What a Relief

The Black Sun was gone.

Through the cracks in the sky, its presence had been dragged into a space beyond comprehension, leaving behind a web of fissures that resembled scars in the fabric of reality. The very air crackled, vibrating with a tension that slowly dissipated. The suffocating heat was replaced by a dry, almost comforting cold, and the ground, which had once pulsed with corrupt energy, lay inert.

The threat had faded.

The God-Machine was gone as well.

The silence that followed Its departure was heavy, like the distant ringing of a bell whose sound still echoed through the world.

Seryne remained on her knees, shoulders slumped, her body exhausted from manipulating fate. Her breathing was uneven, and her thin, agile hands were clenched against the stone floor.

Kaerith collapsed beside her, feeling the weight of exhaustion and the emptiness left by the battle with the Terror Bird. The symbiote was quiet—a rare thing—perhaps shaken by the God-Machine's proposal.

Kiyoshi sat with his katana still resting against the ground, his muscles tense. Zeta 4 remained standing, unmoving, though his metallic gaze flickered, processing the new functions installed by his creator.

Ethan… lay on his back, staring at the shattered sky with wide eyes.

It was laughter that broke the silence.

— "Hahahahaha… ah… damn."

The Bizarre Sorcerer laughed, the sound cutting through the oppressive weight that still lingered over the group.

— "Do you all realize what just happened? We split up for a little while, and you guys summoned a god, freed a corrupted sun, and nearly ended the world!"

He laughed harder, leaning on his floating cauldron for support.

— "Compared to my little adventure with Ethan, we're seriously lagging behind, huh, kid?"

Ethan didn't respond immediately.

He blinked a few times before finally speaking:

— "That… that was the God-Machine? My god— I mean— my… damn. That was insane."

Zeta 4's head snapped toward him sharply.

— "Do not take the name of God in vain."

The dry tone made Ethan swallow hard.

— "Right… right."

Zeta 4 turned away, his gaze settling on Seryne, who was still struggling to regain her breath.

— "You did something… exceptional, Seryne Callaris. I now possess what your species would call… gratitude. Your Lord has left additional codes in my system. I have received clear instructions on what we must do next."

Kiyoshi, still seated, sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

— "Well, at least we made it out alive. But we're still missing Lian Xuan, Korrak, and the little girl. Only then will we be whole again."

Before anyone could respond, the Sorcerer raised a hand.

— "And that's exactly why we need to leave. Now."

His tone was more serious.

— "This place is unstable. We can rest, but not here. Ethan and I found a safe place."

Ethan, still visibly shaken, nodded.

— "Yeah. A castle… or something like that."

Kaerith let out a low growl, feeling her body ache.

— "I don't have the energy to even blink."

— "Exactly," said the Sorcerer. "That's why…"

He reached into his cauldron and pulled out several bottles, which squirmed as if trying to escape his grasp.

— "Potions for exhaustion."

He knelt and handed one to Seryne, another to Kaerith, and a third to Kiyoshi.

— "Drink carefully. They taste like rust and tears, but they work."

Seryne tried to refuse, but Ethan stepped forward, placing the flask in her hands.

— "Please, Lady Seryne… you need this."

She hesitated, then drank.

The liquid burned as it went down her throat, leaving behind a metallic aftertaste, but the effect was immediate—her mind cleared, and the crushing weight of exhaustion faded just enough for her to breathe properly.

Kaerith and Kiyoshi also drank, their expressions just as uncomfortable.

Zeta 4 refused the potion, raising one of his metallic hands.

— "My systems have been repaired. I do not require assistance."

The Sorcerer shrugged.

— "Always the methodical one."

Then, he traced a circle in the air and flicked his wrist.

The space in front of them tore open, revealing a floating wooden door in the void. When he opened it, a cold wind escaped from the rift, and the sight beyond made the group freeze.

It was a castle.

A Fortress of Ice and Silence

They stepped through the door and emerged into a vast stone hall.

The floor was white marble, covered in arcane circles and symbols that stretched to the walls like ancient, magical roots. The ceiling was so high that shadows swallowed its uppermost reaches.

At the center of the hall, a throne of translucent ice stood, its surface etched with ancient runes.

The walls, made of blue stone, radiated a constant cold, though it was not unbearable.

— "Welcome to the Fortress of the Void," the Sorcerer announced, spreading his arms. "Ethan and I explored a good portion of it, but the place is huge. It seems like it was built for giants."

The group scattered throughout the hall. Kaerith leaned against a pillar, closing her eyes, her exoskeleton still damaged. Kiyoshi sat cross-legged on the floor, his katana resting on his lap.

Seryne knelt and began to meditate.

Ethan walked toward a balcony, where the Sorcerer stood, gazing out at a valley of snow-covered mountains stretching beyond the fortress walls. The starry sky remained as immutable as ever.

— "What did you do?" — Ethan asked.

The Sorcerer didn't move.

— "What are you talking about, kid?"

— "What did you do… or say… to the God-Machine?" — Ethan pressed. "You wouldn't waste an opportunity like that. I know how you think."

The Sorcerer slowly turned. The smile on his mask was fixed, but his voice was colder.

— "You overestimate me. A true God… is a force beyond my reach. What could I possibly do?"

— "I don't know. But I felt it. Something changed. The Ancient God's blood inside me lets me sense these… things."

Ethan gripped his slingshot tightly.

— "If you did something that could put us in danger…"

The Sorcerer sighed.

— "If I did anything, and I'm not saying I did… it won't harm you. Quite the opposite. My survival depends on yours. Now, go."

Ethan stood still for a few seconds before turning away, heading back to the center of the hall.

Seryne, still meditating, lifted her head as he approached.

— "Did you learn anything?" — she asked.

— "No." — Ethan sighed. "He won't talk. That lunatic isn't trustworthy."

Seryne smiled slightly.

— "You've changed, Ethan. I can feel it. Something inside you has matured."

Ethan felt his cheeks heat up.

Seryne tilted her head.

— "That slingshot. It's no ordinary weapon. Take good care of it."

Ethan looked at the simple weapon in his hands and swallowed hard.

After a few minutes of silence, he sat down, crossed his arms, and glanced at his companions.

Kaerith slept, her wings partially open.

Kiyoshi meditated, completely still.

Zeta 4 remained motionless, his eyes flashing with blue codes.

Seryne returned to her meditation.

And the Sorcerer… remained on the balcony, unmoving.

Ethan sighed.

— "Maybe things will… get better."

But the cold deep in his chest whispered that this was only the beginning.