The scene slowly opened—moonlight cast over broken steel and scorched earth. Standing atop the shattered skull of Reginald's iron golem, Xavier stood still. Breath slow. Unsteady. His right hand clutched Excalibur not like a weapon, but a crutch. His whole body trembled, worn to the bone after the final blow he dealt.
Though his RealmHeart state had faded, a calm, almost serene blue aura still pulsed faintly from his body. Not like a fire... but like the soft, endless rhythm of ocean waves lapping gently against the shore.
"You alright, Xavier?" came a voice, light but familiar. Alcmena, now returned to his smaller, feline form—a sleek silver cat—perched at the edge of the golem's crown.
Xavier exhaled deeply, brushing his hair back with a shaky hand. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Just a bit tired—and kind of dizzy. That's all."
Alcmena chuckled as he nimbly climbed onto Xavier's shoulder. "Makes sense. You pulled a ridiculous amount of ethereal energy from your core without a single moment of rest through the whole fight against him."
"What you're feeling now? That's the early toll of Core Corruption."
"Yeah," Xavier muttered, nodding slowly. "I could tell."
Their conversation was short-lived. A sudden cough echoed from nearby—wet, rough, and hollow.
Xavier's tired eyes narrowed. He followed the sound across the remains of the battlefield until he came face to face with Reginald. The once-proud enemy now lay sprawled against the mangled remains of his iron golem, staring up into the stars.
"Ah... Xavier," Reginald rasped, coughing blood. "Was wondering where you went."
Xavier said nothing. Instead, he calmly drove Excalibur into the steel beside him and asked coldly, "Now that Master Alcmena and I have defeated you... tell me what you really wanted from me. And why you kidnapped my friend, Teslaine."
Reginald coughed again, a twisted smile curling on his lips. "Surprised you're even standing, honestly. You got stabbed in the back by someone pretending to be Teslaine, then got flattened in a gloriously one-sided fight against me."
He chuckled. "For someone so... fragile, you're annoyingly persistent."
Xavier's eyes darkened. "Stop dodging my questions."
The humor faded from Reginald's face. "Fine. Like I said before... I was hired. By that cunning bastard, Percival."
Xavier's breath hitched.
"He let the Lantern Society find one of his hidden facilities on purpose," Reginald continued. "He wanted them to infiltrate it. All of this... it was orchestrated."
A cold shiver ran down Xavier's spine.
"Why would he do that?" Xavier asked.
Reginald wheezed a laugh. "Because he's been watching you. This whole time."
Xavier blinked. "What...?"
"He knew you'd flee your estate under Adam's influence. He knew you'd end up joining the Lantern Society that Adam was associated with. And he knew if one of their agents got captured, you'd come running."
Reginald's grin returned, cruel and amused. "His words, not mine: 'Xavier is too kind-hearted. Too naive. He won't sit back while others suffer.'"
"And when he found out it was your little friend Teslaine who got taken... he knew you'd definitely come. Like the born hero you are."
Xavier didn't move. Didn't speak. The weight of it all pressed down on him like a mountain.
"He sent me to torment you. Just for fun."
Reginald coughed again, weaker now. "I didn't think I'd lose... but I should've known. When the man who hired you is the devil himself, you never really win."
Silence stretched long between them. The moon cast shadows over Xavier's face, hiding his expression.
Then Reginald said one last thing, voice cracking but eyes gleaming with something venomous:
"He told me that when our fight reached its end, I should tell you this:"
'He is always watching. No matter where you run, no matter how far you flee—his chains are on you. And you will never escape him. For you are his, and his only.'"
Alcmena, sensing Xavier's tightening chest, reached out to him telepathically.
Xavier... don't let his words get into your soul. We should leave. Your friends need you.
Xavier didn't speak. He simply nodded.
He turned his back to Reginald and began walking away.
Behind him, Reginald called out, voice mocking. "What? That's it? You're just gonna walk away and let me live?"
Xavier paused.
"You know I could come back, right? I could try again. Maybe even succeed."
Xavier replied calmly, without turning around. "I don't kill."
Reginald scoffed. "So what, you just beat people half to death and call it a day? That's kinda twisted, bro."
Xavier finally looked over his shoulder. His cosmic eyes flared, and his blue aura briefly surged again—calm, but laced with warning. Alcmena's presence magnified, no longer the small cat but something far greater, something ancient and terrifying.
"I don't kill," Xavier repeated, voice colder now, "but if you come back looking for my life again... I won't hesitate to break you down every single time."
Reginald gave a weak chuckle. "Then let your soft heart be your downfall."
And then, suddenly— a blinding light erupted from Reginald's broken body.
Xavier's eyes widened.
Alcmena's ears shot up in alarm.
Reginald's final grin stretched unnaturally wide, blood on his teeth.
He was going to detonate himself—take them all with him.
Xavier desperately called onto Excalibur, grasping it tightly as he prepared to shield himself, activating RealmHeart to withstand the force of the explosion. At the same time, Alcmena began to shift back into his original dragon form, planning to shield Xavier with his massive wings and body.
But they were both too late to react…
At blinding speed—faster than the eye could track—Reginald went out in a bang, like a collapsing massive star.
Then, a voice echoed through the atmosphere…
"Mighty Aionel: Tempus Stasis."
The world instantly froze.
Air, sound, the moon's movement, even light itself—all ceased. Time had come to a complete halt.
A figure descended from the sky, defying all logic. She moved through the suspended particles of reality, gracefully touching down.
Princess Jasmine.
She floated down from the heavens, passing the imploding Reginald. Her long hair shimmered, unaffected by gravity, her expression calm yet filled with urgency.
Her arms wrapped tightly around Xavier's shoulders. Relief filled her voice. "I'm glad," she whispered. "I was panicked the whole trip here. That vision of the future really put me on edge, huh?"
—Ten seconds left—
"Oh right!" she said quickly. "I almost forgot I only have a max fifteen-second holdout to stop the world's time. I got a little distracted by your adorable face, Xavier."
And just like that, time resumed.
Xavier and Alcmena suddenly found themselves completely elsewhere—teleported to safety. In the distance, a thunderous boom echoed.
Reginald had finally exploded.
"What the...?" Xavier murmured, confused.
Before he could process it, Jasmine appeared in his line of sight, her smile radiant like the morning sun.
"Yo, how have you been, Xavier?"
Startled, Xavier rubbed his eyes. "Princess…?"
She giggled at his reaction, gently poking his nose. "I know, I know. It's confusing, being frozen in time and all."
"But still," she said with a soft pout, "you should at least greet a lady properly when she shows up to save your life."
Blushing, Xavier scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry! I was just a bit dazed. I'm doing great now that you're here, Prin—uh, Jasmine. How about you?"
Jasmine giggled at his awkward stammering. "I'm doing great, too. Just glad I made it before that man exploded."
"Oh yeah," Xavier said as if suddenly remembering the near-death situation. "Thank you for saving me."
"It was no big deal. As long as you're safe and well, that's all that matters."
Then, her eyes scanned him.
"Wait, forget the 'well' part. You look like a wreck. Did Elowen not finish healing you?"
"Nope," Xavier said, chuckling weakly. "I kinda left before she could finish. Had to deal with Reginald myself."
"Well, that's something," Jasmine replied, clearly surprised.
"I couldn't let my friends deal with my problems alone," Xavier said, his voice steady.
Jasmine leaned in, eyes soft. "That's one of the things I love about you."
"R-Really?" Xavier stammered, cheeks turning red.
"Yes," Jasmine said sincerely. "Your heart. Your sense of responsibility. It's rare. Most nobles I've met don't even come close to being as mature as you."
"I don't know if I'd say I'm mature…"
Alcmena, perched on his shoulder, let out a long sigh.
This brat, he thought. I'm ashamed I never taught him how to keep his composure around beautiful women.
But just then, the rest of Xavier's group arrived, each one visibly anxious, rushing toward him with relief washing over their faces.
Jack, completely stunned, stumbled forward, trying his best to form words through heavy breaths. "Bro… what… the hell did we just witness…?"
He gestured wildly, eyes wide. "Your hair—blond outta nowhere! Your sword? Glowing like the sun! And then—A FREAKING DRAGON?! From thin air?!"
The absurdity hit everyone all at once. Laughter erupted, some of it nervous, some genuine. Emily and Aria stepped closer, curiosity etched into their faces.
"I thought I was hallucinating," Emily said, blinking. "Why did a dragon appear out of the blue?"
Xavier grinned, a little bashful under their stares. "Well, you see… that dragon was—"
"Arc, wasn't it?" Misaki interrupted, arms folded, her expression unreadable.
"What?" Xavier blinked.
"That terrifying, massive dragon we saw earlier… it was your pet cat, Arc. Am I wrong?"
Xavier's jaw nearly hit the ground. "How did you—?"
"Yes," he admitted finally, stunned.
A wave of collective shock spread through the group like a ripple.
"I'm surprised you figured it out already," Xavier said, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Misaki nodded, explaining with calm precision, "The electric current I used to track you down was the one that accidentally linked with your pet when we first met. That same current—though faint—was inside the dragon too."
Xavier could only stare. "That's… incredible of you."
"After getting a better look at Arc today, it was obvious. The energy was too familiar."
At that moment, Alcmena—still in cat form—hopped down from Xavier's shoulder with feline grace, giving a long stretch as the girls quickly crowded around him.
"He's so cute!" Elowen beamed, eyes sparkling. "I can't believe this tiny thing was a dragon!"
Alcmena looked up at them with a flat and annoyed stare. "I'm not Xavier's pet. I'm his master. Get that through your thick skulls."
"HE CAN TALK?!" they all shouted in unison, their voices a blend of awe and disbelief.
The sudden outburst made Alcmena twitch his whiskers in annoyance. "Too close," he muttered.
"Yeah," Xavier said sheepishly. "He's actually my contractor. Not a pet."
Jason suddenly zipped over, grabbing Xavier's hands with wide, starry eyes. "YOU HAVE A CONTRACTOR?!"
"Uh, yeah…" Xavier laughed, scratching the back of his head. "I've been his vessel for about three years now. Ever since that Vermint incident during the Forest Crown Hunt two years ago."
"I met him after being trapped in another dimension for a year, and now he is my beloved contractor and master".
Jason's jaw dropped. "Well, that explains why you suddenly became so powerful! You're amazing, Xavier!"
He stood tall with pride. "I'm so honored to be your cousin!"
Standing at a distance, arms folded, Jupiter watched silently. A smile tugged at the edge of his lips as thoughts swirled in his mind.
It's strange. We're at the same ethereal core stage—green Expertise. But the difference in power between us keeps growing every day.
I told myself I'd catch up. That I'd stay your rival. That we'd always spar as equals like old times.
But… today changed that.
What I saw today shattered that illusion. The gap between us… I can't deny it anymore.
He stepped forward, slowly, then bumped his fist against Xavier's chest. His expression was calm, proud.
"You're amazing, brother."
Xavier, surprised but grateful, smiled warmly. He bumped his fist back. "You too, brother."
Just as everyone's attention was completely focused on the revelation of Arc being a dragon and Xavier's contractor, Xavier turned to Jasmine. She smiled at him, her tone playful and teasing. "Being a vessel of a dragon, huh? That just makes you look even more like a hero straight out of a novel."
Xavier blushed, caught completely off guard and too flustered to form a proper reply.
"Say," Jasmine continued, shifting her gaze to the gleaming sword sheathed at Xavier's waist—Excalibur. "What exactly is that sword? It looks way too extravagant and powerful to be ordinary."
Xavier chuckled nervously. "That's… a long story. And honestly, even if I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me."
"Is that so?" Jasmine replied with a knowing smile. "Well, if you're not ready to tell me now, you can always tell me next time we meet."
Before the conversation could go further, Xavier's expression turned more serious. He stepped forward, addressing everyone around him. "Everyone… I know this is a lot. A lot of strange, probably overwhelming stuff just happened. But I need to ask something important of you all. Please, keep everything you've seen today a secret."
He took a breath. "If people found out I'm a vessel of a dragon, or that I live with one… it could cause a lot of problems for me—and for the people I care about."
Everyone went quiet for a beat before Jupiter stepped up, smiling with quiet confidence. "You don't need to worry about that, Xavier. You've got our word. As far as we're concerned, none of this ever happened."
"Yeah," the others chimed in, voices firm and united.
"We all have our secrets, Xavier," Jasmine added, her voice soft but resolute. "And we'll keep this one safe."
Xavier felt something stir inside him. A strange warmth. Tears welled faintly at the corners of his eyes—a rare crack in his calm. It had only been a few days since he'd last seen them, but it felt like a lifetime.
Nearby, Alcmena—still a small cat and still enduring the relentless affection of Sophia, Elowen, and the others—paused to look at Xavier. A smile flickered on his feline face.
I'm glad, Alcmena thought. Glad to see that even with all this weight on your shoulders… you can still smile.
Don't lose that light, Xavier. Don't let the wicked-hearted steal it from you.
A few steps away, Jasmine stood quietly watching Xavier, lost in her own thoughts—until Misaki strolled beside her.
"Took you long enough to finally show yourself to him," Misaki teased under her breath.
Jasmine turned red instantly. "What?! What are you talking about, Misaki?"
Misaki grinned. "Oh, come on. You didn't come with the rest of us right away because you were too embarrassed to see him after so long. You made up some lame excuse, remember?"
"Am I wrong?"
Jasmine turned her head, flustered, a defeated smile forming. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Before the teasing could continue, a figure emerged from the distance—mud-streaked, a few minor cuts along her arms. It was Anastasia.
The moment Xavier recognized her, he ran to her, embracing her tightly.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Miss Anastasia," he said, emotion thick in his voice.
She hugged him back, smiling warmly. "I'm glad to see you too, Xavier. Sorry I took so long. That creature I fought was trickier than I thought."
She glanced around at the crowd. "Though I guess I didn't need to worry about you after all. Seems like you handled that powerful man just fine."
She paused, giving Xavier a warm look. "All that matters is that you're safe."
She noticed the presence of his friends, and of Princess Jasmine and Misaki—but she could ask questions later. Right now, her attention was all on Xavier.