The King’s Path

Edward adjusted the strap of his bag as he trailed behind Anastasia and Hellaina, both of whom were far more enthusiastic about the day ahead than he was.

The towering gates of Inferno Park, the city's famous dark-themed amusement park, loomed before them, adorned with eerie lights, artificial fog, and animatronic monsters snarling at passersby.

He didn't particularly want to be here, but Anastasia had practically dragged him along, with Hellaina eagerly backing her up. Edward had been trying to focus on honing his forging skills and figuring out the mysteries of Ahnavat.

The last thing he wanted was to spend the day dodging pranksters in costumes and riding coasters designed to terrify.

"Come on, Edward, lighten up," Anastasia said, glancing back at him with a small smile. Her white hair shimmered under the dim, haunting lights of the park. "You've been glued to the forge all week. You need to take a break."

"Yeah, Ed," Hellaina chimed in, walking next to Anastasia. She flashed him a playful grin, her emerald-green eyes twinkling mischievously. "This is supposed to be fun, you know. You do remember what fun is, right?"

Edward sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "Sure, fun. I'll just put that on my to-do list somewhere after 'figure out how to not die in the next gate raid.'"

Hellaina rolled her eyes and linked arms with Anastasia. "You're hopeless."

"Hopelessly focused," Edward shot back. "I've got stuff to work on. You two can enjoy your roller coasters and haunted houses."

Anastasia gave him a look. "You can't keep grinding forever, Edward. Even the best heroes need to take time for themselves. You don't want to burn out."

Edward opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. He sighed again, letting the girls pull him along.

The trio made their way through the park, weaving between costumed staff who jumped out with fake weapons or roared like monsters.

The dark, otherworldly theme of the park was impressive, designed to mimic a terrifying alternate dimension. Towering walls were carved to look like ancient ruins, eerie green lights flickered through fogged-up windows, and ominous music played in the background.

Anastasia and Hellaina jumped and shrieked at every sudden scare—a skeletal hand grabbing at their feet, a zombie lurching out of the shadows—but Edward remained completely unfazed.

"Do you ever react to anything?" Hellaina asked after a particularly elaborate scare involving a demon bursting out of a wall.

Edward shrugged. "Not really. After seeing eldritch monsters in dreams and imagining golden-armored kings fighting gods, this just feels… underwhelming."

"You're no fun," Hellaina said with a pout.

"Agreed," Anastasia added, nudging him with her elbow. "At least pretend to be scared. You're ruining the mood."

Edward smirked. "Fine. Boo."

Anastasia rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward in a reluctant smile.

The day passed in a blur of rides, haunted houses, and overpriced snacks. Edward tried to engage, but his mind kept drifting back to the forge, and to the secrets he still needed to uncover.

As evening fell, the park's lights dimmed further, casting everything in an eerie glow. Edward excused himself from the girls, saying he needed to find the restroom. Anastasia waved him off, and Hellaina was too busy teasing her to notice him slipping away.

Or so he thought.

Edward had just rounded a dark corner when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Leaving so soon?"

He turned to find Hellaina, leaning casually against the wall with a smug grin.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "How did you even—wait, no, let me guess. You followed me?"

Hellaina shrugged, pushing off the wall and sauntering toward him. "You make it sound creepy. I just happened to notice you sneaking away."

Edward crossed his arms. "Okay, what do you want? I'm just trying to get some peace and quiet before you drag me onto another ride."

Hellaina stopped a few steps away from him, tilting her head as her smile softened into something more serious.

"Edward," she said, her voice quieter now, "why do you always avoid me?"

Edward blinked, caught off guard. "Avoid you? What are you talking about? We see each other all the time."

Hellaina stepped closer, her emerald eyes locking onto his. "You know what I mean. Every time I try to get closer to you, you brush me off, like I'm just some annoying fly buzzing around you."

Edward laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "You're reading too much into it. I'm just—"

Before he could finish, Hellaina leaned in, her breath brushing against his ear.

"You're the one I've always had my eye on, Edward."

Edward froze, his heart skipping a beat as her words sank in.

"W-What?" he stammered, his mind scrambling for some sort of response. "Hellaina, I don't—"

She silenced him with a single finger pressed gently against his lips.

"You're so focused on your goals, on your powers, that you don't even notice what's right in front of you," she said softly, her tone playful but carrying an undercurrent of sincerity.

Edward opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to process what was happening.

Hellaina leaned in even closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Do you not like me at all? Or is it because…" Her voice trailed off, and a sly smile crossed her lips. "…you like Anastasia instead?"

Edward's eyes widened. "What?! No, I—"

Hellaina pulled back, laughing softly at his flustered reaction.

"Relax, Ed," she said, her teasing tone returning. "I'm just messing with you. Kind of."

Edward frowned, his cheeks flushed. "Hellaina, this isn't—"

"Shh," she said, placing a finger against his lips again. "You don't have to say anything right now. Just… think about it, okay?"

She stepped back, her expression softening as she gave him a small, almost shy smile. "I believe I can make you fall for me if you'd give me a chance. That's all I'm asking."

With that, she turned and walked away, her golden hair swaying in the dim light.

Edward stood there, stunned, his mind racing. Hellaina's words echoed in his head, tangled with the growing confusion about his feelings and the weight of everything else happening in his life.

"Why does everything have to be so complicated? " he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

Edward splashed cold water on his face in the restroom, hoping it would clear the haze left by his encounter with Hellaina. Her words lingered in his mind, unsettling and confusing him. "You're the one I've always had my eye on…" he muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"Get it together, Ed," he whispered, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror. "You've got bigger things to worry about than girls teasing you in haunted amusement parks."

Satisfied that he'd calmed his nerves, Edward dried his hands and stepped out into the dimly lit corridor.

At first, everything seemed normal. The faint hum of eerie music played in the background, and the flickering neon lights gave the area an unsettling glow. But as he walked, the air began to shift.

The lights dimmed further, the background music fading into silence. The playful chatter of other parkgoers vanished entirely, replaced by an oppressive stillness.

Edward stopped in his tracks. "Okay, this is definitely not part of the park's theme," he muttered, glancing around.

The shadows seemed to grow thicker, stretching unnaturally across the walls and floor. The air grew colder, biting at his skin, and a faint whisper tickled the edge of his hearing.

"Come to me, child…"

Edward froze. The whisper was soft, almost indistinguishable from the wind, but it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Who's there?" He called out, his voice steady but strained.

The whisper came again, clearer this time.

"...Come closer to the truth you seek…"

Edward's eyes darted around the darkened corridor, searching for the source. His heart pounded as the shadows began to shift and swirl, converging near the base of a massive tree that had somehow appeared in front of him.

The tree was gnarled and ancient; its bark blackened as though scorched by fire. The shadows coiled around it like living tendrils, condensing into a swirling mass of darkness at its base.

Edward's legs moved on their own, carrying him toward the tree despite every instinct in his body screaming at him to run.

"Stop it," he whispered to himself, clenching his fists. "Don't be an idiot and follow a creepy voice.."

But as he approached the tree, he felt an invisible force pulling at him, compelling him to step closer. The swirling darkness grew denser, taking on a shape that sent a chill through his veins.

Suddenly, Edward's breath caught in his throat.

The shadows parted, and a dimensional gate began to form. Its edges shimmered with an otherworldly light, shifting and warping as if reality itself was struggling to contain it.

"Oh, no. Nope, nope, nope," Edward muttered, backing away. "This is bad. This is really bad."

He turned to run, but before he could take more than a few steps, a powerful force yanked him backward, dragging him toward the gate.

"Let me go!" Edward shouted, clawing at the ground, but it was no use. The portal's pull was relentless, and within moments, it swallowed him whole.

When Edward opened his eyes, he found himself standing in what could only be described as a void of infinite stars.

The ground beneath him was smooth and reflective, like black glass, and the sky stretched out endlessly in every direction, dotted with countless stars that flickered like dying embers.

"Okay... I need to stay calm," Edward muttered to himself, forcing his legs to move. Each step echoed softly in the vast emptiness, as though the void itself was listening.

He looked around, searching for any sign of life—or a way out. But as he walked, a voice broke the silence, low and smooth, laced with amusement.

"So, this is the vessel Gilgamesh has chosen…"

Edward froze, his blood running cold. The voice was calm, almost conversational, but it carried a weight that pressed down on him like a mountain.

Slowly, he turned around.

Standing several meters away was a giant figure that made his heart seize in fear.

The being was regal and imposing, draped in tattered yellow robes that billowed as though caught in an invisible wind. The edges of the robes seemed to disintegrate into wisps of starlight, blending into the void around him.

His face was obscured by a veil of darkness, but Edward could feel the weight of his gaze as if it were boring directly into his soul.

Edward's breath hitched. He'd seen descriptions of this figure before—in the library, in old myths and legends. A being so ancient and powerful that even the gods feared to speak his name.

"Hastur, The shepherd of the stars." Edward whispered, his voice trembling. His mind almost shattered just by looking at his face . The sheer fear the old ones exude was not ordinary.

The figure tilted his head slightly, as though amused. "Ah, so you've read the old stories. I wonder… how much of them do you believe?"

Edward stumbled back, his mind racing. This can't be real. Hastur is a myth, a legend—one of the Old Ones. He's not supposed to exist here. There has been no record of an old one appearing directly within a gate."

"You're… not real," Edward said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Hastur chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Edward's spine. "Not real? I suppose, to beings such as yourself, that might be true. And yet, here I exist, little child. What is truly real, and what is an illusion? Things like that don't matter to us."

Edward clenched his fists, trying to steady his breathing. "What do you want with me sir? "

Hastur took a slow step forward, his movements graceful and deliberate. Just that move resulted in a galaxy exploding and being reborn. "What I want is of no concern to you, child. What interests me is why he chose you."

"'He'?" Edward asked, confused.

"Gilgamesh," Hastur said, his voice laced with disdain. "The so-called King of kings, the ruler of mankind . To think he would lower himself to choose such a frail, insignificant vessel. But I suppose he was also weak when he came to me."

Edward's eyes narrowed, a spark of defiance flaring in his chest. "Hey, watch it. I don't know who you think you are—actually, I do know who you are—but don't underestimate me! "

Hastur chuckled again, this time louder. "Brave words for one so weak. But tell me, Edward … what do you truly seek?"

Edward hesitated, his mind flashing back to the forge, to Kanshou and Byakuya, to the dreams of Gilgamesh battling gods.

"I want to uncover the truth," he said finally, his voice firm. "About the gods, about the Outer Ones, about everything."

Hastur's veiled face seemed to regard him for a long moment, his presence growing heavier. "The truth, you say? Then you are more foolish than I thought. Do you not realize that the truth is often more dangerous than any lies?"

Edward stood his ground, though his knees felt weak. "Dangerous or not, I'll handle it. I have to know everything ."

For a moment, there was silence, save for the faint hum of the void around them. Then, to Edward's surprise, Hastur began to laugh.

"Interesting," the Old One said. "Perhaps you are not as insignificant as you seem. Very well, Edward Ludovic. I will watch your journey with… interest."

Before Edward could respond, the stars around him began to flicker and blur, the void collapsing into itself. Hastur's form dissolved into starlight, his words echoing in Edward's mind.

"Beware the truth you seek, little one . It may shatter you completely ."