Dev and the remaining members moved forward without stopping, following the location Ruby had given and the exact time she had commanded, Kai carrying Dev on his back as if bearing a dying king, because Dev had not eaten for twelve days and twenty three hours, his bones clearly visible beneath torn skin, his face pale, lips cracked, eyes sunken yet still conscious.
The heat ground against them without mercy.
Kai himself was exhausted, all of them were, their bodies still carrying the aftermath of endless battle, but none dared slow down, because Dev's life depended on movement, and hunger could kill a human faster once the body started shutting itself down.
Dev slipped in and out of consciousness on Kai's back, his breathing shallow, his body screaming for rest, yet he forced himself awake again and again, because falling fully unconscious now meant death.
Seven figures walked in silence.
A narrow path stretched before them, and behind them lay a deserted plain, empty, lifeless, as if the world itself had abandoned it.
Then the air changed.
From far away, a presence approached at terrifying speed.
A bird.
No something far greater.
It grew larger with every breath, its shadow stretching across the land as it closed the distance.
Kai felt it first.
Then Chiru.
Then the others.
Chiru stepped forward without hesitation, gripping the sword Dev had given Kai, positioning himself directly in front of Kai and Dev, while Rhex, Karn, Vaal, and Sethr surrounded them from all sides, forming a living barrier, prepared to die before allowing anything to reach their king.
The creature descended.
A massive red eagle with six wings.
Ruby.
She hovered above them, her killing intent crushing the ground beneath.
"You sons of bitches," she shouted, her voice tearing through the air.
"Hand over Dev, or I will kill you all, crush your bones, and eat you alive."
No one moved.
Not a step back.
Not a flicker of fear.
They stood firm, bodies tense, wills locked, protecting Dev without question.
Ruby was about to strike.
"Ruby… wait."
Dev's voice was weak, broken, barely audible, yet it carried authority.
"They are my friends," he said.
"They serve me."
Ruby froze.
She stared at him.
"What happened to you?" she demanded.
"You look like you'll die any moment."
"Food," Dev said.
"Water. Now. We didn't see a single beast or bird in this area."
"Of course you didn't," Ruby replied coldly.
"This is a forbidden area. Even we avoid it."
Without another word, she seized them all, lifted them onto her back, and took flight.
They reached a cave deep within the forbidden zone.
Ruby dropped them carefully and vanished.
Five minutes.
That was all it took.
She returned carrying water and slaughtered beasts holo deer, nutrient-dense, muscle-restoring prey and without hesitation she brought twenty of them, roasting the meat herself.
Dev took the water first.
His mouth trembled as he opened it, pain tearing through his jaw, his throat burning as the liquid went down, but he kept drinking, again and again, until his hands stopped shaking.
Kai, Chiru, and the others drank as well.
Only then did Ruby speak.
"Who are these people?" she asked.
"Why are they serving you?"
Dev answered slowly.
"There is a palace in the forbidden area," he said.
"I entered without caution and fought an army with no end. Every morning the battle began, every time it stopped when someone appeared, and there I awakened my subconsciousness and gained blood and death energy."
As he commanded the energy to emerge, it manifested on his left side.
Ruby's instincts screamed.
Run.
But she forced herself to observe.
She stepped closer.
Blood and death energy.
Her expression changed.
"Dev," she said slowly, "you are lucky. This energy is one of the most useful energy you could ever obtain."
As she roasted the meat, she explained.
"When the blood soul awakens, it releases soul energy. That energy allows us to use fragments. The potential depends on how many petals form during awakening."
"A person with four petals can use fragments continuously for four hours. After that, they are drained completely."
"But blood and death energy infused before awakening can replace soul energy. It lasts longer. Four hours becomes eight, and when soul energy is mixed with blood and death energy, it can last up to twelve hours. That is the importance of blood and death energy."
She paused.
Blood and death energy is not just power.It is authority born from extinction.
When it is released, it targets fear itself, reaches into the instinct buried in every living thing, and reminds them of one truth they cannot escape death has already chosen them.
Anyone facing it does not feel pain first.They feel suppression.
Their blood slows.Their breath shortens.Their will fractures.
Stronger minds resist longer, but even they feel it a pressure that tells them moving is pointless,that resistance is meaningless,that kneeling is the only option left.
This energy does not dominate through force.It dominates by making the enemy accept defeat before the fight begins.
That is why it is forbidden.
Because once blood and death energy is refined, the user does not fight armies , armies stop fighting on their own.
Fragments normally fight our will, and failure damages the blood soul itself, but blood and death energy can suppress a fragment's will entirely, forcing submission without backlash.
And that is also why Dev must never release it openly.
"It is the ultimate gift," she said.
"And also a curse."
"It is forbidden. It comes from the dead and creates fear in everyone who saw it , it even created fear in me right now , Anyone discovered using it will be branded a killer and hunted to the end of the world."
"Do not show it to anyone."
Dev listened.
Ruby continued.
"I've flown over the forbidden lands many times. I never saw a black ancient palace. In this world, no one abandons a place without reason."
She glanced at Kai and the others.
"But seeing them… I believe you."
"It's strange hearing them call you "my king," she added.
"But I'm fine with it. Someone needs to protect you."
Then her tone hardened.
"There's a problem."
"You already have a fragment from your grandfather."
"Infusing blood and death energy is dangerous. Infusing two powers into a blood soul is nearly impossible."
Dev frowned.
"The gates closed yesterday," he said.
"They won't open until next year."
Ruby's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about?" she snapped.
"This is the last day of awakening. I calculated it. You have one day and two hours to reach the Pillar of Death and choose your ability."
Dev pulled out the pocket watch.
One day remaining.
Shock hit him.
Time had flowed differently in that place.
Days inside, hours outside.
Magic.
Laws beyond understanding.
One question haunted him more than all others.
"Ruby," Dev asked, "do you know someone called 'Nobody'?"
Ruby laughed.
"How can I say I don't know nobody?" she replied.
"No," Dev pressed.
"I mean the name. Nobody. He owns that palace."
Ruby went silent.
"In all my travels with your grandfather i have not heard a name called nobody "
Dev accepted it.
Food was handed out.
They ate.
Dev waited for that moment alone.
When he took the first bite, tears streamed down his face.
Relief.
Survival.
They ate for hours.
Ruby hunted again and again, roasting more meat without complaint, understanding the value of food.
When they finished, they rested.
Dev sat in lotus position, coin between his hands, eyes closed.
His thoughts sharpened.
Blood and death energy.Grandfather's fragment.
These two thoughts flowed through Dev's mind as he considered how to fuse them with his blood soul.
When he opened his eyes, they were ready.
Ruby spoke.
"You've awakened subconsciousness. No need for drama.I'll fly you there."
Dev hesitated.
What about Kai and the others?
I can't tell the children near the Pillar of Dead that these are my people.
Not yet.
What should I do?