"en... K*... Ken!!!"
A soft, gentle voice called out — growing louder until Ken's eyes slowly opened.
He was greeted by a brilliant light. It was warm and welcoming.
"Oh... so soft," he muttered, blinking. "Smells nice, too."
He looked around — but he wasn't under a tree. Instead, a familiar face gazed down at him, blue eyes as deep and vast as the oceans that surrounded Pangea.
"Mom?" Ken whispered.
His voice was shaky, and tears welled up in his eyes — this time falling freely, without a care in the world. He leaned into his mother's lap, letting it all out, crying uncontrollably.
"Son..." she said gently.
But then she paused. The air around them started to grow hotter.
Her hand pressed down on Ken's back. Her once-soft, calming lap turned into nothing, and Ken collapsed forward — face-first onto the ground. The earth beneath him had gone soft and squishy, glowing with unbearable heat.
The brilliant light turned dim red, its once-warm rays twisting into something hostile and uninhabitable. Ken squirmed helplessly, sinking deeper into the burning ground.
It was lava.
"There... is no Heaven!!!" she screamed.
Her voice, once gentle, had distorted into a twisted groan. Her figure transformed into a skeletal abomination, pushing Ken further into the lava.
He felt like he was on fire. When he opened his mouth to scream, molten heat rushed in, searing his insides—
---
"AHHHHHHH!!!"
Ken jolted upright in bed, writhing in panic. He felt like he was burning alive — but there were no flames. His sheets were soaked in sweat, evidence of the hellish nightmare he'd just endured.
He collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
"Ha!... Ha!... Ha!..."
His chest heaved. Shock still clung to him like a fever.
"No heaven?" he muttered, wiping his face.
He tried to recall the dream in full. It made no sense — none of it did. Shoving the thought aside, he pulled himself back up, hoping to get more sleep—
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed from outside the mansion.
Ken hurried to the window and yanked the curtains open. He blinked in disbelief.
He recognized the figure standing outside.
---
Meanwhile, outside the mansion — moments before the explosion...
Thud!
"What was that? Did you hear that?" one guard asked his partner. Both were part of the New Metro Estate security, patrolling a dimly lit area beside the mansion. Small flower bushes lined the estate's outer wall.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" the second man scoffed. "I thought you guys were joking about my hearing. No, I didn't hear anything. Might just be your ears. Go get them cleaned."
The first man laughed. "Ha! Seriously though, we could stand right behind you yelling your name, and you still wouldn't hear it."
"Yeah, that's true. I mean, I just jumped in and he didn't hear a thing — he might as well be deaf!"
The voice came from behind them.
"Hahahaha! So true. I mean, even the day before yes...ter...day..."
The first guard trailed off. His brain finally caught up — he had heard a noise earlier... and now, someone was behind them.
Realization hit. He shoved his partner to the ground in panic—
Shlick!
A warm liquid splashed down his skin.
"Hey, what was that for, asshole? I mean, I was already not taking the teasing we—"
The second guard stopped.
His partner's body fell in front of him — the top half of his head severed cleanly, lifeless eyes locked in a blank stare. His mouth hung open as his body hit the ground with a sickening thud.
Horrified, the remaining guard looked up at the killer — and immediately recognized him.
Hands trembling, he grabbed his handheld transceiver.
Screech—
"Hel—!"
Ding!
He froze. In front of him stood a large, frail-backed man — clearly past his prime — holding a dagger, thrown straight at him.
"District Head...? Sir?" the guard gasped, eyes welling with tears. "Thank you! Thank you for saving m—"
"Get the fuck out of here and go protect Ken!! I'll handle this joker!!" Justin barked.
Flames erupted from Justin's body. The heat was so intense that even untouched grass around him combusted on contact. Without another word, the guard turned and ran to complete his orders.
Justin turned to face the intruder.
"Now, Joker — who dares enter my domain?" Justin growled. "Tell me your name before I kill you."
He crushed the dagger in his hand. The shards sizzled and melted as they hit the ground.
Desmond, sweating bullets now, forced a nervous grin.
"It was pretty easy to get in, if you ask me," he said, raising his hands. "I mean, I just scaled the walls to get here. Would you believe me if I said I was invited... to test your security?"
He tossed the second dagger away, the sweat dripping faster now.