"Move!"

Assura’s voice cut through the balcony like a blade.

The chained figure above the capital shifted again inside the fractured sky, dragging enormous broken chains behind it while silver light spread unnaturally across the clouds.

The entire city below had descended into chaos.

Temple bells rang wildly.

Guards shouted across the palace walls.

People were running through the lower districts now.

Mason stared upward in disbelief.

"...Why is every cosmic problem in this world shaped like a nightmare?"

Nobody answered because the creature suddenly moved.

Not downward but forward, reality bent around it as the massive figure leaned partially through the fracture itself, as though the sky were struggling to contain its weight.

Athlian’s fear hit him hard again. ’We need to leave.’

"Oh good," Mason replied internally.

"Because I was planning to stand here and emotionally process the apocalypse."

Draca stepped directly in front of him without hesitation.

"Inside," the commander ordered firmly.

Mason blinked. "You know, usually I’d argue with authority, but tonight has been educational."

Another pulse shook the capital.

Silver cracks spread farther across the heavens overhead.

Seraphine tightened her grip on her spear beside the balcony doors. "The outer districts are collapsing into panic."

Saleem looked moments away from fainting completely. "The High Temple is already demanding answers."

"Then lie to them," Mason replied instantly.

Everyone looked at him.

"What?" he asked defensively. "You people keep acting shocked whenever I suggest practical survival strategies."

Zereth’s shadows curled violently along the stone floor while his silver eyes remained fixed on the sky.

"That thing is not part of the Tribunal."

Wonderful, even worse somehow.

Assura’s crimson gaze narrowed slightly.

"No."

Mason immediately pointed upward.

"Great. Excellent. Very reassuring clarification."

The chained figure shifted again.

This time its enormous head tilted slightly toward the palace.

Towards the goddess.

Mason felt a cold panic crawl down his spine.

"...Why does everything terrifying keep making eye contact with me specifically?"

Athlian remained tense inside him. ’It senses resonance.’

"Everybody keeps saying resonance like that explains literally anything."

Draca’s hand suddenly closed carefully around his wrist.

"Come."

Mason hated how quickly his panic eased slightly because of it.

Athlian noticed immediately. ’Again.’

"Please focus on the giant chained nightmare in the sky."

’I am multitasking.’

Emotionally annoying goddess.

The group moved quickly back inside the war chamber while guards rushed through the surrounding corridors.

The palace itself felt unstable now.

Small tremors continued vibrating beneath the floor every few seconds.

Mason immediately dropped into the nearest chair again.

"I officially miss taxes and internet problems."

Seraphine stared at him. "What is internet?"

"Something beautiful that this world tragically lacks."

"No one understands half the things you say."

"Honestly neither do I anymore."

Saleem rushed toward the central war table, spreading new reports across the surface with visibly shaking hands.

"The northern gates are overwhelmed already," he said nervously. "Citizens are trying to flee the capital."

Draca frowned immediately. "Open the southern districts instead."

Saleem blinked. "But the Coalition soldiers..."

"Will maintain order if properly commanded."

Seraphine nodded once. "I’ll send riders immediately."

The two commanders shifted into strategy almost naturally after that.

Orders, routes, containment, civilian protection.

Mason listened quietly for a moment while watching the tension spreading across the room.

Honestly strange.

Just weeks ago none of this involved him.

Now celestial horrors apparently tracked him across dimensions.

Terrible career progression.

Athlian stirred softly. ’You’re calmer.’

"Shock exhaustion."

’Draca helps.’

Absolutely refusing that conversation again.

Zereth suddenly spoke from near the shattered windows.

"The creature is waiting."

That immediately got everyone’s attention.

Assura moved toward the balcony again slowly. "Because it cannot fully enter yet."

Mason frowned. "Yet is becoming my least favorite word."

The ancient being glanced toward him briefly.

"The fracture remains incomplete." "...And if it completes?"

Nobody answered immediately.

Which answered enough.

Fantastic.

Seraphine crossed her arms tightly. "Can the palace barriers hold?"

Saleem looked deeply uncertain. "Against normal celestial pressure, yes. Against... whatever this is..."

"Not encouraging," Mason muttered.

Draca turned toward the surrounding guards next. "Double security across the inner sanctum. Nobody enters without direct authorization."

The guards immediately obeyed.

Competent leadership honestly looked very attractive.

Athlian practically sighed inside him. ’You noticed again.’

"I notice competence."

’Mmhm.’

Mason ignored her, mostly because she was annoyingly correct.

Another tremor rolled beneath the palace floor.

This one is stronger.

A distant crash echoed somewhere outside.

Seraphine immediately reached for her spear again. "That came from the eastern wall."

One of the guards near the chamber doors stiffened suddenly before speaking.

"Commander, the temple envoys are demanding entrance."

Saleem looked horrified. "Already?!"

Mason rubbed his face tiredly. "Of course they are."

Draca’s expression hardened slightly.

"Deny them."

"The High Temple rarely accepts denial," Zereth said quietly.

"Then they can emotionally survive disappointment."

Mason snorted immediately. "Finally, someone is speaking my language."

To his surprise, Draca’s mouth twitched faintly again.

Tiny amusement but barely visible.

Athlian sounded entirely too pleased.

’You keep watching his face.’

"I watch everyone’s face."

’Not like that.’

Emotionally manipulative goddess.

Seraphine suddenly looked toward Mason again.

"You’re unusually calm."

He blinked. "That’s incorrect. Internally I’m screaming."

"...That sounds more believable."

"Thank you."

Assura’s gaze shifted toward him next.

"The creature reacts to you."

The room quieted immediately.

Mason forced himself not to tense.

"Counterpoint," he replied carefully, "everything terrible reacts to me lately."

"Not like this."

Athlian went silent inside him.

Which was concerning.

Zereth folded his arms slowly. "The mirror recognized something. And now this creature appears directly afterward."

Draca’s expression sharpened slightly at that.

Mason noticed immediately.

This is a very dangerous topic.

So naturally he changed the subject immediately.

"Wonderful discussion. Let’s never continue it."

Seraphine looked unimpressed. "Avoiding questions is becoming suspicious."

"A survival skill actually."

Another loud crash echoed outside the palace.

This time followed by screaming.

Everyone moved instantly toward the balcony again.

The chained figure above the city had shifted farther through the fracture now.

Not fully free but closer.

Several enormous broken chains dragged behind its body through the torn sky itself.

Silver light rained slowly across parts of the capital below like falling ash.

And wherever the light touched...buildings froze.

Entire streets stood motionless beneath the silver glow.

People trapped mid-movement.

Mason stared in horror. "...Absolutely not."

Athlian sounded shaken. ’Temporal sealing.’

"What does that mean?!"

’It’s stopping time around localized areas.’

He blinked rapidly. "That is an insane sentence."

Draca immediately turned toward the nearby guards. "Evacuate every district touched by the silver light. Now."

The guards sprinted away instantly.

Seraphine looked upward grimly. "The fracture keeps widening."

"It’s feeding on divine instability," Assura answered quietly.

Mason pointed weakly. "Again with the horrifying unexplained sentences."

Zereth suddenly narrowed his eyes toward the chained figure. "...It’s looking for something."

Mason immediately disliked where that observation was going.

Athlian did too. ’Do not let it focus on you.’

"Excellent advice I have no idea how to follow."

Draca stepped slightly closer beside him again.

Close enough for Mason to feel the warmth radiating from his armor despite the cold air flooding the balcony.

Mason cleared his throat awkwardly before muttering quietly enough that only Draca could hear...

"Hypothetically speaking."

"That phrase concerns me now."

"If somebody accidentally attracted cosmic horrors without meaning to..."

"You’re describing tonight again."

"Right, fair."

Draca glanced sideways at him briefly.

Then more quietly... "You are not facing this alone."

Simple sentence.

Completely unfair emotional damage.

Athlian warmed softly inside him. ’He means it.’

"Yes," Mason thought weakly. "That remains the problem."

The chained figure suddenly moved again.

One enormous hand pressed against the fracture itself.

The sky cracked louder.

Several palace guards stumbled backward in fear.

Even Zereth’s shadows recoiled slightly.

Assura’s expression darkened immediately. "It’s forcing entry."

Seraphine looked toward him sharply.

"Can we stop it?"

"No."

Fantastic.

Wonderful teamwork morale.

Mason rubbed his forehead tiredly. "I miss having manageable problems."

"You complain frequently for a goddess," Zereth observed.

"I cope through sarcasm."

"That explains many things."

Accurate but rude.

The silver light spreading across the city below suddenly intensified.

Then...the chained figure spoke.

Not loudly...yet the voice still echoed across the entire capital.

"You hide what does not belong."

Mason’s blood ran cold instantly.

Athlian froze inside him.

Nobody on the balcony moved, not even Assura.

The creature tilted its head slowly again.

Then repeated... "You hide the fracture."

Silence crushed the entire balcony.

Mason forced himself to breathe normally.

Totally normal situation, absolutely not internally collapsing.

Seraphine frowned deeply. "What fracture?"

No one answered, because several people already knew that question was dangerous.

Zereth’s silver eyes shifted slowly toward Mason again.

Athlian immediately panicked. ’He’s

connecting it.’

"Oh fantastic."

Draca noticed the tension instantly.

Mason felt it when the commander subtly moved half a step closer between him and the others.

Protective again, he’s always protective.

And suddenly...Mason realized something.

His gaze shifted toward Draca carefully.

Back in the vault.

During the mirror incident.

Draca had called him Mason without hesitation.

Not "Athlian."

Not "My Goddess."

But ’Mason’.

His real name.

A name nobody here should know.

Cold realization crawled slowly through him.

Athlian noticed too. ’You finally caught that.’

"Yes, because my brain has been busy surviving divine terrorism."

The chained creature above the city roared suddenly.

Silver shockwaves exploded outward from the fracture hard enough to shake the entire palace violently.

Cracks spread across several balcony pillars instantly.

Guards shouted below...one section of the outer wall partially collapsed.

Seraphine swore sharply. "The barriers are failing!"

Assura raised one hand immediately as crimson symbols ignited across the air above the palace.

Reality bent violently around them.

The spreading silver shockwave slowed.

The ancient being’s expression tightened...his struggling was deeply concerning.

Mason looked upward again just as the chained figure’s glowing eyes locked onto him directly.

Recognition flickered across the creature’s face.

Then confusion as though it sensed something hidden beneath layers it could not fully see.

Athlian’s voice lowered sharply inside him.

’Do not let it hear your thoughts.’

"...That’s apparently possible now?!"

Before she could answer, Draca suddenly leaned slightly closer toward him.

Quiet enough that nobody else could hear.

"Stay near me."

Mason blinked once.

Then slowly looked toward him.

And for the first time since this disaster began, a different question became more terrifying than the monster in the sky.

Because Draca’s expression remained calm, like he already knew something he should not know.

Mason lowered his voice carefully.

"...How do you know my name?"