I never imagined something like this would happen to us.

Does everything really have to end this way?

The night wind howled through the gaps in the ancient ruins, shaking the wild bushes that grew among the cracked stones. The pale full moon, like a sheet of silver cloth, pierced through thin clouds, casting long, dancing shadows across the crumbling walls. Hidden within the darkness of the ruins, a pair of eyes gleamed with both determination and despair.

Aksel and Veera, two souls bound by fate, were trapped in the cold, damp labyrinth of stone. Their breaths came in rapid bursts, their chests rising and falling as blood and adrenaline surged through their veins. Behind them, the echo of their pursuers' footsteps drew closer, their harsh voices like the howls of wolves ripping through the stillness of the night.

Veera, her long white hair tangled and her clothes torn, clutched Aksel's bloodied hand tightly. Her eyes, which were usually filled with spirit and joy, were now brimming with unshed tears. Her lips trembled as she struggled to hold back her sobs. Yet, despite everything, a faint glimmer of hope flickered, like embers refusing to die.

Aksel, his jaw clenched and his brow furrowed, returned Veera's grip. He knew they were both standing on the brink of death, that there was no way out of this deadly trap. But he would not allow Veera to give up so easily. He would do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

"In the end... it all stops here, Veera..." Aksel gasped, his voice choked with emotion. He grasped both of Veera's hands tightly, his eyes glistening.

"It's... okay..." Veera forced a smile, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Even making it this far... is a miracle... for us to have escaped... I have no regrets coming this far with you... Aksel..." She wrapped her arms around Aksel's blood-soaked body, burying her face in his shoulder.

Aksel hugged her back, his body trembling. "Listen carefully, Veera..." He took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "There's something I've kept secret from everyone. You'll understand... after I do this... Don't you want to meet me again someday?"

In this world, no one knew whether the action Aksel was about to take would succeed or not—not even Aksel himself—but he had no other choice.

Veera remained silent, raising her gaze to meet Aksel's eyes, filled with thought. But there was nothing they could do, their time was running out, and time would not stop for them.

"I... understand what you mean." She nodded slowly, her tears still flowing. "If it's the right decision... I'm ready to go anywhere... with you..."

The two of them stared deeply into each other's eyes, deeper than any ocean in the world. It was as if they both understood that this was how it was always meant to be. Time seemed to slow, giving space for the feelings they had held back. In the silence, a million words were spoken without sound. Hope, laughter, tears, wounds, beauty, and happiness—all were clearly reflected in their eyes. This was not just a meeting of two pairs of eyes, but the parting of two souls.

In a voice so soft it was barely audible, Aksel whispered his final words to Veera, "Even in a moment like this... you are so beautiful." Tears rolled down his cheeks, falling onto Veera's tangled hair. "I will find you... in the next life. That's my promise."

Veera nodded, her tears mingling with Aksel's blood. "And even... God Himself... won't be able... to separate us."

"Renatum: Sacrificium."

In an instant, a blinding light burst from their bodies, illuminating the ancient ruins with a flash of energy so intense it was blinding. The stones trembled, the walls cracked and collapsed, and dust swirled into the air, dancing in the light of their death. When the light finally faded, all that remained was a horrific pattern of blood and rubble, the silent witness to their final sacrifice.

Moments later, one of their pursuers arrived at their hiding place. He squinted, surveying the chaos before him with a look of shock and confusion. There were no bodies, no signs of struggle, only an odd pattern that could have only been caused by a massive explosion.

"You two have proven once again that you were right to be hunted by us... and that we failed to capture you." The mysterious figure smiled faintly, as if understanding what Aksel had done.

"Aequilibrium Dimensionum Custos, the attempt to capture Aksel Matthias and Veera Minerva for the theft of a Reliquiae Dimensionum: the Embodiment of Darkness, has failed."

The mysterious figure and his troops disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind. Yet, amidst the smoking ruins, a tiny golden light began to flicker, accompanied by the arrival of two butterflies.

In a place unreachable by the limits of human understanding, where space and time intertwine like delicate threads in the fabric of fate, there exists a nameless realm. Neither heaven nor hell, not even the afterlife—this place transcends all concepts of the mortal world. Here, there is only eternal emptiness, endlessly echoing with whispers of the past and future.

Amidst this void, soft lights flickered, forming patterns that defied explanation. The sky was not a sky, but a series of dimensions floating between consciousness and reality. Time flowed like a river with no beginning and no end, a ceaseless illusion that constantly shifted, as if it lived in an unbroken cycle. Space had no boundaries here, curving and bending according to the will of the ruler who inhabited this place.

And in the center of that void, two figures stood facing each other. One of them, the smaller figure, knelt before the other. Erin, leader of the chaser division from the Aequilibrium Dimensionum Custos, trembled silently. His face bowed, as if the courage he once had had evaporated in the presence of a far greater authority. In his hands, he gripped a spear—a weapon that had been used in countless chases across the universe, but now felt useless.

Before him stood Aetherion, a majestic and imposing figure, his eyes glowing with a light no mortal could dare to look upon. In his hand, Aetherion held a gleaming golden sword, adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to tell a thousand untold stories lost to history. Each stroke on the blade contained an energy capable of either destroying or creating worlds.

Aetherion gazed at Erin with a cold stare, but there was no anger in his eyes. Only an unshakable firmness, like time that could not be halted.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, was it?" His voice thundered, echoing like thousands of voices speaking at once from every direction. "How many chances have I given you?!"

Erin tried to swallow, though his throat felt dry. He knew there was no excuse that could justify his failure. 

"Please, your exaltedness, Aetherion." His voice was low, full of regret. "I never imagined those two would be able to escape. They seem to have destroyed the relic they stole as well."

"Erin!" Aetherion's voice split the void, shaking the dimensions around them. "You are the leader of the chaser division! Is it not shameful that after millions of years of your reputation, you have failed for the second time, and the ones who defeated you are mere humans?!"

The tone in Aetherion's voice was piercing, as if the space around them trembled in harmony with fear. This place, once serene, now felt as though it could collapse with a single word from the great being. Erin felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier, but he dared not show his weakness.

"I will not defend myself," Erin replied with what resolve remained. He slowly lowered his spear to the nameless ground beneath his feet, a gesture of submission witnessed by his troops. Erin's soldiers, standing behind him, followed their leader's motion, placing their weapons down in silence. They all knew that this failure was not just Erin's responsibility but theirs as well for failing to stop Aksel and Veera—humans who should never have been able to challenge the laws of dimensions.

Aetherion exhaled deeply. In the sudden silence that felt too deep, he lowered his sword slightly, though the blade's glow still illuminated the darkness around them.

"I gave you the power to maintain dimensional balance, Erin. You know very well what's at stake. The relic they stole is not just an object; it is the key that holds the boundaries between worlds across the universe. If that relic is truly destroyed, unimaginable catastrophe will follow."

Erin bowed even lower, his body trembling slightly. "I beg for your forgiveness, your exaltedness."

"Forgiveness?" Aetherion's voice was full of mockery. "Forgiveness is reserved for those who deserve it. But you... you have failed the very laws of nature itself. And the punishment for failing to uphold balance is not a light one."

Aetherion stepped forward, each of his steps shaking the reality around them. Time and space trembled, shifting shape beneath the feet of the ruler of dimensions. He stopped directly in front of Erin, who remained kneeling on the ground.

But instead of swinging his sword, Aetherion raised his empty hand. In a slow motion, he pressed his fingers against the air, and instantly, the scenery around them began to change. Millions of stars flickered, forming intricate patterns that encircled them, as if the universe itself was watching what would happen. In that moment, Erin felt so small—not only before Aetherion, but in the face of the forces that governed every corner of this reality.

"You will not be forgiven, Erin," Aetherion said slowly. "But you will be given one final chance—a task that will determine your fate in the eyes of the law."

Erin slowly looked up, his eyes filled with faint hope. "A task, your exaltedness?"

"Find them," Aetherion replied, his voice resonating through every star glowing in the dark sky. "Find Aksel and Veera before they harness the power they have awakened. If you succeed, balance will be restored, and perhaps... you will find forgiveness."

Erin straightened himself, though fear still lingered in his heart. He knew this task would be far more difficult than the previous mission, for now Aksel and Veera were no longer mere mortals. They had connected with something far greater, something Erin himself could not fully comprehend.

But this was his final chance.

With a heart full of determination, Erin stood, grasped his spear once more, and vowed to himself that he would not fail again.

Per angusta ad augusta.