The heavens care nothing, toying with all as mere straw dogs.

  From a perch beyond the stars, the Ultimate System gazed down, its voice a distant echo of cold amusement reverberating through the void. To it, this low-frequency speck of a world—Vaelthor—was no more than a plaything, a fragile board for its cruel game. The lives within, mere pawns and puppets, danced or died at its whim, their screams and struggles nothing but fleeting sparks to entertain an audience of unseen, insatiable eyes. Its weapons were not blades or fire, but the indifferent laws of a higher plane, twisted to bind and break the lesser beings below.

  Within the shimmering dome, time ticked relentlessly—three minutes dwindled to two. The air thrummed with the violet field’s oppressive hum, its tendrils coiling tighter around the trapped figures. Evelyn lay still, her chest rising faintly, blood streaking her face like a shattered mask—crimson rivulets pooling beneath her chin, her once-fiery violet eyes now closed in a deathly pallor. Ola slumped nearby, his breath shallow, crimson staining his lips, his hands twitching faintly as if clinging to the last threads of strength. Qilin paced, its claws scraping the cracked earth, gouging shallow trenches in the dirt, a low growl rumbling from its throat like a storm brewing in its gut. And BaiYun stood at the center, his fists unclenched, sweat matting his hair to his forehead, his gaze piercing the chaos with a cold, unyielding resolve that belied the tremor in his chest.

  BaiYun sucked in a sharp breath, the ache in his heart clawing at him like a caged beast. His mind raced—energy, waves, frequency, resonance—it was all clicking now. The field wasn’t killing them; their own mana was, bouncing back like a cursed echo. If he could mess with the rhythm, maybe—just maybe—they’d break this cage.

  He turned to Qilin and Ola, voice low and steady despite the strain etching lines into his face. “Listen up—using magic in this field hurts us, but we can’t sit here doing nothing either. I’ve got a plan, and I need you to follow it—fast. Tell me right away how much you can take. If it feels wrong, stop casting pronto. I’ll explain why once we’re out—assuming we make it.”

  The Ultimate System’s voice rumbled from above, a venomous chuckle slicing through the hum like a blade through flesh. “You think you can crawl out of this, worm? Your squirming only deepens the pit—pathetic.”

  BaiYun ignored it, his eyes locking onto Qilin with a flinty stare. “Hey, big guy—can you do the earth-to-metal trick? Make me two metal sticks. Nothing huge—just small rods, like drumsticks or something.” His words snapped out, urgent and clipped, leaving no room for hesitation.

  Qilin squinted at him, its crimson eyes narrowing, then let out a gruff, “Yeah, I can fucking do that.” It planted its paws, a low snarl rumbling as mana pulsed through its frame. The ground shuddered faintly, two slim iron rods forming in a swirl of dust and light. Its growl tightened, pain flashing in its crimson eyes, but it tossed the rods at BaiYun’s feet with a sharp huff. “There—don’t fuck it up, dipshit.”

  BaiYun nodded, scooping them up, then swung his gaze to Ola. “Now, professor, any enchantment that amps up energy when stuff collides? Something basic, nothing fancy.”

  Ola coughed, a thin trickle of blood staining his chin, but his voice rasped out steady despite the pallor creeping up his face. “Yes—a Resonance Weave. It’s foundational for any enchanted weapon—amplifies mana into energy waves on impact. I can manage it.” He dragged himself closer, his hands trembling as he traced faint runes over the rods with blood-smeared fingers. Violet sparks crackled along the metal, then settled into a low, pulsing hum that rippled faintly against the field’s own rhythm. He slumped back, wiping his brow with a shaky hand, breath ragged but eyes sharp. “Done—the weave’s set.”

  BaiYun crouched, checking the rods with a quick glance, their faint glow pulsing in his hands like a heartbeat out of sync.

  “You guys good?”

  Qilin snorted, flicking its tail with a grunt, and Ola gave a weak nod, his chest heaving. BaiYun let out a slow breath, relief softening his edge for a split second. “Good—the hardest part’s done. Now, which one of you can bash these sticks together? Like you’re playing a beat—doesn’t have to be good.”

  Qilin’s jaw dropped, and Ola blinked, both staring at him like he’d sprouted horns. “What the fuck?” Qilin barked, its growl turning into a scoff. “Kiddo, you ain’t starting our funeral tunes already, are ya, you crazy asshole?” Ola just tilted his head, his bloodshot eyes wide with stunned disbelief.

  “Shut up,” BaiYun snapped, his voice sharp but shaky, exhaustion creeping into his bones. “I’m too beat to do it myself, or I’d be banging them already. Just do it.”

  The Ultimate System’s voice cut in, colder now, a jagged edge of unease threading through its venom. “I knew it—you’re a dangerous little stain, aren’t you? A festering blight that dares to think it can defy me!”

  BaiYun didn’t flinch, his focus unwavering as he waved a hand at them. “Come on, who’s doing it?”

  Ola frowned, gripping the rods with trembling hands, their weight pulling at his already frail frame. “Qilin has no hands—I suppose it’s me, then. How should I…?”

  “Just hit them,” BaiYun said, voice rising with urgency. “Hard. Smash them together—as random as possible. No pattern, no sense—just make sure it’s a mess. Go!”

  Ola hesitated, Qilin muttered, “This better fucking work, kiddo, or I’m shovin’ those sticks up someone’s ass!” and the system’s voice piped up aloud, icy with doubt, “Have you lost it already?”

  BaiYun didn’t snap back this time. His eyes flicked to Evelyn’s still form, blood pooling beneath her shattered face, her broken beauty a punch to his gut. His voice dropped, low and raw. “This is the only possibility I can think of. If I’m wrong, then I… I really don’t know what to do next.” He left out a huge sigh, “I’m sorry—I dragged you all into this mess. I fucked up.”

  Ola met his gaze, a faint, tired smile breaking through his pain. “Let’s hope you’re right.” He raised the rods with trembling hands, each strike—clank, clang, clunk—sending a jolt up his arms, mana flaring off the metal in jagged, chaotic waves that clashed with the field’s hum. His jaw tightened with grim focus as the violet sheen stuttered, its tendrils twitching faintly against the onslaught of erratic energy.

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  After a few hits, something shifted. The pain in BaiYun’s chest began to fade, a dull ache replacing the stabbing torment. Ola’s breathing steadied, his shoulders loosening; Qilin’s growls softened, its pacing slowing.

  BaiYun kept his face blank, no hint of triumph—just cold focus. “Keep going, professor,” he said, voice steady. “Smash them till this field’s gone.” His eyes flicked skyward, a grim edge creeping in. “Some dickhead up there told us it only lasts five minutes anyway.”

  The Ultimate System’s voice roared back, jagged with fury, “You insolent speck—think you’ve outwitted me? I’ll crush you yet!”

  But the violet field flickered wildly, its hum fracturing as the chaotic mana waves swelled, pounding against its rhythm like a hammer on glass. Then, with a sharp hiss, it vanished—tendrils retracting into the air, the dome dissolving as if dismissed.

  The Ultimate System snarled one last time, venom dripping from every word, “This isn’t over, BaiYun!” Its voice fell silent, fading with a cold sneer, leaving only the echo of its retreat in the stillness.

  The cracked earth settled under their feet, dust swirling faintly in the still air. The air hung still, the faint hum replaced by an eerie quiet, broken only by the crunch of dust beneath their feet.

  BaiYun’s shoulders slumped for a heartbeat, then he snapped upright, voice sharp. “Help the queen. Professor, you got anything to patch her up?”

  Ola nodded, dragging himself to Evelyn’s side with a grunt. “Yes—a Mender’s Pulse. It’s basic healing—stabilizes mana flow, knits wounds.” He pressed his hands over her chest, a soft green glow spilling from his palms, faint tendrils of light weaving into her blood-streaked skin. The crimson flow from her nose and eyes slowed, her breathing deepening slightly, though her face remained pale as death. “She’s holding on,” Ola rasped, wiping sweat from his brow, “but it’s not enough yet.”

  Evelyn’s eyelids fluttered, a weak groan escaping her lips as she stirred. Her violet eyes cracked open, clouded with pain, her hand twitching, grasping at nothing as she whispered, “Tell me… we made it?”

  Ola leaned closer, voice steady but laced with exhaustion. “BaiYun figured out how to break that cursed energy field. We’re alive because of him.”

  BaiYun’s jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to the blood-soaked dirt beneath her. His voice caught, eyes dropping to her bloodied face as he muttered, “I’m sorry… I messed up big time dragging you into this—especially you, your majesty. ” His hands clenched, knuckles white, as he stared at her broken form.

  Ola clapped a shaky hand on BaiYun’s shoulder, his grip firm despite his frailty. “Enough of that for now. You saved us—focus on that. The queen needs more than I can give her here. We’ve got to get back.”

  Evelyn’s lips twitched, a faint smirk breaking through her pain. “He’s right… Get me up. We’re going.”

  The battlefield faded into a blur of dust and shadow, the cracked earth giving way to the polished gleam of palace stone. Qilin had taken the lead, Evelyn slung across its broad back, her blood staining its fur crimson as it lumbered forward with a low growl, “Hold on tight, lady—this ride’s free.” BaiYun and Ola trailed behind, steadying each other’s steps, their breaths ragged but resolute.

  The palace halls buzzed faintly with urgency as attendants swarmed, whisking Evelyn off Qilin’s back and through the healers’ wing, her bloodied form vanishing behind a curtain of white robes. Qilin lingered at the edge of the hall, its crimson eyes glinting with a hard edge. “I’m outta here,” it growled, voice low and pissed. “Gotta figure out what’s going on, kiddo. I know those high-plane creeps exist, but this?” Its growl deepened, “Those fuckers think they can screw with us like that? I’m finding out why. This is fucked up.” It turned, lumbering off into the dusk, its tail flicking like a whip.

  BaiYun and Ola stood in the cavernous throne room, the air heavy with silence. The throne sat empty, its golden curves catching the flickering torchlight, while distant murmurs of healers echoed from the wing beyond. BaiYun’s hands shoved into his pockets, his jaw tight, eyes fixed on the floor. Ola leaned against a pillar, his breath still uneven, watching BaiYun with a quiet, weary gaze. They waited—waited for word on the queen, waited for the dust to settle, waited for the next move in this game they’d been forced to play.

  Ola shifted, letting out a tired huff, his voice cutting through the stillness, trying to lighten up the mood a bit. “Hey BaiYun, cheer up a bit. She’ll be okay.”

  “Now, can you tell me what exactly that field was back in there? How did you break it?”

  BaiYun’s head tilted up, his eyes narrowing as he scratched his neck, piecing it together. “Here’s how it went. First hint—I noticed you and the queen took a bigger hit after blasting it with magic, way worse than before. Qilin smashed it with his bulk, and he didn’t look nearly as bad. That got me thinking it’s something linked to mana. Then I realized my pain wasn’t as sharp as yours—made me wonder what’s different. Only two possibilities. either my mana reserve was much lower than yours, or my mana was drained already. That sealed it—this attack’s all about mana. If that thing up there can’t kill us itself, it’s turning our own mana against us.”

  He paced a step, voice calm but firm. “Then the word ‘frequency’ was mentioned quite a few times—it clicked. Mana’s energy, in essence, eh? It’s got a rhythm, a pattern, a pulse. Normally, that pulse is mild, no harm done within our bodies. But when you cast magic, it gets stronger—louder—lets you do damage. That field? It’s throwing out the same rhythm as our mana, matching it perfectly. Makes the pulse inside us grow—too big, too intense—starts tearing us apart from within. The jargon for this is Resonance. You and the queen got hit harder because your magic boosted your mana’s pulse, and the field piled on top, amplifying it even more. That’s why I asked where mana comes from—the heart’s the source. Mine was almost dry, so I only felt it there.”

  Ola nodded slowly, his gaze sharpening as he followed along. BaiYun leaned forward, hands gesturing as he continued. “So, here’s the trick—we had to break it. I figured if the field’s syncing with our mana to hurt us, then throwing something offbeat at it might mess things up. If it’s all about rhythm, then scrambling it with something wild ought to throw it out of tune. That’s where the rods came in. Qilin made them solid, you wove that resonance trick into them—turned every hit into a burst of mana waves, wild and scrambled, no pattern at all. When you started banging them, those waves slammed into the field’s pulse—completely threw it off. It couldn’t resonate anymore—too much chaos, not enough pattern. That’s why the pain eased up and the fucker up there knew its trick stopped working anymore, so he pissed off.”

  Ola’s lips curved into a faint smile, his tired eyes softening. “You did well back there, BaiYun—really well. Stop beating yourself up over it.” He pushed off the pillar with a groan, brushing dust from his robes. “I’ll fetch some water—give them a moment with the queen.” He shuffled toward a side chamber, his steps slow but steady, leaving BaiYun alone in the flickering torchlight.

  The silence pressed in, thick and unbroken, until a faint hum stirred in BaiYun’s mind—his system, its voice low and unsteady, cutting through the quiet. “BaiYun… something’s happened. The Ultimate System… I mean that fucker up there cut me off—completely. No connection, no info, nothing. I can’t receive any info updates now.”

  BaiYun shrugged, a wry twist tugging at his lips. “ Well, ain’t that a fucking surprise?” His voice was calm, edged with sarcasm, as if he’d half-expected the move.

  The system’s tone tightened, a flicker of unease breaking through. “By all logic, I shouldn’t be getting anything new—no signals, no messages, no nothing. But… someone broke through. Just now, past the blackout. He reached out to me.”

  BaiYun’s brow lifted, his interest piqued. “Who?”

  The system paused, its voice dropping to a strained whisper. “He says he wants to help ‘The Trickweaver’… I believe that’s you.”