Tyler stood frozen in the bustling Sapphire City square, the evening crowds flowing around him like he was a rock in a stream. People chatting, laughing, and heading home under streetlights that flickered on one by one.Inside his mind, everything crashed together in a rush that made his head spin and his breath come short.The plan. The Garden. Natalie. Victor. Ashley. Some of his memories had been altered.It all flooded back clearly, sharply, and undeniably. Ashley had explained how the Garden of Prophecies, a timeless sanctuary where God's vision couldn't reach, was the only place safe to scheme against him. His all-seeing gaze couldn't pierce through it.Tyler remembered everything now, the lengthy discussions around the tea table, their voices overlapping in urgent whispers as they pieced it together.It came to him like an episodic vision. Victor slowly paced the grass, explaining his suspicions step by step. "Ashley's visions don't show a benevolent God. They show something da

Along with Gaia's maternal voice, the Garden of Prophecies dissolved around Tyler like the final notes of a fading symphony. The hedges melted into shimmering light, and the familiar tea table and its delicate porcelain cups vanished with a soft sigh. The timeless garden gave way to the harsh, ash-choked reality of the wasteland that had once been Sapphire City. Tyler blinked against the sudden glare of the afternoon sun. He suddenly felt very weary. Victor, Ashley, and Natalie stood beside him, looking equally weakened. Moments ago, Tyler had been in an apocalyptic cosmic fight. Now, only silence remained, broken by distant winds howling through craters. Victor exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as he surveyed the emptiness. "You actually did it. The plan worked. Ashley's visions showed universal devastation. They were proven wrong." Ashley stepped forward, her eyes still wide from the intensity. "The visions showed only possibilities, but never certainties. The God-D

The crusty gates of Montserrat Ice Prison clanged open with a heavy metallic groan, releasing a single prisoner into the pale afternoon light.Annika walked beside him. She guided the way towards the waiting Bugatti parked just beyond the perimeter.Tyler now wore a t-shirt, a leather jacket, and trousers, courtesy of the Salvatore household. A sharp chill was building up from the lingering northern winds, and the distant hum of rebuilt city traffic drifted faintly across the barren stretch of road.Annika slid into the passenger seat without a word, her leather folder resting on her lap. Tyler followed, dropping into the seat beside her.The young man let out a low whistle as his eyes swept over the sleek interior, the polished controls, and the low rumble of the engine coming to life."Not bad," he muttered, almost to himself, running a hand along the dashboard as if confirming it was real. "A luxury vehicle. The Salvatores must be quite wealthy."The seats felt plush under him, a f

Boris lumbered forward like he owned the road and everything on it. He rolled his thick shoulders, causing the joints to pop loudly. His arms flexed, the veins standing out like ropes. He brought his fists together in front of his chest and ground them against each other.A low, rumbling growl rolled out of his throat as he stared at the young man waiting in the middle of the asphalt. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this kill!"In Boris's head, the fight was already over. This kid was just another loud-mouthed brat who thought walking up and talking big made him dangerous. He had put down bigger men for less. Then they could grab the Salvatore girl and be on their way.Tyler didn't move. His hands hung loose at his sides. His shoulders stayed relaxed. He watched the big man approach with the same flat expression he might have worn while watching rain hit a window.On the inside, Tyler could even have chuckled. He had faced real monsters inside the hellish Montserrat prison. Men who laughed wh