Just as Ice and Ray were bracing themselves for a potential desperate battle, they were completely thrown off by Julius's next words.
A wave of fear, excitement, mistrust, and surprise hit them all at once.
What's the connection? Ice wondered.
He couldn't understand the link between his escape from the Paradoxical Double Moon and the supposed increase in their chances of escaping from the Repentant.
Ray straightened his back, squared his shoulders, and looked Julius in the eye. His gaze sparkled with a mix of tension and curiosity.
"What do you mean?"
"Let me explain," Julius said calmly. "Whether it's the Repentants or the Paradoxical Double Moon, each of these places follows its own set of rules. But the Double Moon is far worse. It's inherently hostile to humans. No one is supposed to survive there, let alone escape."
He paused and scanned their faces.
"Until you."
The silence thickened as the three exchanged looks. Ice already knew that the Paradoxical Double Moon wasn't meant to be escaped from. That place was built like a perfect trap.
And yet, he'd managed to leave. Not alone, of course—Celestia had played a key role—but compared to the trials of this area, their escape had almost seemed... manageable.
If someone like Julius had been in their place, Ice was certain he would've escaped without breaking a sweat. In fact, he probably could've stormed through the place head-on and walked out unscathed. He was powerful enough to make it look easy.
But something still didn't add up. There was a crucial piece missing, something Ice couldn't quite grasp yet.
"So you know how we can leave this place?" Celestia asked, her voice tight as she bit her lip.
Julius shook his head. "No."
Then he stood up and pointed into the distance. "But he will."
Natasha shot him a glare. "Don't give the kids false hope."
Ice blinked. It was the first time he had heard her speak. Her voice was sharp, but not cruel—more like someone stating a hard truth.
She knows how to talk, Ice thought, a bit surprised.
Julius only shrugged, his eyes clouded with something like nostalgia. "You know the chances are real," he said. "You know I'm just waiting for one more piece to put him back together."
Natasha scoffed. Her expression returned to its usual blank mask. "You really don't know when to stop."
Julius scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin. "I'm an idiot. What can I say?"
Ice glanced in the direction Julius had pointed earlier. But all he could see was the blinding sunlight, and he had no intention of stepping into that again. There was nothing out there, at least not to the naked eye.
He cleared his throat. "Sorry to be suspicious, but don't you think you owe us a better explanation?"
Julius nodded. "Fair enough. Look, everyone here is tied to the monsters that mirror them. There's a deep connection between us and the Repentants, as well as the Departure Zone itself."
He looked at Ice.
"But you... you're different. You came from beyond. You don't share that bond."
Ice frowned. "So how exactly are we supposed to get out of here?"
"As I said, I don't know the exact method. But if we go there," he pointed again, "he will tell you."
Ice clenched his jaw. He hated how this kept happening. Every time, he was missing something. Every time, someone else held the key to his next step.
First Ray. Now Julius.
No matter what they did, they were never the ones in control. The choice was always someone else's to offer or deny.
And yet, despite everything, Ice felt like he could trust Julius. The man didn't give off any malicious vibes. And if he had meant them harm, he'd had plenty of chances to act on it.
But there was nothing he could do about it. No matter how many times it happened, he still couldn't get used to it.
As doubt gnawed at him, Ray stepped forward and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"So, what do you think? Should we give it a try?"
Ice hesitated, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Honestly... I don't know. It all feels too good to be true. But at the same time, do we really have a choice? We never do."
Ray let out a dry chuckle and removed his hand.
"Exactly. Let's just curse our luck and keep moving."
Ice sighed, long and heavy, then turned to face Julius.
"So... where exactly are we going?"
Julius pointed once more in the same direction, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Toward the sun, of course."