Veil of Thought

Xion immediately pushed him back by manipulating his body's speed and agility. Landed safely, he changed his stance to Inside Stance. Clenching the hilt of Will Breaker, her blade was covered in a blood-colored miasma. Dashing to the Creature, the two prepared to deliver their blows until the sound of Clock hitting the stroke of twelve. The clock chimed echoing through the Beast Gate.

"Huh?"

Without even knowing it Xion was standing in front of Luminous back in the library. Where they first met.

"Trinity, right? I know all about your family, especially about you," Xion remained calm, though his heart pounding against his chest rang through his ears. She then leans forward, with such an innocent grin. "The child of the apocalypse, Yin Xion Trinity Pendragon."

'What the hell is going on?'

He mentally questioned, he went two months back to the moment he met Luminous. He was just fighting a Lost Soul with her two months later.

'Did I travel back in time?'

"Hey, Xion."

"Huh?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Luminous examining her expression.

"Nice to meet you, I'm going to head outside for a bit." He excused himself, leaving the library with urgency. Pulling the silver handle, the door swung open before being closed behind him.

"What's up with him?" Asked Luminous turning her gaze to Celina. Not even she knew what was going on with Xion.

....

Xion walked down the street constantly thinking of every possible way of how he could have traveled back in time.

'With Shift, not even with the accelerated speed moving faster than light could bypass the temporal barrier to send me back. Although it seemed as if I restarted at a certain checkpoint in this body's life.'

Bumping shoulders with people left and right, he turned down the street. A street that leads to a cemetery instead of the Capital Church. Still in thought, Xion noticed black steel bars blocking his way.

"A gate?"

He read the sign above the gate.

"Maryville Cemetery. Why would I walk here?"

Will Breaker appeared next to him her spirit form.

"I believe it has something to do with that move of yours."

"Shift? It can only enhance my speed to move faster than photons traveling faster than light. But I only used Ascension mode which made me faster than lightning."

"You don't realize you can use time as an ability. Though your body is still adjusting to its physiology as an Ascender and Dragon. Your speed alone was able to blend in with the flow of time causing your body to quickly break its destination to two months now. Then..." Will Breaker explained though it's semi of what happened.

"Then what?"

"You died."

"Huh?"

"The Lost Soul was able to follow you and kill you."

Xion mentally looked through his memories. He couldn't remember anything about him dying at all.

Will Breaker calmly watched the Trinity recollecting his thoughts, although, his aura changed. The amount of mana channels was now showing 43 lines of pure mana flowing to his core.

'He barely had a real fight and yet the mana channels in his body are showing signs of adapting.' The corner of her lips curled slightly before Xion spoke.

"So, what now?" Xion turned back around, though the thought of him traveling back in time was interesting he needed to figure out why he was brought back here. "It seems that we have to figure out why we're sent back in time. Our bodies aren't affected by the spatial-temporal effects."

"Wait. I remember. The Lost Soul killed exactly five civilians at seven-thirty at night. I failed to stop it and it escaped."

Will Breaker stood on his head with perfect balance, "That may be the reason we're here. When the clock strikes Twelve the cycle of suffering begins."

"Cycle of Suffering? Is that a curse? Or an ability." Asked Xion. Walking back to the Library, he felt the cold chill of something watching him. The gazes of powerful predators watching him hungrily ready for the kill.

The walk back to the library felt longer than it should have. Xion Trinity kept his gaze low, his mind swirling with fragments of Will Breaker's explanation. Time as an ability? Breaking the temporal barrier? The Cycle of Suffering? None of it made sense. He had lived through countless battles, pushed his body and mind to their limits, but this—this was different.

It wasn't just the concept of traveling back in time that rattled him. It was the void in his memory, the gnawing feeling that something crucial had slipped through his grasp. And now, the weight of failure pressed against his chest. He had let five civilians die. He had let the Lost Soul escape.

Turning a corner, he found himself back in front of the library. Its towering silhouette loomed against the night sky, the faint glow of lanterns within spilling out through the windows. For a moment, he hesitated. The thought of facing Luminous again—of pretending that nothing had changed—felt heavier than it should have. But he pushed forward, his hand gripping the cold silver handle of the door.

The warmth of the library hit him like a wave as he stepped inside. The faint smell of old books and ink filled the air, a comforting contrast to the chill outside. Luminous was seated at one of the long wooden tables, flipping through a book, her silver hair catching the light. Celina was across from her, scribbling notes with the meticulousness of someone used to dealing with chaos.

Xion stood at the entrance for a moment longer than necessary. They hadn't noticed him yet. He could leave—buy himself more time to think—but the weight of Will Breaker at his side reminded him that there wasn't time for hesitation.

"Xion?" Luminous's voice broke the silence, soft but curious. Her violet eyes met his, her expression shifting from surprise to concern. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

If only it were that simple.

"I'm fine," he said, his voice steady despite the storm in his mind. He moved toward the table, pulling out a chair but not sitting. "Just needed some air."

Celina glanced up from her notes, her sharp green eyes narrowing. "You don't seem fine. What's going on?"

Xion hesitated. How could he explain what had happened without sounding insane? That he had somehow rewound two months into the past? That he had die and failed to stop it?

"I just… remembered something," he said finally, his tone clipped. "Something I need to check on."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him.

The streets were quieter now, the distant hum of the city fading into the background. Xion kept his head down, his pace quick but aimless. He didn't know where he was going, but his body seemed to, guiding him through familiar paths with a purpose he couldn't understand.

When he finally stopped, he was standing in front of the black steel gates of Maryville Cemetery. The sign above the entrance gleamed faintly in the moonlight, and a cold wind swept through the air, carrying with it the faintest hint of decay.

"What am I doing here?" Xion muttered to himself, gripping the gate's bars as if they held answers.

Will Breaker materialized beside him, her translucent form shimmering like glass. "Your body remembers, even if your mind doesn't."

He glanced at her, frowning. "That's not helpful."

"It's the truth," she replied simply, folding her arms. "This is where you need to be, whether you understand it or not. Time has a way of guiding those who listen."

Xion exhaled sharply, stepping back from the gate. "So, what now? I just stand here and wait for the universe to explain itself?"

Will Breaker tilted her head, a small smirk playing on her lips. "You always were impatient."

Before Xion could respond, a faint sound caught his attention—a low, guttural growl that sent a chill racing down his spine. He turned sharply, his hand already on Will Breaker's hilt, but the street behind him was empty.

"You feel it too," Will Breaker said, her voice quieter now.

"Something's watching me," Xion muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows.

It wasn't just a feeling. The air itself seemed heavier, the kind of oppressive weight that came with the presence of something unnatural. His instincts screamed at him to move, to act, but he forced himself to stay still, his grip tightening on his weapon.

The growl came again, closer this time, but still unseen. Xion's heart pounded in his chest as he turned his attention back to the cemetery. The gates creaked slightly as if inviting him in.

"Let's go," he said, stepping forward.

Will Breaker floated beside him, her expression uncharacteristically serious. "Be careful, Xion. The clock's already ticking."

The gates of Maryville Cemetery loomed before Xion Trinity, their blackened steel bars twisting into shapes that resembled clawed hands. He hadn't meant to come here. His feet had carried him without his consent, as though the cemetery had been waiting for him all along.

Xion stood still, the weight of Will Breaker heavy at his side. His fingers brushed the hilt reflexively, a habit born of years in battle, but he didn't draw the blade. Not yet. There was no immediate threat—only the stillness of the night and the unshakable feeling that he was being watched.

"Why here?" he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible against the faint rustling of dead leaves.

"Because it's part of the Cycle," Will Breaker answered, appearing at his side. Her voice was soft, almost soothing, but her eyes glinted with an edge of knowing. She always seemed to know more than she let on, and it gnawed at him now more than ever.

"The Cycle of Suffering," Xion repeated, tasting the words like ash. "What does that even mean? Another riddle for me to solve?"

Will Breaker smiled faintly, tilting her head. "It's no riddle, Trinity. It's the nature of your Ascent. The blood that runs through you demands it."

Xion frowned, stepping closer to the gate. His reflection in the iron bars was faint, distorted, but it was there—proof he was alive. Yet the memories that clawed at his mind told a different story. Memories of a fight he hadn't finished. Of civilians he'd failed to save. Of the Lost Soul's twisted grin as it vanished into the void.

"I'm alive," he said quietly, as though trying to convince himself. "If the Cycle demands suffering, then whose suffering am I here to endure?"

Will Breaker hovered closer, her expression unreadable. "Yours. Theirs. All of it. The Cycle doesn't choose favorites, Trinity. It's woven into the fabric of your Ascent and existence. To rise, you must fall. Again, and again, and again."

Xion pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. "Then why send me back? Why not let me fall and be done with it?"

"Because this is part of the trial," Will Breaker said simply. "You don't get to choose when the Cycle ends. That's the burden you bear as an Ascender. As a Trinity."

He clenched his jaw, his other hand gripping the cold iron of the gate. He hated how matter-of-fact she sounded, as if this endless loop of pain and failure was some inevitability he was supposed to accept. He'd fought too hard, lost too much, to let himself be reduced to a cog in some cosmic machine.

Pushing the gates open, Xion stepped inside. The air within the cemetery was different—denser, colder. The headstones stretched out before him in uneven rows, some cracked and crumbling, others pristine as though they'd just been carved. He walked slowly, his eyes scanning the names etched into the stones, but none stood out. Not until he reached the one near the center.

The stone was darker than the others, almost obsidian, with sharp, clean edges that defied time's erosion. And there, engraved in perfect script, was his own name.

Xion Trinity.

He froze, staring at the name for a long moment. The date beneath it was illegible, the numbers smeared as if the stone itself refused to reveal them. But the name alone was enough to send a chill through his spine.

"This is a joke," he muttered, though he didn't feel the conviction in his own words. 

"It's no joke," Will Breaker said. She stood beside the grave now, her gaze fixed on the name with an almost reverent stillness. "This is your burden. To ascend is to endure the Cycle. To suffer, to fail, to rise again. Each time you fall, you learn. Each time you rise, you grow. But only if you're strong enough to bear it."

"And if I'm not?" Xion asked, his voice low.

Will Breaker turned to him, her expression softening. "Then the Cycle ends. Permanently."

The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Xion stepped closer to the grave, his fingers brushing the edge of the stone. The cool surface sent a shiver through him, as though the grave itself was trying to remind him of the inevitability of his fate.

"I don't remember dying," he said, his voice quieter now. "If I fell… why can't I remember?"

"Memory is a mercy," Will Breaker said. "If you remembered every fall, you'd break long before you reached the end."

Xion closed his eyes, letting the weight of her words sink in. He wasn't sure what was worse—the idea that he'd already died, or the thought that he'd have to keep doing it until some unseen trial was satisfied.

A low growl echoed through the cemetery, snapping him out of his thoughts. His eyes shot open, and his hand went to his blade. The shadows between the graves seemed to shift, coiling and writhing like living things.

"Looks like the next fall is coming sooner than you think," Will Breaker said, her voice sharp with warning.

Xion drew his blade, the blood-colored miasma swirling around it as though responding to his determination. His grip was steady, but his mind raced. He didn't know what was waiting for him in the shadows, but one thing was clear.

He wasn't just fighting for his life anymore. He was fighting for the chance to rise.

The iron gate creaked shut behind Xion Trinity as he left the cemetery, his footsteps echoing faintly against the cobblestone streets. The air was dense, not just with the chill of night but with something heavier—something ancient. Each step felt like it carried him deeper into the past, as if the shadows themselves were pulling him toward a story he didn't yet fully understand. 

"Will Breaker," Xion began, his voice low but steady, "the war. The Dark Ages. That's when it all started, isn't it?" 

His companion's spectral form flickered beside him, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "You're not wrong," she said after a moment. "The Dark Ages were… pivotal. Humanity stood at the brink of annihilation. Angels above, demons below, and mortals caught in the crossfire. It was chaos." 

Xion's brows furrowed, his steps slowing as he processed her words. "But they didn't fight alone. That's what the histories say, right? The mythical warriors—dragons, fey, titans. They sided with humans." 

Will Breaker tilted her head, the faintest trace of a smile playing at her lips. "Most of them did. Not out of kindness, mind you. The angels and demons were a threat to everyone, mortal or otherwise. The realms were tearing themselves apart, and humanity was at the center of it all. A fragile species, but one with potential." 

"And that's when she appeared," Xion said, his voice quiet now. "Aura Trinity." 

Will Breaker nodded. "Aura was born in the middle of that chaos. A half-human, half-dragon hybrid—daughter of Judgement himself, the Original Dragon. She wasn't just powerful, Xion. She was something entirely new. A bridge between humanity and the divine, between mortals and the immortal forces tearing the world apart." 

Xion stopped walking, turning his gaze upward to the faintly glowing moon. "385,000 years ago," he murmured. "That's when she created the Ascents, wasn't it?" 

"Yes," Will Breaker confirmed, her tone solemn. "Aura saw what was happening—how humanity was being crushed under the weight of powers far beyond their understanding. She couldn't stand by and watch. She used her own blood, her own essence, to forge the Ascents. Gifts that would allow mortals to tap into a fragment of divine power and fight back." 

Xion's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "A gift she knew came with a price." 

Will Breaker's gaze flickered toward him, unreadable. "She did what she had to do. The Ascents weren't perfect, but they gave humanity a fighting chance. They turned the tide of the war." 

"For a while," Xion muttered. "But what about after? When the war ended, and the angels and demons were driven back? What happened to the Ascents then?" 

Will Breaker's expression darkened, her voice softening. "They became a burden. The war left scars on the world, and the power of the Ascents didn't disappear just because the fighting stopped. The descendants of those who bore the Ascent began to suffer—physically, mentally, spiritually. The power was too much for most mortals to handle, and the bloodlines started to fragment." 

"And the Trinity line?" Xion asked, his tone sharper now. 

Will Breaker hesitated, her gaze searching his face. "The Trinity line bore the heaviest burden of all. Aura passed her own Ascent—her own flawed, divine essence—to her descendants. She believed they could handle it, that they could be the protectors humanity needed even after the war. But…" 

"But it wasn't just power she passed down," Xion said bitterly. "It was the curse. The Cycle of Suffering." 

Will Breaker didn't deny it. "The Cycle is a part of the Trinity bloodline now. Every time you use the Ascent, it takes something from you. A piece of your soul, a fragment of your humanity. It's the price of bearing power meant for gods." 

Xion's chest tightened, a dull ache settling beneath his ribs. He thought of the battles he'd fought, the times he'd called upon the Ascent to survive. Each time, he'd felt it—something slipping away, something he couldn't get back. 

"She created it to save humanity," he said, more to himself than to Will Breaker. "But in doing so, she damned her own bloodline." 

Will Breaker floated closer, her expression softening. "Aura knew the risk, Xion. She made a choice—a choice to sacrifice herself and her descendants for the greater good. And because of that choice, humanity survived the Dark Ages. They rebuilt, they thrived. That wouldn't have been possible without her." 

Xion turned away, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Doesn't make it easier to accept." 

"No," Will Breaker agreed. "But it gives you a reason to keep fighting. Aura didn't create the Ascents so her descendants could wallow in regret. She created them because she believed in humanity's potential. And she believed in yours." 

He didn't respond immediately, his mind racing. The stories of Aura Trinity had always felt distant to him, like myths meant to inspire but not truly connected to his reality. But now, standing in the shadow of her legacy, it all felt uncomfortably real. She had made her choice, and now he had to live with it. 

As he resumed walking, the faint glow of the city's lights came into view, a fragile promise of respite. But the questions lingered in his mind, heavy and unrelenting. 

"Judgement," he said after a long silence. "If Aura was his daughter, then where is he now? What happened to him after the war?" 

Will Breaker's expression grew distant, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "No one knows. Some say he disappeared into the Void, retreating to a place beyond the reach of mortals. Others believe he's still watching, waiting for the balance to shift again. Waiting for the day when humanity must prove itself once more." 

Xion's jaw tightened, the weight of her words pressing down on him. If Judgement was still out there, what would it mean for him? For the Trinity line? For humanity itself? 

But those were questions for another time. For now, all Xion could do was keep moving forward, one step at a time, beneath the shadow of a legacy that refused to let him go. 

Xion kept his hands in his pockets as he walked down the quiet streets, his thoughts pulling him deeper into the labyrinth of his bloodline's legacy. The world around him was quiet, but his mind was anything but. The weight of history pressed on his shoulders, a history he barely understood and had never asked to inherit. 

The moon hung low in the sky, casting pale light on the cobblestones. Each step seemed to echo louder than the last, as if the silence of the city wanted to remind him he was alone. But he wasn't, not really. 

"You're thinking too loudly," Will Breaker said, breaking the quiet. 

Xion shot her a glance. She was floating lazily beside him, her spectral form more translucent than usual, as though the energy it took to manifest her was tied to his own dwindling focus. 

"Am I?" he said dryly, though the tension in his voice was clear. 

"You are," she replied, her tone lighter than he expected. "But I get it. This is the part where you try to make sense of everything, piece it all together like a puzzle that doesn't want to fit." 

He snorted. "Pretty sure this is the part where I question why any of this matters. Why Aura thought any of it was worth it." 

Will Breaker tilted her head, her gaze sharp. "You don't think it was?" 

"I don't know," Xion admitted. "She created the Ascents to fight a war that ended over three hundred thousand years ago. And now I'm stuck with the aftermath. The Cycle of Suffering, the expectations, the…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "It feels pointless." 

Will Breaker didn't respond right away. Instead, she hovered in thoughtful silence, her golden eyes fixed on the horizon. 

"You know," she said eventually, "Aura wasn't just a warrior or a creator. She was human, Xion. As much as her dragon blood set her apart, she never forgot what it meant to be mortal. To feel small in the face of something bigger than yourself. That's why she fought so hard. Because she understood what it was like to be powerless." 

Xion's steps faltered for a moment, her words striking a nerve he hadn't expected. 

"She understood what it was like to feel powerless," he repeated, his voice softer now. "But she had power. More than anyone else." 

"She didn't always," Will Breaker countered. "When she was born, she was nothing more than a child with strange blood. The dragons didn't want her. The humans feared her. And Judgement… well, he wasn't exactly the nurturing type." 

Xion frowned, his mind conjuring a vague image of the Original Dragon—something massive, ancient, and unyielding. A being of balance and destruction, as Will Breaker had described. 

"Then why did he create her?" Xion asked. 

Will Breaker's lips curved into a faint, sad smile. "Judgement didn't create her to be his daughter. He created her to be his successor." 

Xion stopped walking altogether, his gaze snapping to her. "Successor?" 

Will Breaker nodded. "Judgement isn't just a dragon, Xion. He's a force. The balance between light and dark, creation and destruction. But even forces like him have their limits. He created Aura to inherit that balance, to carry on what he could no longer do himself. But she refused." 

Xion blinked. "She… refused?" 

"Of course she did," Will Breaker said with a shrug. "Aura didn't want to be a cosmic force. She wanted to be herself. She wanted to use her power to help people, not to maintain some abstract concept of balance. That's why she turned against him during the Dark Ages. That's why she created the Ascents. It was her way of saying, 'I won't be what you made me to be. I'll be what I choose to be.'" 

For a moment, Xion didn't know what to say. The image of Aura Trinity that had lived in his mind for years—of a near-divine figure, unshakable and perfect—was beginning to crumble, replaced by something messier. Something more real. 

"She sounds… stubborn," he said finally. 

Will Breaker laughed. "You have no idea." 

The tension in Xion's chest eased slightly, though the weight of his thoughts remained. He started walking again, his pace slower now. 

"She defied him," he said quietly. "But what about me? I don't have that kind of choice, do I? I didn't ask for this power. I didn't ask to be part of this… cycle." 

"No," Will Breaker said, her tone softening. "You didn't ask for it. But that doesn't mean you can't make it your own." 

Xion glanced at her, his brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" 

"Aura didn't let Judgement define her," Will Breaker explained. "She took the power he gave her and turned it into something else. Something hers. You can do the same. The Ascent isn't just a curse, Xion. It's a tool. It's only a curse if you let it be." 

Her words lingered in his mind as he walked, the city's lights drawing closer with each step. He didn't know if he believed her—not yet. But there was something in her tone, in the way she spoke of Aura, that sparked a faint flicker of hope deep within him. 

Maybe she was right. Maybe the Ascent didn't have to define him. Maybe he could find a way to make it his own. 

For now, though, he kept walking, the weight of his legacy pressing on his shoulders but no longer suffocating him. The answers would come in time. He just had to keep moving forward. 

Xion walked back into the glow of the city, his mind a storm of thoughts. The streets were quiet now, the usual bustle of merchants and travelers replaced by an eerie calm. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of bells marked the late hour. 

Will Breaker hovered beside him in silence, her spectral form dim, as if she too was caught in the weight of his thoughts. Xion's steps slowed as he reached a small stone bridge that arched over a narrow canal. He stopped in the center, leaning against the railing and staring at his reflection in the dark water below. 

"I can't fight like Aura," he said suddenly, his voice barely more than a whisper. 

Will Breaker tilted her head, her gaze sharp but not unkind. "No one's asking you to." 

"That's the thing," Xion continued, his reflection rippling as a gust of wind stirred the water. "Everyone *is*. They don't say it out loud, but I can see it in their eyes. They expect me to be her. To lead, to fight, to save the world like she did." He scoffed. "But I'm not her. I'm not a hero." 

Will Breaker floated closer, her form shimmering faintly in the moonlight. "So what are you, then?" 

For a moment, Xion didn't answer. He stared at his reflection, his hands gripping the railing tightly. Then he straightened, his eyes narrowing as a faint smirk tugged at his lips. 

"I'm the son of a cursed bloodline," he said. "A Trinity. Descended from the woman who defied a god and created a power she couldn't control. That's what they think I am, anyway." He turned to face Will Breaker, his gaze sharper now. "But if that's what they expect, maybe I can use it." 

Will Breaker raised an eyebrow. "Use it how?" 

"Words, not actions," Xion said, his tone gaining confidence. "Everyone wants to see me wield the Ascent, to fight like a hero, to die for some greater good. But what if I don't? What if I play into their expectations just enough to keep them guessing, to keep them thinking I'm what they want me to be, while I do things my way?" 

Will Breaker crossed her arms, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Manipulation, then? You'd rather talk your way through this than fight?" 

Xion shrugged. "Why not? Fighting only feeds into the Cycle. Every time I use the Ascent, it takes a little more from me. But words? Words are free. They don't drain my soul, and they don't leave scars." He leaned against the railing again, a faint smile playing at his lips. "If I can keep everyone off balance, keep them believing in this idea of me as some destined ally, then maybe I can figure out what I want to do before they realize I'm not what they think I am." 

Will Breaker studied him for a long moment, her golden eyes unblinking. Then she smiled, a sharp and knowing grin. "You're playing a dangerous game, Xion." 

"Maybe," he admitted. "But it's my game. Not Aura's, not Judgement's, and definitely not anyone else's." 

The city stretched out before him, its lights flickering like stars on the horizon. Somewhere out there, people were whispering his name, building him up as something he wasn't sure he could be. But that was fine. If they wanted a hero, he'd give them one. Just enough to keep them watching, to keep them believing. 

And in the meantime, he'd find his own path. One that didn't require him to sacrifice everything for a legacy he'd never chosen. 

Will Breaker floated beside him, her expression a mix of amusement and curiosity. "So, what's the plan, oh cunning manipulator?" 

Xion chuckled softly, the sound low and bitter. "The plan is simple. Play the part. Give them just enough of what they want to keep them satisfied. And when the time comes, I'll make my move. On my terms." 

He pushed off the railing and started walking again, his steps more deliberate now. The path ahead was uncertain, and the weight of his bloodline still pressed on him. But for the first time, he felt like he had a choice. 

Let them believe he was a hero. Let them think he was following in Aura's footsteps. 

In the end, he would be something else entirely. 

With Luminous, seated alone at a small, circular table in the library's upper gallery. The dim lamplight overhead cast long shadows across her face, accentuating her sharp features and piercing amber eyes. She leafed through an ancient tome with deliberate care, though her attention wandered far from the brittle pages. 

Her thoughts were on Xion. 

From the moment she joined the organization, she had felt the undercurrent of tension that surrounded him. To most, Xion Trinity was a curiosity—a young Ascender with raw, untapped potential and the heavy burden of a bloodline tied to the legends of old. But to Luminous, he was something far more. 

She closed the book and leaned back in her chair, staring out the window at the moonlit city. Her fingers tapped softly on the table, a quiet rhythm to match her thoughts. 

"The Trinity bloodline," she murmured to herself. "A legacy bound to the dragon Judgement, cursed to bear the weight of balance between worlds. And yet, he rejects it at every turn." 

Her lips curled into a faint smile, tinged with both amusement and something darker. Xion was fascinating in his defiance. Most would crumble under the expectations placed on someone of his lineage, but not him. Instead, he wielded his heritage like a weapon—not through strength, but through subtlety. 

She saw through it, of course. The way he avoided direct conflict, how he carefully chose his words to dance around the truth. He was playing a dangerous game, manipulating those around him while hiding his true intentions. But Luminous wasn't so easily fooled. 

"Do you think you're the only one who knows how to play the long game, Xion?" she whispered to the empty room, her voice low and amused. "You're not the only one with secrets." 

Her gaze shifted back to the tome in front of her. The book was old, its leather cover cracked and worn, its pages filled with dense script detailing the Dark Ages—humanity's war against the angels and demons, fought alongside mythical beings. It was during that war that the Ascents were first gifted by Aura Trinity, the rebellious daughter of Judgement. 

Luminous traced a finger over a passage describing the creation of the first Ascent. The process was brutal, requiring the willing sacrifice of a human soul to bond with the dragon's essence. A balance of mortality and divine power. 

Her smile faded as a memory surfaced—her own induction into the organization, her encounter with the Ascents, and the lengths she had gone to in order to survive. 

She stood abruptly, the chair scraping softly against the floor. The time for idle contemplation was over. She needed to speak with Xion. 

It didn't take long to find him. He was leaning against a lamppost near the edge of the marketplace, his posture casual but his eyes distant, lost in thought. Luminous approached silently, her steps soft against the cobblestones. 

"You're brooding again," she said, breaking the quiet. 

Xion glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "You have a habit of sneaking up on people." 

"I have a habit of keeping my presence unnoticed until necessary," she corrected, her tone light. She stepped closer, her amber eyes studying him intently. "You've been quiet lately. More so than usual." 

"Maybe I don't have much to say." 

Luminous tilted her head, her gaze piercing. "Or maybe you have too much to say and don't trust anyone enough to share it." 

Xion didn't respond immediately, his eyes flicking away from hers. He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, his posture shifting slightly. "Why are you here, Luminous?" 

"Because I find you interesting," she said simply, her tone devoid of mockery. 

He snorted. "That's a dangerous thing to admit." 

"So is pretending you're something you're not." She stepped closer, her voice lowering. "I know what you are, Xion. What you're hiding." 

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, his usual calm facade wavered. "You don't know anything." 

"Oh, but I do," she said, her voice soft and sharp like the edge of a blade. "The son of a cursed bloodline, heir to a legacy that has shaped the course of history. And yet, here you are, trying to convince the world—and yourself—that you're nothing more than another soldier in the ranks." 

Xion's eyes snapped to hers, his expression cold. "What do you want, Luminous?" 

"To help you," she said, surprising him. "Whether you like it or not, you're in the middle of something far bigger than yourself. And while you may be good at keeping everyone else at arm's length, you can't do this alone." 

His silence was answer enough. 

"I know what it's like to carry a burden you didn't ask for," she continued, her voice softening. "And I know how tempting it is to push everyone away because of it. But you'll lose yourself if you keep this up, Xion. You can't manipulate your way out of everything. Eventually, you'll have to choose who you want to be." 

Xion looked away, his expression unreadable once more. "And what if I don't want to be anyone?" 

Luminous smiled faintly. "Then I suppose I'll just have to remind you why you're still here." 

She turned and walked away, leaving Xion to his thoughts. But as she disappeared into the shadows, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder if she was right. 

And if she was, what did that mean for the game he was playing?

Luminous stood in the dimly lit corridor of the organization's headquarters, her gaze fixed on the faint outline of Xion as he walked away. Her hands were clasped behind her back, but her knuckles were white from the tension she was hiding. A quiet sigh escaped her lips, and she turned toward a nearby window overlooking the city below. 

The moonlight painted her amber eyes with an eerie glow, and her reflection stared back at her from the glass. The obsession was starting to creep in, unbidden and undeniable. 

At first, Xion had been a curiosity—a puzzle she wanted to solve. The last descendant of a bloodline cursed and blessed in equal measure, carrying the Ascent of a False God. He intrigued her because he was so unlike anyone she'd met before, even in this world they had both been reincarnated into. He rejected his legacy, defied the expectations placed on him, and yet he moved through life with a quiet determination that bordered on arrogance. 

But now? Now, he was more than a curiosity. 

She tilted her head, studying her reflection with a faint, wry smile. "Why do you always choose the broken ones?" she murmured to herself. 

She'd told Xion the truth earlier: she did find him interesting. But what she hadn't told him—what she wouldn't tell him—was how much that interest had grown. It was no longer just about who he was or the power he carried. It was about *him*. 

The way his words always seemed carefully chosen, as though he were weaving a web no one else could see. The way he carried himself, even when the weight of his bloodline was clearly crushing him. The way his eyes betrayed a depth of pain and resilience that she couldn't look away from. 

She wanted to know everything about him. His thoughts, his fears, his plans. She wanted to be the one person he couldn't manipulate, the one person who saw through every mask he wore. 

And yet, she knew better than to let her obsession show. She was as much a manipulator as he was, and in this world, her survival depended on her ability to stay in control. 

Luminous' control over this reincarnated world was subtle but pervasive. She had entered this life as a shadow, slipping into the organization's ranks unnoticed and quickly climbing to a position of influence. Her knowledge of the past—of the Dark Ages, the Ascents, and the cycles of suffering—gave her an edge no one else had. 

She played her part well, crafting a persona of mystery and charm that drew people in while keeping them at arm's length. Every interaction, every word, was carefully calculated to further her goals. 

But Xion was different. He was the one variable she couldn't fully predict. 

As she walked down the corridor, her thoughts returned to the first time she'd met him. The way he'd looked at her, as though trying to decide if she was a threat or an ally. The way his presence had unsettled her in a way she couldn't quite define. 

"He doesn't trust me," she muttered, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "But he doesn't trust anyone. That's what makes him so… fascinating." 

She reached her private quarters and closed the door behind her, locking it with a soft click. The room was sparsely furnished, but a large, intricately drawn map covered one wall. It detailed the known regions of this world, with markings and notes scrawled in her precise handwriting. 

At the center of the map was a symbol representing the organization—her current base of operations. But surrounding it were other symbols, representing people, places, and events she was carefully monitoring. 

One of those symbols was marked with Xion's name. 

Luminous stood before the map, her fingers tracing the lines she'd drawn around his name. "You think you're the only one manipulating this game, Xion," she murmured. "But you're wrong. You and I… we're more alike than you realize." 

Her amber eyes glimmered with a mix of curiosity and something darker. She would unravel his secrets, just as she had unraveled this world's. She would learn what drove him, what haunted him, what he was truly capable of. 

And when the time came, she would decide whether to stand beside him… or destroy him. 

Luminous sat alone in her quarters, the faint hum of a magical lamp casting a dim glow over the room. The world outside was quiet, save for the occasional whistle of the wind. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, her mind drifting to a time she rarely allowed herself to think about. 

Her past life. 

She hadn't always been Luminous, the mysterious woman manipulating her way through this reincarnated world. Once, she had been something far smaller, far more ordinary—a desk worker in a world that thrived on monotony. 

Her name back then had been Elise. Just Elise. No grand titles, no enigmatic presence, no power to shift the tides of fate. She had been an overworked employee in a cold, fluorescent-lit office, typing reports and answering emails for a faceless corporation. Her days had been a blur of deadlines and coffee breaks, her nights a restless struggle to prepare for the next cycle of drudgery. 

She had no grand aspirations, no dreams of glory or greatness. She was just trying to survive, paycheck to paycheck, in a world that seemed designed to grind people like her into dust. 

And then, one day, it all ended. 

She didn't remember much about the accident. Just the screech of tires, the flash of headlights, and the brief, searing pain before everything went dark. When she woke up, it wasn't to the cold sterility of a hospital bed. It was to the warmth of a new sun, a new sky, and a new world. 

Elise had been reborn into a world of magic and wonder, a place where power and destiny seemed to flow through every vein of the land. But she quickly realized that this world was as cruel and unforgiving as the one she had left behind. Strength ruled here, and those who lacked it were little more than fodder for the powerful. 

She refused to be fodder. 

Her new life gave her opportunities she'd never dreamed of, and she seized them with both hands. She learned quickly, observing the world around her, piecing together its rules and power structures. She discovered her own talents—sharp intelligence, a silver tongue, and a knack for manipulating people and events to her advantage. 

It wasn't long before she joined the organization, a shadowy group with its fingers in every major event in this world. She worked her way up, using her wit and cunning to outmaneuver rivals and solidify her place among their ranks. 

But beneath her success, she carried the memories of her old life. The quiet desperation of being trapped in a meaningless existence. The longing for something more. 

Now, as Luminous, she had everything she'd once lacked—power, influence, freedom. But the scars of her past life still lingered, shaping her actions and her outlook. She had learned the hard way that the world was a game, and the only way to win was to control the board. 

And yet, meeting Xion had stirred something unexpected within her. He reminded her of herself in a way she couldn't fully explain. His defiance, his refusal to be what others wanted him to be, struck a chord in her. 

But it also made him dangerous. 

"You're like me," she murmured to the empty room, her voice soft but edged with steel. "And that's why I can't let you win." 

Her gaze drifted back to the map on the wall, her fingers brushing against Xion's name. 

In her past life, she had been powerless, a cog in a machine she couldn't escape. In this life, she was determined to control her destiny—and maybe, just maybe, his as well. 

Because in this world, power wasn't just about strength or magic. It was about knowing the game better than anyone else. 

And Luminous had spent two lifetimes learning how to play. 

Luminous sat at her desk, the faint hum of the magical lamp her only company as she absentmindedly flipped through a weathered journal. Her amber eyes stared blankly at the pages, but her thoughts were far from the world she now inhabited. They drifted to the life she had before—the quiet, lonely days where the highlight of her evenings had been losing herself in stories. 

Back then, she was Elise, an office worker with little to her name except an overworked laptop and a stack of secondhand novels she barely had time to read. But there was one book she had discovered online, a serialized story on an obscure forum that had captivated her in a way nothing else had. 

It was titled The Trinity Cycle.

The story was about a cursed warrior named Xion Trinity, a man born into a world of gods and dragons, burdened with the legacy of a False God Ascent. He was a character of contradictions: cold yet compassionate, arrogant yet deeply scarred. He fought not just against the enemies that sought his destruction but also against the destiny that sought to define him. 

Elise had been drawn to Xion immediately. There was something about him that resonated with her—his defiance, his pain, his refusal to bend to the expectations of others. He wasn't the typical hero, and that's what made him fascinating. 

Night after night, she would return home from work, pour herself a cup of instant coffee, and lose herself in the world Kiryuu had created. She read each new chapter the moment it was uploaded, her heart racing as Xion faced impossible challenges, her breath hitching as he made choices that tore at her soul. 

She remembered wishing, more than once, that she could step into that world. That she could stand beside Xion, fight alongside him, or simply understand him in a way no one else did. It was a foolish fantasy, the kind of thing she scolded herself for even thinking about. But the longing lingered. 

And then, one day, she was gone. 

When Elise awoke in this new world, it took her some time to realize where she was. At first, it had seemed like any other strange dream—a vivid landscape of magic and danger, far removed from her humdrum life. But as she learned more, as she pieced together the history of this world and the figures that shaped it, the truth became impossible to ignore. 

This was The Trinity Cycle. 

The names, the places, the legends—it was all there, just as Kiryuu had written it. And among the countless souls inhabiting this world was the one she had longed to meet: Xion Trinity. 

The realization had hit her like a thunderclap. He was real. Everything she had read, everything she had felt, was real. But this Xion wasn't the character from a book. He was flesh and blood, a man with his own thoughts, his own struggles, his own scars. 

Now, as Luminous, she found herself standing in the shadow of the man who had once been the center of her fictional obsession. She had watched him carefully from the moment they met, studying his every word, every move. He was different from the Xion she had read about—more guarded, more unpredictable—but the essence of him was the same. 

It unnerved her how deeply he still affected her. She had spent years in this new life cultivating control, mastering the art of manipulation. But around Xion, her carefully constructed facade began to crack. 

She wanted to understand him, to see the man beneath the legend. But more than that, she wanted to know if he remembered. Did he know he was a character from a story? Did he understand the weight of what he was meant to become? 

And, most dangerously of all, she wanted to be the one who stood beside him, not as an observer or a rival, but as an equal. 

Sitting in her room now, Luminous pulled out a small notebook from her drawer. It was old, the pages filled with scribbled notes from her past life. At the top of one page, written in her neat handwriting, were the words *Xion Trinity – The Cursed Heir*. 

She traced the name with her finger, her expression unreadable. "You don't know who I am, do you?" she murmured. "But I know you. I've known you longer than anyone else in this world." 

Her lips curved into a faint smile, though her amber eyes remained sharp. "You're not just a pawn in this game, Xion. You're the board. And whether you realize it or not, you and I are bound by something far greater than fate." 

She leaned back in her chair, her smile fading into something more contemplative. "I wonder," she mused, "if you would hate me if you knew the truth." 

For now, she would keep her secrets. But as her obsession with Xion grew, so too did her determination to uncover the secrets he was hiding. 

After all, in this world, nothing was as it seemed. And the game was only just beginning.

The waves crashed softly against the jagged cliffs, a rhythmic lullaby for a world too loud with its own chaos. Xion sat on the edge, his knees drawn up and his arms resting loosely over them. The salty air stung his face, but he welcomed the discomfort. It grounded him, gave him something tangible to hold onto while his mind churned in endless loops. 

Two months. Somehow, he had traveled two months back in time. Or maybe it was better to say he'd been dragged back. 

The Cycle of Suffering. The words felt like a curse in his mind, reverberating with the weight of something ancient and immovable. He had no memory of dying, no flash of pain or final moment to mark his end. Yet here he was, staring at a world that had rewound itself like a broken record. 

And then there was Shift, the ability that supposedly made it possible. He had spent months trying to understand it, testing its limits, pushing himself to the brink of collapse to see what it could truly do. He understood the basics—enhancing speed, blurring past physical constraints—but traveling through time? That was beyond anything he had imagined. 

Or maybe he had just never dared to imagine it. 

Xion's fingers curled into fists as he stared at the ocean, his thoughts spiraling. If Shift really had bent time itself, what did that mean for him? Was it an accident, some unintended consequence of pushing his body too far? Or was it deliberate, an inevitable part of the curse tied to his Ascent? 

The Cycle of Suffering...

The phrase clung to him like a shadow. Will Breaker, his blade, had hinted at its meaning, but even she seemed hesitant to delve too deeply into it. It was tied to his identity, to the burdens he carried as a Trinity. But what he couldn't understand was why. Why him? Why now? 

The faint crunch of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. He didn't need to look to know who it was. Luminous. 

"Do you ever feel like the world is mocking you?" she asked as she approached, her voice light but tinged with something unspoken. 

Xion stiffened but didn't turn around. "What do you want?" 

"To talk," she said simply. She stopped a few feet away, giving him space. "You've been distant lately. Not that I blame you. You're carrying more than most people could even imagine." 

He frowned, finally glancing over his shoulder at her. She stood there, arms crossed loosely, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp. It was always sharp, always watching. 

"I didn't realize you were so interested in my personal life," he said, his tone neutral. 

Luminous smiled faintly, tilting her head. "You're interesting. That's all. People like you don't come along very often." 

Xion turned back to the horizon, his jaw tightening. "People like me…" he muttered, almost to himself. 

She didn't press further, but her presence lingered, a quiet reminder that he wasn't as alone as he wanted to be. 

The truth was, Xion didn't know what to make of Luminous. She was an enigma, a wildcard he hadn't accounted for. In this world, he recognized most of the major players—figures from the story he had written in his past life. He knew their strengths, their weaknesses, their roles in the grand tapestry of the world. 

But Luminous? She was an anomaly. 

He hadn't written her into the story. She wasn't supposed to exist. 

And that made her dangerous. 

Every interaction with her felt like a test, a game of wits where the stakes were unclear. She seemed to know more about him than she should, often hinting at things she couldn't possibly know unless she was hiding something. And yet, there was an ease to her presence, a way she slipped into his orbit as if she belonged there. 

It made him uncomfortable. 

"You're thinking too much again," Luminous said, breaking the silence. She stepped closer, sitting down a careful distance away from him. 

Xion glanced at her, his expression guarded. "You don't even know what I'm thinking about." 

"True," she admitted with a shrug. "But I can see it in your face. You're chewing on something you can't figure out, and it's driving you crazy." 

He didn't respond, his gaze returning to the waves. 

"Let me guess," she continued, her tone teasing. "It's about the past. Or maybe the future. Or both." 

Xion stiffened, but she pressed on, her voice softening. "You're not the only one who's lost in all this, you know. We're all just trying to make sense of what's happening. The difference is, you've got the power to actually do something about it." 

He turned to her, his eyes narrowing. "And what do you want from me, Luminous? What's your angle?" 

Her smile faltered for a split second, but she recovered quickly, her expression serene. "Maybe I just want to understand you. Is that so bad?" 

Xion studied her, his mind racing. She was too smooth, too calculated. Every word she spoke felt like it had been rehearsed, carefully chosen to elicit a reaction. 

And yet… there was something in her eyes. Something genuine. 

"I don't trust you," he said finally, his voice low but steady. 

Luminous chuckled softly. "I'd be worried if you did." 

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the sound of the waves filling the silence. Xion turned his gaze back to the horizon, his thoughts as turbulent as the sea. 

Luminous watched him, her smile fading into something more contemplative. She could feel the walls he was building, the distance he was trying to maintain. But she wasn't deterred. 

She would find a way in.

Luminous leaned back on her palms, the cool stone of the cliff digging into her hands. She tilted her head slightly, studying Xion's silhouette against the horizon. He seemed so distant, so lost in his own thoughts, and yet there was a fire within him that she couldn't look away from.

"You're not what I expected," she said after a long silence, her voice soft but deliberate.

Xion glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "What does that mean?"

Luminous shrugged, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "When I first joined the organization, everyone spoke about you like you were some kind of untouchable force. The prodigy with an Ascent no one could match. But… that's not the whole story, is it?"

He frowned, his jaw tightening. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"Oh, I don't," she said quickly, her tone light. "But I'm good at reading between the lines. And what I see is someone who's carrying more than anyone realizes."

Xion didn't respond. He didn't trust her enough to open up, but her words struck a nerve. He *was* carrying more than anyone realized. The weight of the Cycle of Suffering, the mysteries of Shift, the curse of his Trinity bloodline—they were burdens he hadn't chosen, but they were his to bear nonetheless.

Luminous shifted closer, her movements careful and measured. She didn't want to spook him, but she couldn't let the moment slip away.

"You know," she began, her voice soft, "I used to read stories about people like you. Heroes, burdened with impossible destinies, fighting battles no one else could understand."

Xion turned his head slightly, his gaze sharpening. "Stories?"

She nodded, her smile tinged with something wistful. "In my past life. I worked a dull, meaningless job, the kind of existence that feels like it's draining the life out of you. Stories were my escape. And there was one in particular…"

Her words trailed off, and for a moment, she seemed lost in thought.

Xion's eyes narrowed. "You're talking about Kiryuu's book, aren't you?"

Luminous blinked, her surprise flickering across her face before she quickly masked it. "You know it?"

He didn't answer immediately, his mind racing. Kiryuu's book. His book. The story he had written in his past life, the one that had somehow become the framework for this world. It was how he knew so much, how he could predict the actions of the people around him. But Luminous… This is the world you read about... it's similar yet so different...

"How do you know about that?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

She hesitated for the briefest of moments before replying, "It was one of my favorites. The main character… Xion Trinity… he fascinated me. He was so complex, so driven. I always wondered what it would be like to meet someone like him."

Xion's chest tightened. He kept his expression blank, but inside, his thoughts were a whirlwind. She wasn't just an anomaly—she was someone who had read his story, someone who knew more about him than he was comfortable with.

"And now?" he asked, his voice low. "What do you think now that you've met me?"

Luminous's smile softened, but there was something unreadable in her eyes. "You're not what I imagined," she admitted. "You're… more human. Flawed, uncertain. But I think that makes you more interesting."

He scoffed, looking away. "I don't need your admiration."

"Who said anything about admiration?" she countered, her tone playful but with an edge. "I'm just saying I see you. The real you. Even if you don't want to admit it, you're still figuring out who that is."

Xion clenched his fists, her words hitting uncomfortably close to home. She was too perceptive, too adept at peeling back the layers he worked so hard to keep in place.

"Why are you really here?" he asked abruptly, turning to face her fully. "Why do you keep showing up like this?"

Luminous met his gaze, her expression calm but her eyes glinting with something deeper. "Maybe I'm just drawn to you. Or maybe I see something in you that you don't see in yourself yet."

"That's not an answer," he said, his tone sharp.

She shrugged, her smile returning. "Maybe not. But it's all you're getting for now."

The tension between them hung heavy in the air, a silent battle of wills. Xion didn't trust her—he couldn't. She was an enigma, a piece of the puzzle that didn't fit, and he hated not knowing what her endgame was.

But as much as he tried to distance himself, there was something about her that he couldn't ignore. She was always there, always watching, always saying just enough to keep him on edge.

He didn't know what she wanted, but he had the sinking feeling that she wouldn't stop until she got it.

Xion exhaled slowly, forcing the tension out of his shoulders. He stood, brushing off the dirt from his pants, and turned his back to Luminous.

"You can say whatever you want," he said, his voice steady but distant. "But don't think for a second that I'm letting you get too close."

Luminous raised an eyebrow, watching him carefully. "Close? Who said I was trying to get close?"

He glanced over his shoulder, his golden eyes sharp and unyielding. "You're too curious for your own good. I've seen people like you before. Always digging, always probing. But if you think you'll get under my skin, you're wasting your time."

For a moment, Luminous didn't respond. Then she smiled, a faint, almost amused expression. "If that's what you need to tell yourself, Xion. But you should know something."

He didn't move, didn't even turn fully toward her.

"I don't give up easily," she said softly, her tone laced with quiet determination. "You can push me away all you want, but I'm not going anywhere."

Xion clenched his jaw, the words hanging in the air like a challenge. He didn't respond. Instead, he took a step forward, then another, putting more distance between them with each stride.

Luminous remained seated, watching as his figure grew smaller and smaller against the fading light. Her smile lingered, but there was something darker beneath it—something calculating.

"I'll see you soon, Xion Trinity," she murmured to herself, the name slipping off her tongue like a secret.

Far ahead, Xion tightened his grip on Will Breaker's hilt. He didn't know who or what Luminous really was, but one thing was certain—he couldn't trust her. Not yet.

Not ever.

The waves crashed below, a restless echo of his own thoughts. For now, he would keep her at arm's length. But deep down, he knew that wouldn't be enough. She was too persistent, too clever.

And worst of all, she was right.

He didn't fully know who he was yet.

But if Luminous thought she'd be the one to figure it out for him, she was sorely mistaken.

With that resolve burning in his chest, Xion disappeared into the night, leaving Luminous alone with her thoughts—and her growing obsession.