CHAPTER 8: The Eighth Fracture

It felt so quiet, so desolate standing here. With so many thoughts crashing through my head, I didn’t know what to feel first.

My mother. My father. My brother.

Would I ever see them again?

The idea that I might not—that they might not even exist anymore—was too much. So I just stood there, letting the silence hold me.

I didn’t hear Saaya approach, but I felt her. She didn’t say anything at first. Just watched me. And somehow, that meant more than words.

Finally, she spoke, her voice soft and steady.

“Sukara… let’s go back inside, shall we?”

I turned to her, wiping tears from my eyes before I could stop myself.

“Sure.”

She held out her hand. I hesitated… then took it.

Her touch was light, careful.

I don’t know why, but her presence made it a little easier to breathe.

We walked back into the living room together.

Zurvan was waiting on the couch. Zamaneh had already gone to sleep—she looked exhausted earlier.

Zurvan glanced up as we entered.

“Sorry to drop that bombshell on you, kid,” he said. “But you needed to know. The gods… the Grid… the infinite possibilities tied to all of it. It’s better to face it now than later.”

“No, it’s fine,” I replied calmly. “I just needed a moment. So much has happened this past week… I haven’t had a single second to just breathe. To think.”

Saaya looked at me again, quietly. Her eyes lingered—not just with sadness, but something softer. Like she wanted to say something… but didn’t.

Zurvan studied my face, the exhaustion written all over it, and spoke again.

“Let’s call it a night. We’ll continue tomorrow—there’s still more you need to know about the gods.”

With a snap of his fingers, the realm trembled slightly. At the end of the hallway, two new doors appeared near the restrooms—each glowing faintly, each bearing our names.

“Rest in there tonight,” he said. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”

And just like that, he vanished.

Saaya and I stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the day pressing down on us like gravity.

I turned to her.

“Goodnight.”

She hesitated, like she wanted to say more… then just smiled faintly.

“You’re not alone, you know.”

Then she turned and walked to her room and disappeared.

I woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly relaxed. The smell of sausage and pancakes drifted through the air. Curious, I opened the door to find all three of them eating at the table. They looked up as I entered.

“Good morning, Sukara! Did you sleep well?” Saaya asked, her voice gentle.

“I did. Got a lot of rest. I actually slept on a bed,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. “When I was banished, I thought a rock would be my bed for centuries.”

Saaya chuckled softly, a warm, light sound.

Zurvan smiled and gestured to a seat. “Take a seat and eat. While you do, I’ll tell you more about the gods.”

I grabbed a plate piled with sausage and pancakes and sat down, ready to listen.

“Even though I was one of the six gods, I never truly knew the others. The only one who revealed his true identity was Set. He’s a power-hungry, sadistic god—probably why he didn’t care to hide his face,” Zurvan said calmly.

“I’m sorry to say the others remain a mystery. Each god has their own unique power, Sukara. That’s why we’re called gods—we possess abilities far beyond mortal reach.

“As I mentioned before, we’re all based on different mythologies. I am the Persian god of time and space. Set is the Egyptian god of chaos. All gods can warp reality itself and erase anything from existence with a thought. But you and Saaya are… exceptions.”

He looked directly at me before continuing.

“Set’s power is terrifying and wide-reaching. He can tear apart the very fabric of logic and order, turning reality inside out and creating chaos on a massive scale. He bends the laws of the world, making them contradict each other until everything collapses. His power is destructive and uncontrollable—like a storm that consumes everything.”

I glanced at Saaya.

“Saaya’s ability is different—it’s more precise, more focused. She can reverse cause and effect, but only within a limited scope, often on a personal or localized level. Instead of destroying reality outright, she rewrites the flow of events—undoing or altering outcomes with surgical precision. Where Set’s chaos rips reality apart, Saaya’s power rearranges the pieces.”

I leaned back in my chair, a flicker of annoyance crossing my mind. How frustrating that someone else had such a powerful gift.

Saaya’s eyes met mine—quiet, steady, understanding.

Zurvan’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Since Set and the other gods know you’re here—hiding in this fracture, on the lowest fractal layer—it’s safe to assume they’ll send more rejects from the Realm Between Realms to try and kill you. It’s a win-win for them. They can attempt to eliminate you while gathering data to counter your ability.”

I stared down at the table, then spoke.

“I have the ability to control scalars. I’ve only just learned to control gravity. Where I come from, in theory, I should be able to do much more… but I don’t know how.”

Zurvan’s smile widened.

“I can train you to enhance your ability. I’m the one who taught Saaya how to control her cause-and-effect reversal.”

My eyes widened. My head snapped toward him.

“You can train me!?” I said, almost too eagerly.

“Of course! I’d love to,” Zurvan said with enthusiasm.

I turned to Saaya. She tilted her head slightly like she always does—and gave me a soft, warm smile.

“Let’s let the food digest,” Zurvan said. “Meet back here in an hour. We’ll begin training right away.” He looked over to Zamaneh, who nodded quietly from her seat.

I stood up and gave a small bow.

“Thank you.”

Zurvan gave me a sideways glance and returned the smile, then looked to Saaya.

“And Saaya—you’re training too. So far, I’ve only taught you how to use your ability to save others. But now… I’m going to teach you how to weaponize it.”

Saaya’s expression darkened slightly. She looked back at him with calm fire in her eyes.

“I’m ready,” she said. “I want revenge on the gods.”

“Alright, let’s meet back here in an hour. I need to prepare a few things before we begin training,” Zurvan said as he stood with Zamaneh.

I nodded and stretched a bit, still digesting everything.

“Cool. I’ll be back in an hour—I’m going to take a quick walk. Just need to process it all.”

As I stood, I noticed Saaya watching me. Her voice reached me—soft, gentle, and unexpectedly warm.

“Can I join you?”

I turned to her, a little surprised.

“Of course. If that’s what you’d like.”

“Yes!” she beamed, a smile wide and full of something I couldn’t quite name.

Zurvan and Zamaneh shared a knowing look.

“Alright then. See you both soon.”

With a clap of his hands, Zurvan and Zamaneh disappeared.

Saaya and I stepped out together. The realm was quiet—strange, but peaceful.

After a few moments, she broke the silence.

“I haven’t asked before… but are you okay?”

I glanced at her, caught off guard. She was looking up at me, eyes calm and sincere.

“I’m alright,” I said softly. “It’s… a lot. I just hope I can see my family again. I love them. A lot.”

She nodded quietly, then looked forward again.

“How about this? Why don’t we stick together a little longer? We can find a way back to your world—maybe I could even meet your family. I’d love to see what your home is like.”

I looked over at her. “You want to help me… go home? Even meet my family?”

“Yeah!” she said, bright and without hesitation.

I slowed. “Why would you go that far? You’ve already done so much. I can’t ask you to keep following me. This journey… it’s going to be dangerous. And honestly, my revenge has nothing to do with you.”

She stopped walking. So I did too.

“Sukara… have you forgotten? I was cast out too. I want revenge. They didn’t torture me like they did you, but they hurt my master. They exiled me like I was nothing. That still burns inside me.”

Her voice softened.

“But more than that… I like being around you. Every time we’re together, something exciting happens. I’ve learned so much. It’s like… being with you opens the world up in ways I never imagined.”

She looked at me again.

“And remember what I said last night? You’re not alone. I meant it. I keep my promises.”

I looked up at the sky. Tears welled in my eyes again. That feeling—having someone who chooses to stay beside you—it was overwhelming.

When I turned back to her, she was smiling, cheeks faintly pink. Then she turned, skipped ahead of me a few steps, and held out her hand—right arm extended, left arm swaying.

“Come on!” she said. “I promise I won’t leave you. Let’s head back and start training!”

This time, I didn’t hesitate. I took her hand.

“Thank you, Saaya. Let’s go.”