As the door to the living room swung open, a chorus of voices erupted in unison, "Happy birthday!"

Adam stood frozen at the entrance, his grin widening at the sight before him.

His family had arranged a surprise birthday party for his 9th birthday, and everyone was there to celebrate it - his parents, Stella, the Amin’s, and even the newly hired staff, bodyguards, and the gaming team.

Overwhelmed with a mix of surprise and warmth, Adam took in the familiar and comforting chaos of the party. Despite the chaos of the recent events, his family had managed to carve out this small, happy pocket of normalcy for him. For a moment, he was able to forget about the Dreamverse, the apocalypse, and his accidental role in triggering it.

His parents, Melissa and Yusuf, made their way over to him first, wrapping him in a tight hug as they wished him a happy birthday. Stella was close on their heels, her excitement palpable as she hugged him and wished him a happy birthday. "I could barely keep it in!" she admitted with a sheepish grin.

Then, Annabelle stepped into the room, a smile playing on her lips as she ruffled his hair fondly. "Happy birthday, Adam," she said.

Adam turned to her, his eyes bright with mirth. "So, that's why you took me out today, huh?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

With a nod, she confirmed his suspicions. "Yep, happy birthday, Adam."

Feeling a swell of gratitude for his family, Adam turned to face the crowd. "Thank you, everyone," he said, his voice filled with genuine appreciation.

The party was in full swing and Adam found himself immersed in a variety of games. He joined in enthusiastically, throwing himself into each activity with joyous abandon.

He did his best to not reveal his enhanced abilities. He wanted this day to be normal, to feel like an ordinary nine-year-old boy.

And so, he held back, carefully controlling his strength and speed. He played as any other child would, laughing and teasing, winning some games and losing others.

But every now and then, the temptation to use his heightened attributes became too great. After all, who could resist a little harmless cheating? During a particularly intense game of musical chairs, he used his enhanced speed to snag the last seat just as the music stopped.

He did it so subtly, no one noticed anything unusual. He couldn't help but smirk at his little victory, cherishing the thrill of the game.

The room was filled with laughter and cheers as each game progressed.

The joy was infectious, and any lingering thoughts of the Dreamverse, of the apocalypse, and of his unique situation, were pushed to the back of his mind.

There were moments when he caught sight of his parents, their faces lit up with smiles as they watched him.

Those moments, more than anything else, gave him a sense of normalcy. Even amidst the chaos of their lives, his family still found a way to make his birthday special.

The burdens of the world could wait. For now, he was just a boy celebrating his birthday, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. Future Adam could deal with everything else.

Under the warmth of the family gathering, amidst the clamor of laughter and merriment, Adam chose to step aside and get into a serious conversation with his uncles, Amir and Ali.

A decade older than his father, they were a pair of steadfast twins who had always been protective of Yusuf, nurturing him after the loss of their mother during Yusuf’s birth.

"How's the Amin family's little genius?" Ali asked, his voice teeming with pride and affection.

Adam felt his cheeks grow warm, "I'm not a genius,"

"Don't be modest, Adam," chuckled Amir, the elder twin by a margin of two minutes, his voice carrying the timbre of wisdom and authority.

Feeling comfortable in their company, Adam decided to probe a question that had been nagging at him.

"Why did you guys and grandpa agree to join with no issues? I thought we would have had to convince you guys this morning, but you agreed practically instantly."

The twins shared a glance, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

Then, it was Amir who broke the silence, his voice thoughtful. "Adam, we've already had information about the Dreamverse. With our wealth, we have forged many connections, some even in various governments. Those contacts have leaked information to us. So, we have more of an understanding of what's happening than the general public."

Adam furrowed his brows, the revelation taking him by surprise. He hadn't expected them to already be privy to some of the details about the Dreamverse.

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"Wait," he said slowly, "you knew about all of this already? About the Dreamverse?"

Uncle Ali, the one cradling his baby, gave him a nod, "Not all, Adam. We had snippets, glimpses, rumors...enough to know that it wasn't a simple matter. When your father told us the whole truth this morning, it just confirmed our suspicions."

Adam felt a strange mixture of relief and disbelief. He was relieved because this meant less explaining and convincing to do. His dads side were already partway there in understanding the gravity of the situation. But he was also taken aback because of the level of insight they had already achieved without him.

"But..." he started, then stopped, not sure how to voice his question. He took a deep breath, "But aren't you worried? I mean...it's...it's the end of the world we are talking about."

Uncle Amir put a hand on his shoulder, his face serious, "Adam, we are worried. More than you can imagine. But the way we see it, knowing gives us power. Power to prepare, to protect our families, to make a difference. That's why we didn't hesitate when your father presented us with the opportunity to join the cult."

Adam digested their words, a new sense of respect for his uncles blossoming in his heart. "Thank you," he said sincerely, "for believing in us, for supporting us."

Both his uncles gave him warm smiles, Amir ruffling his hair while Ali gave him a playful wink. "You're an Amin, Adam," Amir said, "We're family. And family sticks together, no matter what."

Adam felt a hand on his shoulder, turning on his heel he spotted his grandpa, Zayn Amin, with a warm smile on his face.

As head of the Amin family, Zayn was not only respected for his incredible business acumen, but also adored for his charisma and wisdom. From their beginnings in oil, he had successfully diversified their business interests, making them one of the wealthiest families around.

"Grandpa, how are you?" Adam asked, his voice laced with respect and fondness.

"I'm well, habibi," Zayn responded.

"Seeing you grow, I realize I'm getting on in age. It's time your uncles and father start taking over more responsibilities."

Amir and Ali, who had been listening to their father's conversation with Adam, chuckled.

"Come on, father. You'll outlive us all." Ali joked.

Zayn simply smiled and shook his head, his eyes filled with warmth. "Ah, my sons, you may jest, but we must always be prepared. You are more than capable."

Turning his attention back to Adam, Zayn continued, "You too, Adam. You are young, yet so strong and smart. You carry our family's future. Remember that we are always with you."

The heavy words hung in the air, their weight acknowledged by Adam with a solemn nod.

He felt a mixture of pride and pressure at his grandfather's words, understanding the enormous responsibility that rested on his shoulders. There was a reason why Adam enjoyed spending time with the Amins instead of the Emmanuels.

"Thank you, Grandpa. I won't let you down."

"That's my boy," Zayn chuckled, patting Adam on the back with a soft, affectionate touch. "But for now, go enjoy your birthday. You're only nine once, after all."

With a final nod and a smile, Adam excused himself from his grandfather, leaving the older man to his thoughts.

---

Adam materialized atop his binding stone in the hive staging grounds, the swirling energy dissipating around him as he scanned his surroundings. Not long after, a hive unit approached him, its eyes multifaceted.

"Prince," it began, its voice a disconcerting buzz, "We have detained a hobgoblin claiming affiliation with your cult."

Adam's eyebrows shot up, but a knowing smile played on his lips. He had a fairly good idea who this might be.

"Lead the way," he commanded, and the unit turned to guide him.

Adam found Gundug in a small enclosure. The sight that greeted him was pitiful.

Gundug, looked visibly sick, his skin once vibrant green now a more pale shade. Upon seeing Adam, the hobgoblin lurched forward.

His large hands were clutching his head as if trying to hold himself together. "Master! Please, tell them to let me go," Gundug pleaded, his voice trembling with unmasked fear. "I don't want to be parasitized!"

"Calm down, Gundug," Adam ordered, his voice firm yet gentle.

His eyes scrutinized the hobgoblin, taking note of his obvious distress. "Tell me what happened."

Gundug's breaths were ragged, his large body quivering in fear. "I appeared on top of that black stone, Master. These people immediately took me into custody," he explained hurriedly.

Adam's eyes narrowed, "and the parasites?"

At the mention, Gundug shuddered violently, his fear palpable. "I saw... I saw one of their captives... They put some sort of creature inside him, Master. I don't... I don't want that!"

Adam looked at Gundug for a long, silent moment, before finally speaking. "You have nothing to fear about the parasites, Gundug," he reassured.

With a hint of warning in his tone, "as long as you follow my orders, you won't have to worry about the hive."

He let his words hang in the air, a promise and a threat wrapped into one.

Gundug nodded fearfully in understanding, and Adam turned his attention to observing the hobgoblin further.

He saw the same cowardly creature from before, a stark contrast to the devoted figure who willingly stepped into a vortex. It seemed death had reset Gundug to his original self.

Adam questioned him further, "What happened after you died, Gundug? Did you experience anything out of the ordinary?"

Gundug, still trembling slightly, responded, "I appeared on top of that black stone just a few minutes ago, Master."

His eyes were filled with the memory of pain, "When I appeared, my head... It felt like it was splitting apart. The worst headache I've ever had. And my skin... It feels like it's being torn apart by invisible claws."

Adam winced in sympathy, he knew exactly the kind of phantom pain Gundug was referring to, the vortex ripped him to shreds and Adam shuddered at the thought of what the pain must be like.

He reassured Gundug, "I'll have a healer look at you. They might be able to lessen the pain or at least numb it."

Gundug's state weighed on Adam's mind. He'd hoped to have the hobgoblin fighting beside him in the war that was brewing. But that wasn't going to happen, not for a day at least.

But not all was lost. Adam himself had hit level 15 and was now set to join the war.

Leaving Gundug in the care of a hive unit, with firm instructions, Adam set off. A spark of excitement ignited in his heart. The upcoming war was calling to him.

Fists clenched, Adam thought, ‘Finally, it's my time to join the war... I can't wait to put myself and my cult to the test against Lenus.’