When you look at a man you hate for what he’s done to you,

Do you ever stop to wonder what he’s been through too?

We judge people for how they act in just a fleeting moment,

Yet we’re judged the same way in lives where we’re merely a component.

To your mother, you might be a kind young man,

To your friend, a companion walking hand in hand.

There are 8 billion humans, each with their own face,

Seen differently in 8 billion minds, in every single space.

And alongside us, life flourishes in 8.7 million forms,

Creatures in the billions, weathering the same storms.

So much exists, yet the world keeps spinning along,

If the earth doesn’t stop, then why should you stop yourself from moving on?

The battlefield was silent, the crowd holding their breath as Kairo stood over a weakened Jack, fully prepared to strike his final blow. With the faintest of smirks, Kairo was already savoring his victory, his sword poised in the air. But just as it began to descend, the ground trembled.

Jack’s eyes snapped open, glowing a vivid red, burning with an intense rage. "Don’t you dare call my father a coward!" he roared, his voice shaking the very walls of the coliseum.

INSIDE STELLER’S DOMAIN

Jack stood defiantly, facing Steller with fury etched across his face. "I’m running low on life energy, and I know the risks… but I need your power. I need to show him what he’s messing with!"

Steller, seated calmly with legs crossed and a sly smile playing across its face, chuckled. "No need to worry, Jack. You’re finally at a level where you can truly handle some of my power. Let’s teach this ‘bastard’ a lesson together."

BACK IN THE COLISEUM

Kairo’s instincts blared with warning, and he quickly stepped back, his eyes widening as a blinding light enveloped Jack. A surge of raw energy radiated outward, filling the coliseum as Jack’s scream echoed, his form shifting into something far beyond human. His skin took on the shimmering patterns of galaxies and stardust, with cosmic halos tracing along his shoulders and down his back, his muscles encased in hardened, celestial armour. A mask of radiant starlight concealed his eyes, and his long hair flowed, streaming behind him like a comet’s tail. His fingers, now tipped with sharp claws, glinted with the colours of the cosmos. Jack was no longer just himself—he was Steller incarnate.

The crowd was frozen in awe and terror.

"What…what is that thing?" Ru stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

Atom’s jaw hung open, and Renjiro looked on in disbelief.

Akhet and Anubis felt their skin prickling, a wave of dread heavy in their chests.

On the far side of the coliseum, Isabella Rossi gripped her chair. “This…this can’t be the same person,” she gasped. "It has to be some kind of illusion."

But Tarek Amunet’s eyes narrowed. "No illusion is this powerful. That thing—whatever it is—has to be real."

Drexel’s face was slick with sweat as he stared at the battlefield, gripping the edge of his seat.

Amon, watching from the Royal Army’s balcony, muttered, “I feel it…a heaviness in my chest. That’s no ordinary presence.”

Thane clicked his tongue in frustration. “I thought we had this fight won, but now… I don’t think this thing is going down without a fight.”

As Jack—now Steller—stood on the battlefield, a few in the audience took deep breaths, whispering quiet thanks that such a power was on their side.

Ramon, Kasib, and Kamil glanced at each other, finally exhaling in relief.

In the back, Henu thought quietly to himself, I’ve seen this form once before, and I still can’t believe it. This being could destroy us all, even if we fought together to the last breath… Still, I’ll trust in Jack. May he keep control of himself this time.

Similarly, Yune narrowed his gaze. Jack’s regained some life energy, but Steller drains so much of it. He needs to end this quickly… or it could mean disaster for him.

Despite the overwhelming power he wielded, Jack’s voice echoed, low and furious, the clash of his own soul and Steller’s power creating a dissonant energy. “How dare you speak of my father with such filth!”

Kairo’s shock turned to panic as he tried to recover, a familiar command forming on his lips. "Genie, I need—"

But before he could finish, Steller closed the distance in a flash, a blur of stars and fury, his fist colliding with Kairo’s stomach. Kairo’s body convulsed, blood spraying from his mouth as the force of the punch lifted him off his feet, leaving him suspended on Steller’s fist for a moment, before he was hurled back, crashing with devastating impact against the coliseum wall.

The air around Steller hummed with tension as it stepped forward, radiating an overwhelming presence. It gazed at Kairo, its voice resonating like the cosmos themselves. “Your genie is pathetic. Do you think some black magic-wielding soul can easily get rid of me? Even it knows its limits, little boy.”

Kairo, coughing up blood, clenched his fists and shouted in fury, “Shut up, you waste of space!”

But before he could react, Steller materialized inches from Kairo’s face, its expression suddenly serious. Kairo froze, his confidence evaporating as terror gripped him. Steller leaned in, its smirk widening. “Know your place, little kid. I know your secret.”

“Genie!” Kairo screamed, desperately commanding his companion. The shadowy figure lunged at Steller, attempting to strike it, but Steller simply stepped back to its original position with elegance.

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Kairo straightened himself, sweat trickling down his face as he tried to regain composure. Slowly, he began to walk toward Steller, murmuring, “Genie… how much will it cost me to—”

Before he could finish, Steller interrupted once again, this time slamming its glowing fist into the genie. The dark entity crashed into the coliseum wall, its form flickering like a dying flame.

Kairo’s eyes widened in disbelief, his humiliation washing over him in waves. “No… no one has ever—”

Frustration erupted within him as he channelled his dark energy into his fist, shrouding it in a thick, ominous veil. He charged at Steller, his war cry echoing across the coliseum. But Steller, calm as ever, caught Kairo’s fist effortlessly. Its grin returned. “Too slow.”

Steller grabbed Kairo’s hand, swung him around effortlessly, and hurled him into the air.

After a brief moment of dizziness, Kairo steadied himself, using his power to float before landing softly on the ground.

Kairo spread his arms out as he lay on the ground, staring blankly at the blue sky above. Breathing heavily, his chest rose and fell like waves, his body unwilling to move. I just want to die, he thought.

It was as if something deep inside him—a scared, lonely child—cried out, begging him to stop. His vision blurred, and when he blinked, the colosseum faded away.

Suddenly, he found himself lying on a vast, sunlit field. The grass beneath him felt soft, and the scent of the earth was fresh and calming. The sun’s warmth shielded him from the cold, while the breeze whispered songs of peace.

“Hey, Karoo! Get up! Let’s go sneak to the wall again!”

Kairo’s voice broke through the haze, young and vibrant. The boy stood there, full of life, his grin as wide as the horizon.

I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and looked at him—my twin, Kairo. He always looked so happy, like nothing could ever touch him. Karoo... that’s me. The weaker twin, the one hidden from the world.

We were inseparable. Together, we raced across the fields toward the wall, laughing like fools. The great walls of Nubia were a marvel, their towering height a symbol of power and control. But to us, they were simply a place to escape, a secret space where we could dream of freedom.

From the top, we gazed down at the bustling city below. The people moved about, busy with their lives. At the time, we held no hatred for anyone. Our hearts were innocent, untouched by the cruelty of the world.

But that innocence didn’t last.

The truth about Nubia was far from the image it presented. The kingdom claimed fairness, but beneath the surface, shadows of lies and greed festered.

Nearly a century ago, the great Pharaoh built this kingdom with the help of twenty noble families. In return, he rewarded them with high-ranking positions only for nobles such as—leaders, advisors, and accountants. Yet the most coveted title, Commander of Nubia, could belonged to only one family at a time.

The nobles fought fiercely for this honour. Greed consumed them, and alliances crumbled.

Among these families was mine—the Tempest family. My father was too weak to fight for power, but he pinned all his hopes on us, his children.

The Tempests were a proud lineage, their Chronotex ability, Float, an ancestral gift. When Kairo was born with the strength to wield it, he became my parents’ chosen one. But me?

Karoo. The shadow.

My existence was hidden from the world. I wasn’t weak—I knew I could wield Float. But I dared not defy my parents. To do so would bring shame upon our family. Only the maids and my family knew I existed.

Yet, despite it all, I never hated my brother. Kairo was the light in my dark, hollow life.

One late afternoon, golden rays of sunlight filtered through our room as Kairo, and I played with our wooden toys. The sinking sun painted everything in warm hues, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Suddenly, the door burst open. A maid hurried in, her face pale and tense.

“Master Karoo,” she said, her voice trembling, “your mother requests your presence in the basement immediately.”

Karoo groaned, rolling onto his back. “Ahh, I don’t wanna go. They’re probably going to scold me again,” he muttered.

Kairo smiled, his kind heart shining through as always. “Don’t worry, Karoo. I’ll go instead. Let’s switch clothes quickly!”

The two brothers swapped outfits, laughing at the absurdity of it all. Kairo left, his footsteps echoing down the corridor, while Karoo remained behind, unaware of the consequences.

If only I had gone instead...

If only I hadn’t been so lazy, so scared...

Maybe my brother would still be alive.

As the sun sank into the west and darkness blanketed the world, I made my way to the basement, searching for my brother.

Karoo descended the cold stone stairs, his footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. A lingering, unseen presence haunted him, making his palms sweat. Each step felt heavier than the last, the air around him thick with tension.

When he reached the door, he hesitated, his hand trembling as he pushed it open. What he saw inside would forever change him.

The scene before him was a nightmare come to life—a display of human greed, twisted and raw.

A black, shadowy figure loomed over Kairo, its form shifting and unnatural, like it didn’t belong in this world. The figure exuded malice, its presence suffocating. Karoo screamed, but his voice barely cut through the room’s thick, oppressive atmosphere.

Then he saw them—his parents.

They knelt before the figure as though worshipping it, their faces devoid of guilt, their actions unrepentant. Karoo’s gaze shifted to his brother. Kairo’s eyes met his own, wide with fear, silently pleading for help.

Before Karoo could react, his father seized him by the arm.

“Dear Jinn,” his father spoke, his voice trembling with anticipation, “I have brought you a sacrifice—my son, Karoo. Now, will you grant your power to my strongest son, Kairo?”

I realized too late. They thought I was Kairo.

I had dressed as him, pretending to be my brother because he had taken my place earlier to meet them.

I resisted, thrashing in my father’s grip, but he was too strong. He dragged me toward the figure, who loomed closer with each passing second.

The jinn didn’t hesitate. Its black, slithering essence invaded my body, filling every inch of me with searing pain. Blood poured from my nose, eyes, ears, and mouth as my body fought against the intrusion. My screams echoed in the basement, but no one came to save me.

From that day forward, Karoo never smiled again.

This world is cruel.

But something strange happened after the jinn claimed Karoo. The family’s Chronotex ability, Float, which had rejected him before, finally accepted him. With his newfound power and the jinn’s influence, he grew stronger.

When the third Commander of Nubia retired, Karoo entered the competition, a battle among nobles for the coveted position.

He won.

No one questioned him. No one noticed the truth.

To the world, Karoo didn’t exist. To the world, he was Kairo.

I wanted to hate them. My parents.

But I couldn’t.

Kairo wouldn’t have wanted that. He would have told me to stay calm, to move forward. So, I did. I pretended to be him.

My parents believed they had sacrificed me to the jinn. They didn’t realize we had switched places.

From that moment on, I vowed to stay in this position of power as long as I lived. Not for myself, but for the children of the twenty noble families. I would ensure they’d never suffer like Kairo did. I’d root out the source of the problem—human greed.

I’d become so powerful that no one would dare challenge me. No child would ever have to endure what we did.

I would live on as Kairo. For as long as necessary.

“AHHHHHH!” Kairo’s scream shattered the tense silence of the colosseum.

“I will defeat you, no matter what! I’ll do it for the people of Nubia!”

Amon and Drexel exchanged shocked glances. Something in Kairo had shifted—something profound.

“Right,” Steller said, its voice cold and sharp, “if you’re going to defeat me, then bring it on.”

Steller’s form tensed, its body radiating power as it prepared for Kairo’s attack.

“Genie!” Kairo roared.

At his command, the jinn appeared at lightning speed, a streak of darkness that stood beside him. The crowd froze, their breaths stolen by the sight.

This was no longer a battle of men—it was a clash of titans.