THE LAST GODSLAYERChapter 22 — The Body That Wasn't HisCael screamed.Not from pain.From recognition.His body lifted from the ground.Silver light erupted from beneath his skin, spreading across his arms in thin, glowing lines.Hans grabbed him."Cael!"The moment Hans touched his brother, the world disappeared.For a fraction of a second, Hans saw another place.A white room.A single table.Cael lying unconscious upon it.Aster standing beside him.And something else standing behind Aster.A man.Hans.Not the Hans who stood there now.An older version.Colder.His eyes were completely silver.He looked at Cael through the glass.Then he spoke."If the first body fails, use the second."Hans's vision shattered.He returned to reality.Cael was still floating.Hans tightened his grip."Let him go."The silver light intensified.A voice came from the horizon."He was never yours."Hans looked toward the enormous figure.It had risen above the distant mountains.Its body was imposs

THE LAST GODSLAYERChapter 24 — Three SoulsOne.The word echoed through Hans's soul.Then everything went silent.No white field.No laboratory.No Cael.No Aster.No sound.Hans stood alone inside an endless darkness.Across from him stood the original Hans.He looked exactly the same as before.Young.Unscarred.Silver-eyed.But now Hans could see something beneath his appearance.He wasn't a body.He was a consciousness.A piece of something larger.Behind him stood the black silhouette.Its silver eyes remained fixed on Hans.Three beings.Three fragments.One existence.Hans clenched his fists."Explain."The original Hans smiled."You finally asked the right question.""Explain.""There's nothing complicated about it."Hans glared at him."Then why has everyone spent sixteen years lying to me?""Because the truth is worse.""Try me."The original studied him."You were never created."Hans frowned."What?""You were separated."Hans's expression changed.The original pointed to

THE LAST GODSLAYERChapter 26 — Do Not Trust CaelHans didn't move.The System message remained suspended before his eyes.DO NOT TRUST CAEL.He read it again.Then again.Nothing changed.Cael noticed his expression."Hans?"Hans finally looked at him."How much do you remember?"Cael frowned."About what?""Anything."Cael glanced at the stranger."Not much.""Think.""I remember the laboratory.""The white place.""Falling.""Then waking up here."Hans watched him carefully."And before that?"Cael's expression became confused."I remember us.""That's all?""Yes."Hans nodded."Good."Cael frowned."Why?""Because I don't know what to believe anymore."The stranger laughed."Finally."Hans turned toward him."You."The stranger pointed at himself."Me.""What should I call you?"The stranger smiled."You called me many things.""Give me one."He thought for a moment."Call me Zero."Hans frowned."Why Zero?""Because that's what I was before you killed me."Hans looked at Ace."Is

THE LAST GODSLAYERChapter 28 — The Laboratory That RememberedThe laboratory hung above the world like a second moon.It was enormous.Far larger than anything Hans remembered from the visions.Its outer structure was white, but not the clean white of the facility he had seen before. This one looked ancient.Cracked.Scarred.Almost alive.Thousands of narrow windows covered its surface.Behind every window, something moved.Hans stared upward."What is that?"Zero didn't answer.Hans turned."Zero."The older man finally spoke."The place where all of this began."Hans looked back at the structure."That isn't the laboratory I remember.""No.""Then what is it?"Zero's face tightened."The laboratory remembers."Hans frowned."Buildings don't remember.""This one does."Before Hans could respond, Lyra appeared on the enormous entrance platform.She stood completely still.Her silver eyes were fixed on Hans."Come inside."Hans raised his weapon."Why?"Lyra smiled."Because you have

THE LAST GODSLAYERChapter 30 — The Choice That Was Never a ChoiceThe message remained in the air.WORLD 38 — FINAL PHASE INITIATED.ONE BROTHER MUST DIE.Hans stared at it.Then at Cael.His brother stood several meters away, silver light moving beneath his skin like veins of fire.His face was still Cael's.But his eyes weren't.They carried memories that didn't belong to one lifetime.Thirty-seven worlds.Thirty-seven endings.Thirty-seven versions of the same impossible choice.Hans lowered his weapon."You're not going to kill me."Cael's expression didn't change."I have to.""No.""I remember what happened.""So do I.""You don't."Hans stepped forward."I remember enough."Cael shook his head."You remember what the laboratory showed you.""Not what happened afterward.""Then tell me."Cael's jaw tightened."I can't.""Why?""Because if I tell you everything..."He looked toward the ceiling."...you'll remember."Hans waited."And if I remember?"Cael's eyes filled with tears