Veyne circled us like a vulture.
He moved like a puppet cut from its strings—jittery, jerking. Each twitch echoing with something unnatural.
Lucen finally snapped.
"You're disgusting."
Veyne's eyes widened. Then he grinned.
"D-D-DIVINE BOY SPEAKS!"
He threw his arms up like he was welcoming thunder.
"Tell me, DID THE DARKNESS H-H-HUG YOU AGAIN LAST NIGHT? WHISPER HOW MUCH YOU'RE NOT W-W-WORTHY?"
Lucen's pupils shrank.
Aelira grabbed his arm.
"Don't listen. He's feeding off it."
Veyne clapped like a child.
"SHE KNOWS! SHE SEES!
BUT DO YOU, LITTLE YES KING?"
He was in front of me before I could blink. Nose inches from mine. Eyes twitching.
"W-WHAT ARE YOU WITHOUT CONTROL?"
I didn't move. Didn't blink.
"Still better than you."
That hurt him.
The twitch in his eye went sharp. His smile faltered.
"I'M WHAT COMES AFTER THE GAME ENDS.
I'M THE LEVEL YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO REACH.
THE EXTRA DATA. THE GLITCH IN THE GOD CODE.
AND I WILL BREAK YOU, RIKU ARDENT."
He whispered my name like it was sacred.
"I'VE BROKEN B-B-BETTER."
I smirked.
"I doubt they had Lucen and Aelira."
Lucen finally stepped forward, voice shaking—but steady.
"I believe I'm not scared anymore."
"L̶̬͖̟͆̑͒̐͘I̵͈̎̕̚̚̚Ą̸̨͐̅͝R̶̘͈͐!̵̳͕̬̇͂̎̾̄"
This time it came out full-force:
"LIAR!!!" Veyne SHRIEKED.
Lucen smirked back.
"I Veritas-ed it."
Suddenly—blue sparks danced across Lucen's eyes.
Aelira took a step forward. Her hands glowed softly.
"Your trauma isn't your weapon, Veyne. It's your leash."
He flinched.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ME."
"I know people like you.
Hurt so much you think pain is all that's left."
"I'M NOT A PEOPLE!" he roared.
"I'M NOT A PEOPLE!!"
"Exactly," I said. "You gave that up the moment you started using others to feel whole."
He screamed.
Like a sound the world shouldn't hold.
Everything rippled.
Walls cracked. Ground split.
He raised the dagger.
"LET'S MAKE A CHOICE THEN, KING.
YOU AND ME. ONE MIND BREAKS."
He pointed it at his temple.
"YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME. BUT I CAN UNMAKE YOU."
I held my breath.
"…Then try."
A moment.
Then—
Veyne drove the dagger down—
Into his own head.
But instead of blood—
Darkness.
Like ink. No.
Like a black blue screen.
Everything froze.
And Veyne—
SMILED.
---
[To be continued...]