Arthur Veiss

Arthur walked through the long, twisting path alone. The darkness pressed against him, cold and silent. His footsteps echoed faintly, each step swallowed by the endless shadows.

He was tired.

When do I get out of here?

He slowed, then stopped, his breath catching in his throat. The shadows around him shifted, dark tendrils curling along the walls. He blinked; and the labyrinth was gone.

Arthur stood in his childhood home.

The sudden warmth felt jarring. The familiar scent of old wood and ink lingered in the air. He turned slowly, eyes wide with disbelief. The modest rooms, the creak of the floor beneath his feet — it was all as he remembered. Before his father joined the council. Before everything changed.

His heart pounded. Then he heard it.

"You're late."

Arthur stiffened. That voice. Deep, commanding, sharp as steel.

Julian.

Arthur turned, and there he was — his father, standing tall and severe, arms folded across his chest. But what caught Arthur's breath wasn't Julian. It was the boy standing before him.

Himself. Twelve years old.

Before Arthur could react, the world lurched, and he found himself in his younger body. No control, no escape. He could only watch.

His small hands trembled as he stepped forward, the weight of dread pressing down on his chest. He reached into his worn school bag, fingers fumbling for the report card. The paper felt heavier than it should. Slowly, reluctantly, he handed it over.

Julian snatched it from his hands. The silence that followed felt suffocating.

"What is this…?" Julian's voice was quiet, dangerous. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Arthur flinched as his father stood, towering over him. "How could you be this stupid? No son of mine would be failing! How am I supposed to become a member of the council with a disappointment for a son?!"

The words cut deeper than any blade. Arthur's young body trembled, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Sorry?" Julian's hand clamped around Arthur's arm, fingers digging into his skin. "You're not leaving this room for the rest of the day. You hear me? I want you studying. You'll get dinner when you earn it."

He shoved Arthur into his room and slammed the door.

Arthur sank to the floor, curling into himself. His chest heaved with quiet sobs, his body wracked with fear and helplessness.

"It's my fault. I-I have to do better for Father," he whispered through the tears.

"No…" The voice was distant, soft, but growing louder. "That's not true. It was never your fault."

The room darkened, the memory unraveling. Arthur gasped, the weight in his chest threatening to crush him.

"No!" he shouted, falling to his knees. "It wasn't my fault!"

The darkness shifted, swirling around him, and from the void, a faint glow emerged. Slowly, a figure took shape.

His breath caught.

"Mother…?"

The ghostly form of his mother knelt before him, her expression soft and warm, just as he remembered. She reached out, wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. Arthur buried his face in her shoulder, his body trembling.

"You were never a failure," she whispered, her voice gentle, soothing. "He was."

She wiped the tears from his face, her touch light as a breeze.

"It's not your fault," she said softly. "It was never your fault."

Arthur clung to her, eyes shut tight, unwilling to let go. The warmth of her embrace felt so real — a stark contrast to the cold emptiness that had clung to him for so long. He buried his face in her shoulder, trembling.

"You can't keep doing this, Arthur," his mother whispered softly, her voice carrying the weight of love and sorrow. "You're neglecting yourself, chasing after the approval of a man who never saw you as anything more than a disappointment."

Arthur's breath hitched. "But I don't have anyone else…" The words spilled out, fragile and broken.

"That's not true," she said, gently pulling back to cup his face. "You pushed them away. You thought relationships made you weak, that trusting others was pointless. But you abandoned them — just as your father abandoned you."

The darkness around them shifted. Behind his mother, the shadows rippled and twisted into vivid images. Arthur watched in silence as his teammates fought against overwhelming odds. Sosuke's blade clashed with stone, lightning sparking along its edge.

"They trust your strength," his mother continued, her voice steady and kind. "They accepted you in a way your father never did. And you left them." Her hands squeezed his, grounding him. "But it's not too late. You can still stand beside them. You can still fight."

Arthur fell to his knees, the weight of her words crashing over him. "I… I don't know how." His voice cracked. "He made me believe I was nothing. That I'd never be enough. How am I supposed to—"

His mother knelt before him, pressing her forehead against his. "Don't let his voice control you anymore. You have nothing to prove to him. Live your life, Arthur. Be happy. And go save your friends."

He clenched his fists, shaking with emotion. "You can't leave me. Not again."

She smiled softly, brushing his hair back. "I was never truly gone. I've always been with you — in your heart." Her form began to fade, the warmth of her touch slipping away. "You're stronger than you believe, my son. Find that strength. Not for him. Not for me. For you."

Arthur gritted his teeth, tears streaming down his face. He reached for her, and for the first time in what felt like forever… he smiled. It was small, shaky, but real. "Thank you. I just… I had to see you. One last time."

Her ghostly fingers brushed his cheek, her expression soft and proud. "You're never alone."

The illusion dissolved into darkness, and Arthur found himself once more in the heart of the maze, cold and empty. But something had changed. He wiped the tears from his face, his heart lighter than it had ever been. For the first time, he felt the chains around him break.

He clenched his fists. No more running.

Arthur turned and sprinted back toward the entrance, his steps sure, his heart steady.

The golem's molten eyes flared, casting jagged shadows across the chamber as it wrenched Sosuke's katana from his grip and hurled it aside. Metal screeched against stone, sparks flying. The massive hand clamped down on Sosuke, slamming him into the grated floor. Steel groaned beneath the impact, bending dangerously under the pressure. Sosuke gasped, trying to pry the golem's fingers apart, but its grip was unrelenting. The heat from the lava below seared his skin, sweat dripping into his eyes.

Rin pushed herself to her feet, wincing at the pain lancing through her body. Her black flames flickered to life, barely stable as she staggered forward. "Let him go!" she shouted, summoning a surge of dark fire. She hurled it toward the golem, the flames licking its rocky hide, but it barely flinched. The monster turned its head, the runes across its body flaring to life, and the core in its chest split open. Mana churned violently inside, condensing into a searing beam of energy aimed straight at Rin.

Sosuke's eyes widened. "No!" He stretched out his free arm, lightning crackling down his fingers, but his body screamed in protest. "Full power!"

The chamber exploded with light. A thunderclap echoed through the arena as a sudden force slammed into the golem, knocking it off balance. The beam missed Rin by a hair, scorching the ground as the golem stumbled back, its core flickering unsteadily.

Sosuke dropped to the floor, coughing and clutching his side. Through the haze, he saw a figure standing at the edge of the battlefield, arm outstretched. A faint glow faded from Arthur's palm as he stepped forward, his breathing heavy.

"Arthur?!" Lyra's voice rang out, disbelief clear in her tone. "Why're you here? Did you get lost or something?"

Arthur stood there, eyes downcast, fists clenched at his sides. "I... I came to help."

Lyra blinked. "Huh?! Did I hear you correctly?" She took a step closer, eyes narrowing. "Since when do you care about anyone but yourself?"

"Lyra, please." Sosuke's voice was quiet but firm as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She huffed, crossing her arms, but said no more.

The golem stirred, rubble shifting as it rose once more. The core pulsed erratically, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. Arthur's gaze locked onto it. Without a word, he sprinted forward, drawing his sword. The others watched in stunned silence as he moved with newfound purpose, weaving between the golem's lumbering strikes. Sparks flew as his blade carved through stone, each strike precise, deliberate.

The golem roared, raising its arm to crush him, but Rin's flames lashed out, searing its joints. The monster staggered, and Sosuke seized the opening. Lightning surged through his body as he leapt onto its back, driving his blade deep into the creature's neck.

Arthur reached the core. For a moment, time seemed to slow. He raised his sword high, mana pooling into the blade. As the golem swung one last desperate strike, Arthur drove the weapon straight into its heart. The core shattered, light exploding from within as the golem let out a deafening cry. Its massive form crumbled, falling to the ground with a resounding crash.

Silence fell over the chamber. The dust settled, and Arthur stood amidst the rubble, chest heaving, sword trembling in his grip.

"Arthur..." Rin whispered, stepping forward. He turned to her, eyes meeting hers. For the first time, there was no mask, no guarded expression. Just raw emotion.

Rin placed her hands on her hips, studying him carefully. "I'm glad you came."

Arthur's eyes widened slightly. Rin smiled, soft and genuine.

Arthur hesitated, then —he smiled back.