"The Weight of Heaven"
The door opened slowly.
Light spilled from inside the house into the quiet night.
A man stood in the doorway.
He wasn't imposing in appearance. Medium height. Simple dark clothes. Slightly longer hair tied loosely behind his neck.
But his eyes…
They carried something vast.
Something empty.
Sebastian stepped forward.
"Wang Wei."
The man's expression didn't change.
"Sebastian."
No surprise. No warmth.
Just recognition.
His gaze shifted to Asher.
"Why are you here?" he asked calmly. "And who is this boy?"
Sebastian answered directly.
"We need you."
Wang's eyes hardened slightly.
"I don't fight for anyone anymore."
Asher stepped forward.
"We're not asking you to fight for us."
A brief pause.
Wang studied them both carefully.
Then he stepped aside and opened the door fully.
"Come in."
The house was simple.
No trophies. No medals. No signs of a former legend.
Just bookshelves.
Minimal furniture.
Silence.
Wang gestured for them to sit.
He remained standing.
"Talk."
Sebastian inhaled slowly.
"Lord has returned."
No reaction.
"And?"
"Ernos is with him. We suffered heavy losses."
Asher clenched his fists.
"My brother is unconscious. Lord touched his consciousness."
For the first time, Wang's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Lord…"
Sebastian continued.
"Vale won't wake up until Lord is dead."
Silence filled the room.
Wang turned away, walking toward the window.
"Why come to me?"
Sebastian didn't hesitate.
"Because you're still the strongest."
A faint, humorless smile appeared on Wang's face.
"Strength?"
He looked over his shoulder.
"What is strength worth if it cannot save the one person who matters?"
The air shifted.
On the table, a porcelain cup trembled slightly.
Asher felt it instantly.
Gravity had changed.
Barely.
But enough.
Wang spoke quietly.
"Do you know what Celestial Dominion truly is?"
Asher remained silent.
Wang continued.
"I command the force between heaven and earth. I bend gravity. I compress space. If I wished… I could force both of you to your knees right now."
The pressure in the room increased.
Asher felt his legs strain.
Invisible weight pressed down on his shoulders.
A faint crack formed along the wall.
Sebastian didn't move.
"You're not doing this to intimidate us."
Wang's eyes darkened.
"I could control the battlefield."
The pressure increased further.
"I could crush enemies into the ground."
The air felt dense.
Breathing became harder.
"But I couldn't reach her."
Suddenly—
The pressure vanished.
Asher inhaled sharply.
Wang stared out the window.
"I don't fight anymore."
Asher stood up.
"I couldn't save them either."
Wang turned slightly.
Asher's voice didn't shake.
"My parents. My friends. Today we lost someone again."
Silence.
"But running doesn't bring anyone back."
Wang's eyes narrowed.
"If I was the strongest… and still failed… then what difference does it make?"
Asher met his gaze directly.
"You fought alone."
The words lingered.
Sebastian added quietly,
"This time, you won't."
Long silence.
Then—
Wang slowly raised his hand.
The air thickened again.
But this time—
Controlled.
Outside the window, the clouds above shifted unnaturally.
They parted.
The moon became fully visible.
The sky itself responded.
Wang's voice lowered.
"If I return… this ends with Lord."
Sebastian nodded.
"That's the plan."
Wang closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened them again—
The emptiness was still there.
But something else had joined it.
Resolve.
"Fine."
Asher's eyes widened slightly.
"You agree?"
Wang looked at him.
"If Lord corrupts the sky… I will drag him back to the earth."
He walked toward the wall and retrieved a long black weapon case.
"Understand this."
His voice grew heavier.
"When Celestial Dominion fully unfolds… the battlefield changes."
Asher felt it then.
Not just power.
Authority.
As if the natural laws themselves obeyed him.
Sebastian allowed a faint smile.
"Welcome back, Wang Wei."
Wang moved toward the door.
"I'm not coming back."
He paused briefly.
"I'm settling a debt."
The three of them stepped outside into the night.
The wind began to rise.
Far above—
The sky trembled faintly.
And somewhere in the darkness—
Something had felt the shift.
The storm was no longer coming.
It had begun.