?On this side, Niha felt happy hearing Ariyan's words, but her heart ached for Arkos. What had happened to this man in the past that he still has to endure so much pain?

  Once upon a time, there was a king. But no one accepted him as king. He had to sit on the throne because his father had no other sons. He was very different from other children. He didn't just study like other boys; he did many other things as well. While this actually benefited him, others disliked him for it. No one liked him, not even his own parents. He was an extraordinary boy; no one possessed intelligence like his. But because he couldn't be measured by society's standards, everyone considered him a failure.

  Everyone would say, "What you do no longer belongs to this era; there is no profit in doing these things now." In truth, no work is ever done solely for profit. But those who can bring love into their work, without making it an addiction, are the ones who create history. Everyone says, "Studying is the only easy path." But without seeing other paths, it is impossible to judge good and bad. Perhaps many followed other paths before, but since the one who didn't follow the crowd chose a different way, that path became the main one.

  When Arkos presented his logic to others, they would get angry and say, "You argue back to your elders? We are more experienced than you. Aren't you ashamed to argue with me?" In reality, greater age does not mean greater experience. Fools also grow old. What one person sees in a year, another might see in a day.

  Because of this logical mindset, everyone hated him. They would come and say, "What guarantee is there that you will become someone great in the future? So do what everyone else does. You won't be able to achieve anything big because those who came before have already done everything; there is nothing extra for you to do. And anyway, you are just argumentative." Perhaps those who made history in the past were also told, "Those who came before did everything; there is nothing left for you." People consider what they see to be everything until they see something beyond it.

  Then his parents would say, "No one can be greater than their father and mother." If so, how are all the scientists and philosophers recorded in the pages of history while their parents are not? They would also say, "Always consider yourself beneath everyone; then you can become something good." This was the most logical thing they said, but they should have followed it themselves. In truth, everyone in this world is a fool. Everyone wants to cling to their beliefs. If their beliefs break, their paradise of fools shatters. How strange—I see a nine, they see a six, and they call me wrong.

  All those close to him said, "I am ruining their honor, becoming the cause of their criticism." To escape criticism, I must say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing. They will decide everything, and I will be a puppet. Even if everyone believes a lie, it remains a lie.

  But there was a monk who was very wise. Hearing about his vast knowledge, everyone called him a 'Clown.' Only Arkos and the monk could perceive the knowledge within each other.

  When Arkos became king, no one liked him. Arkos led the kingdom toward great progress. Yet, his people ignored those achievements and highlighted only small mistakes. Arkos tried to explain to them that to err is human. No one listened to him. His respect was far greater everywhere else except in his own kingdom. One day, his subjects, fed up with his work, stabbed him with a knife. Though he sought help from his mother and sisters, they left him there to die. He tried to explain that enemies would attack them, but they said, "We have seen more wars than you; we can manage the kingdom better." Arkos died while speaking of various plans.

  His subjects celebrated with great joy. They believed their actions were right. In this world, everyone considers their own actions to be true and correct. But in reality, Arkos's work was right. They even planned to kill his son. But his son sensed it beforehand and fled. While leaving, he said, "I will not let this society sin against this kingdom a second time." His mother had planned to kill him because she thought, "Having his father's shelter, he too has gone astray."

  Just then, the invasion began. They began killing everyone mercilessly. Seeing this horror, most people drank poison or hanged themselves. Seeing this, all the crows and birds began to laugh. And that prince is now seen as a skeleton sitting on a horse, wandering through various forests. Only the monk survived. But because he was part of this cursed kingdom, he remained forever as Arkos's advisor. This kingdom will suffer for eternity—until Arkos destroys the world. But Arkos won't do it. Perhaps he will be liberated, yet he won't do it. He will remain shackled to his throne forever.

  Niha was thinking about this. Suddenly, it started raining in the city. Niha thought, "I don't like rain because rain in this city means Arkos is sad."

  Then the Clown came and started singing. He said, "This isn't my song; it belongs to someone else who died. But it makes me feel better. Please laugh with me a little. I will just borrow your laughter. I had already worn the crown. Come, isn't this a foolish dream? I dream of unknown imaginations. If you need any advice for your thoughts, you can tell me. Why don't you speak?"

  Niha realized this was the monk. Before Niha could say anything else, the monk said, "You are going to Earth. Wake up from your imagination. There is no similarity between your imagination and this reality. Where there is light, there is shadow. Where there is happiness, there is pain. You won't be able to bear this pain, agony, and futility. This world will grind you into the soil."

  In agreement with his words, Arkos said, "This world can hurt you. It will cut you deep and leave scars—and nothing breaks like a heart."

  ?On the other side, hearing Nihira's scream, Ariyan arrived. He saw that Raiyan had broken the window and entered the room. Ariyan was busy trying to stop Nihira's crying. Then Raiyan delivered some bad news.

  Raiyan said, "This city has turned into a city of death." Ariyan looked outside; everything looked like 19th-century houses. Everything felt like a dream. He was having difficulty walking because of the dream-like influence. Everything flickered like an old cassette tape. He tried to go outside, but Nihira pulled his shirt. Ariyan sat by her. Nihira cried and soaked his clothes. After the rain stopped, her fire returned. She started hurling abuses at Raiyan. Ariyan was almost fainting hearing her language. Angry, Ariyan said, "Nihira, you've become so ill-mannered; I didn't expect this from you."

  Nihira sat sadly near Ariyan. Then she too sensed the dream-like state. Raiyan said, "Hey, that's what I was saying!" Nihira replied, "You pig, who told you to speak? I'm talking to my brother." Ariyan said, "You shut up." Nihira again sat there looking blank.

  Raiyan started, "Why is this girl's language so bad?" Ariyan said, "She's a little girl; she just acts like that." On the other side, Nihira called the domestic workers and told everyone to create a spell barrier around the house. Raiyan said in surprise, "This girl knows spells too!"

  Then Raiyan asked Nihira, "How do you move so fast?" For the first time, Nihira spoke to Raiyan: "My speed is infinite. But the speed I run with doesn't show in the real world. Because of my speed, I enter the Null Zone where time is zero. I return to Earth from there, but only a short distance can be covered here. Then, from my traveled distance, 3,000,000 kilometers per second decreases. Or even more. Or to be precise, 70 kilometers per Megaparsec decreases, because our universe is expanding at this speed. As a result, new space is being created between me and my destination."

  Surprised, Raiyan asked, "Don't you have to cross hyperspace to go to the Null Zone? And how many times a second do you do this?" Nihira replied, "I just kill the concept of death in hyperspace for a moment. I return before the universe can fix it. And I do this 991 times per second."

  Raiyan said, "My speed is already high because I feel the time of the world of death, not this world. But when I move at light speed, my internal tissues are destroyed and reformed every nanosecond. And I protect myself from sonic booms or my clothes tearing with my blood. So the clothes I wear become part of my body." Nihira said, "Eww, you're so dirty, why are you standing here?" On the side, Ariyan listened to them with his mouth open. He didn't dare say anything else.

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  Ariyan's head started heating up. He thought, "These two are obsessed with who is faster. Should I try to contact Niha somehow? Niha can see the Akashic Records. Can she give an answer from there? No, let it be; she might be busy."

  The Akashic Record or Akasha is something that collects all information and energy of the past and future. Those above this concept can use it through telepathy and gather information.

  Raiyan started saying, "Why are you so kind?" Nihira replied, "Hey, am I kind? Do you know how kind my brother is? Even a blind person can see his kindness. Even a person who can't hear can hear his kind words."

  "Hey, you two stop," Ariyan said loudly. The outside condition looked very bad now. Fog was everywhere. Ariyan looked outside and said to Nihira, "Why is everyone going to school so early? The whole city is following discipline and punctuality. Hey look, that's us! But looking quite artificial."

  Nihira came and was shocked to see this. They realized everyone in this city was now controlled, and for those not controlled, an artificial version of them was wandering the city.

  Nihira said, "That shadow isn't something bad. So it won't harm ordinary people; it's just after us. It might have created a positive charge in the middle with some lost people and a negative charge on the outside with others, turning this city into another world. If we wait inside the house for a few days, their energy will run out and everything will become normal."

  Raiyan said, "This sounds like an atom. But in an atom, the energy of electrons doesn't end." Nihira replied angrily, "This is the real world, not an atom. Here, their energy will end."

  Ariyan interjected, "Then it could also be that when the negative charge ends outside, it will start coming toward the positive charge. After coming together, everything in this world will be erased. Then the shadow's goal will be fulfilled. It might even kill some people to kill us. This isn't even a bad thing. Why wouldn't it kill a few people to maintain natural balance?"

  Everyone became very worried. Ariyan said, "We should go out and see the world. If any shadow or something unnatural comes, blood will start flowing from the wound on my chest, and I'll see unnatural scenes. Like, when the shadow comes, I see the sky as blood red."

  Everyone agreed and started going outside. Everything was getting blurry every now and then. Nihira said, "Maybe some human is also involved with that shadow. That person is controlling them according to their will. I was also attacked last night by controlled people."

  They met a man. He was saying many nonsensical things. Seeing Ariyan, he said, "Are you real? You are a monster. Forgive me. Have you noticed the pattern? What's going on? Something's wrong. There's a path to escape over there that leads to a new world. This dream will always haunt you. For you, now you must find the person who is controlling everyone, the rules made. Plus 75% more fear. The price is only your patience. Words of other spectators. Truly a life-changing experience. I have a devil in my heart."

  Ariyan realized the city was going mad. Ariyan saw an old man standing in front of a school. From the cloth on his hand, it was clear he was a dementia patient. Ariyan asked Nihira, "Because of this disease, no one can control him."

  Ariyan asked him, "What are you doing here?" The man replied, "I've come to pick up my son from school. He'll start crying if he sees I'm a bit late." Ariyan understood, "He has forgotten that his son is grown up now. This usually happens from not seeing the son for many days. Maybe his son hasn't visited him at the nursing home for a long time."

  Nihira felt very sad seeing this. So she gave the man shelter in her house until all this ended. Ariyan realized the shadow would finish everything before Niha could return.

  Ariyan and the others didn't delay and went outside again. They now had to find the person controlling everyone. Then they had to destroy the shadow as well.

  ?Niha became very worried not being able to feel Ariyan and the others. But just then, the monk informed that the 4th pillar was no longer alive. Malkor had killed him secretly. Niha said in surprise, "But Astreus is stronger than him, so how?"

  From the other side, the monk replied, "He attacked Astreus with his soldiers. In this, Malkor was also severely injured. It will take him at least one to three years to recover."

  Niha said angrily, "His name is no longer Malkor. I am taking back the name I gave. I named three people so they would be like brothers, but since he killed his brother, he is not worthy of this name."

  From that side, Ouroboros said, "I am older and stronger than you, so why am I under your name?" "Because you are a nameless object. I did it only at Arkos's request," Niha said angrily.

  Ouroboros is a snake that eats itself. It destroys itself and creates itself. Seeing this, many think it's a symbol of rebirth. But it's not. Those who have died will never return. But since the dead will go to the afterlife, after the energy ends, it returns in another form. This snake is the symbol of that. However, one day its energy will end, and at that time, the day will break down. Its current form is a four-armed creature. It has nothing in its mouth. Many eyes on its body. Inside its mouth is the picture of the entire universe.

  Niha asked Arkos, "Why doesn't the Void Warder do anything?" Arkos said, "He will do it when it's time. He is neither good nor bad. He helped you come because you could have caused danger."

  ?On this side, Ariyan and the others were stuck in a maze in the city. They faced a shadow figure again. The shadow attacked Nihira. But Nihira managed the attack and started her own. The shadow, unable to handle Nihira, attacked Raiyan. The shadow tore Raiyan apart. But Raiyan reconstituted instantly.

  In this, they lost Ariyan. Ariyan came across those lost children. They were trying to attack him. A change began within Ariyan. He didn't want to kill them. But the monster inside Ariyan was coming out. Ariyan started saying, "My secret side that I don't let anyone see. I keep it imprisoned. I can't control it. You stay away from me."

  Saying this, Ariyan killed two with his own hands. He warned them again, "The beast is very hideous. I can't hold it back. It's clawing at the walls. It's very close."

  Saying this, he strangled another to death. He said to them and himself, "It has awakened. Everyone hide under the bed. It's in my body and mind. Niha, why don't you come to me and save me? End this!"

  Another was killed by his hand. Ariyan screamed, "I can feel it deep inside. It's under my skin. I've become a monster. I hate myself. The nightmare has just begun."

  Then he began killing everyone brutally. He kept saying, "Go to your room and hide with a lock. It will tear me and break me. It's hiding in the dark. Its teeth are very sharp."

  Then he started biting everyone and drinking their blood. Still, he kept saying, "There's no way to escape from me. It wants my soul and my heart. No one can hear my scream. Maybe this is a dream."

  Ariyan's face was covered in blood. Those people were still attacking him. Ariyan told them again, "Maybe it's inside me. Niha, you stop this monster. I'll lose control. This is reality."

  Ariyan lost control completely. He started killing everyone with a smile. They also died by him with a smile. Blood spread everywhere. In an instant, Ariyan killed the children of 10 mothers.

  On this side, Nihira realized this shadow wasn't the shadow of that void. It was a weak shadow. So it couldn't do anything to Nihira. Nihira used her 'The Thanatos Optic' to strike the shadow's core existence. The shadow was destroyed.

  Then they started searching for Ariyan. Then in one place, they saw him covered in blood among many dead bodies. Ariyan looked at Nihira and said, "I didn't want to kill them. I'm not a murderer." Saying this, Ariyan fainted.

  Nihira and Raiyan carried Ariyan toward the house. But by then, darkness had covered the city. Nihira used 'The Erebus Optic' to take Ariyan inside the house. Blood was on Ariyan's face.

  While wiping the blood, Nihira saw something even more horrific. Human fingers and hair came out of Ariyan's vomit. Along with that, Ariyan was vomiting blood.

  Raiyan asked Nihira, "Tell me the truth, who is Ariyan really and what happened to him?" Nihira started crying and said, "He is my brother. It was all my fault."

  Raiyan understood Nihira's mental state and said nothing more. Outside was full of darkness and fog. The sound of fierce beasts was floating in from outside. The domestic workers checked if the house amulets were secure. A shield had been created in the house by those amulets.

  No one was supposed to be able to enter this shield. But even if they entered, they wouldn't be able to do anything in front of Nihira, because Nihira's power is infinite within the shield. But the influence of the shield is less near the garden. So going there is risky.

  But Ariyan's blood kept flowing. Then blood was also leaking from the wound on his chest. If it continued like this, Ariyan would die in a short time.

  Just then, in Ariyan's dream, he saw Niha. Niha said, "Do you have no desire to live?" Ariyan said, "No." Niha started again, "Did you forget about our promise? We were supposed to meet again. Live for me. Live for your sister."

  Now Ariyan's bleeding stopped. He tried to open his eyes. Although his wounds were healing, the blood from the chest wound didn't stop. Maliha took a risk and brought bandages from the workers' room. But even after bandaging, Ariyan's condition didn't improve.

  Nihira realized this was happening because of the thing outside. Because of that thing, the wound on his chest was glowing. Nihira went outside and saw a spider-shaped human with three pairs of legs.

  Nihira recognized him immediately. He was the youngest among the lost children. But as soon as he saw Nihira, he started attacking her. Nihira thought of finishing him in one strike. But his size was huge; his core existence was in his head.

  On this side, Raiyan stayed in the house without risking his life. On the other hand, Nihira dodged all attacks and broke his six legs. Then she plunged a knife into his existence. Slowly, it turned to ash.

  On this side, Ariyan also recovered. Everyone was very happy to see him. On the other side, feeling this, Niha also became worry-free. But Ariyan still couldn't sit up. Even so, Ariyan was looking for NihiraAs soon as Nihira came, Ariyan hugged her. But Nihira's back was soaked in blood. A moment later, Nihira fainted.