[The End of the World — The Great Waterfall]

​The six travelers materialized in front of the massive, thundering waterfall. Thanks to Marriott’s ancient knowledge, they had discovered the hidden whirlpool—a swirling gateway that led them through the fabric of reality to this forgotten pocket dimension, whispered about in legends as the End of the World.

​Treasure raised her head to the sky, squinting. The atmosphere here was heavy, and the clouds weren’t white or grey, but a bruised, swirling crimson. A slight frown appeared on her face as she felt the shift in mana.

​"So... this is the end of the world?" she asked, her voice hushed by the sheer scale of the landscape.

​Marriott nodded solemnly. He walked toward the very edge of the land where the emerald grass met the roaring white spray of the falls. Before the five onlookers, the old man dropped to his knees and bowed his head low until it touched the earth.

​"Great One!! We wish to see you! The fate of our world rests on this!" he cried out, his voice straining to be heard over the deluge.

​Jinx, Lucian, Treasure, Destiny, and Esther looked at one another in surprise. Seeing the usually composed Marriott so utterly humbled was jarring. They turned their collective gaze toward the waterfall, searching for a sign.

​"So is this mountain-whatever-he-is-called in there?" Treasure asked, her typical impatience bubbling up as she stared at the wall of water.

​"Yes, he resides beyond the waterfall," Marriott answered without lifting his head. He stole a quick glance around the surroundings—the fields were impossibly green, the trees bore fruit that glowed, and the waters were unnaturally calm despite the massive drop. "It seems the ones who preceded us didn’t directly appear here."

​The group surveyed the pristine, untouched beauty of the realm and nodded in silent agreement. This was holy ground.

​"What situation is so dreadful that you are here to find me?"

​"....?!"

​The five snapped their heads back to the waterfall. A young man, looking no older than thirty, was walking out from the crashing torrent. To their amazement, the waters simply parted for him, forming a dry path; not a single drop touched his pristine white robes.

​He moved his calm, analytical gaze over the strangers, pausing for a lingering second on Jinx, before settling on the kneeling Marriott.

​"This must be serious, because these four aren’t from your world," he said, his voice echoing with a weight that betrayed his youthful appearance.

​"Yes, Lord!! They are here to help us," Marriott quickly answered, his voice trembling with respect.

​"Hmm... You already have help. Why do you disturb me then?" the man asked, his tone neutral but demanding.

​"My Lord! We just want to know where the Ancient Beast is located," Marriott said, his head still bowed.

​"WAIT!!"

​Treasure yelled, her outburst causing everyone to jump. She pointed a finger directly at the robed figure.

​"I thought you said he was an old man?!!" she asked Marriott, her eyes wide with accusation.

​The young man chuckled softly. "If you are calculating my age by your mortal standards, I am two hundred years old. But that shouldn’t be a surprise... your sister here is more than three hundred years old."

​He gestured with a pale hand toward Jinx.

​".....?!"

​The triplets blinked in synchrony, their mouths hanging open as they turned to their "big" sister.

​"Really? Sister Jinx, you’re actually that old?" Destiny asked, her mind reeling at the math.

​"Enough, you three. Don’t forget why we are here," Jinx said, her face flushing slightly but her gaze remaining sharp. "After we are done with this mission, I will answer all your questions."

​She turned back to the man, her expression hardening.

​"Continue. Where can we see this beast? We are kind of in a hurry."

​’Ellen is in this world,’ Jinx thought privately. ’I don’t know how many people Sunny sent, so we need to do this fast! I have a feeling he didn’t tell us the whole plan.’

​"Ok then... but I hope you understand my rule," the young man said, staring intensely at Marriott.

​"Yes!!" Marriott nodded frantically. He gestured to his granddaughter. "Esther, the offerings!"

​Esther nodded, her expression grim. She walked forward and placed a heavy pouch on the grass. From it, she laid out five Mythical and fifty Legendary cards. The sheer power radiating from the cards made the air hum. She quickly moved back to the group.

​The young man stared at the cards for some seconds, the golden inscriptions reflecting in his eyes, and finally nodded. "Impressive. You really went all out."

​"Hey!! Why are you taking things from us?!!" Treasure yelled, her sense of justice flared up. "Didn’t you hear we are trying to save your world?!!"

​"Little one," the man said, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "I am not from that world. This here is my world, so I have the right to ask for something in return for its secrets."

​"You!!"

​Treasure was speechless, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. She searched for a witty comeback, but realized he was right. ’Shit!!’ she thought, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

​The young man waved his hand, and the pile of high-grade cards vanished into thin air.

​"Step into the waters, and you will appear at your destination. But be warned: this beast is amongst the most ancient of its kind... It is very dangerous. Be careful if you face it," he warned, taking a step back as he stood calmly on the surface of the moving river.

​"Huh? We just need to enter the water?" Destiny asked, staring at the crystal-clear, rushing stream. He looked up at the man, who remained dry despite standing directly on the current.

​"I will go first. You guys follow right behind me," Jinx commanded. She began walking toward the riverbank.

​The triplets looked at one another, took deep breaths, and followed her lead.

​"Old man Marriott, and Esther... thank you for your help, but you two will have to wait here," Jinx said over her shoulder.

​The moment her boot touched the water’s surface, she didn’t sink—she simply vanished into a ripple of light.

​The triplets nodded with determined expressions and stepped into the water together. A moment later, they too vanished, leaving Marriott, Esther, and the mysterious man alone in the silence of the End of the World.