The sea was flowing through the void. Water masses fell through the leaks into the abyss of the cosmos. Yet, in its volume, the sea didn’t shrink by even one droplet. Stars glittered in the darkness, and nebulas painted the horizon. No sound echoed through this realm. The ocean moved in silence and remnants of a world that once was floated like asteroids. Some were too small for a foot to stand on it. Others could occupy a house.

On such a field, Gerard Donnerschlag was looking around the space.

Where did he end up? What kind of world was this? Was this a VR simulation, or was he dreaming?

A shudder overcame his body.

This world looked depressing. Whatever catastrophe had happened, it was too late to save anyone. Everything had already died, and even death couldn’t help the remains.

He could only hope that Aes wouldn’t end up like this. But according to the Allfather’s words, a second world war would happen. Marcus once said that since the end of the Great War, technology had progressed by around 150 years. If the first one had burned the world to the ground, what could the second one do?

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

A voice rang inside Gerard’s ears. He looked around, but no one was there.

From where did the voice come?

“Hello?” Gerard shouted into the void. “Is anyone here?”

“I’m not here,” the voice said. “I’ve hijacked this … I admit it’s difficult to describe the exact nature of the ‘world’ you’re in.”

“Are you for real?” Gerard held his palm against his forehead.

Was he going crazy?

“Of course, I am. In a way, I’m more real than you. But I’ll cut to the chase. I’ve nothing to do with this challenge of yours. I don’t even have anything to do with Ragna Griffin’s journey to find her father. Or more accurate: her journey to reclaim her life and find her lot in this world. One day I may become relevant, but only if her story decides to expand beyond the current one.”

“What the Hel are you talking about?” Gerard stared into the void, his eyes focusing on everything and nothing.

Yeah, he was going crazy. He must have drunk some cactus juice on their way to the Chiefs’ residence, and now he was tripping balls.

“I just wanted to talk to you and explain the significance of this challenge. Honestly, it was pure luck that your trial was this, but here we are. Turn around. Do you see her?”

Gerard looked in the air in confusion, but he followed the voice’s words and turned around.

“What the…?” Gerard gulped.

At the border of his piece of land, a serpent was rising from the ocean. Her scales glittered in silver, her eyes in crimson. Waterfalls dropped from her head into the sea. Her body pierced the stars like a skyscraper while its tail remained within the ocean for no one to see where she would end. Two batwings expanded from her body, and the serpent’s head glared at Gerard.

And Gerard gazed back at the monster.

The voice didn’t have to tell him anything. Was this dream, or was this a simulation? Perhaps he saw the future, or this was the present. He might be staring at a lie or see the truth before his eyes. It didn’t matter.

He knew in front of him was his enemy.

“This isn’t part of the journey, but here we are in a primordial conflict. Well, I guess, right now, you don’t care. Because you know you must face her.”

The serpent roared, her voice blasting through the void like a storm. Gerard grinned as his body crunched under the forces of nature.

He didn’t waver and took one step forward.

The weight over his body increased, his bones cracking as the gravity hammered against them. He took another step.

Countless lives depended on his success. Yes. He was a hero, and he would fulfill his duty as one.

Gerard moved forward, blood dripping from his pores.

Even if the Allfather had told him the inevitable, he had to defy his words. This journey would not result in another war.

A fourth step, he took.

Gerard ground his teeth. White noise was buzzing in his ears, the memories of the voice fragmented into echoes like distress signals.

And he walked. Towards the enemy at the end of the world. Towards the future. Towards his fate. And beyond.

As a hero, he would never be able to make a better world. But even so, he couldn’t give up on his duties. As long as he could save people, prevent life from getting worse, he would fight as a hero.

Gerard continued towards his enemy, and the serpent roared again.

The storms increased in their ferocity. They sliced through Gerard’s face and muscles. His flesh pulsated in the air, and cuts drew lines in his bones. His nerves started to burn. An invisible had set them ablaze as the distress signals torrented through his synapses.

But Gerard walked forward.

Was this all that was to it? If he wanted to prevent another Great War, couldn’t he have taken more direct actions? Yet, he had decided to join Rory. Thinking about another Great War, about the end of the world, was too big for him. Even if Marcus explained it to him a thousand times, he couldn’t get it. While he knew what the words meant, he couldn’t grasp them. But Rory was right in front of him. Helping Rory, saving Rory, that he could do.

An eighth step.

The gravity crushed his body, ripping his cells apart. The liquid in his eyes evaporated. Gerard didn’t scream, and the serpent roared for the third time. She raised her mouth. Liquid dripped from her fangs. It landed on a rock and dissolved it in an instant. With her crimson eyes, she glared at Gerard.

Just like him, she knew that he was her enemy. Whatever might have caused their conflict, they had to carry it out and finish it. At the end of the world, when so little mattered, then, what little mattered, mattered even more.

Gerard took another step.

If he ever had to choose between Rory and the world, his answer would be clear. He was a hero, after all. But as long he could do it, he would do it both: save the one and save all.

He was standing before her, opposing her like a flower on the precipice. He had bloomed beyond the cliff. Even if he would lose his stronghold, he would continue to do what he could best.

The serpent had risen from beyond the depths, challenging him from beyond the world’s confines.

Nine steps had Gerard taken. Nine steps towards his enemy. Nine steps towards his fate. Nine steps towards victory. And nine steps towards his end beyond the end.

With this, Gerard Valkyrie had cleared the second level.

֎

Lacie Servelf gazed upon the track field. It circled a statue of Godking Twice that stood in the center of the arena that could be anywhere in Aes.

Lacie growled.

What the fuck was she doing here? They were supposed to hunt for Ragna. It was bad enough that Cy had paused his plans for a new world to kill that woman, but now he even teamed up with this government dog. Skyfrost represented all they hated and everything that had hurt them. If Cy was ready to throw away everything he stood for, how far would he be willing to go? Would he even become the very thing that had started his crusade against this stupid world?

No. It didn’t matter. Cy could do whatever he wanted, and she would still follow him. She owed him her life. If he had made a mistake, she would be there with him and beat his ass to his senses. If his life ended in tragedy, she would see his end. She owed him at least this much.

But even so, seeing him having to bow to the governments, to the kings and despots, made her heart boil. How fucking stupid. Who did they think they were? Cy shouldn’t focus on Ragna Griffin. That girl was nothing but an idiot at the wrong place at the wrong time. But of course, that made her an easy target for Cy. Dealing with her, he could comprehend.

Even so, it didn’t matter to her. She had her own deal with Cy. As long as he did uphold his end of the bargain, she wouldn’t question his stupidity. That was the kind of person she was.

A shadowy imitation appeared next to her. A countdown sounded as a voice announced the conditions to win. Whoever crossed the line would be declared the victor. Once the countdown hit zero, a bang emerged, and her shadow self started to run. She possessed a speed she could never achieve.

Lacie once had heard that the shadow represented a self one could never overcome. To win against the shadow was racing against time and age itself. It was impossible.

Lacie scoffed.

This was nothing more than a restriction the adults had set upon this world. So stupid. So arrogant. What idiot would believe she would follow their word just because they said so?

Lacie turned her back. She walked backward and turned again.

All these stupid adults and their dumb rules. Did they think they could command her like a puppet? She would show them how grandiose their mistakes were.

Lacie crossed the line and thus cleared the third level.