Chapter 86 – "Rest and Resonance"
Back at the Sanctuary, Naël, Zarion, Lya, Nova, Valor, and Valen were preparing to leave.
The ground still trembled from the aftermath of battle, but the air felt lighter — as if the world itself was finally breathing again.
Ethereal glimmers floated in the sky, remnants of recently dissipated divine energies.
Peace, fragile but real, was settling in.
Suddenly, two figures appeared on the horizon: Arthur Pendragon and Béatrice, covered in divine dust and golden light shards.
Arthur dragged Excalibur behind him, panting, while Béatrice adjusted her cape with graceful exasperation.
Arthur wiped his forehead and said with mock detachment:
— Seraphiel is neutralized. That was… one hell of a bird.
Pretty sure I still have celestial feathers stuck in my hair.
Béatrice, smiling, patted his shoulder:
— We never could've done it without my dear Arthur. Such mastery, such nobility… and such clumsiness too.
Arthur, blushing:
— No, stop flattering me, fair lady.
I'm sure without you, I'd still be running through a dimensional corridor yelling "EXCALIBUR!" like an idiot.
Béatrice, playfully annoyed:
— No, Arthur. Stop flattering me. I should be thanking you.
An awkward silence settled.
Then Arthur and Béatrice exchanged a shy smile — sincere and theatrical, just like them.
Valen, watching the scene, raised an eyebrow and muttered to Elyonna, perched on his shoulder in her miniature form:
— Look at that show-off. Still flirting after a cosmic war.
I swear, he could charm a primordial entity if it had eyes.
Elyonna, arms crossed:
— You say that, but you haven't seen how Nova looks at Zarion when he talks about vortexes.
I swear, she's like a priestess before her math god.
Nova, overhearing, nearly stumbled.
Zarion simply raised an eyebrow, looking innocent.
— It's not my fault my theories on dimensional quantum gravity are fascinating.
Naël rolled his eyes.
— Here we go again… Scientific chaos returns to the Sanctuary.
Valen sighed deeply.
— I need a bath. And an astral massage. My soul has cramps.
Lya stretched her arms with a smile.
— As long as your bath doesn't blow up the room like last time, I'm in.
Valen raised a hand, mock-offended:
— It was an alchemical relaxation experiment!
Naël, hands behind his head, chuckled:
— Experiment or not, you nearly created a time bubble in the bathtub.
I didn't sign up for an interdimensional spa trip.
Liora, calm and composed, brought silence back:
— Let's go. The Sanctuary needs rest… and so do we.
The group set off again, exhausted but united.
The wind brushed their faces, carrying with it the echoes of past battles — and the promise of a gentler tomorrow.
---
Inside the Cube – Beyond the Narrative
Meanwhile, in the white space where Elyon was imprisoned, silence reigned.
Not an empty silence — a heavy, dense, almost living one.
A silence that listened.
Elyon sat at the center of the cube, knees drawn up, head bowed.
His once raging aura was now a flickering glow, like a flame nearing its end.
He whispered:
— …Mom? Is that you?
A gentle light appeared before him.
Not a form. Not a voice.
Just… a presence.
Warm. Unknown, yet familiar.
— I'm not your mother.
I am what remains of her… in your heart.
Elyon frowned:
— You mean… an illusion? A memory?
— No. I am what you refuse to hear.
The part of you that knows you've lost your way.
The part that cries when you pretend to laugh.
A bitter smirk formed on his lips.
— I didn't lose my way. I was made for this.
For chaos. For the Throne.
The light flickered, as if shaken by pain.
— You were made from love, Elyon.
And you chose chaos.
But you can still choose something else.
Elyon stepped back, troubled, almost afraid.
— Why now? Why here?
— Because this is the first time you can't run.
No portal. No blade.
Just you… and the truth.
Then, around him, fragments began to float:
— A hand caressing a baby.
— A voice softly singing.
— A clear laugh.
— A whispered promise: "You will be loved, even in the shadows."
Elyon fell to his knees, eyes wet.
— I… I didn't mean to…
— Then say it.
Not to me.
To yourself.
Elyon clenched his fists.
His breath caught.
And for the first time in ages, the Prince of Chaos cried without hiding.
The walls of the cube trembled slightly — not with energy, but with resonance.
As if the universe itself was finally hearing his silent repentance.
Chapter 87 – "The Fracture and the Awakening"
Inside the Cube – Beyond the Narrative
Silence had settled like a shroud of memory.
Elyon, still kneeling, felt his breath slow.
The cube around him seemed to breathe in sync, as if it had finally found a rhythm with its occupant.
The light before him no longer spoke.
It waited.
— I'm tired… he whispered.
Not physically.
Not magically.
Tired of being what others expected of him.
Tired of being a symbol.
Tired of being chaos, the son of the Throne, the useful monster.
— If I'm not chaos… then what am I?
The light moved closer.
It didn't burn.
It cradled.
— You are what you choose to be.
And you've just chosen… to stop running.
Suddenly, the Cube pulsed.
Not violently.
Like a heart beginning to beat again.
Each pulse made the fragments of light tremble, as if space itself remembered.
Around Elyon, the shards of memory began to rearrange.
They formed a spiral.
Then a circle.
Then… a silhouette.
A child.
Him.
Before the Throne.
Before chaos.
Before hatred.
— You forgot me, said the child, voice soft but accusatory.
Elyon froze.
His breath caught.
He slowly reached out.
The child hesitated, then took his hand.
In that touch, something broke.
Not a barrier.
A fracture.
An echo of truth.
An invisible thread linking the monster to the child he once was.
And in that fracture… a new breath awakened.
---
On the Road to HQ
The hunter group — Valen, Lya, Naël, Zarion, Nova, Valor, Arthur Pendragon, and Béatrice — walked in a scattered line.
Behind them, Liora, the Commander, brought up the rear with a firm stride, cape billowing.
The plain ahead seemed peaceful — too peaceful for a world that had just skirted extinction.
Lya, already bored, suddenly dove into the ground like a specter.
She popped her head up right in front of Valen's feet.
— Seriously, how far is HQ? We're gonna fossilize before we get there.
Liora rolled her eyes without slowing:
— Shut up and walk, Lya.
Lya, dramatically:
— So harsh. Even the ground is judging me now.
Naël stretched:
— Honestly, a little flight formation wouldn't hurt.
We've defeated gods — we can skip a bit of walking.
Liora, without turning:
— If anyone unfolds a single wing, I swear I'll send them to fix the Sanctuary gates barehanded.
Valen laughed:
— Relax a little, Commander. Breathe the fresh air!
Feels good after all that dimensional mess, doesn't it?
Zarion, with a rare smile:
— For once, I agree with him.
It's nice not to be dying.
Valor sighed, checking his reflection in a shard of metal:
— Lya's right… we're filthy.
People are gonna stare. We look like a team of failed stunt doubles.
Lya nodded:
— Yeah, imagine tomorrow's headlines: Humanity's heroes smell like divine sweat.
Arthur raised his sword, princely:
— Stop the drama. No one's paying attention to you.
Valor, offended:
— Excuse me? You think we go unnoticed?
We defeated celestial entities, saved worlds, and blew up three realities!
We're celebrities! Think of our image!
Nova rolled her eyes:
— They'll mostly think our heroes fought a giant portal without shampoo breaks. Use your brains.
Naël burst out laughing:
— Imagine the magazine: Cosmic Beauty — How to Keep Your Hair Silky After a Dimensional Battle?
Lya snorted:
— With you on the cover, obviously.
Arthur sighed, exasperated:
— By the Holy Grail… what a bunch of lunatics.
Béatrice, smiling:
— You love them and you know it.
Arthur, blushing:
— I… no! Well… maybe a little. But just a tiny bit.
Valen shrugged:
— One day, I swear, we'll make a sitcom out of the Sanctuary. Chaos & Coffee Chronicles.
Lya:
— As long as Valen's bathroom stays off-camera, I'm in.
Everyone burst out laughing — even Liora allowed herself a fleeting smile.
But the laughter faded abruptly when she stopped in her tracks.
Her gaze drifted toward the sky.
— …The Cube.
Zarion frowned:
— What about the Cube?
— It's cracked.
A chill ran through the group.
Even the air seemed to freeze.
Valor, worried:
— You mean your son… broke free?
Liora remained silent for a moment.
Then, in a calm, almost serene voice:
— Not just that.
He repented.
---
Back in the Cube
Elyon opened his eyes.
But they were no longer the same.
No longer red.
They were… gray.
Like the ashes of a fire that chose not to burn.
The light before him faded gently.
The child too.
But their imprint remained, etched into his soul.
— I'm no longer what I was…
But I don't yet know what I am.
The Cube pulsed one last time, as if answering him.
Then, slowly… it cracked.
A soft light escaped — neither divine nor dark — human.
Elyon lifted his head, gaze drifting between two worlds.
And for the first time, he didn't seek to dominate them.
He sought to understand them.
Chapter 88 – "Redemption or Rebirth"
On the Road to HQ
A rumble shook the air.
The group stopped in their tracks.
The wind began to swirl, charged with an unfamiliar energy — neither divine nor dark.
Something… new.
Zarion raised his hand, focused.
— This flow… it's coming from the Cube.
Liora clenched her fists.
— It's too soon. He wasn't supposed to…
Valen, looking uneasy:
— Is it just me, or does "too soon" always mean imminent disaster with you?
Lya, shifting into a defensive stance:
— Just saying, if your son comes out with your morning mood, we're doomed.
Liora shot her a cold glare.
— …Keep talking and I'll put you in a cube too.
Naël raised his hands:
— Okay, everyone chill. If Elyon's coming back, we'll know soon enough what mood he's in.
If we die in ten seconds, it was the wrong day.
Valor sighed:
— You really have a gift for reassurance.
Suddenly, the sky cracked slightly, like an invisible pane of glass shattering.
A gentle rain of luminous fragments fell, soft, almost beautiful.
And at the center of that rain, a silhouette descended.
Elyon.
His feet touched the ground without a sound.
His black wings were gone.
In their place, two trails of gray, vaporous energy danced behind him.
His gaze was no longer that of the Prince of Chaos.
It was… something else.
Peaceful. Tired. Human.
Valen frowned:
— …Is it just me, or does he look less demonic than usual?
Elyon looked at him and smiled, faintly.
— Maybe the demon just learned how to breathe.
Lya, whispering to Valen:
— Good sign or bad?
— No idea. If he compliments me, it's a trap.
Liora stepped forward slowly, her steps heavy with restraint and fear.
— Elyon…
He turned his head toward her.
No defiance.
No arrogance.
Just the gaze of a child recognizing his mother.
— Mother.
The word echoed in the wind like a forgotten prayer.
Liora stopped a few meters away.
— What do you see when you look at me?
The jailer? The commander? Or the mother who locked you away?
Elyon closed his eyes.
— I see… the one who stopped me from getting lost.
A hush fell over the group.
Even Arthur was speechless.
Béatrice placed a hand on his shoulder, moved.
Zarion, in a measured tone:
— His energy flows are stable. No aggression, no distortion.
He's… changed.
Nova, intrigued:
— But into what?
Elyon raised his hand.
From his palm emerged a silver glow — neither destructive nor divine.
A neutral energy. Balanced.
Alive.
— Before, I wanted to destroy.
Now, I want to understand.
Chaos isn't an end… it's a language.
And I spent my life screaming it without ever listening.
Lya, quietly:
— Wow. He talks like a philosopher now. Are we sure that's Elyon?
Valen, teasing:
— Or maybe he got a cosmic update. Version 2.0: Zen Elyon.
Naël stifled a laugh:
— That's all we needed. A pacifist Elyon. What kind of world is this?
Liora stepped closer.
Her gaze finally softened.
— So, what do you plan to do now?
Elyon looked up at the sky, where the last fragment of the Cube faded into light.
— Rebuild myself.
And maybe… repair what I've broken.
A breath swept across the land.
The ground trembled, then stilled.
The air felt purer, lighter — as if the fracture between two worlds had just begun to heal.
Arthur, resting Excalibur on his shoulder:
— Well, I don't know about you, but I'm craving a banquet.
Between the repentant, the resurrected, and the demigods, we've earned a meal.
Béatrice, laughing:
— Finally, a good idea, Sir Pendragon.
Valen raised his hand:
— I vote yes. If we don't eat soon, I'll turn into a vortex too.
Lya:
— You already are. A vortex of trouble.
Naël:
— Come on, let's go.
But this time — no portals, no cubes, no cataclysms.
Just… rest.
Zarion, arms crossed:
— That's what we always say before everything explodes again.
A collective laugh rang out.
Even Elyon smiled.
And in that smile, there was no fear, no hatred — only the promise of a new beginning.
Chapter 89 – "Triumphant Return… or Just More Chaos?"
Valen stretched with a long groan, his back cracking like he'd carried an entire continent.
— Alright, we're heading back to HQ. I need a real shower… and a real bed. Not a cursed rock or a ruined floor.
Valor nodded.
— Excellent idea. I can't stand the smell of "scorched battlefield" anymore.
Nova sighed:
— Or the smell of Valen.
— Hey! protested Valen. I smell fine.
— Yes, replied Nova. Very strong.
They set off, step by step toward HQ. The closer they got, the brighter the light became, and the louder the murmurs of the crowd.
When the gates opened…
A wall of people awaited them.
Hunters.
Civilians.
Children on their parents' shoulders.
Apprentices waving handmade flags.
Even a skewer vendor shouting, "SPECIAL DEAL — the heroes are back!"
In the front row, their names were whispered, murmured, chanted:
— Valen! Lya! Nova! Valor! Zarion! Naël! Arthur! Béatrice!
In the back, almost hidden by taller figures, Liora was speaking with Elyon.
The two stood like statues: one majestic, the other unimpressed.
A child tugged on his father's pants and pointed.
— Look, Dad! It's Valen! He's even cooler in real life! I want to be like him when I grow up!
Valen froze, surprised. Then he stepped forward with a smile borrowed from a movie hero.
He crouched and placed a hand on the kid's head.
— Maybe one day you'll be like me… but you'll have to work hard, alright? And most of all, remember there will always be people who support you. Never lose hope in life.
The crowd collectively went: "Oooooh…"
Elyonna, in miniature form on his shoulder, squinted.
— Since when is he mature? Did someone swap him out?
Lya literally emerged from the ground like a ghost, making three civilians scream, thinking they'd seen a spirit.
She stared at Valen.
— Stop feeding kids nonsense. Tell them most of your powers are—
She was about to say "inherited," but—
WHAP.
Liora appeared and placed a hand on her head like snuffing out a candle.
— Quiet. Now.
Liora bent down to the child and said with a radiant smile… 100% lie:
— In life, only hard work pays off.
Valor, arms crossed, had a thought loud enough to echo across space:
(That's rich coming from someone born talented like a cheat code…)
In the crowd, Drake, Ethan, and Marie pushed their way forward.
— You're finally back! said Drake, relieved.
Ethan pointed accusingly at Elyon.
— Him! I don't know him! Who is that guy?
Liora replied, deadpan:
— It's a long story… Let's just say he's my son.
— Wait, what?! Marie choked.
— You have a son?! I did NOT see that coming!
The civilian murmur suddenly became very interested.
Heads turned. Ears perked up. Gossip ignited.
Liora gritted her teeth.
— All three of you, shut it. You want the civilians hearing this?
Let's get inside HQ. I need a shower, and I'm not talking about a bucket of cold water like on the battlefield.
Elyon sighed, looking as awkward as a teenager whose mom just yelled in a supermarket.
— No need to yell at them, Mother…
Valen whispered to Nova:
— There it is… she's already abusing her commander privileges.
Nova replied:
— Already? She started before we arrived.
The group finally entered HQ, cheered like legends… but with the usual chaos of a dysfunctional family.
And somewhere in the crowd, a child whispered:
— Mom, I want to be a hunter.
— Okay, but not like Valen, alright?
— Why not?
— He attracts trouble.