Kai sat in the center of the quiet room, the hum of the energy swirling around him like a whisper from another world. His body was still adjusting to the power within him—his connection to the Energy of Codes was growing stronger, but it came at a price. The reality of what he had become and the world he was now a part of was starting to weigh heavily on him.

For the first time since entering this world, Kai felt the sting of homesickness. It hit him suddenly, a sharp pang in his chest. He hadn’t thought about it much in the heat of battle or the whirlwind of discovering his newfound abilities. But now, sitting in this foreign, fractured reality, the absence of his family—of his mom—felt suffocating.

His mind wandered back to the small, cramped apartment he had shared with his mother. He could still hear her voice, the way it would crack with worry when she asked about his schoolwork or his future. She had always been there for him, despite the struggles. Her love was constant, even when the world outside their home seemed too harsh.

Mara’s voice broke through his thoughts, steady and strong. “Kai, are you alright?”

Kai blinked, focusing on her. She was standing nearby, watching him with a concerned expression. The energy around her seemed to pulse in a calm rhythm, in contrast to the chaotic swirl of thoughts in his mind.

“Yeah, I’m just…” Kai hesitated, looking down at his hands. “I’m not sure I can do this. This power… it’s so much. And I haven’t even had the chance to think about what I’m leaving behind.”

Mara’s gaze softened. “You miss them, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I miss my mom. I miss everything about my old life.” His voice trembled slightly. “She doesn’t even know where I am. She’s been trying to reach me… but I don’t know how to explain any of this.”

Mara approached him, her footsteps quiet against the shifting ground. “You don’t have to explain it to her. Not yet. She wouldn’t understand, and you’re not ready to face her in this state.”

Kai looked up, his eyes troubled. “But she’s my mom. She deserves to know. She’s been so worried. And Alex… he must be freaking out by now.”

Mara’s expression darkened for a moment. “Your mother and Alex can’t know about this, Kai. Not yet. It’s not safe.”

Kai’s heart sank. He knew she was right. The more he learned about this world, the more he realized that there were dangers lurking—forces that could use his connection to the code for their own gain. If anyone outside this world knew what he was capable of, it could put them all in danger.

But still, the longing to reach out to his mom, to hear her voice, gnawed at him. He had been gone for days, maybe weeks—he couldn’t tell anymore. He could feel the pull of his past life, the simple moments of home that now seemed impossibly far away.

“I need to reach her,” Kai muttered, more to himself than to Mara. “She’ll be worried sick. I can’t just leave her like this.”

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Mara’s eyes softened again, but there was an edge to her words. “Kai, the moment you connect with the real world again, you’ll open the door for others to find you. Others who are after you. If you’re not careful, your mother, Alex—they’ll be caught in the crossfire.”

“I can’t just ignore them,” Kai insisted, his fists clenching. “They’ll think something’s happened to me. Alex will start searching for me, and my mom… she’s probably going crazy.”

Mara watched him for a long moment before speaking. “Your heritage, Kai. It’s from both your mother and your father. This power, the connection to the Energy of Codes—it’s not something you inherit overnight. It’s something that’s been passed down through the generations. Your bloodline, your lineage—it’s been quietly preparing you for this moment, though you probably didn’t know it.”

Kai’s mind spun. “My dad? What does he have to do with this?”

Mara glanced away, as if considering how much to reveal. “Your father’s side of the family was steeped in ancient knowledge. They were the keepers of the code, people who understood its power and its dangers. But they didn’t just protect it—they manipulated it, shaped reality itself. But something happened to your father. Something dark. He disappeared long before you were born. But the knowledge, the power, was passed down to your mother’s side as well. She knew, even if she didn’t understand the full scope of it.”

Kai’s thoughts were racing. His father had disappeared? That was news to him. He had always assumed that his dad just wasn’t around, that he had left them for some unknown reason. But now it seemed like there was more to the story—something deeper and far more dangerous.

“So, the power is part of me because of both my parents?” Kai asked, feeling the weight of the revelation settle over him.

Mara nodded. “Yes. Your mother has always been tied to the code, even if she didn’t know it. But she’s never had the training, the understanding of what’s truly at stake. That’s why you’ve been chosen. The energy is in you. It’s just waiting to be unlocked.”

Kai felt a chill run down his spine. “But why me? Why now?”

Mara didn’t answer immediately. She simply looked at him, as if considering her words carefully. “Because the time is coming. The balance between the real world and this world is shifting, and the code is becoming unstable. It’s seeking a new master. And you, Kai, have the potential to be that master. But you must learn to control it before it controls you.”

Kai stood up, his mind in turmoil. He didn’t want to be the one to bear such a heavy responsibility, but he knew that Mara was right. There was no turning back now. The power was a part of him—whether he liked it or not.

As he stood there, the faintest glimmer of hope sparked within him. He could still find a way back to his old life. He could still reach out to his mom and let her know he was okay. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how dangerous it could be. For all he knew, his connection to the code could be used against them. He couldn’t risk it—not yet.

Meanwhile, in the real world, things were unraveling at a rapid pace. Kai’s mom had called every number she could think of. She had reached out to Alex, who was now deeply concerned. Neither of them had heard from Kai in days, and with each passing hour, their worry grew.

“Kai wouldn’t just disappear like this,” his mother whispered to herself, clutching the phone to her ear as she tried to reach him again. “Where are you?”

Alex paced in his room, his thoughts racing. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He’d tried every way he could think of to reach Kai—texts, calls, even showing up at his apartment. But Kai was nowhere to be found. He had an unsettling feeling that he was missing something, something important. He was just too afraid to admit what it was.

Kai’s absence had sent ripples through their lives, but Kai didn’t realize how much yet. He had no idea how much his disappearance had affected the people he left behind—or how much danger he had unwittingly put them in.