The dreamscape began to twist again—this time not with violence, but with the echo of something deeper. Mydei raised a hand, and a portal of distorted, shifting color tore open behind him. Without a word, he stepped through, and the world around them changed.
Yuri and Firefly found themselves standing not on a battlefield, but in a grand castle courtyard beneath a crimson dusk. The air shimmered with unreality. Illusions? Memories? Dreams?
Yuri's breath caught in his throat.
He knew this place.
The towering spires of the castle cast long shadows across the stone-paved yard. Banners bearing an ancient sigil fluttered in the breeze. In the center of the yard, two younger versions of Yuri and Mydei clashed wooden swords, laughing with every strike.
They were not warriors, not yet. Just brothers—by blood or by bond—training, playing, dreaming. Servants watched from a distance, smiling. Guards nodded in approval. A feast echoed faintly from inside the castle walls, and music drifted on the air.
Another memory bloomed. The kitchen.
Mydei was sneaking pastries, offering one to Yuri while the head cook shouted in mock anger. The two of them laughed so hard they fell behind the table, frosting smeared across their faces. They got caught, of course, and spent the rest of the day washing pans together, joking and competing to see who could make theirs shine the most.
Then the archives.
A younger Yuri poured over books, and Mydei, though bored, sat beside him, humming nonsense songs and occasionally whispering funny misreadings to distract him. And sometimes, he got quiet—genuinely curious—asking about ancient heroes and forgotten kings, and what made them fall. Yuri would answer with passion, and Mydei would listen, nodding slowly.
In the stables.
They raced horses through open fields beyond the castle, cheering, competing, trying to throw apples into one another's mouths mid-gallop. When Yuri fell once and scraped his leg badly, Mydei had panicked, carrying him back as fast as he could and refusing to leave his side for days.
Nights under the stars.
Mydei and Yuri lay on the castle walls, wrapped in cloaks, pointing at constellations and giving them ridiculous names. They shared dreams—of what the kingdom could become, of protecting their people, of growing old with peace instead of war.
One night, Mydei said, "You ever think about the other dimensions that exist?"
Yuri thought to himself before speaking. "I do wonder what it's like to be in those worlds...You know...Maybe I'll run a shop one day that appeals to all those different dimensions you know?"
Mydei laughed before responding.
"You're something else Yuri! Let's just take it one step at at time. I bet the future has so much opportunity coming..."
Yuri glanced the sky.
"Yeah...You're right."
The illusion shifted again.
The castle courtyard was in ruins. Screams echoed. Fires burned. Mydei and Yuri stood side by side, battered and bloodied, facing down an abomination that defied logic. The great demon towered above them, its form constantly shifting—horns, wings, eyes, claws. It was neither shadow nor flame but something in between, ancient and all-consuming.
Their weapons—one of light, one of tempered chaos—glowed with desperate power. The battle was brutal. Stone shattered beneath their feet. Magic carved across the sky. Each attack was answered with a counter of even greater strength.
They fought not for victory, but survival.
As the dust settled, both Mydei and Yuri fell to their knees. Their breaths were ragged, armor torn to ribbons, souls nearly spent.
The demon laughed—a cruel, rumbling sound that reverberated through the dying kingdom.
"You two," it hissed, "are worthy. So I offer you a final choice. One of you will be cast beyond this world—into a realm you cannot return from. The other will merge with me, becoming something beyond mortal comprehension. Together, we shall become the Ultimate Chaos."
Yuri looked to Mydei, eyes wide with horror. "We can find another way. We always do."
Mydei stared at the creature, then back at his friend. His expression softened. The courtyard around them froze—time paused, just for a moment.
"There is no other way, Yuri," he said. "You still have hope. You still have time. I can carry the burden."
"No, you don't get to decide that!"
But Mydei was already moving. He surged forward, not toward the demon—but toward Yuri. Before Yuri could react, Mydei placed a hand on his chest. A brilliant circle of runes flared beneath his feet. A rift opened behind Yuri.
"Forgive me," Mydei whispered. "Live for both of us."
With one final push, he sent Yuri into the portal.
Yuri's scream echoed as the rift sealed behind him.
Mydei turned to the demon. His eyes were glassy with grief, his hands shaking. But his voice did not waver.
"Do it."
The creature laughed again—and consumed him.
And thus, Mydei became the vessel of destruction.
The illusion shattered, and the battlefield returned. Mydei stood tall once more in the present, his form glowing with unstable energy, still flickering with remnants of that ancient fusion. His eyes locked onto Yuri, who stood frozen in shock, heart pounding with the weight of what he had just remembered.
"I became...This..." Mydei extended out his arms as if to showcase what he had become.
Yuri stared at Mydei in disbelief before speaking...
"Mydei..."
Firefly placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Yuri?"
He exhaled sharply.
"No more running...From the past..." Yuri muttered.
Yuri then steeled his stare.
"At least now...I know...I thank you for that Mydei." Yuri said with resilience.
Mydei showcased a rare smile at this before responding.
"You're a little late on the catchup but...With how I am now...I think it makes the most sense that we get down to business."
Mydei readied himself once more.
"The reality is...I still seek to destroy everything....Everything must return to darkness...That way...Nobody will ever face what we had to face...You can understand that right...?"
"It's sheer insanity...Do you understand how many lives will be lost..?" Firefly yelled.
"Better they lose themselves in an instant versus suffering..." Mydei muttered back.
"Firefly and I...are going to stop you Mydei. What you're doing isn't acceptable and you know this!" Yuri said with urgency.
Mydei simply sighed as he prepared to attack.
"A sad end..."