The Splinter of Delusion; Part-4

"So, this is the place, huh?" Kaia murmured, eyeing the terrace as they stepped onto it. The whole scene looked like something out of a twisted amusement park. Slime blobs were converted into swings, slides, and... other weird contraptions. In the distance, a nursery rhyme played on a loop, but with an eerie twist.

The kid froze in place, his eyes wide. Kaia glanced at him, her face unreadable "The ones you call Mom and Dad aren't actually your real parents, right?"

"No....they're not." The kid swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "Can I ask you something?"

"Spit it out," Kaia replied, her tone flat but with a hint of curiosity. She glanced around—still couldn't get used to the way the slime sculptures gleamed in the dim light.

"How did you... collapse that whirlpool of water? You don't have any magic, do you?"

"Why, so you can go tell your gang?" Kaia shot back with a smirk, raising an eyebrow.

"No! I was just... curious!" The kid crossed his arms, glaring at her. "You're cruel!"

Kaia didn't even blink. "Is that your dad?" She pointed lazily at the colourful merry-go-round in the distance.

The merry-go-round was... weird. At the centre, a thick, gnarled log structure held the whole thing together. Upon closer inspection, beads of sweat dripped from it, and something inside was... shifting. Two eyes blinked into existence, spinning wildly. The air seemed to get colder.

"You..." The voice that came out of the trunk was anything but human, more like a rasping growl. "How dare you... step into my territory!"

The horses on the merry-go-round jerked to life, their wooden bodies creaking as they galloped toward Kaia, their jaws snapping wide with jagged teeth.

"They won't hurt me," The kid grinned, Kaia replied calmly. "Shortie..." She grinned, eyes narrowing. "You're gonna get a front-row seat to this disaster."

The first horse lunged at the kid, but before it could do anything, Kaia's foot shot out and kicked its head off like it was nothing more than a blob of goo. It splattered, leaving only the remains of slime. She grabbed the kid and charged toward a nearby swing, ducking as the other horses gave chase.

"GYAHHH!" the kid screamed, his voice cracking. "Why is it attacking me?"

Kaia pushed him behind a swing set, barely dodging the next attack. "Because you're a traitor to them now. You showed me the way, remember?"

The kid was too stunned to speak, just shaking his head. "This... this world is messed up!"

Kaia smirked as she watched the horses circle them. "Yeah. Welcome to the party."

Her eyes shifted back to normal, a cold gleam dancing in them. She kicked another horse, sending it flying off the track. The kid watched, wide-eyed, as Kaia effortlessly dealt with the chaos.

"You know," she said, turning to him with a grin, "this is just the beginning."

***

"I can't believe this..." Zero muttered, his eyes flicking back and forth as he tried to process the chaos. "I've gotten lost in that maze like, what, five, seven times? How the hell did you—?" He turned his head to Thalia, giving her a look. The kind of look that made anyone within a five-foot radius question their entire existence. (How did a regular human just lead me out of that maze like it was nothing?)

Thalia, panting and wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, glanced at him. "Phew, finally made it..."

Zero's weird look shifted instantly into a calculating, serious one. "Zero?" Thalia said, narrowing her eyes, "Is Kaia behind that door?"

In front of them stood a giant, imposing door—no, more like a royal entrance. Zero's eyes scanned it, sensing something off. (I can feel a human presence... and some mana. Wait, that Kaia didn't have any magic before. Is this someone else?) His hand shot out, grabbing Thalia and pulling her behind him. "Stay back. I'll open it."

The moment the door creaked open, a figure lunged from the shadows, blue flame sword swinging straight at them. Before they could react, small black blocks shot up from the ground, forming a wall that intercepted the blade mid-swing.

"Chameleon?" Kiaan's stern face softened as he pulled his sword back.

Zero's magic already kicked in, making him dodge with ease. His eyes widened in realization. "Wait... You're from the Apostles?" he hissed, his face turning pale. The blocks pushed Kiaan back, then disappeared. Zero didn't waste a second—he bolted, but a sudden yank on his collar stopped him.

"Gyahh!" He yelped as Thalia pulled him toward her, and he landed right in her arms.

Thalia frowned, irritation sparking. "What are you running for?" she asked, her voice slightly tight.

Zero's heart did a crazy flip. "I—uh, wasn't running!" He scrambled out of her arms, face flushing. "It's just... people like that," he nodded toward Kiaan, "aren't my favourite."

Thalia's hand shot out to help Kiaan up. "Are you alright?" she asked, genuine concern softening her features.

Kiaan rubbed his head, still looking at Zero with a strange expression. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, then a shiver ran down his spine. He turned his gaze to Zero, who was practically radiating jealousy.

"So, what's the deal with you two? Are you... friends?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No!" Both Zero and Kiaan blurted out in unison, as if the universe itself might implode if they didn't.

Kiaan coughed, the awkward tension hanging in the air. "Anyway. Chameleon, I don't have time for this right now." He raised his sword, twirling it expertly. "I've got more important stuff to do."

"Yeah, like I do," Zero muttered, crossing his arms, "I've got a business too, you know."

Thalia raised an eyebrow, as if sensing a familiar pattern. "You two are so..."

"To find and save Kaia!" They both shouted in sync again.

Thalia couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing. "Pfft!" she snorted, her shoulders shaking. Both Zero and Kiaan flushed red in embarrassment.

"Alright, alright," she said, wiping away a tear from her eye. "Let's skip the intros and save Kaia first. We've got the same goal, right?"

Kiaan nodded, crossing his arms. "Sure. But there's one coward who likes to run away and change names every five minutes..."

"Who are you calling a coward?!" Zero shot back, stomping his foot. "Fine! I won't run this time," he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Only because your organisation is so damn annoying."

Thalia just grinned, watching them bicker. (Why does this feel so... familiar?) she thought with a puzzled frown.