Emily barely felt alive. Every sound felt too loud, every shadow too dark.

The apartment was suffocating, despite its size. Silent Aiden stood by the window — still, like a statue. Broken Aiden sat on the couch, his cracked mask reflecting the faint light. Cold Aiden leaned against the wall, arms crossed, single visible eye scanning everything.

Emily’s fingers trembled as she clutched a cup of water. “Can someone… please tell me what’s going on?” she whispered.

Cold Aiden spoke first. “The multiverse is collapsing.”

Broken Aiden flinched at the words, looking away.

“Collapsing?” Emily repeated. “That’s… insane.”

Cold Aiden stared at her. “Insane or not, it’s happening. Because he’s waking up.”

“Who?”

Before anyone could answer, a chill swept through the apartment.

Emily’s breath fogged. The lights dimmed. Then — the knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

All three Aiden's froze.

Cold Aiden’s eye narrowed. “He’s here.”

Emily’s heart skipped. “Who—?”

The door exploded inward.

A figure stepped through — tall, wrapped in black robes, face hidden behind a horrifying mask of deep crimson. Black mist bled from the cracks in the mask.

Lucian.

“Emily Hayashi…” Lucian’s voice was like nails scraping metal. “We finally meet.”

Before she could scream, Cold Aiden moved. Faster than her eyes could follow, he appeared between her and Lucian, hand raised.

From his palm, a shimmering blue barrier erupted, shielding Emily. The air vibrated from its force.

“Back off,” Cold Aiden growled.

Lucian tilted his head. “Ah… Logic. I wondered which one of you would step up first.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “What… was that?”

Cold Aiden didn’t answer.

Lucian chuckled. “No matter… I’m not here for you. Not yet.”

With that, he snapped his fingers — shadows erupted from the floor, reaching for Emily.

“NO!” Broken Aiden screamed — and in that moment, his body cracked apart, red energy pouring from the fractures.

Emily gasped as a burst of red ethereal chains flew from Broken Aiden, wrapping around the shadows, yanking them back.

“Get away from her!” Broken Aiden howled, every chain glowing faintly.

Lucian smirked. “Still so… fragile. Let’s test that.”

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a blast of black energy toward Broken Aiden.

But before it hit — Silent Aiden moved.

No sound. No warning.

He appeared beside Lucian, one hand gripping a blade of pure moonlight.

With one precise slash, he cut through the black energy, dispersing it like smoke.

Lucian’s eyes gleamed. “Ah… the protector.”

Emily couldn’t speak — she couldn’t move. Three different Aiden's — each so different — now unleashing powers she couldn’t even understand.

Cold Aiden turned his head slightly. “Emily. Run.”

She shook her head. “No… I…”

“I SAID RUN.”

Before she could respond, the walls shattered.

From the breach, another Aiden appeared — mask dark maroon with black claw marks — his body radiating wild, chaotic energy.

“Oh… I missed the entrance?” the new Aiden grinned. “You guys started without me.”

Lucian’s eyes gleamed. “Ah… the Berserker.”

The Ruthless Aiden cracked his neck. “Let’s dance.”

Without warning, he charged Lucian, fists blazing with dark red fire. Every punch sent shockwaves through the room.

Lucian dodged effortlessly, laughing. “You think brute force works on me?”

The fight blurred — blasts of energy, light, and shadows tearing through the apartment.

Cold Aiden’s barrier held — barely.

Emily stood frozen, tears streaming. “What… are you all?”

Broken Aiden turned, eyes glassy. “We’re… what’s left of him. Of Aiden.”

She sobbed. “And him?” She pointed at Lucian.

Cold Aiden’s jaw clenched. “He’s what Aiden becomes… if we fail.”

Lucian grinned, hearing every word. “I am Aiden. The only version that matters. And soon, you’ll be mine, Emily.”

Suddenly — a scream tore through the air. Emily’s vision blurred — she was yanked backward into the darkness.

Lucian’s voice echoed. “Enough games.”

Cold Aiden cursed. “He’s pulling her in!”

Without thinking, Silent Aiden leapt into the shadows — his moonlight blade piercing the dark.

Ruthless Aiden grinned wildly. “HELL YES, A CHASE!”

Broken Aiden flinched. “We… we have to follow.”

Cold Aiden nodded once. “Get ready… this is where it really begins.”

And with that — they vanished into the dark after her.

The apartment was gone.

Only the crimson cracks in the sky remained — pulsing… waiting.