ECHOES BENEATH THE DUNGEON

The boy behind the voice leapt down from a tree and landed squarely in front of Jackson's horse. Jackson pulled the reins sharply, forcing the horse to a halt.

"Watch out, you fool!" Jackson barked.

"My bad, Jack. But what are you up to this time?" Marcel asked, brushing dust off his tunic. "You know this place is off-limits."

"Funny. That's the same question I had for you," Jackson retorted, frowning.

"I asked first," Marcel said, folding his arms. "So? Spill it."

Jackson narrowed his eyes. "If we're going to argue, I don't have time for this." He yanked the reins and directed his horse toward the dungeon once more.

"Wait up, you idiot!" Marcel shouted, sprinting after him. "If you have any idea what your dad and mine are planning, rushing in with that horse of yours could ruin everything!"

Jackson halted. He dismounted quickly and turned. "Wait... you know what they're up to?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Marcel said, catching his breath. "I overheard everything after the higher-ups' meeting ended."

"Then tell me everything. Is it good... or evil?" Jackson asked with a stern glare.

Marcel sighed. "Honestly? It's terrible. But what can we do? We're too weak to confront our parents. Still... hearing my dad talk like that, knowing he has a son, shocked me."

"Just get to the point," Jackson snapped.

"Let me finish, will you?" Marcel shot back. "When I finished my training with Master, he gave me a letter to deliver to my father. He told me not to open it. I followed the order and headed to the meeting room—"

"And?"

"I tripped outside the door, and that's when I heard my dad say it: 'Execute the woman. Bring me the boy. Do whatever you want with the girl—I couldn't care less.' I was stunned. I pressed closer to the door to listen more, but they were wrapping up. Then I heard: 'Open the darkest dungeon. Release Sasaki.' That's when I knew something was really wrong."

Marcel clenched his fists. "They're using some kind of mind control spell on Sasaki... I don't know who this kid is or what link he has to my dad, but why kill the woman? What if she's the kid's mother?"

Jackson exhaled deeply. "So I wasn't wrong… I overheard part of that too, when my dad was speaking with the special darkside knight through telepathy. That's why I came here."

"So, what's the plan?" Marcel asked. "What do we do?"

"We tail them.My Dad and Sasaki will teleport to wherever that boy is. If we can link onto that spell, we can follow without being detected."

"That's insane," Marcel said. "Sasaki's going to be with your dad. Do you really think we can pull that off?"

Jackson scoffed. "Don't panic. I've got a plan. First, I'll send my horse home. Then we move—on foot."

He gave the horse a gentle slap, and it trotted off into the night.

"Let's move, Marcel. We can't waste another second."

They sprinted toward the dungeon, their footsteps swift and quiet beneath the starlit sky.

---

Meanwhile, inside the dungeon…

Lyon stood restlessly beside the stone tomb, arms crossed, waiting.

"Hey Exca, how much longer? I thought the spell was supposed to break his slumber," Lyon asked through telepathy.

"It's not that simple," Exca responded. "He's been asleep for fifteen years. His soul still thinks it's sealed. You need to wake him."

"Wake him? How?" Lyon asked warily.

"A good Octo-push should do it," Exca replied.

"Are you insane?! What if he jumps up and attacks me?! That's suicide," Lyon snapped.

"He's under control," Exca assured. "Just do it."

"Then you wake him," Lyon said, gritting his teeth. "I'm not pushing a maniac who used to eat Alpha and Beta darkside spirits for breakfast."

As the two continued to argue, a soft sound cut through the silence—Sasaki's eyes opened.

Lyon froze.

Sasaki sat up, calm yet imposing, his presence shaking the air.

"Lyon? What's happening?" Exca asked through the telepathy.

Lyon didn't dare answer aloud. Instead, he switched to Phase Two: Thought-Link—a mind-to-mind connection.

"Exca, do you copy? Sasaki's awake… What do I say to him?"

The silence between them was thick as Sasaki slowly turned his head to look at Lyon.