The bar had grown quieter now, the lively chatter fading into the background as Jin leaned back in his chair. Rebekah watched him intently, her sharp green eyes never leaving his face. The playful demeanor she'd shown earlier was gone, replaced by an unwavering seriousness.
"You really want to know?" Jin asked, his voice steady but low, as if the weight of his words threatened to crush the air around them.
Rebekah nodded, her expression calm but firm. "I want the truth. All of it."
Jin exhaled slowly, his grip tightening slightly on the mug in his hands. "Alright," he said. "Here's everything."
Narration Begins
"I come from the place you call the Forbidden World," Jin began, his voice heavy with emotion. "But we don't call it that. To us, it's the New World—a simulated reality created by six of the most powerful and dangerous beings alive. We call them the Shadow Council. They're not human, not entirely. They control everything in the New World, bending it to their will, and they've ruled unchallenged for as long as anyone can remember."
He paused, his jaw tightening as he recalled the faces of his friends. "The Shadow Council has one goal: to eliminate anyone with abilities they can't control. People like me, my friends, and countless others who refused to fall in line. And to do it, they created agents—dark forces trained and programmed to hunt us down. These agents aren't like your Sentinels," he added, his tone sharp. "They're puppets. Tools of destruction, sent to do the Council's dirty work without question."
Rebekah listened closely, her green eyes flickering with curiosity and unease, but she didn't interrupt.
"I've faced those agents," Jin continued. "Valkris and Nightshade—they're two of the mini strongest. Puppets, yes, but terrifying all the same. Valkris is gone now. I… I killed him. But Nightshade…" He hesitated, his voice faltering slightly before he steeled himself. "He's still out there. And there are more like them. Dozens, maybe hundreds."
Rebekah's expression didn't change, but her gaze sharpened. "And the Council?" she asked. "The six who control it all. Have you seen them?"
Jin shook his head. "Not directly. The agents are their shield, their sword. They never show themselves—not to people like me. But Jon… the man who helped me escape… he knew them. He said they're not just rulers. They're monsters in every sense of the word. Each one stronger than the last, each one more dangerous than anything I've ever faced. And they're watching, waiting for the right moment to strike."
Jin's voice grew quieter, his gaze dropping to the table as he continued. "Three years ago, my friends Amy and Ryker were captured by the Shadow Council's agents. We tried to save them, but it was a trap. We walked right into it. If it weren't for Jon, I wouldn't be alive right now."
He paused, his hands clenching into fists. "I've lost them all," he said softly. "Amy, Ryker, Rex… even Jon. The Shadow Council doesn't just take people. They take everything—your hope, your future, your will to fight. And when they're done with you, they leave nothing behind."
Rebekah leaned back slightly, her arms crossed as she absorbed his words. Her expression softened, but only slightly. "And the map?" she asked after a moment. "The one that brought you here. What's at the end of it?"
Jin shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "Jon kept it for me before he…" He hesitated, his voice catching briefly. "Before he was gone. He said it would lead me to a place where I could start over, find people who could help me. But now…" He gestured faintly to their surroundings. "Now I'm here. And I don't even know what I'm looking for."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Rebekah's sharp green eyes stayed locked on Jin's face, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her voice softer than before.
"You've been through hell," she said. "I get that. And you've got every reason to want to run, to hide, to keep going until you're out of reach. But here's the thing." She leaned forward slightly, her gaze hardening. "The Free World isn't a hiding place. If you're going to stay here, you're going to have to fight. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow—but eventually, you'll have to choose what you're fighting for."
Jin didn't respond immediately. He stared into his mug, the weight of everything he'd said—and everything he'd lost—pressing down on him. Finally, he looked up, meeting her gaze.
"I'm not here to fight," he said quietly. "Not yet."
Rebekah didn't break eye contact, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "We'll see," she said simply.
As they sat in silence, the faint sound of a bell echoed through the city. Jin glanced toward the door, his body tensing slightly as he caught sight of the Sentinels passing by outside. His hand brushed instinctively against the hilt of his blade, a quiet resolve building within him.
"Relax Jin,Come with me" Rebekah said?
Scene: The Palace of the Free World
Rebekah stopped outside the towering gates of the palace, the soft glow of lanterns casting long shadows across its intricate carvings. The palace was grand yet strangely simple, its walls adorned with symbols that seemed to represent unity and freedom. Jin looked up at it, his expression unreadable as Rebekah turned to him.
"My father will want to meet you," she said, her voice steady but carrying a note of caution. "He knows more about the Forbidden World than anyone else in the Free World."
Jin nodded silently, following her through the gates as the guards stepped aside, their armor gleaming in the dim light. The hallway leading to the throne room was lined with tapestries depicting battles and victories, scenes of struggle and triumph that spoke of a people who had fought hard for their freedom.
Rebekah pushed open the heavy doors to the throne room, and there he was—King Aegon, seated on a modest yet regal throne. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his silver-streaked hair falling just past his shoulders. His presence filled the room, not with arrogance, but with the quiet authority of a leader who had seen and endured much.
His sharp eyes flickered to Rebekah first, then to Jin, who stood just behind her. "So," he said, his voice deep and calm. "You're the boy from the Forbidden World."
Jin stepped forward, his posture tense but respectful. "I'm Jin," he said simply.
King Aegon gestured for him to approach. "Come closer,Jin Let's talk."
Jin moved closer, Rebekah standing to the side as her father studied him. There was a long pause before Aegon spoke again.
"I've heard stories of the New World," Aegon began, his voice heavy with thought. "A place ruled by an iron hand, where freedom is nothing but a dream. But I also know that the Shadow Council has been watching us. They've wanted this city for decades, maybe longer. And they're not going to stop until they have it."
Jin's jaw tightened. "Then why haven't they come yet?"
Aegon leaned back slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Because they've been waiting. Preparing. They know that when they come, it won't just be a battle. It'll be a war. One that will merge both worlds into chaos."
Jin's eyes flickered with unease, his hand instinctively brushing against the hilt of his blade. "You've known about this all along?"
"Yes," Aegon said simply. "And we've been preparing too. The Free World isn't just a refuge. It's a stronghold. We've been building our defenses for years, waiting for the day when the Shadow Council makes their move. But even with all our preparation, we're still at a disadvantage. Their power… it's not of this world."
Jin's gaze darkened, his fists clenching at his sides. "Then why haven't you done anything? Why wait for them to come to you?"
Aegon's expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "Because fighting them head-on would mean the end of this city. Of everything we've built. The Shadow Council isn't like anything you've faced before.You know that better than anyone."
Jin didn't respond, his mind racing as memories of Valkris and Nightshade flashed through his thoughts.
Aegon shifted in his seat, his tone softening slightly. "But you," he said, his gaze piercing. "You're different. Your bloodline… it's not ordinary."
Jin's eyes snapped to him, his expression hardening. "What do you mean?"
Aegon leaned forward slightly. "Your lineage carries something ancient. Something powerful. It's no coincidence that the Shadow Council fears you. If you're going to survive what's coming, you need to understand who you are and what you carry."
Jin took a step back, shaking his head. "I'm not interested in that," he said firmly. "Right now, I have one goal: saving my friend Rex. He's been captured by the New World, and I'm not leaving him behind."
Aegon's gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable. "Saving him won't be easy," he said finally. "But if that's the path you've chosen, you'll need allies. Rebekah can help you, but know this, Jin—whatever you think you're fighting for, it's part of something much larger. You can't outrun it forever."
Jin didn't respond immediately, his jaw tightening as he looked away. "We'll see," he said quietly.
As Rebekah led him out of the throne room, the weight of Aegon's words pressed heavily on Jin's mind. The idea of his lineage, of the war to come, of the Shadow Council's looming threat—it was too much to process. But one thing was clear: if he was going to save Rex, he couldn't do it alone