It was dark in KT’s meeting room. The chandelier dangling from the ceiling high above the gigantic, mahogany table provided only scant lighting that day, as if it had felt the atmosphere in the room and had adjusted to it. Its occasional flickers of light sent shadows crawling across the faces of KT’s finest. The trophies that packed the room had all shined brighter in the past and now looked pale in the face of the all encompassing feeling of helplessness and, indeed, despair that could be felt in every corner of this giant stronghold.

Sitting there, sunk down in his chair, was Life. His shadow had shrunk, his arrogance lost. The confidence that had engulfed the land had abandoned him. He stared at the empty table in front of him, which was a reflection of his own mind. He’d done amazing things for KT during his reign, but it was his defeat that had made them gather here—and he knew it better than anyone else.

The door opened with a nasty squeak as Ryu Won entered the room. It crashed behind him. Everyone stood up to greet their eldest, all eyes on him, as if they were expecting, nay, hoping, nay, begging him for a miracle.

“Take your seats,” his voice echoed off the stone walls as he did so himself.

A long pause followed as Ryu Won took his time to look at each of the attendees. Eventually, he stopped at Life who still hadn’t made eye contact with anyone. Under different circumstances, that would have been considered extremely disrespectful and he would have been punished on the spot. This time, however, no-one could really blame Life. They all felt for him.

“Life.”

The kid’s sunken stare rose to meet Ryu Won’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, master,” he pleaded quietly.

“What will you do?” Ryu Won finally posed the question they’d all been waiting for. Life took a second to respond.

“I’ll fight,” he said, yet everyone felt the uncertainty in his voice. It was a weak statement from a man at his very weakest.

“They will defeat you.”

And that was the problem. Life had taken such a heavy mental beating at the hands of Dream that none of KT had any faith in his mission to reclaim the throne. In his current, battered state, the youngster would only get himself killed again—and KT in even more trouble.

Ryu Won however was not fooling around. He knew how dire the situation was. “We cannot let you go.”

“We could wake—,” Flash began his suggestion but was quickly cut off by a hectic TY, “No, Flash. That should be our final option. He’s earned that right.”

“So should we just surrender and—,” Flash began enraged, but he was immediately interrupted again.

“We should at least consider it. If we don’t take part in this war, we might be able to convince the new king that we’re not their enemy. If we fight and try to get Life back on the throne, we’re all in. If we don’t succeed…” Stats had summed up the issue precisely. With Life at his lowest point, victory was not the most likely scenario for KT. Settling on a less favorable outcome while avoiding total cataclysm could be in their best interest.

“And what if the new king is from SKT?” First objected. “We can never convince an SKT king that we’re not their enemy.”

“I know, but—”

“We shouldn’t—”

“Quiet, all of you.” Ryu Won’s deep, calm voice broke the quarrel immediately. “I admire your dedication to our cause, but arguing without clear aim will get us nowhere.”

His eyes glanced back at Life. “Life, you can’t go alone. But none of us are strong enough to make a difference even if we join you.”

Ryu Won stood up, with a subtle hand gesture dictating everyone to stay in their seats. “When we took the throne, it was Zest who destroyed SKT’s army and all their champions. Single-handedly. What were his final words to you, my sons?”

Nobody wanted to answer. They all knew where Ryu Won's speech was headed.

TY finally broke the silence, “He said to wake him if we needed him.”

Ryu Won nodded. “He helped us win the throne. Now we’ve lost it. If we don’t reassert our claim now, it may be lost to us for good. Who knows what will happen to us if SKT appoint the next ruler of this land.”

He glared at them all again and they could see in his eyes a profound resolve—it radiated from him. “We need him now.”

“So we wake him and send him into battle with Life?” Flash asked and Ryu Won nodded.

“When?”

“Right now.”

A sharp, uncomfortable aura shot through the room. Nobody really wanted to be around for that procedure.

“You’re all scared of him?” Flash observed with disappointment. “He’s your leader! The captain of your clan! And you’re scared of him? You should be grateful for all he’s done for us! And you should be relieved beyond measure that he gave us the possibility to consult him in these dark times.”

Flash couldn’t believe them. Zest was the ultimate servant to KT Rolster’s cause. He had sacrificed himself to win KT the throne and had achieved countless victories over their nemeses SKT. And he was his friend. Their response showed how little they knew him.

“He’s going to hate us,” TY warned.

Flash sneered at him in disbelief. “He’s going to hate us?” he repeated slowly.

“We really screwed up in his absence, didn’t we? He left everything in our hands and we lost it all. We’re robbing him of his well deserved rest because we slept on defending our throne, Life’s throne.”

There was finally honesty in TY’s voice and arguments. A breath of fresh air in these halls after several long days filled with little but repression.

Flash couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s all?”

After hours and hours of beating around the bush, their biggest concern was what Zest was going to think of them? TY gave him a look that reminded Flash of a confused child. “Well… yeah... “

Flash shook his head with a relieved smile on his face. “Zest will never hate you. He would give his life for KT and all of you. You have my word.”

“TY,” spoke Ryu Won, “never put your personal feelings before the clan’s future. Even if he did hate you.”

“Yes, master…” TY mumbled.

Flash took one deep breath and gazed at the chandelier above them. The room appeared so much brighter now. There was a future for KT, an ending to this saga that could still favor them. And Ryu Won was guiding them towards it.

“I will do it,” he proclaimed before standing up.

Ryu Won nodded. “You’ve earned the right. Do it right after the meeting. Let them know who’s coming for them.”

He turned to KT’s council members, “You’re all dismissed for today. Life...” He took a long, deep look at the youngster, “We’re counting on you, but you’re not alone.”

Life nodded. He was ready to get up, but Ryu Won wasn’t done. “Everyone, make sure Life and Zest are prepared for everything before they leave. You all know how important this is. For you, for me, all of us. This is still our kingdom. Defend our throne!”

Ryu Won had done it again, Flash thought to himself. What a brilliant leader that man was. The members of KT’s council applauded their eldest as he left the room and then made haste to begin their preparations. A few seconds later the bell started ringing. KT wouldn’t go down quietly. KT would fight.

Flash stepped outside the building and looked up at the sky, but storm clouds had already covered the evening sun, ready to explode at any time. He made his way across the courtyard with decisive footsteps aimed for where KT’s most precious artifact rose from the middle of the plaza. It radiated a blue psionic heartbeat, dull but enough to act as a beacon. It wasn’t a statue, however. It was him. Zest had fallen into a state of eternal sleep, covering his body in a glasslike layer that allowed visitors see through to him. Both legs firmly planted on the ground, arms crossed, eyes closed. KT’s captain still looked the same as he did in that very moment. Now, here he stood, proudly watching over his clan.

“Wake me when you need me,” Flash recited as he finally arrived at his friend’s monument. He looked at Zest’s mighty features: the chiseled jawline, the sculpted torso, and hair frozen in place. Then, without further ado, he laid his hand on the cocoon as they’d been instructed to do if the time ever came.

“We need you, brother,” Flash whispered to the icy sheets. Within a second, there was a pulse. The glowing light inside the glass grew brighter. Flash took a few steps back; his heart was racing. The ground began to tremble. A first strike of lightning came down from the sky. More would come.

The glow turned into a blinding light, illuminating the entirety of the courtyard and casting a large, drawn out shadow behind Flash. He could feel the pressure rising in the air and he could feel the earth shaking. The clouds erupted with a growling scream and finally Zest’s shell burst. Shards of glass flew through the air only to evaporate instantly as a gigantic ray of blue psionic light shot into the sky and pierced the clouds. The sky lit up with lightning each second.

For a few breathless moments, the pressure in the air remained at its peak. It felt as though the air itself was shivering with excitement. Finally, when it almost began to feel like the wild energy would devour the clouds entirely, the light slowly began to thin out. The pressure sank. The world began to calm down. The energy engulfing KT's legendary captain dissipated and finally faded away.

“This,” Flash thought, “they will have seen around the world.”

A few seconds of silence followed, only accompanied by the dying down rumbling of the ground. Then, finally, Flash heard his breath. And then his voice.

“Why did you wake me, brother?” His waking words resounded in the courtyard and—it felt that way at least—the whole world. Zest’s eyes opened. Flash only needed one word to tell him everything.

“SKT.”

And Zest nodded.