The group staggered out of the cavern, ears still ringing from the pounding bass and unrelenting melodies of the vampire-infested cavern. The flashing lights and hypnotic rhythms had left their senses overloaded. Lira rubbed her temples, her cat-like ears twitching as if still trying to process the onslaught of sound.
“That was horrible,” she groaned. “Why did they have to play it that loud?”
Ava rolled her eyes. “I told you guys this part of the undercity was a nightmare. But noooo, we just had to check it out.”
Kite let out a nervous chuckle, adjusting his jacket. “Yeah, uh… I think I’ll be avoiding this place from now on.”
“No kidding,” Ava snorted. Lira nodded in agreement, and even Kay, though quiet, gave a slow nod. However, unlike the rest of them, he wasn’t complaining or laughing, he was eerily silent, his gaze downcast as he lagged behind. He rubbed his neck absentmindedly, fingers brushing against it lightly.
The group walked on until they spotted something in the distance. Rad’s unconscious body lay sprawled on the ground, and sitting atop him, as casually as if he were on a throne, was Ray. In his cybernetic fingers, he held a jagged piece of a guitar, its surface gleaming under the dim lights of the undercity.
“Ray?” Kite called out, his brows furrowing. “What happened to Rad?”
Ray’s glowing eyes met Kite’s. “He fell asleep,” he stated flatly.
Ava placed her hands on her hips, frowning. “Oh, really? You expect us to believe that?”
Kite stepped in before she could press further. “Hey, come on, Ray was probably just keeping him safe,” he said, shooting Ava a look.
Ray gave a small nod but didn’t elaborate, instead lifting the guitar piece higher for them to see. The fragment was old, but its craftsmanship was undeniable, its surface was dark, infused with metallic threads that pulsed faintly like circuitry. Ancient engravings ran along its edges, glowing dimly with residual energy, and there was a faint hum, almost as if the piece was alive, waiting to be whole again.
Kite’s expression shifted from curiosity to excitement. “Whoa…” He reached for it, taking it carefully before looking at Ray with a grin. “You actually got it… Thanks, man.” He slid the piece into his backpack, making sure it was secure.
Meanwhile, Ava’s frown deepened. She crossed her arms, her eyes flicking between Ray and Rad. Something wasn’t right.
Lira, noticing her expression, tilted her head. “What’s wrong?”
Ava quickly shook her head. “Nothing,” she muttered, though her suspicion lingered.
Kite, oblivious to Ava’s unease, checked the holographic display on his watch. As he scrolled through the information, Kay knelt beside Rad, his hand still rubbing his neck. A dull throbbing had started in his head, and his body felt… strange. Off.
Ray’s gaze snapped to Kay, his robotic eyes analyzing him in an instant. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “Rad will be fine. Worry about yourself for now.”
Kay froze. His breath hitched as his eyes widened slightly. He looked up at Ray, who stared back at him knowingly, then quickly averted his gaze. “O-okay…” he murmured, voice shaky. His headache worsened.
Kite, oblivious to the moment between them, looked up from his watch. “Alright, last piece is in Horizon Heights.”
Ava’s demeanor changed instantly, her smirk returning. “Quickest way up there is by hover board, ya know.”
Kite grinned, already unclamping his own board from his backpack. With a flick of his wrist, it expanded into full size. “You don’t say,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of competition.
Lira blinked at them. “Wait, how are the rest of us getting up there?”
Ava, already a step ahead, reached into her pocket and pulled out a miniature hover board, tossing it upward. It expanded mid-air before she caught it with ease.
Ray finally spoke. “I will take care of the rest.”
Lira squinted at him, skepticism clear in her expression. “You will?”
Kite grinned. “Ray’s got a couple tricks up his sleeve. Don’t worry about it.”
Lira didn’t look entirely convinced, but she let it slide. Ava then turned to Kite, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Alright, nerd, how about a race?”
Kite’s grin widened as he and Ava quickly stepped onto their hover boards. “Oh, you’re on, Ava! I’ve had practice since last time!”
Ava let out a laugh. “Yeah, right!” Without another word, the two of them launched into the air, their hover boards igniting as they shot toward Horizon Heights, leaving the others to watch.
Lira sighed, shaking her head but forming a small smile. “They’re like little gremlins.”
Ray, however, wasn’t watching them. His gaze lingered on Kay, whose fingers were still trembling slightly as they pressed against his neck. Ray knew. And Kay knew that he knew.
Kite and Ava rocketed above the undercity, their hover boards humming as they cut through the smog-filled air. Their matched speeds made the race even more exhilarating as they wove effortlessly between hover cars and around the skeletal remains of crumbling buildings.
The onlookers below, a mix of chimeras and humans, glanced up in awe. Some pointed, others cheered, while a few street vendors paused their business to watch the dazzling streaks of emerald green and neon pink trail across the sky.
Ava grinned as she twisted her body, shifting her weight to make a sharp turn around a collapsing scaffold. “Gotta admit, Kite, you’ve gotten way better!” she shouted over the wind.
Kite smirked, matching her pace. “You sound surprised!”
Ava laughed, her voice ringing through the air. “I am! But it still won’t be enough to beat me!” She leaned forward, accelerating even further as the two of them climbed higher and higher.
Then, through the haze of the undercity, the massive hole in its ceiling came into view. A gaping maw in the darkness, leading to a world far brighter than the one they knew. The two of them streaked toward it like twin shooting stars, Ava’s hover board leaving a dazzling pink trail while Kite’s burned an emerald green.
As they shot through the breach, the grim shadows of the undercity melted away, replaced by a burst of golden light and crisp, clean air. The warmth of Horizon Heights bathed their faces, a stark contrast to the cold, artificial glow of the depths below.
Beneath them, the citizens of Horizon Heights strolled along pristine walkways. The people here were clean, well-dressed, their outfits tailored from high-end fabrics, sleek suits, designer jackets, and elegant dresses that shimmered under the natural sunlight.
Their accessories gleamed with embedded technology, from smart jewelry to augmented reality visors. Unlike the undercity, where grime and struggle stained every face, the people here moved with effortless confidence, their conversations unbothered by the harsh realities lurking below.
Kite and Ava weaved between luxury hover cars, their polished surfaces reflecting the bright blue sky. Unlike the rusted and jury-rigged vehicles of the undercity, these hovered effortlessly, their designs sleek and aerodynamic.
The architecture around them was breathtaking, skyscrapers of glass and steel stretched toward the heavens, their surfaces displaying digital murals that shifted and changed like living paintings. Floating gardens lined the walkways between buildings, filled with exotic flora that shimmered with bio-luminescence. Suspended bridges connected towers, with citizens casually strolling high above the city streets as if walking through the sky itself.
The two kids sped past towering billboards, each one showcasing expensive advertisements that flickered with high-definition holograms.
One being a woman in a sleek cybernetic suit who winked as text scrolled across: “GenovaScience: The Future is Now.”
Next, a massive screen displayed a luxurious hover car gliding across a neon highway. “Drive the New Aeris-9: The Ultimate Ride for the Elite.”
With the last one displaying a celebrity with glowing cybernetic tattoos who held a designer drink, smiling. “Only the Best—Diamond Brew.”
Kite let out a breath of amazement as they streaked through the cityscape, the sun warming their faces, the wind whipping through their hair. He and Ava laughed freely, the exhilaration of speed and freedom sending an electric thrill through their veins.
Then, in the distance, Kite spotted it. Suspended high above a sprawling park, the final guitar piece floated within a glowing containment orb. The park below was lush, filled with greenery that the undercity could never dream of, trees so tall they nearly reached the skyline, fountains that glowed with cascading streams of light, and walking paths that stretched endlessly through fields of impossibly vibrant flowers.
Kite’s eyes locked onto the prize. A cocky grin spread across his face. “Looks like I win this one, Ava!” he taunted, tilting his board downward as he shot toward the piece.
“As if!” Ava barked back, instantly matching his speed.
The two of them streaked through the sky like comets, closing in on the orb in perfect unison. At the last moment, their hands shot forward—Snap!
They both had grabbed it at the same time. For a moment, neither of them moved. They hovered in the air, each holding the piece aloft in triumph, grinning wildly. Then, realization struck.
“…Wait,” Kite said, looking at Ava. His grin faltering.
“…Did we just tie?” Ava blinked. Her proud demeanor fading.
They both stared at each other before bursting into laughter. “You seriously had to grab it at the same time as me?” Kite huffed dramatically.
Ava shrugged, smirking. “Guess we’re just that good.”
They bickered playfully for a moment before Ava finally let go, waving a dismissive hand. “Fine. I’ll settle for a draw.”
Kite gave a satisfied nod, tucking the guitar piece into his pack. “Good call.”
Then, for a brief moment, they both fell silent. Hovering high above the city, they looked down at the world beneath them. Horizon Heights stretched endlessly, a utopia of wealth, luxury, and pristine beauty. It was a place that had always felt unreachable, a peaceful world that existed in stark contrast to the one they had grown up in.
Kite swallowed hard, his hands clenching ever so slightly. “…Crazy, isn’t it?” Ava murmured.
Kite nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
They weren’t supposed to be here. This city wasn’t for people like them. And yet, here they were, soaring above it, free.
Kite and Ava hovered in silence for a long moment, the wind gently tugging at their clothes and hair as they watched the citizens of Horizon Heights below. The distant hum of hover cars, the soft chatter of the well-dressed elite, and the faint laughter of children playing in the lush parks all blended into an ambient murmur.
Then, Ava finally broke the silence. “…It’s been a while since we last hung out,” she said, her voice softer than usual.
Kite glanced at her before nodding. “Yeah. A lot’s happened.”
Ava gave a small nod, then reached into the pocket of her ragged clothing, pulling out a small device. She held it between her fingers for a second before tossing it to him. Kite caught it with ease, turning it over in his palm. It was sleek but a little worn, a small holographic interface flickering to life as he touched it.
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“What is this?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ava smirked. “It’s kinda like a phone. If you ever wanna hang out, just call me.”
Kite stared at the device for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, a small smile formed on his lips. A teasing glint entered his eyes. “What, did you get lonely?”
Ava’s face immediately turned a shade darker as she briefly averted her gaze. “W-Well, it’s not like that or anything,” she muttered, crossing her arms. “I-Its just that…” She took a deep breath, steadying herself before looking back at him. “Lira’s fun and all, but she’s not as smart as you, ya know? It just ain’t the same is all.”
Kite’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. He hadn’t expected that. After a moment, he nodded, tucking the device into his pocket. “I understand,” he said. “I’ll call you sometime then.”
Ava smirked mischievously. “Yeah, you better, Kite. I’ve got a lot of ideas for us to work on.”
The two of them laughed together, the moment feeling natural and lighthearted… until an irritated voice cut through the speaker of Kite’s watch.
“Can you guys get any louder?” Rad groaned on the other end.
Kite and Ava immediately stopped laughing, both turning their attention to the watch on Kite’s wrist. Kite lifted it, and the small screen lit up, revealing Rad sitting inside a vibrant, neon-lit restaurant. Lira and Kay sat beside him at a booth, while Ray hovered slightly behind them.
The restaurant was lively, bursting with color. The walls glowed with shifting neon hues, casting a kaleidoscope of blues, purples, and reds across the metallic surfaces. Digital menu boards floated above the counter, displaying a variety of expensive-looking drinks and snacks.
The patrons were a mix of well-dressed Horizon Heights citizens and a few rougher-looking individuals who didn’t quite fit the pristine aesthetic of the city. Holographic projections danced lazily in the air, advertising high-end brands and upcoming performances. A smooth, electronic jazz tune hummed in the background, blending with the murmur of conversation and the clinking of glasses.
Kite blinked in confusion. “How did you even do that?”
Rad lazily rolled his eyes. “They gave me a watch for the project too, doofus,” he muttered, taking a sip from a drink in front of him. “You’re so slow sometimes.”
Ava hovered closer to Kite, peering at the screen. Her eyes immediately landed on Lira, who was pouting playfully at the camera, resting her chin in her hands as she leaned forward on the table.
Ava sighed dramatically. “Alright, alright, my bad, Lira. Didn’t mean to leave you out.”
Lira’s ears twitched, and she stuck out her tongue. “Mmm… nah. Apology not accepted.” She then smirked, eyes glinting mischievously. “Besides, you’re always talking about Kite when you’re at my house anyway.”
Ava’s face instantly turned bright red. “What!?!” she sputtered, her voice cracking slightly as she let out a nervous laugh. “T-That’s not— I mean— Lira, what are you even talking about? That’s— that’s crazy!”
Kite and the rest of the group burst into laughter. Even Ray, typically quiet and reserved, let out a low mechanical chuckle.
Ava’s face only reddened further as she clenched her fists. “I swear, Lira, I’m gonna get you back for this,” she grumbled, but her flustered expression completely betrayed her tough words.
Lira giggled, tail flicking behind her. “I’m waiting~.”
Kite wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling as ava fumed. Ava groaned, covering her face with one hand. “You all suck.”
But despite her embarrassment, there was a warmth in her chest, a reminder that, for all the chaos, these close bonds were what she had always wanted in her life. Ava and Lira now sat together on high stools in front of the sleek bar counter, their voices rising as they bickered over Lira’s earlier betrayal.
The neon-lit shelves behind the counter displayed bottles of vibrantly colored liquids, arranged in an artistic cascade of blues, purples, and reds. The restaurant itself pulsed faintly with light, responding to the mood and noise of the establishment.
“You so did that on purpose!” Ava huffed, pointing an accusatory finger at Lira.
Lira lazily licked at her ice cream, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. “Oh, please, Ava. It’s not my fault you’re so easy to mess with.”
Ava’s eyes glowed brighter as she clenched her fists. “You—! Ugh! You’re the worst!”
Lira giggled, twirling her spoon in her dessert. “Gosh, you’re such a crybaby.” She then gestured to the empty bowl in front of Ava. “I bought you noodles as an apology. Isn’t that enough?”
Ava shot her arms up in exasperation, her pink irises glowing vibrantly. “NO!”
The empty bowl in front of her, clearly furiously eaten, was all the evidence needed that she had devoured the peace offering despite her protests.
Nearby waiters stifled their laughter as they walked past, serving dishes to other patrons. Kite, sitting next to Rad, chuckled softly at their antics as Ray silently sat on the counter nearby.
Rad, still recovering from his earlier headache, groaned and rubbed his temples. “Too loud…”
Kite smirked, then turned his attention to a holographic menu hovering in front of him. The menu displayed a dazzling selection of food items, each illustrated with high-resolution, rotating holographic projections.
The dishes included: Nebula Noodles – A bowl of glowing, shifting-color noodles infused with artificial starlight. Solar-Fried Dumplings – Crispy dumplings with a golden glaze, served with a spicy plasma sauce.
Cyber Wings – Chicken wings coated in an electric blue glaze that tingled on the tongue. Stellar Sushi Platter – Rolls arranged in the shape of constellations, with a side of glowing wasabi.
Chocolate Swirl Milkshake – A rich, creamy swirl of dark and white chocolate, topped with edible silver flakes.
Kite pressed on the image of the Chocolate Swirl Milkshake, and within seconds, a robotic bird, sleek and metallic with glowing blue eyes, swooped down from a delivery chute above. It flapped gracefully toward him, holding a cold glass in its clawed feet.
Kite watched in amazement as it landed lightly on the counter and released the milkshake in front of him. He smiled and reached for it. “Thanks,” he said.
The bird chirped happily in response before fluttering off to resume its routine. Kite turned to Rad, who still had his head resting on his arms. Without a word, Kite slid the milkshake in front of him. “You okay?” he asked.
Rad exhaled heavily before slowly lifting his head. His dark brown eyes looked tired, but he gave a small nod. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
Kite smiled. “Glad to hear it.”
Rad let out a grunt and, without meeting Kite’s gaze, took a sip of the milkshake. He swallowed, pausing briefly before muttering, “…Thanks.”
Kite blinked in mild surprise. Rad rarely expressed gratitude so plainly. After a beat, Kite gave a small smile. “No problem.”
Meanwhile, away from the laughter and warmth of his friends, Kay sat against the bathroom door, knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. The peaceful music humming through the speakers only seemed to mock his suffering.
The bathroom was clean and pristine, a far cry from the places Kay was used to. The walls were sleek white with soft gold lighting lining the corners.
A holographic interface hovered above the sinks, offering various temperature settings, scented water options, and self-cleaning mechanisms. The floor, smooth and reflective, was made of an advanced alloy that resisted stains. Even the air smelled faintly of citrus and lavender.
But Kay noticed none of it. His body ached. His heartbeat pounded furiously in his chest, faster than a drummer in a frenzy. His breathing came in short, uneven gasps as sweat dripped from his forehead. His nails had grown, sharp, unnatural. His teeth pressed into his lips painfully.
Breathe… He wiped his tears with a shaky, furred hand, staring at the dampness on his fingers. His headache pulsed, worsening with every second. He clenched his jaw, but the sharp pain in his gums made him wince.
Kay forced himself up slowly, legs trembling beneath him. He rubbed at his neck where the vampire’s bite had scarred him, his fingers coming away sticky with blood. His heart sank as he brought them in front of his face. The crimson liquid glistened under the soft bathroom lights.
No… Swallowing hard, Kay turned his gaze toward the mirror. Hesitation weighed down his movements as he stepped forward.
His reflection stared back at him. For a brief moment, his eyes flickered, shifting from crimson to gray, from slitted pupils to soft rabbit-like ones. His breath caught in his throat.
This isn’t happening. This isn’t real. It can’t be real.
Slowly, he leaned forward, lips parting slightly. His stomach twisted into a cold knot as he looked closer.
Then—Plink. A tooth fell from his mouth.
Kay’s breath hitched as he gagged ever so slightly. Then another fell. And another.
His old, soft, bloody, rabbit-like teeth clattered into the sink below. His hands trembled as he raised them to his mouth, shaky fingers brushing over the new ones growing in their place.
Razor-sharp. Bloody. His reflection was unmistakable.
No… No, no, no… His pulse roared in his ears as the horrifying truth settled deep into his bones. He was turning into a vampire.
Ray still sat atop the counter, his small robotic frame still as his gaze flickered between the two pairs before him. On one side, Lira and Ava sat close together, now laughing between bites of their rapidly melting ice cream.
Ava’s prior anger had now completely dissipated after Lira offered to share her ice cream. Ava’s missing front tooth made her giggles all the more mischievous, while Lira’s feline tail swayed lazily behind her, her sharp eyes glimmering with amusement. Their voices blended into an effortless rhythm, light, unbothered, as if the weight of the world hadn’t chased them here.
On the other side, Rad and Kite sat in relative silence, the quiet stretching between them. Rad slouched in his seat, arms crossed, his dark red hoodie pulled up slightly at the sleeves. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes, dark and tired, occasionally flicked toward Kite while drinking his milkshake.
Kite meanwhile, was staring at nothing in particular, lost in thought. Ray’s cybernetic eyes flickered between the two duos before finally settling on Kite. “When are you going to piece the guitar back together?”
Kite blinked, as if pulled out of a daze. “Huh?” His brow furrowed before his expression shifted to mild panic. “Oh, right… the guitar.” He had momentarily forgotten about it amidst everything. Scrambling, he pulled his backpack onto his lap and unzipped it, retrieving the ancient, broken instrument pieces with a careful grip.
With a quiet determination, he placed the guitar’s pieces onto the counter. The wood was cracked, the strings missing or frayed, but there was still something eerily alive about it. The instrument had endured decades of time, dust, and abandonment, yet even in its fractured state, it held an undeniable presence.
Kite rolled his sleeves up slightly, then reached into the inner pockets of his beige jacket. One by one, he pulled out a series of tools, small, compact, and well-worn, their handles bearing the faint imprint of his fingers from countless hours of work.
Rad raised an eyebrow. “You brought your tools with you?”
Kite smirked, his confidence returning. “Duh.” He slipped a screwdriver between his fingers with practiced ease before patting down his pants. “Even my ray guns.”
But all he felt was air. His smirk faded as his fingers swept through empty pockets. Confused, he patted himself down again, checking each one. Nothing. His brows knit together as he finally glanced down, pulling his pockets open in desperation to confirm what he already suspected.
Rad watched in silence, his arms still crossed, before lifting a brow.
Ray sighed, his small form shifting slightly. “Didn’t you realize already? They were destroyed in that blast,” he stated flatly, his glowing eyes unmoving. “When we were attacked.”
Kite froze. His lips parted slightly, the memory clicking into place. The attack. The explosion. The last thing he’d seen of his ray guns before they were swallowed by a beam of light.
A heavy groan left him as he slumped forward. “Dang it, I spent hours making those.”
Rad, still watching the exchange with mild intrigue, finally spoke up. “Wait… attacked?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “What blast?”
Kite and Ray exchanged a glance. Then, without hesitation, they both said in perfect unison, “It’s a long story.”
Rad’s eyebrow twitched at the eerie synchronization. They had even moved the same way, heads tilting, shoulders shifting, the mechanical rhythm of Ray mirroring the human reflex of Kite.
Kite, ever the opportunist, smirked. “Jinx.”
Ray merely rolled his cybernetic eyes, folding his small arms across his chest. But if one looked closely, a faint smile tugged at the edge of his otherwise impassive face.
With that, Kite got to work. Several minutes passed as he worked with a hyper-focus, carefully repairing the ancient guitar. His fingers moved with precise familiarity, weaving in and out of the delicate process as if he had been made for it.
The restaurant around them carried on, the distant hum of conversation and the clinking of dishes a quiet backdrop to the rhythmic motion of tools against wood and metal. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kite sat back, wiping his forehead dramatically despite not breaking a sweat. “Finally,” he announced, stuffing his tools back into his jacket’s inner pockets.
Rad yawned, stretching his arms behind his head. “Took you long enough.”
Kite shot him a playful look before smirking. “Hey, you can’t rush art.”
He lifted the now-restored guitar into the air. Its form now faintly glowed, the once-faded wood now eerily glistening beneath the dim lights of the establishment.
The cracks had been mended, the strings replaced, and yet… something about it felt beyond physical restoration. It thrummed with an energy that hadn’t been there before, as if awakening from a long slumber.
Kite looked to Rad and Ray. “Now all we gotta do is take it to—”
Before he could finish, the entire building was swallowed by darkness. The lights went out in an instant, plunging the establishment into near-total blackness. The low hum of electronics died, leaving only the distant murmurs of confused patrons and the shuffling of feet.
“The heck?” Lira muttered, tensing slightly as she shifted closer to Ava. The latter, surprisingly unbothered, blinked, her pink irises glowing in the dark like embers as she licked the ice cream off her lips.
Ray sat perfectly still, his glowing cybernetic eyes cutting through the darkness like twin beams. He turned his head, scanning the room with careful precision before his gaze landed back on the guitar.
It was glowing brightly. Not just a faint shimmer like before, but a full, radiant light, as if the very essence of music itself had been reignited. The glow pulsed in rhythm, like a heartbeat.
Rad opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the light expanded. A figure emerged.
A massive, holographic projection burst from the guitar, illuminating the entire establishment in an eerie, ethereal glow. It was a man, a tall, broad-shouldered legend brought back to life through flickering light.
His bright blue eyes were sharp, piercing, filled with unspoken truths. His wild, jet-black hair was streaked with silver, strands framing his rugged, battle-worn face. Across his neck, a constellation-shaped tattoo gleamed faintly, like stars trapped beneath his skin.
He wore a sleeveless high-collared synth-leather coat with glowing blue circuitry running through the seams. Beneath it, an armored vest hugged his torso, etched with the scars of past battles.
Metallic bracers adorned his arms, engraved with ancient symbols, and his hands, strong, calloused, were clad in fingerless gloves. Tactical pants and heavy boots completed his imposing figure, but the most striking detail was the tattered crimson sash wrapped around his waist, a relic of a failed rebellion.
The restaurant fell into complete silence. Nearby, an elderly janitor, frozen mid-motion, dropped his mop. It clattered against the floor, but he didn’t move to retrieve It. His mouth hung open, his wrinkled eyes wide as they gazed upon the legendary man.
“Is that…?” Kite whispered, his voice barely audible.
The holographic figure shifted, scanning the room before his gaze settled on Kite. There was no hesitation, no confusion, just quiet understanding. His face, though serene, held the weight of a man who had suffered an unimaginable fate.
“Kite…” Orion Vance’s voice echoed through the room, layered with an ethereal reverberation. His eyes softened as he looked down at the boy, as if seeing a younger version of himself. “Thank you.”
And then, like shattered glass, his form broke apart, pieces of his holographic essence drifting away as if caught in an unseen wind. The shards of light spiraled, flickering, before vanishing completely.
A second later, the power returned. The lights buzzed back to life, casting the room in its usual artificial glow. The janitor wiped at his eyes, a single tear falling as he stared at the spot where the legend had stood. Waiters exchanged nervous glances, their hands gripping trays with white knuckles.
But at the center of it all, Kite was still staring at the guitar. His voice, when it finally came, was barely above a whisper.
“…He knew my name?”