The sky was bleeding.

Red cracks stretched across the heavens, splitting what was once blue into a sea of crimson. The ground trembled beneath their feet as the Core’s dark energy pulsed, stronger with every second. Time felt… wrong here. Slowing. Speeding. Warping.

Protector Aiden stood in front of everyone, fists clenched, crimson eyes locked on Lucian. “Tell me one thing… why Emily? Why target her?”

Lucian’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “You still don’t understand, do you? Emily is the reason you exist.”

“What…?” Emily whispered, eyes wide. “What are you saying?”

Lucian tilted his head, like he was talking to a child. “Every version of you, Aiden, is born from regret… grief… the moment you lost her in your original world. You couldn’t save her… so you shattered. Over and over.”

Emily stepped back, shaking. “No… that’s not…”

Coward Aiden’s breathing grew heavy. “I… I remember now. I tried to run. I didn’t even look back… She was calling my name…”

Silence fell.

Kind Aiden placed a hand on Coward Aiden’s shoulder, his voice soft. “We all failed her… That’s why we exist.”

Lucian’s laughter echoed. “You see it now, don’t you? You’re all fragments of a failure. You don’t protect her because you’re noble… You protect her because you’re guilty.”

Protector Aiden gritted his teeth. “It doesn’t matter why we protect her. What matters is that we won’t fail this time.”

The Core roared — a massive black hole of energy twisting above them.

Ruthless Aiden smirked. “Enough talking. Either we kill him, or we die.”

“No.” Cold Aiden’s voice cut through. “If we rush… the Core consumes us. We need a plan.”

They stood there — six versions of Aiden and one scared, trembling Emily — facing the end of everything.

Cold Aiden continued, “Listen carefully. The Core is reacting to Lucian… but also to us. Our powers fuel it.”

“I noticed,” Ruthless Aiden scoffed. “So what, we just stand here?”

“No,” Cold Aiden’s eye narrowed. “We force Lucian out. If we kill him outside the Core’s influence… the loop might break.”

Lucian watched, amused. “Interesting. Do you think I’ll just let you do that?”

Emily clenched her fists. “What if… what if I go to the Core?”

Everyone turned.

“What?!” Protector Aiden’s eyes went wide. “Absolutely not—”

“I’m the reason it exists, right?” Emily’s voice trembled. “Then maybe… maybe I can weaken it. If I’m close, maybe it’ll hesitate.”

“That’s insane!” Coward Aiden cried out. “You’ll die!”

Emily gave a sad smile. “We’re all dying anyway… aren’t we?”

For once… Lucian said nothing.

Kind Aiden looked at her, something flickering in his eyes. “She’s right… It’s risky, but… it might work.”

Ruthless Aiden growled. “I hate this plan.”

“Same,” Protector Aiden sighed. “But we don’t have a choice.”

The ground cracked again — the Core’s black tendrils snaking toward them.

Cold Aiden turned. “We buy her time. That’s the plan.”

Lucian finally laughed. “Fine… let’s play your little game.”

The battle erupted.

Ruthless Aiden was the first to move — slashing through a wave of dark energy. “I’LL KILL YOU FIRST!”

Cold Aiden stayed back, calculating, eyes scanning Lucian’s every movement.

Protector Aiden shielded Emily, pushing forward. “Run. Don’t stop until you’re at the Core.”

Emily nodded, tears blurring her vision. “Don’t die… okay?”

They all smiled, even Coward Aiden.

“For once,” Coward Aiden muttered, “I’ll try not to run.”

The world became chaos.

The sky rained shards of light and darkness. Each Aiden fought — powers clashing, reality bending.

Ruthless Aiden fought like a beast, blades tearing through everything. Kind Aiden protected Coward Aiden, shielding him. Cold Aiden found his moment — freezing a tendril mid-air.

Protector Aiden pushed Emily closer to the Core — every step like walking through hell.

Then Lucian moved — faster than any of them could react.

He appeared behind Emily.

Protector Aiden screamed. “EMILY!!”

Lucian’s blade came down — but at the last second, Coward Aiden stood between them.

The blade sank deep into his chest.

“Ah…” Coward Aiden coughed blood, a weak smile on his lips. “I did it… I didn’t run…”

Emily screamed.

Lucian growled, yanking the blade free. “Pathetic.”

Protector Aiden caught Coward Aiden as he fell. “You idiot… why…?”

Coward Aiden smiled weakly. “Because… I wanted to be brave… at least once…”

The Core pulsed — brighter, angrier.

Emily stood there, sobbing — then she took a step forward. “I’m here… Core… Look at me.”

The Core’s dark tendrils paused.

Lucian snarled. “NO!”

But it was too late — Emily touched the Core.

A shockwave erupted — throwing Lucian back.

“I won’t let you hurt them… not anymore…” Emily whispered.

The Core screamed.

Lucian stood, his face twisted in rage. “You think this is over? The real game… starts now.”

And the world began to collapse.