CHAPTER 12.6 : DUEL OF BROKEN BALANCE 

CHAPTER 12.6: A DUEL OF BROKEN BALANCE

The Ledger's room suddenly lit up. On one side, Bird King, his wings clawing at the sky, carrying the voices of thousands of souls. On the other: Karma Broker, his red robes fluttering, numbers coiling around his body like snakes. The two stared at each other. Bird King stared at Broker: “Stop before karma charges you.” “Broker,” Bird King said, his voice echoing like a gong. “You have crossed the line. The Market of Destiny, the forbidden Ledger, the bartering of karma all of that is outside your code.”

Broker laughed coldly. “Code? Rules? The world is changing, Bird King. And you still cling to your ancient, irrelevant wings.” The golden light in Preet's chest pulsed. Rosi whispered to Shayla, “They will fight... and we must be careful.” Shayla asked, “Why are they fighting? We can talk, can't we?” That karmic war... could destroy dimensions.” Bird King pointed at Broker. “You have stolen the karma of thousands of souls.” Broker shrugged. “I am not a thief.” I'm a trader. The ones who are guilty are those who want a shortcut. I'm just... providing a service. "And destroying the balance!"

The broker stared at him. "Balance is just a concept, son. What's real is the heart's decision." Bird King flapped his wings, the room cracking like glass. "This is your final warning, Broker. Leave the Ledger and dissolve your market." The broker approached, his mask glowing red. "I have a warning for you too..." They stared at each other. Suddenly, silence fell, and then BOOM!! An explosion of light and numbers filled the room. Bird King created a vortex of white light. 

The broker responded with a shower of blood-red numbers. Preet, Rosi, Shayla, and Mr. David were thrown to the edge of the room. Preet shouted, "STOP! YOU WILL..." It was too late. White and red light collided, creating a cosmic crack like a mirror, gaping in the center of the room. Mr. David paled. "That... that's no ordinary crack. It's a portal to infinite space." 

The broker glanced at the crack and smiled with satisfaction. "Ah... the Mirror of Eternity has finally opened." Bird King looked at Preet. "This isn't just a fight, Preet.

This is the beginning of a decision only you can make." The Broker pointed to the cosmic rift. "Beyond there, you will discover the truth: Who really built the system of karma?" The rift widened, drawing in all light. Shayla screamed, "PREET!!!" Preet was instantly sucked into the rift in the Mirror of Eternity. Darkness. Silence. The cosmos turned upside down. Bird King shouted, "LET THAT CHILD OUT OF THE WAY!" The Broker laughed. "The old rules still hold you back, Bird King. I don't." The rift closed. Bird King flapped his wings, his face filled with rage. "We must go after Preet. Now." Master David grabbed his shoulder. "Where is the door?" Bird King pointed vaguely at the remaining light. "That crack... will open again."

Once the crack reopened, the light behind it was no longer the gold of the market but a bluish-white shard like cracked glass. Bird King bowed, giving permission as if the ledger had temporarily closed their case. The broker stood silently in the center of the shattered room, red light still seeping from the cracks in his mask. Not victory. Not defeat. Just a decision. He closed the Ledger Book slowly a movement too calm for a villain, too heavy for a traitor. "My time in this duel is over," he said softly, almost a confession. "I didn't chase Preet into that mirror. Not yet." Bird King snorted. "Because you're afraid?" Broker chuckled. "Of course not. I was just... waiting for the value to rise." His mask shifted, the cracks forming lines like a sad smile.

He looked at them one by one. Preet, lost in the mirror. A frightened Shayla. A wary Rosi. A trembling David. "The ledger has chosen a new heir. And when someone is chosen... the market must adjust." A red wind swirled around his body. “We will meet again. Not as enemies… but as negotiators of destiny.” With a tap of the book on his staff, his body faded into fragments of numbers, disappearing into a dimensional rift he himself had summoned. Before completely disappearing, he left a single sentence hanging in the air: “In the coming war… the value of truth is far greater than karma.” Then silence fell. From the crack, a glitch pulsed, calling Preet’s name at a frequency he himself had never recognized. The air twisted, the floor lost its feeling, and one by one they were dragged into a space where time didn’t flow linearly… only spiraled, awaiting the next battle.

- CONTINUE