As Kael lay in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, his thoughts churned like a storm, turbulent and unrelenting. He couldn’t shake the memory of his father’s words from that day by the lake—a time when everything was simpler, when his purpose was clear. Back then, he’d believed in his ability to protect, in his strength to stand against any threat. But now? Now, something inside him felt broken, hollow.

The room was quiet, save for the faint breathing of Jin from the other side. Kael’s mind kept circling back to the fight, to Laura’s venomous actions, to the weight of his own failures. How had everything spiraled so out of control? Tarek lay unconscious in the infirmary, Darin barely holding on after his Naadi outburst, and Kael—Kael felt powerless.

Kael woke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. The faint light of dawn trickled through the window, casting a soft glow across the room. He lay still for a moment, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that clung to him. His dreams had been murky, filled with half-formed images of something dark... something waiting.

Just as he was about to sit up, he heard a soft groan from the other side of the room. Jin rolled over in his bed, blinking groggily. “You up too?” he mumbled.

Kael nodded. “Yeah. Just couldn’t sleep—something feels amiss.”

Jin sat up, rubbing his eyes. “You’re telling me.” He glanced around the room, squinting as if expecting something to jump out of the shadows. “The academy’s got to be messing with us.”

Kael was about to respond when a faint voice echoed through the room, low and sinister, like a breeze slipping through a crack in the wall.

"Kael... Jin... nice to meet you."

Kael’s breath caught in his throat. He exchanged a glance with Jin, who was now wide awake, his expression alert. “Did you hear that?” Kael whispered.

“Yeah,” Jin muttered, standing up slowly. “And I don’t like it.”

Kael scanned the room, his heart thudding. “Who’s there?” he called out, trying to sound braver than he felt. “What are you doing in our room?”

The voice chuckled softly, sending a shiver down Kael’s spine. “Welcome... it seems your journey has begun.”

Kael frantically looked around for his weapon, his hand instinctively reaching toward where it usually rested. He cursed under his breath. “Show yourself!”

Jin stepped forward, his voice steady. “Who are you?”

The voice responded, still hidden in the shadows, “Jin... son of Zalazaar... you don’t look much like your father. No need to get defensive, though. I am but the god of this universe”

Jin narrowed his eyes, trying to locate the source of the voice. “The GOD of the universe, huh? That’s a pretty big title for someone skulking around in the dark.”

The voice laughed, a thin, unsettling sound. “Oh, now I can see some resemblance, Jin... do you want to know where your mother is? Your real mother?”

Jin stiffened, the playful smirk vanishing from his face. “What did you just say?”

The voice ignored him, turning its attention back to Kael. “And Kael... do you want to know what really happened to your village?”

Kael felt a sharp pang in his chest. His fists clenched as he stepped toward the voice, his anger boiling over. “Who are you? What do you know about my village?”

The voice let out another soft chuckle, almost as if it was enjoying his torment. “Do you know... your sister is alive?”

Kael froze. His breath hitched as the voice continued, its tone growing darker. “Though I’m not sure if you’d still call her your sister. The Forge... they’re quite something, wouldn’t you say?”

Kael’s eyes blazed with fury. “Where is she?” he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. He rushed forward, charging into the shadows where the voice seemed to emanate, but before he could go any further, Jin grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Whoa, easy there!” Jin said, struggling to hold Kael back. “You can’t just charge into the shadows like that!”

Kael spun around, his eyes wild. “Let me go, Jin! I need answers!”

Jin gripped Kael's arm tighter. “I need them too, you know!”

Jin shook his head, a faint grin tugging at his lips despite the tension. “For someone claiming to be the god of the universe, this guy sure likes hiding in the shadows. Maybe he’s just shy.” Jin’s sarcastic tone cut through the heavy atmosphere.

The creature chuckled again, louder this time. “Shy? Perhaps... or perhaps I prefer the mystery.” Slowly, the figure emerged from the shadows.

Kael and Jin both took a step back as the creature came into view. It was tall, unnaturally so, with a gaunt figure draped in tattered robes. Its skin was pale, almost translucent, stretched tightly over its bones. It had human features, but everything about it seemed slightly... wrong. Its long arms ended in clawed fingers, and its face, though human-like, wore an impossibly wide grin, revealing rows of sharp, uneven teeth. Its eyes were large and black, like deep pits of void, absorbing the dim light of the room.

A strange weapon hung at its side, not a sword, but something more bizarre—a twisted, jagged staff that pulsed faintly with an ominous glow. The creature radiated an ancient, dark power, something far beyond anything Kael or Jin had ever encountered.

Jin’s eyes narrowed as he took in the creature. He’s got the same kind of energy as that thing in the portal.

Kael suddenly cried out in pain, doubling over as his body convulsed. His eyes flashed a bright, burning gold, and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.

The creature’s grin widened. “Well, well, well... who would have guessed that you would meet him before me?”

The creature loomed over him, its voice dripping with mock sympathy. “No matter how hard you try, you cannot change the future.” It chuckled, a sound like nails scraping against glass. “We will meet again... in the near future. I hope you’ll be strong enough by then to fulfill your purpose.”

It laughed once more before retreating into the shadows, its form slowly disappearing until nothing was left but the lingering echo of its voice. “Farewell... for now.”

The creature's weapon glowed briefly, pulsating with a malevolent energy, before vanishing completely into the shadows. The light flickered out like a dying star, leaving an oppressive silence in its wake. Kael's scream echoed for a moment longer, then faded into the stillness.

Jin staggered back, a sudden wave of dizziness crashing over him. He blinked hard, trying to shake off the disorientation, but as he turned to check on Kael, the world tilted. A sense of weightlessness enveloped him, and his vision blurred.

“Kael—” he started, but before he could finish, darkness swallowed him whole.

The Next Morning

Kael’s eyes fluttered open to the bright light filtering through a window. He groaned, lifting his head slightly to take in his surroundings. The sterile smell of the infirmary filled the air, and the sound of soft murmurs drifted around him.

Jin was beside him, propped up on a cot, looking just as dazed. He blinked, his gaze darting around the room as if trying to piece together the events leading up to this moment. “What... what happened?” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kael struggled to recall the details, but his mind felt foggy. “I... don’t remember.” A sudden image flickered in his mind—the shadowy creature with human features and its chilling laughter. But it was fleeting, lost in the haze of confusion. “Do you?”

Jin shook his head. “Nope, just waking up here like we fell asleep.” He glanced at the empty room, brow furrowing. “It feels strange. I can’t shake the feeling that something important happened.”

Before Kael could delve deeper into his thoughts, the door swung open, and Rudra strolled in, arms crossed, wearing his usual bemused expression. “So, do all of you have some sort of fetish for getting knocked unconscious?”

Jin smirked. “What can I say? We like to keep things interesting.”

Rudra rolled his eyes, stepping closer. “Interesting? Do you have any idea how hard it is to explain to the other instructors why only my students are unconscious? Especially when you’re supposed to be from the Elite Eleven?”

Jin shot him a sideways glance. “Elite Elevens, huh?”

Rudra shrugged. “Well, all of the students who opened their Naadi on the first try.”

Kael took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts. “Why 11? Weren’t there 12 who opened their Naadi?”

Rudra raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious. “You remember the one who seemed to have a bone to pick with you? She left the academy. I don’t know why.”

Jin's heart sank at the mention of his sister. “Laura?”

Jin glanced at Kael, “Why would she suddenly drop out ? did Kiran made her do it or did something happened.”

"forget about her" Rudra said "What i want to know is why you two were unconscious?"

in shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “I don’t know, maybe we dreamt about you or something.”

Rudra raised an eyebrow, looking at them curiously. “Dreaming about me, huh? That’s interesting.”

“Yeah, I can see it now. ‘Oh, Rudra, you’re so amazing!’” Jin joked, making exaggerated gestures.

Rudra rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Alright, enough with the jokes. Just rest a little, and if you feel alright, come to the training ground. I’m going to teach you something. Tarek and Daren are already up and training since Daren has already unlocked his second orbit, and he’s stabilizing himself.”