Twilight crept gently through the trees of Heavenly. Lavender and gold blended in the sky, casting a soft glow that wrapped around Eldrin's house. In the front yard, a table made of natural wood had been set. Crystal candles flickered, their flames dancing lightly in the breeze.
Hana sat beside Anza, gently petting a small cat with purplish-blue fur in her lap. The cat's fur changed color with every touch—rosy pink when content, silvery when calm.
"Lumi," Hana whispered. "Her name is Lumi."
Lumi meowed softly in response, her tail curling delicately around Hana's wrist.
Eldrin gave a small smile. "A gentle name for a sensitive soul."
Leo sat quietly on the other side of the table. Haya busied herself ladling soup into bowls, occasionally glancing at the sky as it lost its color.
Anza merely stared at his food. His left hand occasionally touched his phone on the table. Its screen lit up, but remained empty. No sounds. No signs that the world he used to know could still be reached from here.
He lowered his head—not from hunger, nor from fullness. Something else weighed on him. Something that followed him far from home, yet remained heavy.
Eldrin finally spoke, his voice calm.
"Inside each of you… there is something that never truly dies. It simply remains… unrecognized."
He raised his palm. A soft light appeared, forming a glowing mist that slowly moved and danced, as if breathing.
"Every human has it. We call it… ethereal aura."
The light spiraled, forming two shapes—one resembling a human, the other a winged creature—connected by faint lines pulsing like veins.
"Humans don't perceive it," Eldrin continued, "not because they're incapable… but because they were never taught it existed."
Leo turned to look at Anza. Lumi lifted her head, her fur turning to a soft purple-silver.
"When two compatible beings meet, resonance occurs. Not as a bond, but as a summon—a door to mutual understanding."
Eldrin bowed his head slightly, as if to be sure his words truly reached them.
"If you're willing, tomorrow morning… we'll begin your first training."
No applause. No excitement. Only a gentle stillness in the air.
Hana gave a small nod. Haya glanced from Leo to Anza.
Anza didn't reply. He simply stared at the faint light reflected on his phone screen. The world he once knew felt more distant. But the burdens from that world… still clung like dust he couldn't brush off.
His father. The debts he never made. Clients he never replied to. Sleepless nights and a body that never truly rested. They were all still there. Even in a place that felt like a dream, he couldn't find peace.
He gripped his phone. The screen stayed lit. But the signal was gone.
---
Deep in the forest, beyond the shadows of giant trees, a woman stood still. A dark hood covered most of her face, but her smile was clear—tilted, calm, and brimming with satisfaction.
Beside her stood a large creature with three heads. Its heavy breath exhaled cold mist, forming a thin fog around its feet.
The woman leaned against a tree, gazing toward the faintly glowing house in the distance. "So the little bird can still fly," she murmured, her voice light as if commenting on a pet. "I thought my arrow would've turned him into a trophy."
She pressed the communicator in her ear.
> "Target sighted. The marked creature… has returned to this world."
The reply came with no emotion.
> "Do not approach. Observe. We wait for the next opportunity."
The woman chuckled—short and amused.
"Shame. I was in the mood to skin something tonight."
She looked at the beast beside her.
"Just a little. So they know… we've been watching."
No magic. No dramatic movement. But in an instant, the air changed. The wind slowed. Night arrived faster than it should have.
---
Lumi stood up. Her fur turned a misty gray. Leo growled low. Haya rose from her seat. Eldrin stood without a word.
Without needing a cue, they all moved toward the forest.
Anza and Hana followed, chasing the fading shadow between the trees.
The ground grew colder. The air heavier. No birds. No breeze. Only the sensation that something had passed through… and left a mark.
In the gap between two large trees, they found it—three massive claw marks, still fresh. Imprinted deep into the moist earth.
They all fell silent. Haya gripped her weapon. Leo and Lumi perked their ears, holding their breath.
Anza stood at the back. His face dim under the moonlight. He stared at the earth ahead of him… and felt all his burdens sink into that soil. As if this new world was just another place to carry the same weight.
He took a step forward. No words.
But in the way he stood, in the glint of his eyes—
He was holding on.
And in the tightening darkness, one thing was certain:
Something was waiting.