The once hellish planet now radiated an atmosphere of peace. The air was fresh, the skies were a serene shade of violet, and lush greenery covered the land where fire and brimstone had once raged.
As the group materialized, the prisoners immediately noticed the stark difference.
"We're... really in Hellsgate?" Fuga muttered in disbelief, his long ears twitching.
"It's nothing like before," Vera said, looking around in awe. "It feels... peaceful."
The exhausted warriors and former captives breathed deeply, taking in the rejuvenating atmosphere.
After yearsâsome even decadesâof imprisonment, torture, and despair, this was the first time they felt free.
Jen let out a shaky breath. "It really is safe..."
Ian looked around, taking in the sight through his camera lens. "We made history."
Legend, who had arrived with them, exhaled slowly. Even for a god, teleporting so many individuals at once took a toll. "Moving this many people is not easy," he admitted. "But it was necessary."
Zack noticed the slight strain in Legend's posture. "Are you okay?"
Legend gave a small nod. "I'll recover in time." He straightened, regaining his composure. "For now, rest. This planet will provide you with all the recovery you need."
As if on cue, the wind carried a soft, calming energy that seemed to ease their fatigue.
The survivors of Raven's tyrannyâsome still in disbelief, some openly weeping with reliefâslowly began to settle into their new surroundings.
For the first time in what felt like forever, they were safe.
As the peaceful winds of Hellsgate carried a sense of relief, Blaine clenched his fists. He turned to Legend, his expression resolute.
"We could have helped them," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're not weak. We fought Raven's forces and made it out alive. Weâ"
Legend raised a hand, silencing him with an authoritative gaze. "If you have a death wish, then by all means, walk back into Raven's lair." His golden eyes gleamed. "But know thisâRaven will not welcome you with open arms. He will tear you apart."
The weight of his words settled over the group.
"You must rest. That is your duty now," Legend continued. "You have done your part. No matter how powerful you are, you will stand no chance against Raven. Your job is to stay safe. Support them by surviving. That is my order."
The commanding presence of the god silenced any further objections. Blaine, Rojo, and the others exchanged glances but ultimately nodded, realizing the truth in Legend's words.
Yet, even as they rested, some of the prisoners remained solemn. Rojo sat apart from the others, staring at the ground. Tyra, Vera, and even Zack and Jen still had sorrow in their eyes. The weight of Patrick and Grace's deaths lingered in their hearts.
Legend noticed their expressions and approached them. "Why do you look so troubled?" he asked.
Tyra hesitated before answering. "We weren't able to save two prisoners."
Rojo's jaw tightened. "Patrick and Grace... They should have made it out with us."
Legend's gaze softened. "You saved every living prisoner. If you believe otherwise, you are mistaken."
Just thenâ
A familiar voice called out, "Oi! You guys look all exhausted! You should have some meal."
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
Walking toward them, carrying an enormous set of meals, was none other than Patrick!
And right behind him, smiling warmly, was Grace.
A stunned silence fell over the group. Eyes widened. Mouths gaped.
Zack, who had been mourning them just moments ago, felt his breath hitch. "Wait... how?"
Rojo, usually composed, stood up so fast he nearly stumbled. "This... this isn't real."
Jen covered her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. "B-But we saw you..."
Ian, camera in hand, was too shocked to even record the moment. "I... I documented yourâ"
Grace chuckled, setting down a large basket of food. "Well, I guess we're a little harder to kill than you thought."
Patrick smirked. "You guys really thought we'd let a couple of lousy guardians be the end of us?"
For the first time since their arrival, true joy filled the air.
Patrick and Grace were alive.
Before anyone could bombard them with more questions, Legend sighed and crossed his arms.
"You don't have to act all heroic," he muttered. "By the time that so-called 'finisher' engulfed you, I had already teleported you to Hellsgate."
Patrick and Grace exchanged a glance before sighing in defeat. "Yeah, yeah, we admit it," Patrick grumbled.
Tyra gasped. "So you were saved?"
Legend nodded. "Of course. I promised I would ensure your safety if you were in trouble. That includes all of you."
Ian, Zack, Jen, and the others suddenly felt foolish for forgetting that crucial detail.
"We forgot...!" Ian slapped his forehead.
"We really should have known!" Jen sniffled, wiping her tearsâthis time, tears of joy.
The entire group erupted into cheers, celebrating the fact that Patrick and Grace were safe. Rojo and Vera even smacked Patrick's back, while Zack hugged Grace in relief.
Ian, however, instinctively tried to keep his distance from Grace, given her past habit of clinging to him. But surprisingly, Grace didn't approach him. Instead, she smiled gently. "Take care, Ian."
Ian blinked. "Huh?"
"No flirting? No chasing?" he asked, still confused.
Grace chuckled. "I think I've finally outgrown that."
Ian stared at her, then slowly nodded. "Well... I guess that's a relief."
Meanwhile, Patrick stretched his arms. "Anyway, let's get to the real reason we're here. Food!"
Legend gave a slight smirk. "Yes. As punishment for getting into that situation, I ordered Patrick to prepare meals for every prisoner."
Patrick rolled his eyes. "Right, because that's such a terrible punishment. Cooking is literally my specialty."
Legend ignored him and continued. "Of course, that wasn't the only part. Patrick wasn't getting the ingredients for the meals himself."
Zack raised an eyebrow. "Then who did?"
Legend pointed at Grace.
"I had Grace scan Hellsgate using her magic and gather all the necessary ingredients," he explained. "I also forced them to coordinate."
Patrick and Grace both groaned in unison.
"We really didn't get along at first," Grace muttered.
"I thought I was going to lose my mind," Patrick grumbled.
"But they managed," Legend said simply. "And with the ingredients and kitchen utensils, Patrick prepared his special meal for all of you."
Now that the initial shock was over, the scent of warm, freshly prepared food filled the air. The prisoners, who had just escaped unimaginable suffering, eagerly accepted the meals, finally getting to enjoy a moment of true peace.
Legend, observing the moment, suddenly decided to add, "From what I've seen, Patrick and Grace make a great combo."
A silence fell over the group.
Patrick and Grace both made disgusted faces at the exact same time.
"Don't ever say that again," Patrick deadpanned.
"I'd rather get hit by that finisher again," Grace muttered.
Legend tilted his head, seemingly confused by their reactions. "Was that... not a good joke?"
Ian chuckled. "You really gotta work on your humor, Legend."
Despite everything, laughter filled the air.
Everyone were enjoying the meal Patrick prepared.
Jen took another bite of the meal, savoring every flavor that burst in her mouth. As a cook herself, she was rarely this impressed. But this? This was beyond anything she had ever made.
"This is incredible," she admitted. "I don't think I've ever had, or even made, something this perfect."
Patrick smirked, leaning back with a confident expression. "Well, what can I say? That's my specialty."
Olive raised an eyebrow. "You specialize in cooking at this level?"
Patrick nodded. "I was a child prodigy cook from Yumeria. I spent years experimenting with all kinds of ingredients, pushing the boundaries of flavor. My goal? To create the best meal in the universe."
Some of the prisoners murmured in surprise. Yumeria was known across many worlds for its master chefs and farmers. To be a child prodigy from such a place meant Patrick was a culinary genius.
"You're saying you experimented with ingredients?" Zack asked curiously.
Patrick grinned. "Of course! Cooking isn't just about following recipes. It's about creating something new, something that makes people feel alive when they eat it."
Jen's eyes sparkled. "I completely get that!"
For the first time, Patrick looked truly happy. He had spent years being tortured in Raven's prison, stripped of his identity as a chef, forced to endure starvation and suffering. But now, he had prepared a meal that brought joy to so many people.
However, his expression darkened slightly as he continued.
"Five years ago, my skills got me involved in something bigger," he said. "Because of my cooking, I was hired as one of the chefs for a resistance war against Raven."
The atmosphere shifted.
Jen, Ian, Zack, Olive, and the prisoners all listened carefully as Patrick spoke.
"The resistance had gathered some of the strongest warriors, and I was in charge of keeping them well-fed," he explained. "I thought... maybe I was helping. That maybe if they had the best meals, they would be at their full strength. That maybe they could win."
He let out a bitter chuckle.
"But it didn't matter. Raven destroyed them easily."
A heavy silence filled the air.
Patrick clenched his fists. "I saw so many warriors get slaughtered like they were nothing. I barely escaped with a few others, but in the end, we were all captured."
He exhaled shakily. "I was locked up in Raven's prison, tortured endlessly. I can still hear the screams of those who didn't survive. Those nightmares... they never go away."
Vera, Rojo, Darry and some of the other prisoners lowered their heads. They understood his pain too well.
Grace, for once, didn't have a snarky remark. Instead, she just looked at Patrick with a rare moment of quiet sympathy.
Ian, still filming, hesitated before speaking. "And yet... after all of that, you're still cooking."
Patrick smirked faintly. "Yeah. Because no matter what, cooking is who I am. Raven can take a lot of things from me, but he can't take this."
Jen nodded firmly. "That's what makes you amazing."
Patrick blinked, slightly taken aback.
"I mean it," Jen continued. "It's easy to give up on what you love when the world tears you apart. But you didn't. And that's why this food tastes so good."
Patrick didn't know what to say to that.
Legend, watching the exchange, nodded approvingly. "You survived. You endured. And now, you are free."
Patrick exhaled deeply, then grinned. "Damn right, I am."
The prisoners, still savoring their meals, suddenly felt a renewed sense of hope. Even after everything, they could still reclaim who they were.