Kaine’s gaze was locked on Rahil, as if he were staring at a reflection in the mirror—something he feared but couldn’t look away from. His heart pounded, sending blood rushing through his veins. The words of this mysterious man echoed in his mind like bells—“key,” “true world,” “gates.”

“And what are these gates?” Kaine managed to say, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

“The gates through which the energy of death itself flows,” Rahil replied softly. “They open only once every millennium, and the one who wields the power of the god of death can control their flow. You must choose—will you be a guardian or a destroyer?”

Kaine took a step back, trying to process what he had just heard. “Guardian or destroyer?” The question echoed in his mind, unsettling him.

“Do you think I have a choice?” Anger flared in his voice. “I never asked for this power! I never wanted this fate!”

Rahil smiled sadly, his eyes darkening, and for a moment, a shadow of pain flickered in them.

“We rarely choose our destiny, Kaine,” he said. “But sometimes, what we try to run from turns out to be our salvation.”

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Kaine turned away, gazing at the night that had spread its embrace over the city. He recalled the faces of his friends, their smiles, and the moments when they stood side by side, fighting enemies. That was his team, his family. He knew he couldn’t afford to falter.

“And if I choose to be a guardian?” he asked quietly.

“Then you’ll have to face the one who has already chosen the path of destruction,” Rahil stepped closer, his expression growing serious. “The one who possesses power equal to yours but is driven only by a thirst for annihilation.”

“Who is he?” Kaine turned sharply.

“The one who also carries the power of a god, but not of death—of destruction,” Rahil answered. “His name is Azarel, and he is already moving toward the gates. His goal is to gain absolute power, and he won’t stop until he consumes everything in this world.”

Kaine felt cold sweat trickle down his forehead. Azarel. The name sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn’t remember where exactly.

“How can I stop him?” he asked, his voice filled with determination.

“Find the answer within yourself, Kaine,” Rahil gently touched his shoulder. “You must understand who you are before you can understand who you must become.”

“Do you have no other advice?” Kaine asked with a bitter smile.

“Your path is unique, and only you can walk it,” Rahil stepped back, his figure starting to dissolve into the night. “But remember, darkness is never absolute, and even in the darkest shadow, there is always a spark of light.”

Kaine stood as if in a trance, watching Rahil’s silhouette disappear, leaving him alone on the cold, rain-soaked square. Something ached in his chest, and his mind was swirling with a thousand thoughts. He didn’t know what lay ahead, but one thing was clear—his journey was just beginning.

And somewhere deep in his consciousness, he could feel how this path connected with others, how light intertwined with darkness, how a mysterious energy pulsed, guiding him toward an unknown goal.

“Find the answer within yourself...” Those words wove themselves into his mind like a thread, leaving behind a trace of bright, albeit barely visible, light.