Chris sat in silence, the dim glow of the Pride Fragment radiating faintly in his chest. The encounter with Eryndor had left a mark, not just physically but mentally. The demon's words echoed in his mind: The nobles won't take your rise lightly. Be ready.
He leaned forward on his throne, his hand tracing the armrest. The dungeon, while strong, wasn't invincible. It was a statement of power, but that statement had drawn attention far sooner than he had planned.
Nyx approached quietly, her crimson eyes flickering in the low light. She studied him for a moment before speaking. "Master, the reinforcements are ready. The new defenders are stationed at all key points."
Chris nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. "Good. We'll need to push harder. Eryndor wasn't an enemy, but he won't be the last to test us. The next one might not walk away so easily."
Nyx tilted her head, a faint smirk gracing her lips. "Then perhaps it's time to show the demon nobles what happens when they underestimate us."
Chris stood, his gaze sharp. "Not yet. We need to consolidate first. The Pride Fragment may have awakened partially, but until I reclaim the other pieces, I won't risk exposing too much."
The thought of the other fragments weighed heavily on his mind. They were scattered, dormant, waiting for their rightful heir. But reclaiming them would mean facing challenges that made Eryndor's intrusion look trivial.
As he strategized, Caelum appeared, his energy bright and restless. "Master, the Shadow Labyrinth's new defenses are operational. And… there's something else."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Caelum hesitated, his glow dimming slightly. "It's a presence—at the edge of the dungeon's territory. It feels… familiar, but I can't pinpoint why."
Chris exchanged a glance with Nyx before speaking. "Familiar how?"
The sprite fidgeted. "It's not hostile, but it's powerful. Like it belongs to something—or someone—you've encountered before."
Chris's mind raced. Could it be Eryndor again? Or was it someone else from the nobles?
"Show me," Chris ordered.
---
The edge of the dungeon's territory was a barren expanse, the ground cracked and lifeless. As Chris, Nyx, and Caelum approached, the presence grew stronger. It wasn't oppressive, but it carried a weight that demanded attention.
Then he saw her.
A figure stood at the edge of the boundary, cloaked in shadows. Her silhouette was slender, but there was an unmistakable aura of power surrounding her. As she stepped closer, the shadows peeled away, revealing her features.
Chris's breath caught in his throat. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes—deep and piercing—locked onto his. There was something achingly familiar about her, something that stirred memories he had buried long ago.
"Luna?" The name escaped his lips before he could stop it.
The woman froze, her expression shifting from neutral to something softer. "Chris…" Her voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that made the world around them seem to pause.
Nyx stiffened beside him, her gaze flicking between the two. "Master, who is this?"
Chris didn't answer. His mind was too consumed by the impossible truth standing before him. Luna, his sister from his previous life—the only family he had ever known—was here.
"It's really you," Chris said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Luna stepped closer, her expression wavering between relief and confusion. "I… I don't know how, but I knew I'd find you here. I've been searching for so long."
The tension broke as Chris closed the distance between them, pulling her into an embrace. For a moment, the weight of his responsibilities, his plans, and his ambitions faded away. All that mattered was the presence of the one person he thought he'd lost forever.
Nyx watched silently, her expression unreadable. She didn't interrupt, though her fists clenched at her sides.
---
Back in the dungeon's core chamber, Luna recounted her story.
"I don't know how I ended up here," she admitted, her gaze fixed on the Pride Fragment glowing faintly in Chris's chest. "One moment, I was in our old world, and the next… I woke up in a place full of monsters and chaos. I fought my way out, following a feeling—like a thread leading me to you."
Chris listened intently, his mind racing to make sense of it. Could this be a result of his connection to the Pride Fragment? Or was it something else entirely?
"And you've been fighting ever since?" he asked.
Luna nodded. "I had no choice. This world isn't kind to those who are alone. But I survived because I had a purpose—to find you."
Nyx finally spoke, her tone sharp. "And now that you've found him, what do you plan to do?"
Luna's gaze flicked to Nyx, her expression unreadable. "I don't plan to leave. Chris is my brother—my only family. Wherever he goes, I go."
Chris felt the tension between the two women but chose to address it later. "You're staying," he said firmly. "This dungeon will be your home now."
Luna smiled, the warmth of it stirring emotions Chris hadn't felt in a long time.
But beneath the surface, he knew this reunion was just the beginning. Luna's presence raised questions he couldn't yet answer, and her arrival would undoubtedly draw more attention to his growing power.
For now, though, he allowed himself a moment of peace. With Luna by his side, the path ahead felt less daunting. Together, they would face whatever challenges this world had in store.