Yu and David panic as they find themselves standing atop what appears to be the roof of a massive glass dome. Below them, a crowd gathers in the grand hall, filling the space as they wait in anticipation for what seems to be a concert about to begin. However, their rising dread is momentarily forgotten as their eyes lock onto the figure standing before them.

  “Are you…him? You look different,” David asks.

  Light Force is now draped in flowing white robes. He features shoulder-length golden-brown hair, a well-defined yet gentle face, and piercing eyes that hold both authority and an unsettling serenity. A golden aura pulses around him, casting shifting rays of light across the dome’s surface. Unlike before, he appears noticeably younger – his features smoother, his presence almost rejuvenated.

  “Where are Wyn and the sisters? What did you do to them?” Yu presses.

  “Now, now, Yu, my child,” Light Force answers gently. “You should take a good look down below first.”

  The crowd in the hall erupts in cheers as the artists take the stage. Eight figures step into the spotlight – no more, no less. Then, recognition strikes Yu like a bolt – these were his idol friends.

  “Why eight?” he mutters. “Shouldn’t there be nine without me?”

  “You want to know what happened after your death, my child?” Light Force’s voice remains gentle.

  After the accident, everyone in the van was rushed to a nearby hospital. While eight of the group members pulled through, Yu and another member were in critical condition. The group wept as they lost Yu, clinging to hope that the other would recover. But that never happened. Even now, he remains in a hospital, trapped in a coma.

  At first, they had no will to debut, especially after learning from the producers that Yu had planned to leave the group. But as time passed, the producers refused to let their talents go to waste. Claiming it would honor both Yu and their friend in a coma, they pushed forward with the debut. When they first stepped onto the stage, a tribute reel played in memory of their lost members, and they wept as the footage rolled.

  Yu drops to his knees, his trembling hands pressing against the glass dome as if trying to get past the obstructive barrier to reach his idol friends. He mumbles words no one can hear.

  “Why are we here?” he chokes out, tears streaming down his face as he demands an answer.

  “I’m not done yet, my child,” Light Force says calmly. “Now, David. Are you still searching for your family?”

  David is left speechless as a portal opens above Light Force, and his entire family falls through, landing before the divine figure. They appear disoriented, glancing around in confusion – until they spot one another. Instantly, they break down, sobbing as they embrace on the ground.

  “They were in Heaven,” Light Force continues. “I saved them from the Hell army.”

  “No, you didn’t save them!” David snaps. “You would’ve sacrificed them just like the other souls if I weren’t here!”

  His family stirs at the sound of his voice. Their eyes widen with joy as they turn toward him, but before they can reach him, a massive golden shield materializes between them, cutting them off from his view. Though David can no longer see them, he can still hear their desperate cries, calling his name.

  “Still, I spared them from meeting the same fate as the others,” Light Force states.

  “Don’t get them involved! Free them!” David demands.

  “And then what?” Light Force asks, his voice unwavering. “Where will they go? All of you here are just souls. The living realm is no longer your place.”

  “It can be – and it will be!” Yu interjects.

  Light Force calmly explains his reason for bringing them here – the same reasoning he had given to Wyn.

  “I’m willing to keep only one of you. Prove your loyalty. Kill the other,” he says, his voice unnervingly composed.

  Yu and David seethe with anger. There is no way, in any realm, they would turn against each other. Still, they plead desperately for Light Force to spare the others, but their pleas are met with a slow, unwavering shake of his head.

  “Then kill me, David,” Yu says, his voice strained. “My friends down there will still become souls, but your family…if you lose them, it’s forever.”

  “And let him keep my family as hostages for eternity?” David retorts. “Didn’t you hear? He said he’s only leaving one of us alive! That means Wyn and the sisters will be gone too!”

  In a sudden move, David calls upon thunderbolts from above. Light Force quickly resummons his shield, now repositioning it above his head to deflect the strikes. Seizing the moment, Yu raises a stream of water beneath David’s family, attempting to pull them closer while David dashes forward to reach them.

  But then – David’s eyes widen. Behind his family, glowing projectiles streak toward them.

  Acting on instinct, he throws up his own shield just as his family reaches him. The impact against the shield is light, thanks to Yu controlling the water’s speed. But when David lowers his guard, his breath catches.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  A horrifying sight greets him – his entire family, their heads pierced through by golden arrows.

  David’s scream of agony pierces the air as he clutches his family, their forms slowly fading from his grasp. Yu stands frozen, unable to move as he watches his teammate crumble.

  “I lost my entire team…and now my family is gone…again. What more do I have to give up for your damn war?” David shouts, his tears uncontrollable.

  Light Force’s serene expression shifts. A slow grin spreads across his face.

  “Then now, you have nothing to lose.”

  Unlike his counterpart, Light Force had spent time among souls, basking in their praise. He has mastered the art of wielding emotions – not just as his own, but as weapons against others.

  “I’m sorry, Yu. I can’t care about your friends anymore. I just want to kill that bastard!” David growls, his voice shaking with rage.

  Yu breathes heavily, fully aware of what’s about to happen if he and David choose to take on the creator. His hands tremble, but before he can process it all, David grabs him by the shoulders.

  “You don’t have to get involved,” David says. “If I don’t make it, then you can decide for yourself what to do next. But about your friends down there…I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”

  Yu shakes his head, his voice steady despite the weight of their situation. “Like I said, they’ll become souls. We’ve made it this far together, David. Let’s take him down and find the rest of our friends.”

  David stares at Yu, momentarily stunned by his unwavering resolve. His tears don’t stop, but a small, determined smile forms on his lips.

  Together, they turn to face Light Force, their eyes burning with defiance.

  “Last time our countries went to war together, it didn’t end well. So, let’s make history!” David roars.

  Before they can strike, Light Force summons the golden shield from above, sending it crashing down onto the glass dome, shattering it beneath them. As the two plummet, Light Force remains hovering above, watching them fall. Yu reacts quickly, summoning a stream of water to break their descent, unintentionally pushing some of the concertgoers up within the flowing water.

  The moment they regain their footing and look around, Light Force is nowhere to be seen. But as their eyes dart to the stage, they find him already there, standing among the idol members, who are ducking and crawling in panic.

  The golden shield materializes in front of the stage before propelling forward like a battering ram, mowing down everything in its path. Bones crack and bodies crumple as it plows through the hall.

  Uncertain of their opponent’s full strength, Yu and David split, leaping to opposite sides through the crowd. But just as they think they’ve evaded it, the shield abruptly stops between them – then begins to spin. Golden beams fire from its edges in rapid, unpredictable bursts.

  Water surges from beneath Light Force, rising to engulf him. But before it can, he lifts effortlessly off the stage. Instead, Yu’s attack ensnares two of the idols, forcing him to hastily retract the water.

  Hovering above the chaos, Light Force scans the scene, searching for Yu and David. Below, Yu spots several idols groaning in pain, their bodies riddled with puncture wounds. Though part of him wants to help, he forces the thought aside, focusing instead on his opponent as he hurls water orbs toward Light Force. The entity effortlessly evades while airborne. In response, three golden arrows shoot toward Yu, but he swiftly deflects them with streams of water forming a barrier in front of him.

  Without hesitation, Yu detaches the crescent blade’s tip, spinning it inside a sphere of water before launching it at Light Force. Then, he dashes around, keeping the water in motion to avoid becoming a still target. However, the spinning blade tip collides with Light Force’s shield and stops instantly.

  While Light Force focuses on Yu, David seizes the opportunity. He summons more thunder strikes from above while simultaneously hurling projectiles forward. Most of his attacks land, some setting Light Force ablaze. The divine entity scatters his form, retreating to a safe area before reassembling.

  That’s when David spots an opening. Fire pillars erupt from the ground beneath Light Force’s scattered form, incinerating some concertgoers in the process. But just as the flames begin to engulf him, Light Force’s mass converges with alarming speed. Yu reacts instantly, surrounding David with a shield of water.

  “We need to attack his mass when he doesn’t have a form!” David shouts.

  Even without a solid form, Light Force conjures golden arrows, launching them toward Yu. He dodges swiftly, keeping his water barrier around David. But suddenly, David is hurled out of the water, swept up by the golden shield, which slams into him and carries him forward. The battering ram shield charges onward, relentless in its pursuit.

  David struggles against the shield's grip, but it carries him until he’s finally thrown to the ground. He drops and rolls beneath the shield just as it turns to face him again.

  Without hesitation, Yu summons a surge of water, hurling it forward to slow the shield’s momentum. The water ripples against the shield’s surface, momentarily halting its charge, giving David just enough time to scramble away before it crashes into him once more.

  The duo regroups, scanning for Light Force's scattered form, but the shield and arrows keep coming. As they dodge, David soon realizes the shield is being controlled by the scattered mass.

  "Get behind me, Yu!" David instructs.

  The golden shield crashes into David’s own, but instead of sending him flying, it only forces him backward as Yu supports him from behind. Together, they struggle against the overwhelming force, Yu’s body pressed firmly against David’s while his water streams aid their defense.

  "Now, Yu!"

  David’s shield begins to heat up, the burn intense, but it seems to have no effect on the shield. However, as they combine their efforts, pillars of boiling water rise from behind the shield, scalding the mass. The force immediately retreats, fending off the duo by launching arrows as it pulls back.

  "We've got this! We've found his weakness!" David exclaims.

  More lightning strikes fall from above, aiming for the mass, but it keeps scattering into smaller particles, making the strikes less effective. As the two focus their attacks, multiple golden beams rain down from above, striking both of them, with Yu taking the brunt of the assault.

  Once the barrage finally stops, David rushes to Yu, helping him to his feet with Yu's arm draped around his neck. On the stage, Light Force has reformed into his divine shape, holding the golden shield.

  "You two are impressive," Light Force muses. "Too bad neither of you accepted my offer."

  He raises both arms, his face turned to the sky. "But if you think that’s all I can do, you’re wrong. After all, I’m a God – your God! It’s time you feel my wrath!"

  The shield rises with a swift, thunderous force, as if hurled by an unseen hand, cutting through the air and vanishing into the night sky. Light Force turns his gaze to the two, his expression darkening. The sky above crackles with golden gleams, as if the very heavens themselves are bowing to his will.

  Then, like a storm unleashed, a barrage of arrows rains down, accompanied by smaller battering shields, each one striking with relentless fury. Yu and David stand, breathless, staring up at the chaos above, knowing that the battle has reached its breaking point.