Neil was so shocked that for a moment it felt like his lungs just… stopped working.

  His voice cracked out of his mouth like a broken siren:

  “I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO MY MOTHER AND FATHER ARE—AND YOU’RE TELLING ME MY BLOODLINE IS HOLY?!”

  The bus—Broom—was slicing through the violet atmosphere at 130 km/h, speeding toward its destination.

  None of the Quils even tried to answer Neil.

  The bus slowly stopped in front of something massive.

  A white castle stood there—bigger than any government building on Earth, almost swallowing the horizon.

  Thirty stone steps climbed upward.

  Its top looked like an ice-cream cone crowned by nine giant pillars surrounding it.

  One of the Quils smiled weakly and said,

  “This is where your bloodline helped us. We praise them. We worship them.”

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  Neil stepped on the Quil’s foot, pressing hard enough for veins to gather in the center of his forehead.

  “I don’t like indirect answers. Tell me properly… or I’ll stitch your mouth shut forever.”

  He removed his foot and pointed at Steve and Tony’s lifeless bodies.

  “You’re not normal beings. Heal them.”

  The Hone came forward and gestured Neil to follow.

  They walked behind the castle where a lake shimmered—filled with a thick, violet liquid dense enough to drown in.

  The Hone began speaking:

  “We were born when the ringworm was disturbed by a black hole thousands of years ago.”

  He continued,“The black hole almost devoured the ringworm… but the collision created HIM.”

  Neil’s pupils glowed gold.

  “Who is HIM? The one you worship? Your creator?”

  The Quil cleared his throat.

  “You will meet him soon. You’ll understand what he is… and why he exists. The ringworm does not reverse thoughts. But HE does.”

  By now Neil wasn’t even surprised. He had become numb—almost addicted—to these cosmic secrets.

  Then, suddenly—

  A gunshot echoed from the castle’s front.

  The air itself slowed down as if trying to carry the sound gently.

  The Quils remained calm… like they heard gunshots every day.

  But Neil froze, breath gone.

  A Quil came charging toward them—running so fast he looked like a wild boar forced into a stampede.

  He was running because HIM ordered him to.

  He skidded to a stop, panting violently.

  “Our master… HIM… your older brother… he summons you, Master Junior!”

  Without another second, he pulled a gun from his cloak—and blew his own head open.

  Blood splattered across Neil’s face.

  Neil didn’t even flinch. He just stared—emotionless.

  The Hone explained:

  “When a Quil delivers a message to anyone other than HIM or our species… we must kill ourselves. Otherwise, HIM bears the burden.”

  And then—

  A calm, low voice echoed through the entire castle :“Neil… I have been waiting for you forever, brother.”