At one table, Jug and Myke sat opposite each other, locked in a serious card game. Every card they placed felt like a duel—weak to strong, trick to counter.
"Hmm. King of Spades, huh?" Jug said.
He laid down the Ace of Diamonds.
"You got anything?"
Myke, silent as ever, slid out the Ace of Spades.
Jug paused. "Impressive..." He reluctantly drew from the deck.
From the hallway above, Ying shuffled out, her hair messy, her eyes heavy with sleep. On her back—Hennah, still clinging to her like a koala.
"Hennah... it’s morning," Ying muttered.
"Mmmmgh..."
"Get off me, Hennah. I’m not your mother..."
"I refuse..."
"You’re heavy, Hennah..."
"Work it... worrrrk iiiittt..." And she drifted back into her half-snore.
Moments later, Ying appeared downstairs—carrying Hennah like a baby in her arms.
She spotted Myke and Jug playing cards and sat beside Myke with a sigh.
"How was your sleep?" Myke asked.
"It’s... fine," Ying said, still trying to wake up.
Myke nodded and calmly placed a card on the table.
Jug squinted. "Dude... you know that’s illegal."
"What?"
"We’re playing cards."
"We are playing."
"BUT NOT WITH A REVERSE CARD, GODDAMMIT!!"
Ying blinked, confused. "Wait... did you pull that from Uno?"
Myke raised an eyebrow. "It’s my turn. And I win." He laid down a Full House.
Jug shot up. "WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THAT CARD?!"
"Does it matter?"
"Oh YEAH it matters—to me it does!!"
Ying tilted her head. “Guys... where’s Ming?”
The table fell silent.
"I was wondering the same thing..." Jug said.
Myke opened his mouth to answer—until Hennah mumbled mid-sleep:
"...She went to... Telkha..."
Jug turned. "How do you know, pink hair?"
"I... sensed it... soft arms..."
Then she passed out again.
Ying stared. "Why would she go there?"
No answer.
All three locked eyes—and then, without a word, bolted out of the tavern.
In the middle of the wasteland, as night whispered over the dunes, Ming lay motionless, the silence wrapped around her like dust. Her hand still clutched the faded picture of her daughters.
A figure in a hooded cloak stood above her, face shadowed—watching.
“…Elyssa,” he said.
Ming’s body jolted.
Her hair turned snow-white. Her eyes flickered—golden and red. She slowly looked up, blinking through the starlight. “Who… are you?”
“Elaiviras,” he said. “Brother.”
She stood shakily, gripping her rifle and aiming at him. Her hands trembled.
“Nalo… This isn’t right... How did you—?”
“You’ve been hiding. But your voice never left my ears,” he said, circling her slowly.
She narrowed her gaze. “…You’re not Elaiviras.”
The man chuckled—and slowly removed his hood.
Underneath:
-
White hair like ash
-
Crimson-red eyes
-
Rows of silver needles piercing his ears
-
And a grin full of sharp, bloodstained teeth.
“No... I’m your Elaiviras-in-law,” he said. “Call me Ertah. Ertah Otti.”
“…Takeru,” she growled.
“Tsk. Not anymore,” he waved. “That name’s dead. Just like you should be.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!”
“Nah. Death’s overrated,” he smirked, circling again. “You and I—we’re yin and yang, right? You’re light. I’m rot. Balance.”
Ming said nothing.
Ertah nodded toward her rifle.
“Is that his gun? My brother’s?”
“So?”
He giggled. “You think carrying his relic will absolve you? That it’ll undo the world you helped burn?”
“I’m not that person anymore. I’m not God. I’m not you,” she muttered.
“Oh? Not Elyssa? Not the Mother of All? Not Elanara?”
“SHUT UP!!”
"You’d be more useful if you just accepted it,” he said. “Become what you were—”
She pulled the trigger.
Bang.
Another shot.
Bang.
A third.
Ertah staggered back, a bullet wound torn into his forehead—but he laughed, blood pouring. “Better than my brother ever was… but still soft, Lisa Fujiwara.”
“…What do you want?” she asked.
“Nothing much. Just you. Doing what you’re meant to do.”
Her eyes widened. Her fingers shook.
“Nalo… No… I won’t go back to that—I WON’T!”
“Then die with your daughters.”
Ertah pulled out a bladed crescent and swung—
Ming leapt back. He clipped her neck—blood spilled.
“FUCK!!”
She bolted upright—gasping.
She was still in the wasteland. Alone.
The picture still in her hand.
The rifle beside her. Her blade still on the ground.
But the wound on her neck… was gone.
Ertah’s presence lingered like a shadow behind the stars.
Trembling, she stood again.
She slid the photo of Anita and Amelia back into her book, and without a word… began walking toward Telkha Arena.
As Valirion arrived once more at Daen, the late afternoon sky cast long shadows across the white-stone plaza. And there—standing still, arms folded behind her back—stood Vehra, waiting.
Then—
CRASH.
Vehra flinched as the rental car slammed to a halt and bumped into a lamppost. Dust billowed. A few gears cranked and hissed from the engine.
“WOOHOO! LET’S DO THAT AGAIN, LYO!!” Hennah screamed from inside.
“We’re not gonna do that again, Hennah…” Myke groaned, head slamming softly against the steering wheel.
Ying peeked out the cracked window and blinked. “Hey... isn't that Ming’s sister?” she pointed.
As the team stumbled out of the car—coughing, stretching, groaning—they made their way toward the towering, statuesque woman waiting calmly in the breeze.
“Hey! Tall woman!” Hennah waved. “Where’s Ming!?”
Vehra didn’t smile. Her voice was soft.
“…I thought she was with you.”
That sentence—brief and cold—shifted the tone entirely.
The group froze.
Myke slowly sat on a bench nearby. His hands gripped his head as he lowered it. Ying followed and sat next to him quietly.
“I should’ve listened to Ming…” he muttered.
“About what?” Ying asked.
“She asked me to swap roles. She wanted to return as Vanguard... and have you try Marksman.”
Ying’s brows rose. “…And you said yes?”
“I was considering it. But... I hesitated. I was worried you couldn’t handle Marksman like Ming could.”
Ying tilted her head gently, then smiled. “I mean... I used to be one.”
Myke looked up, puzzled. “…What?”
“I used to be a Marksman before. I used a bow—before the spear,” she said softly, brushing hair behind her ear.
“…Why didn’t you tell me that?”
She chuckled. “You didn’t ask. That’s why.”
She gave his shoulder a light pat, then stood and walked toward Vehra.
Myke stared after her for a moment—then lowered his head again, hands clasped tightly.
“…I should’ve trusted Ming more,” he whispered. “Fuck me.”
In the Telkha arena hall, Ying sat silently with Jug and Hennah.It was quiet—so quiet it left only the ringing of silence in their ears.The floor, pure white marble, reflected the glow of minimal chandeliers and white lights that burned bright as heaven.
While Ying waited patiently on the bench, Jug and Hennah slept beside her, shoulder to shoulder.Moments later, Myke arrived, holding three holographic cards—one for each of them.
As he stood in front of them, Ying noticed him right away, yet Jug and Hennah still dozed on.Myke sighed.
"Well… what should we do with them?" Ying asked softly.
Myke shot her a look—and she understood what he meant.
Outside, a female elf stood behind the door. Her eyes widened as she saw Ying and Myke carrying Hennah and Jug.
"Don’t ask," Myke said flatly.
The elf nodded and simply requested their access cards. After verification, they entered the room—a forge where weapons were crafted.
From advanced machine-made precision to hand-forged masterpieces, every tool and weapon was shaped to fit its wielder.Sparks flew. Hammers struck iron in rhythmic harmony.
Ying’s eyes widened, awe written across her face.
"What is this place?" she whispered, amazed.
"This is Telkha, Ying," Myke replied calmly.
"I’ve never been here before…" Her eyes glittered, following the dance of light and steel."Do we get our own weapon?"
"What do you think?" Myke asked.
At first, Ying’s confusion showed—but realization dawned, and excitement filled her. Myke smiled faintly, seeing her joy.
As they reached the main forge table, Myke set Jug down carefully.
"Wake Hennah up," he told Ying.
"Hm… how?" she hesitated.
"Make them wet," Myke said.
Ying froze, blinking in confusion.
Myke sighed again.
"Not that ‘wet.’ Water—splash them. Make them drown a bit," he clarified.
"Oh… right," Ying nodded, finally understanding.
"And we're back to the motherfucking Arena Outskirts... where your—ugh..."One of the casters muttered through the mic, drilling his intro for the upcoming match. He sat alone at his studio desk, prepping commentary for the fight ahead.
He tugged off his headphones, unplugged them, lowered the volume, and leaned back into the quiet.
"Yo! Maks. Wanna hang?" a voice called from behind.
"Go ahead, Sheyla. I need to perfect my intro."
She walked over and plopped down beside him."I ain’t leaving while you're still here. It’s almost evening. Come on—take a break, bro."
Maks stayed silent, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"I can’t… tomorrow’s a big day," he finally said.
"Because of Ming and Vehra? Valirion and the Cinder’s Petals?" she asked.
He smirked at her words."Nahhh. I mean—it’s Telkha Arena. Big deal though."
She gently took his hand, giving him a warm, grounding touch."Bro… I get it. It’s like a family reunion. If it were me, I’d wanna see my own siblings fighting together too. But rest is important, y’know?"
Just then, a tall man stepped into the studio."What are you two still doing here?"
"Oh! Hey boss! It’s nothing—this stubborn kid just won’t leave," Sheyla grinned.
"Then go with your boyfriend already. The studio’s closing soon," he muttered as he walked off.
Sheyla froze at the word boyfriend."God damn it..." she whispered as the door shut behind him.
"It’s okay, Shey," Maks said. "You go first. I’ll pack up."
"You better not stay late again, okay!?"
"Yeah yeah—GET THE FUCK OUT, GIRL!" he teased.
They both chuckled. She left first, and Maks stayed for just a moment longer—alone in the empty room—before finally gathering his things.
As Maks Sheyla heading out for a chill food, he saw Vehra still walk forth and back in front of the gate. He look at his watch and it's 6.45 pm. "Vehra!!" he shout.
Vehra stops, searching the voice around her and soon glare at him. Sheyla shook as even though she's blind, she can 'see' them from afar for a trek of three bleeding marks beneath the Deyran sun.
"Elaisi mnya lthi," (She's here) Maks said.
Vehra shook, and soon tell the guards to open the gates and she went out to search, only seen Ming laying down as if she fell from exahustions. Vehra felt her presence. She approached her, then blew her hair and touch her. "No...she's..."
She can feel Ming's hair is still red and white, and her eyes still. And her breath is like twice breath, not just exhaustion. But 'someone' is with her, inside of her. Double heartbeat as if there's two hearts inside.
"ELAISIVIRAS!!!" (Little brother) Vehra shout.
Ming is slowly becoming...Divine.