Chapter 2: A Place to Stay
The night air was cold, but not too cold. A light breeze passed through the trees lining the street, and Kaela Voss leaned back on the bench beside the strange man she had just met.
He still hadn't told her much. Just a name. Elias. He looked confused, maybe lost. But something about him made her pause. He didn't feel dangerous, even if his eyes were... strange.
They sat in silence for a few more minutes. No words. Just breathing. She checked the time on her phone and let out a sigh.
"You don't have anywhere to go, do you?" she asked casually, as if she already knew the answer.
Ryz turned his head slightly. "No. I don't."
Kaela stared ahead. The streetlights made long shadows across the pavement.
"Then stay at my place," she said.
He blinked. "Why?"
She shrugged. "You look like you're going to fall over. I live alone. I have a spare room. And you don't seem like the type to stab me in my sleep."
Ryz gave a faint, unreadable smile. Not kind, not cold just quiet.
"Alright," he said.
"Good. But no weird stuff, okay?"
"I don't think I can get any weirder."
She stood and stretched. "Come on. It's just a few blocks."
---
Kaela's home was a small two-floor house tucked between an old bakery and a flower shop. It wasn't much—white walls, wooden furniture, a little messy—but it felt lived-in.
She opened the door and flicked on the lights.
"Take your shoes off," she said over her shoulder. "And don't touch the cat's food bowl. I don't even have a cat, but I keep it out to scare mice."
Ryz followed her inside. The hallway was narrow, but the place smelled warm.like cinnamon, tea, and old books.
"You can sleep in the guest room upstairs. Sheets are clean. If you need anything, just ask."
He gave a short nod. "Thank you."
Kaela didn't ask more. She left him to explore quietly while she made tea in the kitchen.
Later that night, Ryz stood by the window of the guest room, staring out into the dark. The mist inside him was quiet. It hadn't moved since they arrived.
Was this peace?
---
The next morning, Ryz was awake before the sun rose. He didn't sleep much, or maybe he didn't need to. He sat at the small table in the kitchen, hands folded, waiting.
Kaela came down with her hair tied up messily and dark circles under her eyes.
"You're... early."
"I don't sleep well," Ryz said.
She opened a cabinet and grabbed a mug. "You look like it."
She poured herself coffee, took a long sip, and sat across from him.
"So, listen. I run a small shop just down the road. Nothing fancy. We sell medical supplies, snacks, newspapers—basic stuff. Since you're staying here, how about helping me there?"
Ryz nodded. "Alright."
"You can handle a cash register, right?"
"I'll learn."
"Good enough."
She didn't expect much. He looked strange and talked little, but something told her he wasn't useless. Just... different.
---
The shop was called Kaela's Corner, and it sat on the edge of a narrow street full of morning traffic. The bell above the door rang every time someone walked in.
By noon, Ryz had learned how to work the register, restock shelves, and brew cheap coffee in the back.
Kaela watched him quietly. He didn't complain, didn't ask questions. Just worked.
"You're weirdly calm for someone who just showed up out of nowhere," she said.
"I like quiet places."
"Well, this isn't always quiet. Sometimes weird things happen around here."
He looked at her. "Like what?"
She leaned on the counter. "You really don't know, huh?"
"I've been... away."
She gave him a long look, then nodded slowly.
"Alright. Time for a quick lesson."
Kaela pulled out her phone and showed him a headline from last week:
"D-Rank Gate Opens Near Midtown. Three Injured, Gate Cleared in 8 Hours."
"These things," she said, tapping the screen, "are called dungeon gates. They started appearing about fifteen years ago."
"Dungeon gates?"
"Yeah. Some kind of rift between our world and... something else. Monsters come out of them if they're left open too long. People die. Cities fall. It's a mess."
Ryz frowned. "And no one has closed them?"
"We try. That's where hunters come in. Trained people with abilities. some born with them, some awakened later. They enter the gates, fight whatever's inside, and shut them."
"Abilities?"
Kaela shrugged. "Don't ask me how it works. I'm just a nurse."
He looked at the headline again. "You said there are ranks?"
"Yep. Gates are ranked from D to S. D is the weakest. S is... disaster. Only ten S-rank hunters exist in this country, and they don't exactly work for free."
"And the hunters themselves?"
"Same thing. They're ranked too. From C to S. Most are average. But if you're lucky, you awaken strong."
"And you?"
She laughed. "I'm just me. No powers. Just tired hands and a sore back."
She turned serious again. "But hunters aren't the only problem. There are guilds.
big ones. Powerful. They want control over gate zones. Politics, money, power plays. You know the type."
"How many guilds?"
"Dozens. But the top five control everything. Want their names?"
Ryz nodded.
Kaela counted on her fingers.
"Number one is Iron Howl. military style, all about discipline. Then there's Skyglass, known for speed and scouting. Crimson Ward is brutal but efficient. Mireveil plays dirty and keeps secrets. And the fifth is Arclight, flashy, rich, and always on the news."
He absorbed the names silently.
"You'll hear about them eventually," she said. "Just avoid getting involved."
"I have no plans to fight."
"Good. Because most people who go into those gates don't come back."
---
That night, Ryz sat on the rooftop of Kaela's home, watching the stars. The world had changed. It was louder, brighter, more dangerous but also familiar in small ways.
The mist inside him stirred at the mention of monsters, hunters, and gates.
He whispered quietly.
"Not now. Let me live a little longer."
Below, the lights of the shop turned off as Kaela locked up and stepped inside. She was just a tired woman trying to survive. And now, somehow, he was part of that.
He didn't know how long it would last.
But for now, it was enough.