Serestia's reaction was immediate.
The moment the alert flashed across her screen, her entire expression shifted as if something had been pulled tight beneath her skin. Her eyes widened first, not just in surprise, but in something deeper, something sharper, and Arceus felt it before he fully understood it, like a ripple passing through the air and striking his instincts.
His pulse spiked.
Fast.
Hard.
Danger.
Not the vague kind that lingers at the edges, but the kind that arrives without warning and demands movement.
He didn't waste time.
Without a word, he pulled two crisp 100-dollar notes from his wallet, the paper brushing against his fingers as he slapped them onto the counter. The amount was far more than needed, but he didn't look at the cashier, didn't wait for change, didn't even care about the receipt.
There was no time.
"Serestia," he said, his voice low but urgent, already turning. "We need to leave. Now. Before the barrier closes and locks us in."
His gaze flicked briefly toward the part-timer, whose confusion hadn't yet caught up with the situation.
"You too," Arceus added quickly. "Get out. Now."
The words were clipped, direct, carrying a weight that didn't invite hesitation.
He turned back.
Ready to move.
But—
She didn't.
Serestia stood frozen.
Completely.
Her breathing came too fast, far too fast for someone who was simply startled. It was uneven, shallow, like her chest couldn't keep up with the air it was trying to pull in. Sweat beaded along her forehead, slipping down her pale cheeks in thin, glistening trails.
Then—
Her body began to tremble.
Not slightly.
Not subtly.
Violently.
Like something inside her had snapped loose.
"Serestia?" Arceus's voice sharpened, tension cutting through it.
No response.
The timer ticked.
Relentless.
Outside, the world began to change.
A low hum rose from the ground, deep and resonant, vibrating faintly through the floor beneath their feet. The air thickened, pressing inward, while a faint shimmer began to rise around the perimeter, curling upward like invisible glass forming from nothing.
The barrier.
Closing.
"Snap out of it. Run!"
His voice cracked like a whip.
He didn't wait for permission.
He grabbed her hand.
Her skin was cold.
Too cold.
And then—
They ran.
The door slid open behind them, the cool night air rushing in as they broke onto the street, the distant lights blurring with motion as Arceus pushed forward, pulling her along with him.
But halfway—
Her grip faltered.
Weakened.
"Serestia!"
Her body swayed once.
Then—
Collapsed.
Dead weight.
"Damn it… flux? Now?!" His teeth clenched, frustration flaring through him as his mind raced.
No time.
No hesitation.
He shoved the plastic bag into his inventory mid-motion, the items vanishing instantly, freeing his hands as he bent low, scooping her into his arms in one swift motion.
Her weight settled against him.
Limp.
Unresponsive.
The barrier loomed ahead, rising faster now, its edges curling upward into a dome that shimmered faintly with unstable energy.
His eyes flicked.
Barrier.
Timer.
Barrier.
Timer.
"12 seconds…"
His lungs burned.
His legs pushed harder.
Each step hit the ground with force, friction scraping against the soles of his shoes, his breath tearing through his throat as he forced his body forward.
The edge was almost closed.
Almost sealed.
He lunged.
A final step.
A final push.
And then—
He crossed.
Behind him—
shhk.
The barrier sealed.
Complete.
Inside, the air twisted.
A swirling portal bloomed into existence, its surface rippling with unstable energy, sparks crackling along its edges like lightning trapped in a cage.
Arceus slowed.
Just slightly.
His chest heaved, breath coming in sharp pulls as sweat dripped from his temples, tracing lines down his face.
In his arms—
Serestia.
Still.
Her head tilted against his chest, her breathing shallow but steady.
Alive.
Unconscious.
He shifted her carefully, moving her onto his back, her weight pressing down against him as he adjusted his stance. His fingers worked quickly, pulling off his shirt, looping it around her waist, securing her in place so she wouldn't slip.
"There…" he muttered under his breath, more to steady himself than anything else. "Better than dropping you…"
He didn't stop moving.
***
By the time he reached the apartment, the world had settled back into quiet, but the tension still clung to him like a second skin.
Inside, the lights were dim.
The air was still.
Emelia and Neal had already retreated to their room, the closed door signaling their absence from the shared space.
Only the faint glow of the television illuminated the living room.
Celia sat there.
Relaxed—
Until she saw him.
Her expression broke instantly, her body snapping upright as her eyes locked onto the unconscious figure on his back.
"Sera—!" she rushed forward. "What happened?!"
"No time," Arceus said, his voice tight but controlled, already moving past her.
She didn't argue.
Didn't hesitate.
She moved ahead of him, her steps quick, purposeful, throwing open the door to her room.
The scent hit immediately.
Lavender.
Soft.
Calming.
The room contrasted sharply with the urgency, pale pink walls, delicate patterns, everything neat, untouched by chaos.
Two beds.
Opposite ends.
Arceus stepped in and lowered Serestia carefully onto one of them, his hands steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through him.
Celia was already beside him.
"What happened?" she demanded, her voice sharper now, worry cutting through it. "Flux? Did someone—"
"No."
He cut her off gently but firmly.
Then explained.
Quick.
Clear.
Dungeon alert.
Barrier forming.
Her collapse.
The escape.
Every second.
Every detail.
Celia listened.
Silent.
Focused.
Then nodded slowly.
"When Serestia was seven…" she began, her voice lowering slightly, the words carrying a weight that didn't belong to the present. "She was kidnapped."
Arceus stilled.
"She was taken into a stellar rift," Celia continued, her hands moving as she opened drawers, searching. "To avoid the police."
A brief pause.
"She was missing for three months."
The room seemed quieter.
Heavier.
"Her mana core…" Celia exhaled softly. "It was damaged. Permanently."
She found what she was looking for.
A small amber bottle.
"Flux," she said, almost to herself. "It never left her after that."
She turned back to him.
"Destroying the mana core could stop it," she added, her voice tightening slightly. "But that comes with a high chance of paralysis."
A faint, bitter breath left her.
"So she lives like this."
Arceus said nothing.
Because he already knew.
And yet—
Hearing it again—
Seeing it—
It felt different.
Celia pressed the bottle into his hand.
"One tablet," she said. "Dissolve it in water. Make sure she drinks it."
He nodded.
But his eyes narrowed slightly as she turned away.
"I need to go out."
"At this time?" he asked.
Something didn't sit right.
Her movements were too quick.
Too urgent.
"For medicine," she replied, already moving.
Too fast.
Before he could question further—
She was gone.
The door clicked shut.
***
Silence returned.
Thicker now.
Heavier.
Arceus stood there for a moment.
Then moved.
The tablet dropped into the glass with a soft plip, dissolving slowly, pale currents swirling through the water until it cleared.
He lifted her gently.
Supported her head.
Careful.
Steady.
"Come on…" he murmured quietly.
The glass tilted.
She swallowed.
Even unconscious.
The water slipped past her lips, down her throat.
He lowered her back.
His hand lingered.
Then—
Without thinking—
He reached for her hand.
Held it.
Lightly at first.
Then tighter.
"Liu'er…"
The name slipped out.
Soft.
Familiar.
Carrying something old.
Something unresolved.
His gaze settled on her face.
Peaceful now.
Fragile.
"This time…" he whispered, his voice barely there, "it'll be different."
A pause.
"I'll be there."
And this time—
He meant it.