As Ron drifted to sleep, he found himself walking along a pathway suspended in outer space.
Countless stars, distant and blinking, flickered one after another. Ron walked on, the silence of the cosmos around him.
Far ahead, he noticed a man. A cloth draped over his head, his back facing Ron.
Ron began walking toward him, but the distance suddenly seemed to stretch. He ran, yet the space between them widened faster than he could close it.
Then, a few stars blinked in unison, forming words in the void:
THE GREAT EVIL
"The Great Evil?" Ron thought. "Is this man… the Great Evil?"
The man tilted his head slightly. The cloth hid his face, revealing only his lips—curved into a slow, enigmatic smile.
In the next moment, he dissolved into blinking stars. One by one, the stars dimmed, until he vanished entirely.
A series of messages appeared in the void:
[A Beyonder, The Secret Transcendent, is looking at you]
[An Outer, G-3, is looking at you]
[The First Watcher is looking at you]
[The True Black Sorcerer is looking at you]
[SK of Time, Aurora, is looking at you]
"Aurora?" Ron thought. "But… I'm dreaming."
More words appeared:
[A Beyonder, Mythology, is looking at you]
[A Beyonder, The Great Evil, is looking at you]
"Great Evil… that man?"
"Ron. Ron. Ron. Ron, wake up."
Ron jolted awake. Skelly was standing in front of him.
"What did you do?" Skelly asked.
"What did I do?" Ron replied, confused.
"You used my ability. Wulkranoth felt it," Skelly explained.
"Wasn't Wulkranoth the one who told you to teach me that spell?" Ron said.
"Yes. But using it before mastering it? That will take a toll on your body," Skelly warned.
"I feel… fine," Ron said.
Skelly shook his head. "Now, it will result in a calamity. The universe maintains equilibrium. But your abilities shift that balance, and the universe will try to correct itself."
"Damn, you should've told me earlier," Ron muttered.
"I can stop it—but it will require your Blade of Vengeance," Skelly said.
"Fine. Take it." Ron summoned the Blade of Vengeance.
Skelly took the sword and handed Ron another. "Use this for the time being. And… one of the Foster Heads who vanished might return," he said.
A portal opened behind Skelly. As he turned, Ron spoke:
"Skelly, I need a favor."
"What?"
"Can you take me to the Demon Realm?"
Skelly laughed. "The Demon Realm? You? You're joking."
"I'm not," Ron said, voice steady.
"You'd die instantly in your current state," Skelly said.
"But I defeated two demons," Ron argued.
"One. Red Wolf was half demon. The other… he wasn't complete," Skelly corrected.
"And why do you want to go to the Demon Realm?" Skelly asked.
"I promised Red Wolf I'd save his family," Ron said.
Skelly went silent. "I can't access the Demon Realm myself. But I know someone who can. He can create human forms for them," he said, stepping into the portal.
"Who?" Ron demanded.
Skelly paused, half inside the portal.
"DA."
As soon as Skelly disappeared into the portal, Ron sank back onto the couch. He glanced at the watch on the wall.
"Evening already… How long was I asleep? And who was that man… The Great Evil?" Ron thought, unease gnawing at him.
Then, faint but distinct, came the sound of knocking on the front door.