A young man's footsteps echoed through the hallway, his silver hair flowing like strands of moonlight, adding an effortless grace to his appearance. Yet his expression was anything but graceful—his sharp silver eyes were filled with irritation, his lips pressed into a thin line.
"What's the status?" The words left his mouth coldly as he approached a woman in a nurse's uniform.
She hesitated, worry evident in her expression as she gestured toward the holographic screen in front of her. Data flickered rapidly, red warnings flashing in urgency. "He can't hold on much longer. Doctor, please, can't we do something? He'll die at this rate!"
The man's brows furrowed slightly before his gaze finally flickered toward the figure lying on the bed beside the nurse.
Prince Kaelen.
It had been years since he'd last laid eyes on him, and yet… Icarus could still recognize every detail. The dark lashes resting against his bruised skin, the regal lines of his face now dulled by unconsciousness, and the gold-tinged blood seeping from the wounds across his chest.
Hatred. That was the first thing Icarus felt. A raw, unfiltered hatred, buried so deep that even now, it threatened to surface.
He'd spent years refusing to acknowledge this man's existence, avoiding every possible encounter, erasing him from his world. But despite it all, fate had dragged him right back into Kaelen's orbit.
Icarus clenched his jaw, his emotions masked by a veil of cold professionalism. "Prepare the capsule."
He turned on his heel, his coat swaying behind him as he walked away, unwilling to spare the unconscious prince another glance.
As Dr. Icarus Wynn exited the ICU Module, the sterile, white-lit corridors of the hospital seemed to blur around him. The contrast between his pale silver hair and the dark, form-fitting lab coat only enhanced the ethereal beauty that he was known for—or rather, unknown for.
Very few people had seen him up close.
Even among the elite of the kingdom, Icarus was an enigma. He never attended royal gatherings, never appeared at public events, and always kept to himself within the depths of the Kingdom's Science Division. His work was invaluable, his intelligence unmatched, but his presence was a rarity, a forbidden sight to most.
Yet, standing there under the cold hospital lights, with his sharp silver eyes and perfectly chiseled features, he looked as if he had stepped out of a cinematic masterpiece.
And Princess Celeste Vardis noticed.
If not for the dire situation at hand, she might have snapped a picture or two and would have asked the infamously cold Doctor Wynn on a date.
But now was not the time.
Clad in the traditional black and crimson of the royal family, Celeste's usually playful golden eyes were clouded with anxiety. Her perfectly styled blonde locks framed her sharp features, and her Alpha presence was enough to make most people falter under her gaze.
Most people.
But Icarus barely spared her a glance.
"Icarus! Is he—?"
She rushed forward, her usually composed expression tight with anxiety. Unlike her brother, she had inherited softer Alpha features, though her presence was just as commanding. Her usually elegant posture was gone, replaced by frantic energy.
"Tell me the truth—how bad is it?" she asked.
Icarus met her gaze with his usual impassivity. "Critical."
Celeste sucked in a sharp breath. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.
Icarus had no sympathy for Kaelen, but Celeste was another matter. She had never wronged him. Unlike her brother, she had never been a reason for his nightmares.
He exhaled. "I've stabilized him for now, but it's only temporary."
Celeste pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. "There has to be something else—"
Before she could finish, the air in the room thickened. A sharp wave of Alpha dominance spread through the hallway, making even the royal guards stiffen.
Icarus knew exactly who had arrived.
The Emperor.
The moment the Emperor entered, the tension spiked.
His golden eyes scanned the room, piercing through everyone like a predator assessing prey. The royal guards immediately straightened, and even Celeste, despite her own Alpha nature, took an instinctive step back.
Only Icarus remained still.
Even as the overwhelming Alpha aura crashed against his Omega instincts, he refused to show weakness.
The Emperor's gaze landed on him. "Icarus Wynn."
It wasn't a greeting—it was a command.
Icarus met the gaze head-on. "Your Majesty."
The Emperor's voice was low but carried weight. "You are the only one capable of saving him. Do it."
Celeste looked between them, still shaken but desperate. "Icarus… Please."
For a moment, the doctor said nothing.
He had already made his decision the moment he stepped into the hospital. He knew there was no escaping this.
Still—being ordered to do it only worsened the bitter taste in his mouth.
Finally, he spoke. "The capsule is ready. I've already linked Kaelen's soul to the QT System, but he won't survive unless all his fragmented pieces are retrieved."
Celeste's brow furrowed. "QT System?"
Icarus turned to the holographic screen beside him, pulling up a projection of the capsule's interface.
"The QT System is a multi-dimensional neural containment. Right now, Kaelen's body is stable, but his soul is already fractured. If left alone, he will cease to exist entirely."
Celeste paled. Even the Emperor's eyes darkened.
Icarus continued. "To recover him, I need to enter the system myself and retrieve his soul fragments across different timelines."
Silence filled the room.
Then, the Emperor stepped forward. His Alpha presence was suffocating. "And you will do it. Now."
Icarus didn't respond immediately. He didn't need to.
He was already walking toward the capsule chamber.
The chamber was silent.
At the center stood the QT Capsule, its glass-like surface shimmering with dim blue light. The advanced machinery hummed quietly, waiting.
Icarus exhaled. His expression remained unreadable, but inside, he braced himself.
He placed a hand on the interface. The system immediately responded.
[USER IDENTIFIED: DR. ICARUS WYNN]
[MISSION OBJECTIVE: RECOVER SOUL FRAGMENTS]
[INITIALIZING SYSTEM ENTRY…]
Celeste watched from behind, her hands clasped tightly. Even the Emperor, ever unreadable, showed a flicker of concern in his golden eyes.
Icarus stepped into the capsule.
As the glass lid sealed shut, the room dimmed. The soft hum of the system grew louder.
And then—
Darkness.
Weightlessness.
And in the next instant—
He was falling.