The dust had settled over Mount Oryx.
Blood stained the stones. Cracks in the mountain stretched for miles from the force of divine fists. Hyperion and Editan were no more. The cage of light still shimmered, flickering weakly after Megumi's rampage.
Leonidas, barely conscious, slumped against the magical bars. Medusa clutched her chest, breathing heavily, while Nyx stood ready to fight if needed, despite her exhaustion.
Then the air grew warm.
Megumi stepped forward, eyes glowing dimly—not with rage, but with focus. His aura had calmed, the red lightning fading into the edges of his form. One flick of his hand and the cage of light unraveled, evaporating into golden mist.
Leonidas collapsed.
Megumi caught him before he hit the ground and knelt beside him. His palm hovered over the warrior's chest.
"I owe you more than I can repay," Megumi whispered.
A soft white glow pulsed from his hand, sinking into Leonidas's wounds. Skin began to mend. Bruises vanished. The old warrior opened his eyes slowly, letting out a long, pained exhale.
"…You're different now," he rasped.
Megumi nodded. "But still me."
⸻
Scene Two: Cliffside Silence
Hours later, the winds whispered through the cliffs behind Leonidas's stronghold, perched at the edge of a jagged sea. The sun bled orange over the horizon.
Megumi sat on the ledge, silent, his golden eyes staring into the abyss.
He looked like a statue of a god—terrifying, immortal, untouchable.
But he wasn't alone.
Nyx and Medusa walked quietly toward him. Their armor was gone, replaced by robes of rest. Their eyes were soft—not with fear, but concern.
Nyx was the first to speak.
"Are you still… Megumi Valentine?" Her voice was quiet, uncertain.
"The man we chose to follow?"
Megumi didn't turn. The wind caught strands of his white-gold hair.
"The only thing that's changed," he said softly, "is that I'm immortal now. And I've awoken the Fallen King's power."
He finally looked at them.
"But I am still me."
Nyx gave a nod, half-relieved, half-unconvinced. Medusa stood silently, her expression unreadable.
Then Megumi's gaze fell on her.
"Medusa," he said gently. "Close your eyes."
She hesitated, then obeyed.
Megumi stepped forward and placed his hand above her head. A divine hum filled the air.
His fingers glowed with gold and silver threads of magic, wrapping gently around her temples. There was no pain—only warmth.
The snakes—symbols of torment and punishment—withered into soft light, dissolving into the breeze.
Her head fell forward as a wave of sensation hit her.
When Megumi stepped back and told her to open her eyes—
She reached up slowly… and touched her head.
Her fingers tangled in long, rich brown hair—soft, human, and real.
She gasped.
"I… I haven't felt hair in so long…" her voice cracked, a tear falling down her cheek. "I'm… I'm me again…"
Tears turned into sobs. She fell to her knees, weeping—not from pain, but from a freedom she never believed possible.
"I'm grateful to you, Megumi," she whispered through her tears. "I am loyal to you… forever."
Megumi knelt down with her and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.
"You still have that power," he said. "But this time… you get to choose when to use it."
She looked up, eyes wide.
"I told you before—I couldn't remove the curse," he said with a soft smile. "But I could change it."