“Nothing makes sense anymore,” Wyn mutters, sitting cross-legged in front of his tent, his team gathered around him. “Sauce pouring into the ocean from space? Gluttony coming out of a portal inside the sauce ocean?”

  “It never made sense in Hell,” James replies. “Why start now?”

  Instead of finding solace in rest, Wyn’s team sits restless, the weight of the previous fight pressing heavily on their minds. With David’s team reduced to just four and the army dwindled to a meager five hundred, an unspoken question hangs in the air: when will it be their turn?

  Yu sits in silence, staring off into the distance, lost in thought. Mira, too, is quiet, her usual sexual urges completely absent as she comforts her sister. James, though his expression remains stoic, is clearly shaken, his heart weighed down by worry. Lisa sobs softly, mourning the losses of the army, wishing desperately for this war to end so they can return to Hell and save what little remains of their force. Wyn’s gaze drifts into the empty space above, his fists clenched tightly. His hatred for not just one, but both creators has grown stronger, more consuming. Regardless of how they all feel, everyone knows the only way out is to move forward.

  “I…don’t want to lose any of us like we did with Anish,” Yu breaks the silence.

  “I wouldn’t know how to deal with it if I lose any of you,” Mira adds.

  Wyn looks back at his team, wanting to say something, but the words won’t come out. He’s not the type to make promises he can’t keep. As much as he wants to ride with his team to the end, he knows the chances are slim.

  Around them, the scene is no better. Souls are using the cat saliva vials to heal their injuries. Some are crying, while others have lost the will to continue. The morale of the army is at its lowest. Even Wei is silent, his failure to take down a god – despite having Steve at his side – without the help of a moderator, has filled him with doubt and fear. Slowly, he retreats to his tent. Meanwhile, Steve stands with David’s team, apologizing profusely for his failure as a leader and his poor decision-making that led to so many losses. As he speaks, David stands up, walks toward Wyn’s team, and takes a seat beside Wyn.

  “I need to break away for a moment. I don’t want to sink deeper into this feeling of guilt and sadness,” David speaks, his eyes red.

  Wyn is once again at a loss for words. Tears begin to fill his eyes, and he looks down at the ground to hide them. Mira, noticing the somber mood, asks the team to move closer to one another.

  “How did you guys feel when you learned you were already dead?” Mira asks.

  Her question hangs in the air, met with silence.

  “I was shocked, but at least I had some hope that I might get to see Lisa again,” Mira continues, her voice soft. Her words make Lisa cry even harder.

  “Let’s change the question a bit. What was your motivation to live your life back on Earth?” Wyn asks.

  “I wasn’t thinking too hard about it, given my age and all, but the glimpse of my future as a star pushed me to try harder every day,” Yu answers.

  “Good one. For me, I was rich and had it all. Why would I not want to live, eh?” James adds with a grin, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

  “It was just to be with my sister. I don’t care where we are as long as we’re together,” Lisa says softly, wiping away her tears.

  Mira tightens her hug on Lisa and simply answers, “Same as Lisa.”

  “Hmmm…despite my circumstances, I wanted to keep living to honor my family. I was more scared of losing memories of them. Sad to say, the pain I feel right now is comparable to when I lost my family,” David answers. “What about you, Wyn? You can’t ask this sort of question and not answer it yourself.”

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  Wyn smiles faintly. “Nothing. I had nothing to live for, really. My time with you guys gave me a renewed sense of life. But now that it’s at stake, I’m scared.”

  “Oh, come here, you,” Yu says, moving closer to wrap his arm around Wyn’s neck and pulling him closer, prompting Mira to follow suit.

  “If you don’t mind me asking, David, what are you fighting for? You said you wanted to end ‘this cycle’. Care to explain?” Wyn asks.

  “If I get to reunite with my family again, who I believe are in Heaven, all of this will be worth it. That said, my ultimate goal is to end this horrible cycle, even at the potential cost of never reuniting with my family again. No one should suffer like us. No one.”

  “You’re a good man, David. Everyone knows that,” Mira says, giving him a hug.

  “Let’s make a promise to keep moving forward, no matter what happens to any of us. You too, eh, Wyn – go to the end and keep fighting for those of us who don’t make it,” James declares, putting his hand in the middle of the group. The rest, including David, put their hands on top of each other’s, solidifying their pact.

  That moment feels heavy yet hopeful, a promise they all know must be kept for each other. Meanwhile, Violet is losing it. Having endured the loss of Ruben and now Kai, she, too, has lost the will to move on. This is the third time she’s cried herself into unconsciousness. David, noticing the commotion, returns to his team.

  “By the way, where do you guys keep the two vials? I keep them in my shorts pocket. They’re a pain to carry around,” Yu complains.

  “At least they don’t break easily, Mister Yu,” Lisa responds.

  “Like there’s another place we can keep them,” James retorts.

  Mira grins, then lifts her shirt, revealing that the vials are tucked between her bosoms. James, seeing this, feels the urge to retreat to his tent with her. However, Mira quickly refuses, apologizing and explaining that she’s not in the mood.

  With that, Wyn instructs his team to rest until they receive further instructions from Steve and Wei. They all go their separate ways. Mira shares her tent with Lisa, and James retreats to his own. Yu, however, hasn’t moved from his spot.

  “What’s wrong?” Wyn asks.

  “Can I, uh, sleep in your tent? I don’t wanna be alone,” Yu replies.

  Wyn, knowing he won’t fall asleep as quickly as Yu but understanding how his teammate feels, surprises himself by nodding. Yu, caught off guard at first, smiles and heads inside Wyn’s tent. By the time Wyn squeezes in, Yu is already sound asleep.

  Wyn’s team faces a chimera with a long neck and the head of a giraffe, the body of a camel, the tail of a fish, and the legs of a cassowary. Two massive wings sprout from either side of its body. The crowd inside the coliseum roars as the battle begins.

  The chimera sweeps its massive head, slamming toward Yu and Lisa. The duo manages to evade, but the creature suddenly lunges, its powerful grip tearing them apart at the abdomen.

  Mira, shocked but quick to react, hurls her burning whip around the chimera’s neck. An explosion erupts on impact, and the flames continue to spread, consuming the beast with relentless intensity.

  James, seizing the opportunity, drives icicles through the chimera’s wings and into its legs, crippling its movement. Wyn charges forward, his weapons spinning in a deadly arc, and with a single, decisive strike, he severs its injured neck.

  After their victory, they are led to the king’s throne room for their reward. The king, a jovial figure, greets them warmly, though Wyn feels a nagging familiarity in his presence. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t place where he’s seen this king before.

  Regardless, Wyn and his team, with Yu and Lisa seemingly recovered, accept the rewards.

  “You did well,” the king says, his smile triggering a familiar feeling within Wyn. “I know you’ll do well together, no matter what comes between you.”

  Before the king with the paunch can show off his castle to the team, Wyn is woken by a snoring near his ear. Annoyed, he carefully removes Yu’s arm and leg from around him and steps outside the tent. He stands there for a moment, gazing at the sky above, his eyes beginning to tear up.

  “I miss you, old man. We had a great team,” he mutters under his breath.

  As if on cue, Wei emerges from his tent. The two lock eyes for a brief moment, but Wei soon turns and heads toward Steve’s tent, waking him up. The leaders walk off together, most likely to submit a report to the nerds and discuss their strategy for the next level. Wyn doesn’t follow. Instead, he lies on his back, staring at the sky, lost in his thoughts. Despite the circumstances, his nemesis – depression – hasn't returned. With his friends nearby and everything happening around him, he’s been too distracted to let it in.

  At this point, Wyn has lost all sense of time. As he reflects on his journey with his team, a small smile crosses his face. But his thoughts are interrupted when Steve approaches, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. Wyn is startled, and Steve gestures for him to wake his team and prepare them for the next level.