'm here now. And that's enough.

I entered the forest path with a steady step, determined not to listen to those twisted voices that always returned when I was alone, trying to convince that I belonged with them, in the dark.

But not this ti. I wouldn't let them win. I'd made that choice long ago. I chose my life. I would fight for it, even if it ant facing the darkness head-on.

The path before twisted and turned, the trees so thick that it felt like they were swallowing the light. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, the only sound being my footsteps on the damp ground.

The forest was alive with shadows, the kind of living darkness that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was suffocating, like the forest was closing in, watching my every move.

But I didn't let it stop . I couldn't afford to.

Then, just ahead, I saw sothing that made halt in my tracks.

A wagon.

An abandoned wagon, sitting alone in the dark forest. At first glance, it seed harmless. But as I walked closer, the stench hit . The sight was worse.

The wagon was filled with bodies—rchants, travelers. Their corpses were twisted unnaturally, limbs bent in ways that shouldn't be possible. Their faces frozen in terror, eyes wide open, but no longer seeing.

My stomach twisted in disgust. Whoever did this... they were coming closer.

I turned my head to look around, every instinct screaming that I wasn't alone. And then I saw it. A grotesque bug-like creature, standing tall behind . Its body was dripping with blood, a grotesque grin on its face, as it prepared to feast on whatever prey it had found.

And that prey... was .