The Price of Freedom

As Prince Ryu stepped through the portal, the world around him shifted, and he found himself in a dimly lit cave. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and old stone. Flickering torchlight cast long shadows across the rocky walls, illuminating Ryu, who was mid-practice, spinning his scythe with swift, controlled movements. The metallic ring of the weapon cutting through the air ceased as Ryu turned to face the new arrival. His brows furrowed slightly as he noticed Prince Ryu emerging from the swirling light of the portal.

"Hi. How are you here? Is Wei with you?" Ryu asked, his eyes flickering toward the portal before settling on Prince Ryu's tense expression.

"No, but I want your Sevpon," Prince Ryu replied, his voice firm, his stance unyielding.

Ryu blinked, gripping the scythe more tightly. "But it won't obey you."

"I don't want it for myself. Give me that, please." Prince Ryu's eyes locked onto the weapon with a desperate intensity.

Ryu took a step back, his grip on the scythe tightening. "Who do you want it for then?"

Prince Ryu's jaw clenched. "If you don't give it to me, then I have to snatch it from you."

Ryu raised a brow. "Relax, I just want answers."

"I don't have enough time. Give it to me!" Prince Ryu's voice grew strained as he extended his hand toward the Sevpon.

Ryu instinctively pulled the weapon back. "Is everything okay?"

"ENOUGH!" Prince Ryu bellowed and, without warning, delivered a solid punch to Ryu's gut.

The force sent Ryu staggering back. He fell to the ground, coughing, eyes widening in shock as he looked up at Prince Ryu, who stood over him, breathing heavily.

"Give it to me. I don't have enough time!" Prince Ryu's voice cracked with urgency.

Ryu wiped his lip and pushed himself back up. "If you don't tell me why you need it, then I'm not handing it over."

Prince Ryu's tense posture faltered. He exhaled sharply and then, to Ryu's surprise, he sank to his knees, his shoulders trembling. His fists clenched against the rocky floor as his breath hitched. "I need it... to save Tony."

Ryu's eyes softened. "What? Save Tony? What happened?"

Prince Ryu let out a shaky breath, his hands gripping the dirt beneath him. "Prince Wei has him. He captured Tony and he... he won't let him go unless I bring him a Sevpon."

Ryu's face darkened. "Prince Wei? Why? He shouldn't even be here. He should be in his own time!"

Prince Ryu shook his head. "I don't know why. He's different... he's changed. But I don't have time to question it. I need that Sevpon. Please."

Ryu looked down at the scythe in his hand. He knew what it meant to him, but Tony's life was more important. With a deep sigh, he extended the weapon toward Prince Ryu. "Take it. Get Tony back."

Prince Ryu grasped the scythe with trembling hands. "Thank you."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared through the portal.

Prince Ryu emerged on the other side, gripping the Sevpon tightly. The room he entered was grand but cold, lined with towering bookshelves and dimly glowing lanterns. At the far end, Prince Wei stood waiting, his hands clasped behind his back, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"Welcome back," Prince Wei said smoothly. "Do you have it?"

Prince Ryu held out the scythe. "First, my brother."

Prince Wei snapped his fingers. Two guards stepped forward, dragging a caged and weakened G Tony into the room. His clothes were torn, his wrists bound in chains. His eyes, however, still burned with defiance.

"Open the cage," Prince Ryu demanded.

Prince Wei smirked. "First, the scythe."

Prince Ryu clenched his jaw but ultimately stepped forward, handing the weapon to a guard, who in turn passed it to Prince Wei.

Prince Wei ran his fingers along the blade. "Magnificent."

With another snap of his fingers, the guards unlocked the cage. G Tony stumbled forward, immediately rushing into Prince Ryu's arms.

"Your brother can go and live his life," Prince Wei said, twirling the scythe in his hands. "But you... you must stay."

Prince Ryu stiffened. "What?"

"In exchange for your brother's freedom, you will be imprisoned. I can't risk you using your powers against me."

G Tony's face twisted in horror. "No! I won't let you take him!"

Prince Ryu placed a hand on G Tony's shoulder. "Step aside, Tony. I don't want you to be captured again."

"No, I won't! We won't betray you, I promise!" G Tony pleaded.

Prince Wei chuckled. "I can't take a risk on a promise."

Prince Ryu stepped forward, his face calm despite the turmoil inside him. "I surrender."

"NO! Please don't do it, brother!" G Tony shouted, his voice breaking.

"I have to."

Prince Wei gestured, and two guards moved in, clamping heavy handcuffs on Prince Ryu's wrists. G Tony's cries echoed through the chamber as they dragged his brother away.

"Go, tell your friends what has happened," Prince Wei said, opening a portal. "You are free."

G Tony hesitated, his fists clenched, but he had no choice. He rushed through the portal.

Meanwhile, Ryu reached his room. He found Tony sleeping soundly on the bed, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Ryu let out a small sigh and sat on his own bed, resting his chin on his palm as his thoughts swirled. His brows furrowed as he recalled Prince Ryu and G Tony.

"I hope Prince Wei will set them free. But why is Prince Wei doing that?"he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing with concern. "I should go to Wei and tell him about Prince Wei."

Without wasting another second, Ryu stood up and made his way to Wei's room, but upon arrival, he found it empty. His lips pressed into a thin line as he glanced around. Just then, Kai walked by and noticed him standing near the door.

"Why are you here?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow as he crossed his arms.

"I'm looking for Wei, but he is not in his room," Ryu answered, rubbing the back of his head.

"You forgot, he is always in the library. I bet he would be there," Kai replied with a knowing smirk.

"Then come with me. I want to tell you both something important," Ryu said, his tone serious.

They walked together to the library, and just as Kai had predicted, Wei was there, completely absorbed in a thick book. His sharp eyes scanned the pages, and he barely acknowledged their presence at first.

"See, I knew he would be there," Kai said with a smug grin.

As they approached, Wei finally looked up, adjusting his posture. "Hi, how are you here? And, Kai, how is Jin now?" he asked, his expression calm but attentive.

"He is fine. I hope he will wake up after a week as Prince Wei said," Kai answered, his voice laced with a hint of worry.

"I am also here to tell you about Prince Wei," Ryu said as Kai finished speaking. His serious expression made Wei shut his book halfway, though he still held it in his hands.

"What is it?" Wei asked, his gaze flickering between them.

Ryu took a deep breath. "I went to the cave to practice my new weapon. As I started practicing, a portal appeared, and Prince Ryu came out of it. He said his brother Tony was captured by Prince Wei, and if he wants him back, Prince Ryu should bring him a Sevpon," Ryu explained, his fists clenching slightly.

Kai's expression darkened as he turned to Ryu. "And you gave him your one," he said, narrowing his eyes.

"What else could I do?" Ryu replied, his voice tense.

Wei placed his book down and exhaled deeply, shaking his head. "I knew something bad would happen if I went back in time and brought him into the present," he muttered, his expression unreadable.

Ryu's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean? You knew this would happen?" he asked, confusion flashing across his face.

"No, I mean something bad in general, but I never thought this would happen," Wei clarified, his gaze shifting downward in thought. "I was expecting a higher threat than this."

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "What do we have to do now?" he asked, looking between them.

Wei's eyes gleamed with a calculating sharpness. "Just send him back to his time, and if he doesn't accept, we have to kill him at the same exact time he died before," he said bluntly.

Ryu stiffened. "But he has my Sevpon too," he pointed out, his tone filled with frustration.

Kai's face twisted in shock. "Wait, we are talking about killing Prince Wei? I don't think this is a good idea," he said, throwing his hands up.

Wei let out a short chuckle. "I was just kidding. We can seal his power so that he can't travel through time," he said with a smirk.

As they were talking, Tony suddenly entered the library, slightly out of breath. "What are you guys doing here? I've been looking for you guys all over the Academy," he said, his brows furrowing.

Kai turned to him, tilting his head. "Where were you, by the way?" he asked.

"He was sleeping," Ryu answered with a small smirk.

Tony crossed his arms, feigning offense. "I was taking a nap," he corrected, rolling his eyes.

Wei ignored the banter and focused on the task at hand. "Are you guys ready?" he asked, his voice steady.

Tony blinked. "Ready for what?" he asked, glancing between them.

"I will tell you everything," Ryu said, determination shining in his eyes.

Kai's excitement sparked. "Are we going to the Royal Dimension?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes. Let's head to the cave first," Wei answered, standing up.