Jayden opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by pitch-black darkness.
The air was still—too still—and the silence pressed against his ears like a
weight.
"Seriously, can't you make this place a bit brighter?" he called out, his
voice echoing faintly into the void.
He was already used to this strange
space—it was where he always found himself whenever he lost consciousness.
From the shadows emerged Fantasy, a faint trail of golden light tracing his silhouette.
His form was majestic but cracked, as though fragments of his being were slowly fading away.
With a casual snap of his fingers, the darkness vanished, replaced by a warm golden glow.
A small wooden tableappeared between them, adorned with two chairs and an assortment of pastries—cakes, muffins, doughnuts, every kind imaginable—and two steaming cups of tea.
"The last thing I remember," Jayden began, pulling out a chair, "we were fighting that man in that strange, blue, colorful space. I think your mana was too much for me, and I fainted. So… where's my body now?"
"Don't worry," Fantasy said, settling into his chair with quiet grace. "Your parents brought you home. You're sleeping peacefully on your bed."
He took a slow sip of tea before continuing. "But that's beside the point.
As you can see, my mind is beginning to leave your body. I wanted to stay with
you, but I can't. This may be the last time I'll be able to manifest or take control. I don't even know how much time I have left, so I'll explain as much as I can and answer every question you've got. Tea?"
Jayden's expression darkened. It suddenly hit him that every feat he'd achieved—all the battles and victories—hadn't truly been his. It was Fantasy who had done everything.
"Okay, first question," Jayden said, forcing a grin. "Isn't it weird to eat in a dream? And what exactly are these?" He picked up a doughnut, eyeing it suspiciously.
Fantasy raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's your first question?" He sighed. "Fine. One—it's just superstition. Two—these are snacks from my time.
Stop being so suspicious; I'm not trying to poison myself. Next question."
Jayden leaned forward. "All right. Explain those people you were fighting in
that weird blue space. Why do they know you?"
Fantasy's gaze grew distant. "Ok good question. That's a long story, so pay
attention. Logic Disruption is a type of magic that was never meant to exist. Its power varies from person to person.
In some, it's weak—barely above that of a novice mage—but in others, it can grow to unimaginable levels. Still, it would never have become as powerful as it is today
if not for you."
He pointed at Jayden for emphasis, then took another sip of
tea.
"Your family—the Reginald lineage—was always blessed with high mana
capacity.
Not enough to make them monsters, but far greater than ordinary people. But the universe balances everything. The price for that gift was lifespan. A normal person might live to ninety, but a Reginald? Sixty, if they
were lucky."
Jayden's eyes widened. "Wait—what?!"
"Fret not," Fantasy said with a calm smile. "I've cured father and Myra of that curse. The'll live as long as their peers.
But you—your mana surpasses even his. That's why you can wield Logic Disruption far better than anyone else.
Every trial you've faced, every strange place you've visited, was meant to refine your mana and push you further beyond human limits."
He paused, the light around him flickering.
"Those beings I fought are
called Celestials. The place where I fought them is known simply as space. Don't bother trying to understand—it'll be centuries
before humankind even begins to grasp it.
You guys still think the Earth is
flat."
"It isn't?" Jayden blurted out, shocked.
Fantasy chuckled softly. "No. But that's a lesson for another day. Anyway, Celestials are beings of nearly infinite mana, capable of destroying entire planets. They were created for one purpose—to kill me."
Jayden froze mid-bite. "Wait, you mean that man we fought… was created?"
"Yes," Fantasy replied, irritation flashing briefly in his tone. "They were made by a being known as 'The One.' That's what he calls himself—a being so powerful that even I died to him."
Jayden's hand trembled, the doughnut falling from his grip.
"You… were killed?" he whispered. "Then whoever defeated you must be beyond anything I can imagine…but wait if you died how are you even here?"
Fantasy nodded gravely. "During our battle, space and time themselves began
to unravel. I realized I couldn't win. So, using all my mana and life force, I did three things:
First, I sealed The One in a realm beyond time itself—a prison with a condition that if time ever reversed, I would return to fight him again once my power exceeded its previous level .
Second, I placed a barrier around Earth to protect you from the Celestials.
And finally… I performed the Great World Reset. The cost was my life but luckily my soul was spared."
Jayden rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of it all.
"So… there's a godlike being trapped outside this world who wants to kill me, but can't because of your seal. And I have to become strong enough to stop him before history repeats itself. Did I get that right?"
Fantasy smiled faintly. "Pretty much. You're catching on fast."
"Then why not stop The One now?" Jayden asked. "Cant we stop him before he grows to be a world-ending menace?"
Fantasy's expression dimmed. "Don't you think I've thought of that? My memories of him—how I created him, why I did—were erased. He left only the fact that I made him, just to mock me. All I know is that he was my creation… and my greatest mistake."
Jayden exhaled, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. The pastries,
once sweet and inviting, now tasted like ash.
"That's… a lot to bear. But you went through all this alone, didn't you? I won't run away from it. I'll make your mission mine." Jayden swore as he clenched his fist.
Fantasy smiled warmly. "Jayden… my time's almost up. But remember this—this burden isn't yours alone. Don't repeat my mistake. No one can carry it by themselves."
As he spoke, cracks began to spread across his glowing form. The room trembled. Walls of golden light shattered into dust.
"Hey," Fantasy said with a grin, forming a peace sign as his body disintegrated, "even though we're the same person, I'm proud of who you are—and who you'll become. Stay safe, Jayden. Fantasy out."
The golden dust swirled away, and the world collapsed into darkness once again. Jayden fell back into slumber.
___________
Downstairs, Luke and Sarah sat together, talking quietly about Sabrina Page
and the Fairy Queen incident, when a faint golden shimmer filled the room.
Fantasy appeared before them, barely holding his shape.
"My job is done," he said softly. "Please, give Jayden all the support he needs. He's going through a lot. Remember—he loves you, and he'd do anything for you." At this point he was barely holding the tears forming in his eyes.
Sarah rushed forward, tears in her eyes, and wrapped her arms around him,seeing his eyes gleaming with tears . "You're still our son too. So tell me—why are you crying?"
Fantasy's voice broke. "In my time… you both died protecting me. I watched
it happen. That regret haunted me for the rest of my life. Seeing you again…brought it all back. I'm sorry for—"
Luke placed a hand over his mouth and pulled him into the embrace. "And
we're sorry for leaving you alone back then. We weren't strong enough to stay
by your side."
Fantasy's calm façade crumbled. He cried quietly against their shoulders as silence filled the room, broken only by the soft hum of the golden light
surrounding them.
After a moment, he stepped back, smiling faintly. "I removed the Reginald curse, by the way. You don't have to worry about your lives ending early anymore. You both deserve peace something I could never give. But Jayden will.
I love you both—more than you can ever imagine."
And with that, his form dissolved into golden dust, scattering like sunlight
through an open window.
"Jayden," his voice whispered faintly as it vanished, "I leave the rest to
you."