"Uhh... where am I?"
Klaus and Shade stood in shock as they watched the girl in white sit up on Klaus's bed, her hand pressed against her head in mild discomfort. Her eyes, barely open, revealed deep black irises that stared at the two brothers in confusion.
Klaus remained silent, his shock evident. The moment's intensity was so high that his damaged left eye slowly opened as he looked toward her, revealing a deeply reddened eyeball clearly still in the process of healing completely.
His gaze met hers, and he couldn't look away. In his mind, he wondered, "What is this beauty?"
Although he had already noted her attractiveness while she was unconscious, at that moment, Klaus realized she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and it felt like there was something more about her that captivated him.
Klaus stood mesmerized, and Shade shared the same wonder as the girl slowly tilted her head in confusion. "Uhh..." she stammered, "Hello?"
At her statement, Klaus and Shade immediately snapped back to reality, their intense stares softening.
"Sorry about that," Shade said, moving closer with concern. "Are you okay?"
The girl squinted as she adjusted to the light, replying softly, "I... think so. I'm just trying to understand what happened to me and where I am."
Klaus and Shade exchanged a glance before approaching her cautiously. Klaus knew that much about her remained unknown, so they couldn't simply assume she was an ally.
"You were unconscious for several days," Shade explained calmly, his hands gesturing with worry. "We brought you here because it was the only way to keep you safe."
Understanding that waking up in an unfamiliar place with two strangers would be disorienting, Shade made sure to approach her as gently as possible.
The girl's gaze fixed on the two brothers. "Who are you guys?" she asked cautiously.
Shade stepped closer and introduced himself. "My name is Shade Walker," he began, "and this is my brother, Klaus Walker."
Klaus said nothing, his eyes never leaving hers out of caution. When she met his gaze, her deep black eyes widened in shock as she noticed the red, disfigured state of his left eye.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "Your eye..."
"I'm... fine," Klaus managed to reply after a pause, his tone betraying a mix of caution and something else.
"I know you have a lot of questions right now," Shade said, regaining the girl's attention, "and we have a few of our own. How about we answer each other's questions one by one? Would that be okay?"
"S-Sure," the girl replied hesitantly.
"Alright," Shade confirmed. "We already introduced ourselves. So, would you start by telling us your name?"
The girl's eyes squinted as she adjusted to the unfamiliar light. "My... name?" she questioned, then looked down, struggling to remember. Her reaction was as if she was in pain, trying to dig deep into her memories.
"I'm not... sure," she finally said.
After a moment of concentration, she blurted, "L-Live," as a memory surfaced.
"Liv?" Shade asked calmly. "Like Olivia?"
"I... think so," she replied softly, still slightly unsure.
Noticing her timid expression, Shade offered a small smile. "Well... It's nice to meet you, Olivia," he said. "I understand you're confused about where you are, so let me explain. Would that be alright?"
"Sure," Olivia replied softly, her body gradually adapting to her surroundings.
"Right now, you're at our home, the Walker residence," Shade began carefully. "But that alone doesn't explain everything. The best way to explain it to you... is that you were recently pulled from a specific future you come from."
"Future?" Olivia questioned, puzzled.
Her gaze shifted to the side, and she fixed her eyes on Ace, who was sleeping on a chair near the bed. "H-He's okay," she murmured in relief. Then, speaking a little louder, she added, "I saw him before."
"Yeah," Shade confirmed. "It's a long story, but in short, he brought you back from the future to save you."
Olivia's curiosity was clear, and Shade relaxed his defensive stance, understanding that she was simply lost rather than hostile. Klaus, however, remained vigilant and cautious, given the risks involved.
"I'd like to ask an important question, if you don't mind," Shade said, regaining Olivia's attention. "Do you remember anything about what happened before you regained consciousness?"
Olivia paused, trying to recall the events before waking on Klaus's bed. As memories began to return, her head throbbed painfully, and she flinched forward.
Seeing her distress, Shade stepped closer and placed his hand on her back. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. "You don't have to push yourself if it hurts."
"N-No... it's fine," Olivia managed between grunts, her stress easing slightly. "I just... remember all the horrors I saw for so long."
Her expression darkened as she continued, her voice trembling with pain. "I remember seeing nothing but an empty, endless landscape. I remember seeing true cataclysm, nothing but the aftermath of destruction everywhere I went."
Shade exchanged a look with Klaus; both recognized the depth of her words. Olivia had just confirmed everything Ace had said about the desolation of the future he had seen.
"Do you remember anything about your life before all this?" Shade asked. "Anything from before the destruction occurred?"
One of Shade's main concerns was understanding who Olivia was and why she was the sole survivor of such a catastrophic reality. Olivia's struggle to remember, however, was evident.
After a few moments of silence, Olivia spoke, "N-No, all I can recall is opening my eyes and seeing nothing but emptiness."
Shade could see she was having a hard time, and it frustrated her, so he tried to reassure her and make her feel comfortable. Klaus, meanwhile, stayed extremely cautious, recognizing that the fact she was the only one left in that world was deeply alarming.
Recalling something Ace had mentioned earlier, Klaus finally stepped into the conversation. "If you don't have any more questions, then would you mind answering the rest of ours?" he asked.
Olivia turned her gaze toward Klaus. "Sure," she said quietly.
"Then I need to know this," Klaus continued, "who or what caused all that destruction in the first place?"
As soon as Klaus finished, Olivia's eyes widened, and she recalled a presence she had felt. "H-Him!" she exclaimed, her voice growing louder than before. "It was him."
Klaus and Shade's alertness intensified immediately. "Who?" Shade pressed.
"I'm not exactly sure," Olivia admitted, "but I could feel his presence. He was the one who caused everything."
Shade and Klaus exchanged a glance, both realizing from Olivia's words and her reaction that the presence she sensed was that of a god. Shade was concerned that she might have been thrust into a situation beyond her understanding, unaware of the gravity of what she had encountered.
"It's possible that the presence you felt was that of a god," Shade said after returning his gaze to Olivia. "This might be shocking to you, but the legends of Onyx mythology are real, and there's a chance you encountered one of those deities."
Olivia's eyes remained fixed on Shade, and for a moment, it seemed as if she was processing his words, only to surprise them both with her next words.
"It wasn't a god," Olivia stated firmly.
Her confidence took them both aback, but Shade felt as though maybe this was just her disbelief of his words.
"Trust me," Shade eventually said, "I know it sounds wild, but..."
"No," Olivia interrupted. "I know the gods exist. But the presence I felt wasn't one of them. It was something far more powerful."
The brothers were stunned. "But that's impossible," Shade said with a tentative smile. "The gods are the pinnacle of power."
Shade found Olivia's words both amusing and baffling, unable to imagine any reality where what she described was true. Klaus, however, felt curious.
"What makes you think that the presence you felt surpasses the gods, who possess infinite power?" Klaus asked.
Olivia's gaze softened as she recalled her answer, a response that neither Klaus nor Shade had anticipated.
"Because... he killed them all with relative ease."
At her words, both brothers' expressions shifted to one of horrified shock. Olivia had confirmed that the future Ace had described, one where the gods failed to prevent a total annihilation, was so dire because they were murdered. Although this had been hinted as a possibility, Olivia's confirmation made the prospect even more terrifying.
Klaus's eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the existence of a being more powerful than the gods. If her statement were true, he was left with countless questions: Who is this being? Where is he now? Why did he choose to interfere with reality in this future? What even caused his existence in the first place?
Klaus soon realized that if Olivia's words held truth, then the gods had once again withheld vital information, a fact that infuriated him. Yet, on the other hand, Shade worried about their initial plan; recognizing that by keeping this information from the gods, they had only withheld the knowledge from fellow potential victims.
Shade's concern was immediate. "We have to go tell them," he said softly, turning to Klaus. "They might shed some light on this situation and confirm what she said."
Klaus fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement, acknowledging that Shade was right.
Turning back to Olivia, Shade added, "By the way, you should know that my brother and I, and Ace over there, are demigods. That means we're half god and half human."
"I know," Olivia replied, her expression reflecting both certainty and awe. "I... can sense the mix of divinity and mortality in your genetics."
Klaus and Shade were stunned by her response. "What even are you?" Klaus asked quietly, realizing that this girl in white was anything but ordinary.
"I... don't know," Olivia admitted, her expression softening as she looked downward.
"Regardless of your nature," Shade interjected, "we still have to meet with the gods. The information is too critical."
"I guess," Klaus said, frustration at being left in the dark clear in his tone. "But what are we going to do with her?"
Shade turned back to Olivia, deep in thought before he spoke. "She can stay here for now," he said. "We're not entirely sure about the situation, and there might be a risk in letting her meet the gods since we don't really know who she is. For now, we'll wait and hear what the gods say before deciding our next move."
Klaus nodded in agreement as Shade then turned his attention to Olivia, whose expression had grown downcast.
"Would you be okay with staying here a while?" Shade asked softly.
Olivia's eyes remained the same. "Sure," she replied in a barely audible whisper. "I just hope my presence is not a threat to your reality."
Recognizing her fear and that she was just as frightened as they were, Shade offered a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry," he assured her warmly. "Everything will be fine, including you. Just stay here for now, and I'll come back as soon as I can to keep you company."
Olivia lifted her head and met Shade's warm gaze, and a genuine smile slowly spread across her face for the first time since their encounter. Both Klaus and Shade could see her beauty clearly, reinforced by her newfound smile. However, they both knew that more urgent matters demanded their attention, so Shade and Klaus soon began to depart for Higher World.
As they walked past Klaus's door, Klaus felt a twinge of unease. The moment had finally settled, and he realized there was an uncomfortable feeling he needed to address with Shade.
"Uhh... Shade," Klaus began, causing Shade to halt. "About what I said to you earlier..."
"It's fine," Shade replied immediately, still looking toward the stairs. "We were both frustrated about the situation, so you don't have to worry about what I think."
Shade then turned his attention to Klaus and added, "But you need to talk to Riley. Whatever you said to her clearly wasn't enough, and that isn't fair to her."
Klaus's expression softened. "I guess you're right," he admitted. "I'm just not good with these things."
"I can tell," Shade said, a smile slowly spreading on his face. "But for now, let's focus on what's really important."
Klaus and Shade headed down the stairs with the goal of heading to their transportation location when a voice called out from the living room.
"Shade? Klaus?" Natalie said as she emerged.
Natalie watched them walk with determined urgency. "Are you two okay?"
"We're fine, Mom," Shade replied. "We just have something important to take care of in Higher World."
As they continued, Natalie noticed Klaus's arm sling and his severely damaged, reddened left eye. "Oh my gosh," she gasped in shock. "Sweetie, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Klaus answered, walking past her. "You don't need to worry about this. We have to go."
Natalie watched as Klaus and Shade headed for the main door, feeling only pain from their reaction to her words.
"I know my life is meaningless in the grand scheme of the gods," Natalie suddenly said, catching the brothers' attention. "I understand you don't need to tell your human mother things that don't concern her. But please, all I ask from the two of you... is to take care of yourselves."
Tears began to roll down Natalie's face as she lowered her head. Klaus and Shade turned back, walking toward her in concern.
"I know that one day my mortal life will end," Natalie continued with a heavy heart, "and I also know that Sol and you both will ultimately outlive me, and I will only be a memory. But even though my opinions may be insignificant, seeing you both hurt, both physically and mentally, hurts me deeply as well."
Klaus could tell that Natalie had been suffering for a long time, perhaps ever since they officially became demigods. Their neglect of the mortal side of their lives had driven a wedge between them, giving her time to dwell on negative thoughts, especially since she wasn't even sure what was really happening with them in the divine part of their lives.
Klaus and Shade paused a few steps from their sobbing mother. "Mom," Shade said softly, "you don't have to think like that. Your life is the most important thing to us, and you know that."
"I know," Natalie said, wiping away her tears. "I've just been frustrated by how hard things have been these past few weeks. Not being able to go outside has made me overthink everything."
Natalie's expression was down, and seeing her in that state caused Klaus tremendous, indescribable pain. "Your life is the most important thing to me," he said, capturing both Natalie and Shade's attention. "And yes, I am terrified of the thought that one day I will lose you."
His words were deep but purposeful, evident in his expression. "During the crisis," he continued, "the demon who caused everything targeted the two mortals closest to me, and you were one of them."
Klaus's expression softened for a moment. "Unfortunately, I couldn't save the other person," he said quietly. "But even with the pain I still feel from that day, I'm not sure I could have maintained my ideals and sanity if I had lost you instead."
Natalie began to tear up again as she listened to the raw emotions Klaus shared, something he rarely did.
"Never imply that your life is insignificant," Klaus added, his stern gaze, highlighted by his reddened left eye, fixed on her. "Because to me... and to Shade... and to Dad, your life holds more meaning than anything else in all of reality, and it's the reason we strive to get better."
Tears streamed down Natalie's face before she smiled warmly. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I'm sorry you had to remind me about the loving family I have beside me."
After her words, Natalie rushed to Klaus and gave him a big hug. Klaus grunted slightly as she held him tightly, even with his arm still in a sling.
"Ow, my arm," Klaus exclaimed with a small smile.
"It's okay," Natalie replied, her grip still firm and her eyes closed. "You'll heal it out later."
Shade stood nearby with a big smile on his face. "Well said, bro," he thought before Natalie pulled him into the embrace as well.
The Walker family held the embrace for a few moments before Natalie let go. "Sorry," she said with a smile. "I forgot you both have something important to do."
Klaus and Shade were glad they could help ease their mother's distress, and they smiled at her before finally departing, ensuring she felt their love.
After leaving, Klaus and Shade headed to their respective transportation points, arriving in Higher World shortly after. Immediately after regrouping, they teleported once again to the Domain of the Gods.
As the duo opened their eyes, they walked across the beautiful domain in search of a god. The soothing breeze and the rustling of leaves in the park-like surroundings were extremely calming, like a perfect place to relax. But they had a goal, so they couldn't enjoy the scenery for long; they had to find a god as quickly as possible.
Coincidentally, as they traversed the pathways, Klaus and Shade noticed the presence of three gods- Sol, Siege, and Abyss- strolling nearby and deep in conversation. Noticing the two demigods, the gods turned toward them.
"Klaus, Shade," Abyss began with a smile, "what brings you two here?"
"Father," Shade said urgently, "we have some very important news we need to share with you all."
Sol and Siege stood beside Abyss, their attention focused on the urgency in Shade's voice.
"It's a very long story," Klaus said, "but to summarize the most important parts: there is a possible future in which all of reality is destroyed... including the gods."
The gods exchanged confused glances at Klaus's statement, their expressions softening in disbelief. "Do you even understand the weight of your words, Spawn of Sol?" Siege demanded, his voice as intimidating as ever, his arms still folded.
"Yes," Klaus replied firmly. "Because from what we discovered, this reality exists... because the gods were murdered by another entity, one claimed to be even more powerful."
At Klaus's words, the eyes of all three gods widened in a mix of shock and horror. Slowly, Siege lowered his folded arms and turned his head to the others.
"That's... impossible," Sol said in utter disbelief. "It can't be true."
Abyss fixed his gaze on Klaus. "Are you sure about what you're saying?" he asked urgently.
"Yes," Klaus confirmed once more. "I've also discussed this topic with Nekro."
The gods' expressions grew fearful, as if confronted with a truth they had never imagined. Abyss then turned directly to Siege. "Do you think this is..." he began before stopping.
"But it cannot be," Siege interjected. "There is no possible way he can escape from there on his own, even for a being like him."
"Still," Sol replied to Siege, "you know that such a situation cannot be taken lightly."
"I know that," Siege admitted. "We must not allow this reality to be destroyed as well, and he must never be set free from that realm, no matter what."
"Who?" Klaus suddenly asked, his curiosity unmistakable.
Klaus and Shade looked on in complete confusion, unaware of the details of this conversation among the gods. The deities exchanged knowing glances, realizing that they were discussing information that had never been shared with the demigods.
Abyss, recognizing the gravity of the matter, spoke up. "We have to tell them about him," he said to the other gods.
"I agree," Sol concurred.
"Who exactly are you referring to?" Shade asked, frustration evident in his tone.
Sol's expression darkened to one of the lowest intensity Klaus had ever seen as he spoke sharply, "The being who began everything in all of reality... The End."