Emily’s legs trembled as they stood in front of the glowing Core. Its light wasn’t warm. It pulsed unnaturally, like a heartbeat that didn’t belong here. Every breath she took felt heavier, like the air itself was warning her not to get closer.

Ruthless Aiden gritted his teeth. “So… that’s it. The Core.”

“It’s too easy,” Cold Aiden muttered, eye narrowing. “Lucian wants us here. I can feel it.”

“Paranoid as always,” Ruthless sneered. “Maybe this is just our chance to end it.”

Emily stared at the Core. It was beautiful, almost mesmerizing — glowing blue, veins of red running through it like cracks. She couldn’t stop staring. A whisper echoed in her mind, sweet, promising.

Her hand twitched. She took a step forward.

“No,” Silent Aiden’s voice cut through the air. “Stay back.”

Emily froze. “But… this is what we’re here for, right? If we destroy the Core, we can fix everything…”

Silent Aiden shook his head slowly. “It’s wrong. Can’t you feel it?”

Emily bit her lip. “Then… what do we do?”

Lucian’s voice rang out suddenly, smooth and sharp like a blade. “You’re smarter than you look.”

They spun around — Lucian stood behind them, leaning lazily against the wall, mask glowing with crimson cracks. His eyes shone red, amused.

“Did you really think it’d be that easy?” Lucian laughed, low and cold. “That Core… it’s not your salvation.”

Coward Aiden flinched, backing away immediately. “I… I knew it… I told you this was wrong… we should’ve run…”

“Oh, hush,” Lucian sighed. “Let me explain. You’ve all been so entertaining… I suppose it’s only fair.”

He walked toward the Core, hands in his pockets, the spiral mark on his mask pulsing faintly.

“You see… that thing? That’s my creation. Every step you took… every clue you followed… all leading here. The ‘Core’ was just bait.”

Ruthless Aiden’s eyes widened. “What…?”

Lucian smiled, sharp and cruel. “The moment any of you destroy it… you give me exactly what I need. Control. Full control over this world — and every version of him.” His gaze flicked to Emily, dark and hungry. “And you.”

Emily’s breath caught. “You’re lying…”

“Am I?” Lucian tilted his head. “You all want to be free… but there is no freedom. Only me.”

Cold Aiden snarled. “You bastard…”

“Language,” Lucian chuckled. “You still don’t get it. This… was always about him. All of him. I don’t need you to destroy the Core… I just need you to try.”

The Core pulsed brighter, its red veins crawling outward like spreading infection.

“Go ahead,” Lucian whispered. “Hit it. Destroy it. See what happens.”

Emily’s hands shook. “What… what happens if we do?”

Lucian leaned close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I win.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Broken Aiden took a shaky step back. “Then… what do we do?”

Silent Aiden’s eyes darkened. “We stop playing his game.”

Lucian grinned. “How? You’re trapped. You have no power left. No choices.”

Ruthless Aiden growled. “You underestimate how desperate we are.”

Lucian’s grin widened. “Desperate people make mistakes.”

Coward Aiden whimpered. “Please… let’s just… run… we’re gonna die…”

Lucian laughed so hard it echoed through the ruins. “Run? There’s nowhere left to run, little coward.”

The ground beneath them cracked. The Core’s glow turned blood red. Emily could feel it pulling at her soul.

“We destroy him,” Silent Aiden finally said, his voice soft but firm. “Not the Core. Him.”

Lucian’s laughter stopped.

“You think you can?” he whispered, eyes narrowing.

Silent Aiden’s mask shifted slightly, his crimson eyes locking onto Lucian. “We don’t have to win. We just have to stop you.”

Lucian’s smirk returned. “Try.”

And then the sky above them split open.

The other Aidens—Ruthless, Cold, Broken, Coward—moved together without a word. For the first time, there was no fighting, no hesitation. Just one goal.

Emily stood frozen, watching as the world around them broke apart. The Core pulsed like a heart ready to explode.

Lucian’s voice echoed one last time.

“Let’s end this.”