Darkness.
A battlefield stretched beneath a sky torn by thunder and ash. Amidst shattered stone and scorched earth stood a man—alone.
His robes were in tatters, his breath shallow, his pitch-black hair matted with blood. But his back remained straight. Proud.
Standing above him were men and women—his own kin.
Yet now they stood with Beasts and Demons, greed and hatred gleaming in their eyes as they looked down upon him.
"Anu, stop resisting! Tell us where it is, and we will let you live!" shouted a man cloaked in divine blue flames.
Anu raised his head, eyes cold, voice calm.
"Say no more, brother. None of you will find it. I am but a mortal now. Soon, your greed and betrayal will devour you all… HAHAHAHA!"
A pause.
He spread his arms, unarmed, unguarded.
"Shall we?" he asked, smiling—steadfast, unyielding.
Multiple powers descended upon him. Yet he did not flinch.
He welcomed everything—smiling, unwavering.
Silence.
And then—
"GRAAAARGHH!"
Sid jolted awake, gasping.
For a moment, the dream lingered like smoke—golden eyes, blood-soaked stone, betrayal.
Then came the smell.
Burnt wine. Sweat. Rotten fruit?
He turned slowly.
Someone was snoring in his bed.
"…What the?!" Sid muttered.
Blanket—off.
There he was.
Black-haired, half-draped in tattered robes, legs hanging off the side of the bed, drooling on the pillow like it owed him money.
"You!" Sid shouted.
It had been over a year since he last saw him—and now, this man was snoring in his bed, reeking like a tavern fire?
"How many times have I told you to sleep in your own room?!" Sid muttered. "You sneak in like a drunken stray dog!"
Dante stirred, eyes still closed. "Mmm… smells like sarcasm. Missed you too, brat…"
Sid kicked him in the ribs—lightly. "Hah! You always come back like a huge mess!"
Dante groaned and rolled over. "Ugh… this is how you greet your beloved uncle? If I had known you'd grow up like this, I'd have fed you to the mountain wolves. Hahaha!"
"Beloved, my ass! I can't think of a single memory with you that doesn't involve bullying or toying with me!"
"Hehe… that's my version of tough love, kid."
"Hmph! You smell like a spirit beast vomited on a campfire."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Suppressing his irritation, Sid let out a deep sigh and stood. "Count yourself lucky. I'm going downstairs."
Dante gave a mock salute. "Hehe. Tell her I want soup for my hangover. I'll be down soon."
Sid left the room before his brain could overheat from secondhand stupidity.
Morning light spilled into the wooden hallway of their quiet home. Birds chirped outside. The air smelled… pleasant.
And then came the aroma—warm bread, fresh herbs, roasted root vegetables.
Sid entered the kitchen—
And froze.
She was there.
Avi.
Long red hair flowed down her back like blaze woven into silk. She wore a simple robe, yet her presence made the room feel sacred.
Her scarlet red eyes—brilliant, striking—softened the moment they met his.
"Good morning, Sid," she greeted gently.
"…Aunty."
She walked over and cupped his face with warm fingers. "You've grown taller."
"And thinner," she added, inspecting him with a worried gaze. "Have you been skipping meals again?"
Sid mumbled, "I was training…"
She poked his cheek just enough to make a point.
Still soft.
She smiled, then pulled him into a gentle hug.
Warm.
Safe.
Avi had always been like this. Despite being one of Dante's fearsome companions—Avi treated Sid like her own.
"I missed your cooking," Sid said honestly as he sat down.
"I made extra," she replied, placing a tray in front of him. "Dante tried to bring home a beast for breakfast but fell asleep halfway through plucking it."
Sid chuckled. "Of course he did. That good-for-nothing uncle of mine said he wants soup. Might as well serve him poison, hahaha!"
Avi gave him a knowing smile.
As Sid dug in, he finally asked, "How was your year?"
Avi's smile softened. "Busy. You know how your uncle is—he can't stay in one world for long. But this time, we found a few secret realms and actually had fun. He even challenged a strange ape to a drinking contest. That's why he's got the hangover."
She smirked, clearly recalling the absurdity.
Sid choked. "He what?"
Avi nodded, sipping her tea with elegance. "Silver had to carry him for three days."
Sid stared. "That's… not normal."
"Neither is your uncle."
"…Fair."
She set her cup down, her gaze turning more serious.
"Sid, we came back this time specifically to pick you up."
Sid blinked. "Pick me?"