Theo stood completely still outside the barrier.

His gaze remained locked on the serpent’s corpse, watching smoke slowly rise into the sky.

But no matter how long he looked... Joop didn’t come back.

The old man had truly disappeared.

Finally, Theo closed his eyes for a moment.

’I’m sorry,’ he thought, clenching his jaw tightly.

If he’d been stronger...

If he’d reached silver core earlier...

If he’d just listened to his bad feeling...!

Maybe Joop wouldn’t have needed to push himself that far.

A cold wind brushed past him, carrying the smell of the ocean mixed with blood and smoke.

Behind him, military vehicles had long arrived with much-needed medics.

Voices cried out, whispered prayers, and called for help... yet none of it registered for Theo.

He remained completely still.

Only one other voice broke through to him.

’’Fucking hell!’’ Owen shouted out behind him. ’’Why the fuck did this need to happen?!’’

That’s when Theo slowly raised his head.

From higher up on the mountain, the complete and utter destruction of the city became clear.

Smoke rose up into the dark sky everywhere, buildings burning or having long collapsed already.

Cars were flipped over everywhere while water had risen high enough to enter through windows.

Above all, he could see the countless creatures still swimming around in the city. Even the occasional human figures they attacked were visible.

’’Why...’’ he muttered, his eyes empty. ’’Yes... why? Why did this have to happen?’’

’’Why did people have to do this?"

’’Aren’t we all human? Why are we trying to kill each other?’’

’’Why... is there a need for all of this?’’

Theo’s voice slowly faded away as the cold night air washed over him.

Nobody could answer.

Hell... no one had even heard his questions.

For a while, Theo simply stood there.

The sounds around him slowly started blending together into meaningless noise.

Even the deep exhaustion and the painful ache around his core faded away.

Everything... was silent.

At some point, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

Theo didn’t even react to it.

Everything almost felt... distant somehow.

Another person placed a hand against his chest, then pushed him down onto a soft cushion-like bed.

Finally—

Everything went dark.

For a while, it remained exactly like that.

Then, a flash of light went through his mind.

He found himself back in a familiar white room instantly.

’Blood?’ he thought, glancing down.

CLICK!

A guard stumbled through the reinforced door, his chest torn apart and unable to make a sound.

’David...?’

Theo took a step forward, spreading his arms.

But as David reached him... he just fell through him.

SPLASH!

Blood splashed across Theo’s face as the guard collapsed to the ground.

Theo’s pupils trembled, still holding his arms wide open.

The scene changed instantly.

Now he was running again, the floodwater barely reaching up to his ankles.

Everywhere around him, screams and cries for help rang out.

It felt like time slowed down, giving him the chance to see the faces of those he had abandoned before.

A young mother raising her baby out of a cellar window, begging for him to take it.

An injured hunter pushing people inside a building, the last hope leaving his eyes as Theo ran by.

Another man jumped out a window behind him, breaking his neck in an attempt to chase after him.

Yet... Theo couldn’t stop running.

Then—

The scene changed again.

Black flames spread out in front of him, even distorting the space around them.

The Frost Serpent hissed violently as the flames swallowed its body whole.

Joop’s arms slowly crumbled apart underneath the flames.

Yet the flames vanished as the old man turned around with a calm smile.

’’I need you to think of the lives you could save in the future... not just the ones standing in front of you today.’’

The old man paused for a moment, his smile strangely warm now.

"So... you two have to stay alive, no matter what."

Theo’s eyes widened.

He reached out instinctively.

But Joop’s body scattered away with the wind before he could reach him.

SNAP!

Theo’s eyes snapped open instantly.

His entire body shot up as he gasped for air.

For a moment, his heart pounded so loudly he could barely hear anything else.

Cold sweat covered his body while his chest rose and fell heavily.

’Joop...’

Theo’s pupils trembled slightly as he looked around wildly.

White sterile walls surrounded him while soft white lights illuminated the area and medical equipment quietly hummed nearby.

Slowly, reality started to set back in.

Theo’s breathing gradually calmed as he looked around.

’A hospital?’

For a moment, he just stared blankly at the ceiling.

Then he felt something heavy pressing down on his legs.

As he glanced down, he froze for a moment.

Long black hair spilled across the mattress... but it was more than familiar to him.

’’I-Iris?" Theo muttered, raising his arm slightly.

She sat slumped forward in her chair, her head resting on his legs.

Dark circles had formed underneath her eyes, making it obvious she hadn’t slept properly in a long time.

Even now, her fingers still held part of his covers tightly.

’She... she’s safe.’

He reached out with a trembling hand and brushed against her hair.

An immense relief spread through his chest as if a massive boulder had finally been lifted.

After everything that had happened...

She was still alive.

For several long seconds, Theo simply stared at her sleeping figure in silence.

His fingers continued lightly brushing against her hair.

’Thank god...’

The immense relief almost made him feel weak all over again.

Theo closed his eyes for a moment, his hand still resting against her hair.

After all the death, destruction, and madness outside... seeing her here beside him made all the bad memories fade away.

For several long seconds, he simply listened to her quiet breathing.

Then, he lowered his head slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

’’Thank you... for being here.’’