Duty to protect the planet? Han blinked at those words. It was certainly an honorable cause, one that he himself would have pursued without hesitation. After all, he was a transmigrator, and that meant he was supposed to be a hero.
But hearing it from a beast like Seraya felt... strange.
Questions stirred in his mind. Han glanced at Alwyn, intending to voice them. The teen's furrowed brow showed he was just as caught up in Seraya's words, puzzling over their meaning.
Han opened his mouth to speak, but before the question could leave his lips, the echo they'd been watching shattered and collapsed.
Skreeee!
A piercing scream rang out. A Starfiend burst into the area, its form like a grotesque lizard. But instead of reptilian limbs, it had four arms and a pair of humanoid legs. Its body was composed entirely of crystalline matter, with jagged gem-like spikes covering its back like armor. As it drew closer, it curled inward and launched a volley of crystal shards straight at them.
Crash!
Han, Alwyn, and Erika dove out of the way. A moment later, the spot they had just been standing on bloomed with violent crystal growths, sharp and fast as spears. Even at a glance, it was clear those spikes could pierce flesh with terrifying ease.
Erika sprang into action, releasing a flurry of golden thread that shot toward the Starfiend, trying to bind it. But the creature was fast, unnaturally so, and evaded the attack, sprinting along the walls of the underground chamber.
As it ran, glowing crystal veins bloomed beneath its steps. They rapidly spread and then burst forward like missiles, hurtling toward the group.
Han summoned his sword and conjured a blazing wall of flame, incinerating the incoming projectiles. But the Starfiend used the fiery curtain as cover, darting through the smoke to launch a surprise attack on Alwyn from behind.
Alwyn turned just in time to see the creature lunging at him, jaw wide open, ready to consume him whole.
Then—
A serpent formed of shadow and ink erupted from the darkness. It wrapped around the Starfiend with brutal force, coiling tightly in an attempt to crush the monster in its grip.
"Skreeee!" the Starfiend shrieked in agony and rage.
Han stepped forward, sword raised, ready to finish the job. But just as he moved,
Fwoosh.
An arrow tore through the air from an unseen direction, heading straight for Alwyn.
His eyes widened. At the last instant, his instincts kicked in, and he twisted aside, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Instead, the arrow embedded itself in the Starfiend's crystalline chest.
A split-second pause.
Then the creature exploded, shattering into countless glittering fragments.
Dead.
Though the enemy now lay motionless, the three teenagers stayed on high alert. A presence lingered nearby, unseen but unmistakably watching. Erika scowled, her fingers twitching as she flexed her golden threads.
"If you're done hiding, how about you stop lurking like a creep and show your face?"
Silence.
Just as Alwyn began thinking of a way to flush out the spy, the air split open on its own, revealing the figures of three people. Two wore dark cloaks that hid their faces, but the third was someone they all recognized.
Erika's scowl deepened at the sight of Jiang Ruiheng. Great. The cannon fodder had arrived.
"Jiang Ruiheng," Alwyn said coldly, his voice flat as he took in the sight of his half-brother. He'd half expected to run into him while exploring the Ashdune Vale. Up until now, things had gone relatively smoothly, but clearly that was about to change.
"What's with that look?" Jiang Ruiheng asked with a smirk. "Don't you know it's rude to greet your elder with such a face?"
"I doubt you'd enjoy seeing my face no matter the expression," Alwyn replied.
"Such lack of manners. And here I am, trying to offer you an opportunity," Jiang Ruiheng said, clearly enjoying himself.
"What, by trying to shoot him?" Han cut in sharply. He was itching to knock some sense into this guy, but held back since this was Alwyn's mess to handle.
Jiang Ruiheng cast Han a condescending glance, clearly unimpressed by the so-called friend Alwyn had picked up during his time away. Then he turned his gaze back to Alwyn, lips curling faintly in disdain.
"When you left, you disappeared so suddenly you didn't even bother to say goodbye."
Alwyn narrowed his eyes, already bracing himself for whatever nonsense Jiang Ruiheng was about to pull next. "I assumed my presence wasn't appreciated. I didn't think disturbing your or Father's peace was worth the trouble."
Jiang Ruiheng snorted. "Oh no, it's not me or Father I'm talking about." His expression shifted into a smirk. "But your answer is quite telling."
He reached behind him and grabbed one of the cloaked figures. Throwing an arm casually around the person's shoulders, he said, "Why don't you show your face? Wouldn't want to waste a perfectly good reunion."
The cloaked figure pursed their lips, hesitating, but relented the moment Jiang Ruiheng narrowed his eyes. With reluctant hands, they pulled back the hood, revealing the face of a young man with dark blue hair and violet eyes.
Alwyn's eyes widened. "…Xinyan?"
Wei Xinyan lifted his gaze at last and met Alwyn's stare. After a beat of silence, he said softly, "Long time no see, Ruhua."
"Why are you…" Alwyn began, but bit back the question before it escaped fully. He reminded himself this was just another one of Jiang Ruiheng's games, a ploy to provoke a reaction. He forced his heart to steady, smoothed over the surprise on his face. Years of experience from his previous regression kicked in, and his features returned to a calm, unreadable mask.
But inwardly, his thoughts churned.
Why was Wei Xinyan here?
He had believed, naively, that his old friend would be spared from the mire of his father's schemes once he was gone. That without him, Wei Xinyan would remain untouched, free.
Yet somehow, he'd still been dragged in. His absence changed nothing.
Alwyn examined him closely. Outwardly, Wei Xinyan looked unscathed. No visible wounds. But those thick layers of clothing could hide anything.
Jiang Ruiheng clicked his tongue in frustration. He'd caught that fleeting flash of surprise, and then it was gone, buried beneath Alwyn's usual dead-eyed calm. His fingers twitched, itching to strike. How he hated that face. He remembered how, back then, Jiang Ruhua wore every emotion plainly, never hiding his hatred. He remembered the way those eyes used to glare at him, full of defiance. He remembered how they twisted in pain, in fury, whenever he beat him down. How those same eyes had once promised vengeance.
And then, one day, it had all vanished.
Like a flame doused in cold water, Jiang Ruhua stopped showing anything at all.
Then he disappeared.
Jiang Ruiheng had half a mind to hunt down that traitorous wretch. How dare he run off like that, after their father so kindly took him in? How dare he abandon the family when he was nothing more than a bastard child to begin with? How dare he walk away as if Jiang Ruiheng were nothing but garbage?
And yet, their father had remained indifferent and aloof, as if Jiang Ruhua's disappearance meant nothing at all.
"Let him leave. He'll return eventually," his father had said.
Jiang Ruiheng hadn't pursued Ruhua physically, but he'd kept his ear to the ground, always alert for whispers about the wayward bastard. Eventually, the rumor reached him. Auren, that infamous master and fallen genius, had taken on a disciple. Though Ruhua had since taken on a new name, it hadn't taken much digging for Jiang Ruiheng to uncover the truth.
Did he really think joining the Starvanguard would sever the blood between them? How naive.
Jiang Ruiheng hadn't bothered reporting any of this to their father. He knew full well that if he could find out, the information networks under their father's command certainly could too.
And now, here they were. Face to face.
Ruhua looked fine, healthy and composed. That ever-present cold mask still sat on his face, untouched by time.
"I expected a more tearful reunion, considering you two were supposed to be such good friends," Jiang Ruiheng said, his voice low and mocking. "Looks like Ruhua's already forgotten about you. Seems he's found some new friends to ease the loneliness."
Wei Xinyan said nothing, his eyes unreadable. Alwyn met Jiang Ruiheng's gaze with a cold stare.
"Hey, are you done flapping your gums, cannon fodder?" Erika cut in, clearly fed up with the monologue.
Jiang Ruiheng glared at the girl, displeased by her audacity. Perhaps Ruhua's lack of manners came from the company he kept. Then again, what more could one expect from a bastard?
"Silence. I didn't give you permission to speak," Jiang Ruiheng said icily.
"Well, I didn't give you permission to yap in my ears either!" Erika snapped back, her eyes blazing.
Han hesitated, lifting a hand as if unsure whether to intervene.
"Listen up, rich boy," Erika continued, stepping forward without a trace of fear. "You barge in here, attack my companion, and then start spouting some useless villain monologue like we owe you attention. If you're not here to share tearful memories with Alwyn and just want to pick a fight, then quit wasting our time. Let's get down to business."
Without waiting, Erika sent her golden threads lashing toward the enemy group, intending to entrap them all. But the second cloaked figure moved swiftly, conjuring a barrier that enveloped the three of them. The threads struck the shimmering wall and bounced back, unable to break through.
"Tch." Erika clicked her tongue. She had hoped to just string them up like flies and move on. Clearly, it wouldn't be that simple.
"A fight, huh? I can humor that," Jiang Ruiheng said, cracking his knuckles before patting Wei Xinyan on the shoulder. "Come now, why don't you show your old friend how much you've grown?" He narrowed his eyes at the boy. "And this time, make sure your arrow hits its mark."
Wei Xinyan clenched his fists, then slowly raised one hand. A glowing bow materialized in it, and he pointed the arrowhead squarely at Alwyn with a calm, unreadable gaze.
As the tension thickened, Han tightened his grip on his sword, while Erika retracted her threads and readied them again. The cloaked figure dug her feet into the ground, bracing herself to reinforce the barrier protecting Jiang Ruiheng.
Jiang Ruiheng, meanwhile, remained completely at ease, smirking at Alwyn with smug expectation. Alwyn, impassive, simply met his stare in silence.
Then he sighed and pulled out his book. "You asked for it."
Alwyn didn't want to waste time on this ego-fueled confrontation. But if putting Jiang Ruiheng in his place was the only way to get him off their backs, then so be it. The real surprise was seeing Wei Xinyan here. Still, he wasn't a child anymore. Sentiment couldn't be allowed to get in the way.
Aether began to hum in the air, clashing and sparking with growing force as the fight neared its breaking point.
Then the ground rumbled.
"What the—an earthquake?!" Erika shouted. That shouldn't have been possible on a fragmented planet like this. But the tremors intensified, shaking violently beneath their feet and throwing them all off balance.
Soon it wasn't even about staying upright. The ground beneath them cracked open like splintered glass.
"Crap! Run!" Han shouted.
They bolted for the exit, but the fissures spread faster than they could move. Cracks spiderwebbed across the floating island, chasing them down with terrifying speed.
Then the ground gave way.
The first to fall was the cloaked figure, swallowed by the darkness below.
Alwyn managed to stay upright, but a falling rock clipped his side, sending him stumbling. Erika whipped out a golden thread, latching it to him just in time to keep him from tumbling.
But the island was breaking apart too quickly. The cracks reached the outer edges, and the entire landmass began to collapse. One by one, they all plunged into the abyss.
They thought that was the end. That only darkness would greet them.
Then came the roar.
"GRROOAARRR!!!"
Everyone's eyes snapped open as they realized they had fallen through the floating island into empty space. Below, a massive beast erupted from the depths, soaring upward with terrifying speed. Its wings beat with such force that shockwaves twisted the very air around them.
It looked like Seraya they'd seen earlier in the Echo, only far larger. And unlike the gentle newborn beast from before, this one wore strange metallic armor embedded into its flesh. Corruption laced its body like a spreading infection, and one of its eyes was pitch-black with madness.
Though Seraya was still far below, each beat of its colossal wings sent gusts of wind that ripped the floating island apart.
With a single, thunderous flap, the beast surged upward and shattered what remained of the terrain.
The violent winds sent everyone flying in different directions. As space twisted chaotically around him, Han felt the world slipping from his grasp, consciousness fading fast.