Princess Fiona was descending the stairs when she heard a voice.
"Oh… so you're awake," Aiden said without looking at her.
She hesitated for a moment before replying, "Y-Yes… but who are you?"
Aiden finally turned to her. "First, have a seat."
Fiona nodded and sat down on the sofa.
"Now, let me introduce myself," Aiden continued. "I am Aiden, the one in charge of this universe. And I extend my heartiest gratitude to Her Highness."
Fiona blinked in surprise. He's… well-mannered? I thought he'd be arrogant because of his position.
Gathering her thoughts, she spoke firmly. "I am Fiona, Princess of Veridion, and I ask for your help!" Her eyes reflected deep concern.
Aiden narrowed his eyes slightly. "Veridion? But I thought you were from planet EV01s."
She shook her head. "No, Veridion is my home."
Aiden tilted his head.
"And what's the name of your planet?"asked Fiona.
"Earth," he answered simply.
Fiona's lips curled into a smirk. "Oh… you mean Planet 0?" she said in a teasing tone.
Aiden raised an eyebrow, realizing her implication. "That's an interesting way to put it," he admitted. "But let's not get sidetracked. What do you mean by 'help'?"
Princess Fiona suddenly realized she was speaking in her own language. Yet Aiden understood her perfectly.
"Wait… how do you know my language?" she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Aiden let out a small chuckle. "Oh, that? There's nothing to worry about. As long as Ultra Vision has knowledge of a language, I can understand and speak it effortlessly."
Fiona's eyes widened. "Wait… how do you know what I was thinking just now?"
Aiden hesitated for a brief moment before flashing a casual smile. "I just guessed that you might be wondering about that. Nothing more."
She pursed her lips, still doubtful. But there were more pressing matters at hand. Shaking off her suspicion, she took a deep breath and steeled herself.
"Aiden," she started, her voice carrying the weight of responsibility, "I need your help."
Aiden's expression turned serious. "What kind of help?"
Fiona clenched her fists. "Two days ago, a ruler named Void sent a messenger with an ultimatum: either we surrender or be destroyed. His exact words—'be destroyed.'"
Aiden narrowed his eyes. "And I assume you chose to fight back?"
She nodded, the pain evident in her eyes. "Yes… but we underestimated him. He crushed our forces without mercy. My people fought bravely, but our army was on the brink of extinction. My father passed away two years ago, leaving the responsibility of ruling Veridion to me. But I failed. We lacked coordination, we didn't understand our enemy… and because of that, we lost."
Tears welled in Fiona's eyes. "Many sacrificed themselves to ensure my escape. My personal guard, Flin, was one of them—one of my father's most trusted men. He laid down his life to get me here safely."
Aiden's expression softened. He stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Fiona, don't blame yourself. You are not alone anymore. I promise you—I will protect you, and I will save your planet."
Fiona's breath hitched, a feeling of warmth replacing her despair. "Thank you… and please, just call me Fiona."
"As you wish," Aiden replied with a small smile.
Before Fiona could respond, a distant noise echoed outside. Aiden immediately tensed, his senses sharpening.
"Fiona!" His voice was sharp. "We are not safe here! Let's go!"
Fiona barely had time to react before Aiden grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the back door. They moved swiftly through the dark corridors, the scent of smoke and ash lingering in the air.
"But Aiden, where are we going?" Fiona asked, struggling to keep up with his pace.
"There's a mountain nearby where people rarely venture. It'll be a better place to fight if necessary. I'm going to fly us there—is that okay?"
Fiona hesitated, her heart pounding. "O… okay… as you wish."
Without another word, Aiden lifted her effortlessly into his arms and soared into the sky. The cold night wind rushed past them as they ascended, the ruined city shrinking below.
As they flew, Fiona suddenly felt a presence behind them. She turned her head slightly, eyes widening in horror.
"Aiden… s-someone is following us!"
Aiden glanced back, and his expression darkened.
Flin.
Or rather, what remained of him.
His once noble form was now twisted, his lifeless eyes glowing with an eerie hue. Void's power surged around him, his movements unnatural.
Fiona's breath hitched. "That's… Flin… but how?"
"Void can control the dead," Aiden muttered. "Which means Flin is now his puppet."
Flin's speed increased, closing the gap between them. Aiden clenched his jaw and adjusted his flight, increasing his velocity. The air cracked as he broke the sound barrier, but Flin kept up, his persistence unnatural.
Aiden pushed himself further, reaching four times the speed of sound. Fiona felt lightheaded from the force, gripping Aiden's arm tightly. But even at this speed, Flin continued his pursuit.
"Hang on, Fiona. We're almost there," Aiden assured her.
They finally reached the mountain's plateau, where Aiden landed gently. He set Fiona down before immediately turning to face their pursuer.
"Fiona, stay behind me."
Fiona swayed slightly, still dizzy from the high-speed flight. "Aiden… that man… h-he's Flin," she stammered, tears threatening to spill. "Void can control the dead, so… so I think Flin is under his power too."
Aiden exhaled sharply. "Fiona, don't worry. You're safe with me."
Flin landed with a deafening impact, his form looming over them. His once kind and noble face was devoid of emotion. He raised his weapon, dark energy crackling around him.
Aiden raised his hand. "Dimensional Shift: My World."
The air around them warped. The sky twisted, the stars vanishing as the landscape transformed into a space of Aiden's creation. A powerful pressure filled the area, shifting reality itself.
Fiona felt overwhelmed by the sudden surge of energy. "This… this power… how?"
Aiden turned to her, his gaze unwavering. "I just created an area that weakens my enemy's combat abilities while amplifying mine. No one can enter unless I allow it. The only way this space disappears is if I release it… or if I lose."
He smirked. "And I don't plan on losing."
Fiona stared at him in awe. Despite the dire situation, Aiden stood with absolute confidence.
The battle was about to begin.