Vael sat quietly, his expression distant and thoughtful. His gaze rested on the two children—Kira and Clied—who continued to meditate together on the floor, mimicking each other's breathing and posture.
Even though he still couldn't sense any mana flowing from Clied, Vael continued to encourage the boy. He didn't want to extinguish Clied's hope. Everyone deserved a chance to dream—to awaken, to become more than what they were told they could be.
Still, a gnawing confusion tugged at Vael's thoughts.
What had happened during that trance? That place… that endless dark void. The voice. The emotion. The echo.
He had heard stories, once—about the Spiritual Realm, a plane of existence that most awakeners could never enter. It was said to be the path that led either to the God Realm, or, as some legends told, to Nirvana itself.
Many claimed that no one could ever return from it.
Yet he did.
And now, he wasn't just confused—he was troubled. Clied had taken him somewhere that even powerful awakened warriors had never reached.
He thought of someone who might understand. An old friend—a powerful psychic and fortune reader. Perhaps she could uncover what was happening inside Clied.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Vael's head. He clutched his temples as a familiar voice echoed within his mind:
"Who am I…"
He winced. Then he looked up and saw Clied, waving at him with an innocent smile, eyes sparkling like a child eager for his father's approval.
That sight… it melted his heart.
Clied continued meditating, proud and focused, while Kira remained serious beside him, her posture perfect and unmoving.
Trying to change the mood, Vael stood up and clapped his hands.
"Who wants to go to the park?"
Kira's eyes lit up instantly. She almost jumped from her seat.
"Yes! Yes! Please!" she shouted.
She hardly ever left the house—it was dangerous outside, and most of Pagad's streets were filled with crime and chaos. But the park? That was a different world.
Clied tilted his head.
"The park?"
He'd never been to one before. But his eyes betrayed curiosity.
Vael chuckled. "Let's go then."
---
Pagad Park — the only haven of joy in a land swallowed by poverty and crime.
Though the city was broken and rotting, the park stood like a miracle. Green trees swayed gently in the wind. Children laughed. Families strolled peacefully. There were rides, a Ferris wheel, tents, food stalls—and even a fortune teller's den, where psychics told tales of fate and magic.
The park was guarded by awakened warriors, just in case anything went wrong.
Kira ran ahead gleefully, taking it all in, while Clied stuck close to Vael, a bit overwhelmed. His wide eyes sparkled when he spotted something—a magician performing tricks for a growing crowd.
Vael noticed.
"You want to go watch?"
Clied nodded shyly.
They walked toward the stage, but there were too many people. Clied was too small to see anything. So, without a word, Vael lifted him and sat him on his shoulders.
From up there, Clied beamed like the happiest boy alive.
The magician was charming and dramatic.
"Do you know what it means to be a true magician?" he asked the crowd. "We defy the laws of nature. We go beyond reality. We bend the impossible."
Some clapped. Others scoffed.
"That's just cheap tricks!" someone yelled.
But the magician smiled.
"You are free to believe… or not. But if you do—" he raised a glowing staff, "you might just go beyond what you ever imagined."
The show ended to mixed reactions. But for Clied, it was like magic had reached into his chest and lit up something inside him.
He held on to that feeling.
---
Afterward, Kira returned, a little tired but happy. Vael took them both toward a tent at the far end of the park—a small, quiet space with beads hanging at the entrance and strange wind chimes made from bone and crystal.
When they entered, a voice called out:
"Well, well… Hello, old friend. Or should I say, 'The Living Legend'?"
Vael chuckled.
"Don't call me that. I'm retired."
Kira and Clied looked at him curiously.
"Forget it," he muttered with a grin.
The woman in the tent was old, wrapped in dark cloth, her silver hair tied in a braid. Her sharp eyes shimmered with mystery.
"Oh? The mighty Vael is babysitting now?" she teased.
"Aren't you talkative for a dusty witch?" he replied.
She laughed. "Don't act like you weren't in love with me when we were younger."
Vael rolled his eyes. "In your dreams."
"You used to call me Seraphina… A name that means beauty beyond beauty itself."
"You really haven't changed."
Seraphina leaned closer. "Now tell me—why are you here?"
Vael's playful tone dropped.
"You know about the Spiritual Realm, right?"
Seraphina's smile faded. She went quiet.
The beads hanging at the entrance swayed violently, and the tent door closed by itself. The windows darkened.
Her voice lowered.
"That boy… it's him, isn't it?"
Vael blinked in surprise. She had already sensed it. Her eyes moved toward Clied, narrowing slightly.
Clied felt nervous as she pointed at him.
"I need your help," Vael said seriously. "Look into him. I need to know what he is… what happened that day. I saw something no one should have seen."
Seraphina nodded slowly.
"Fine. I owe you one, after all. Since the tragedy of Archeon, I've never forgotten my debt."
She motioned for Clied to step forward.
"Come here, boy. Let's see what secrets you've brought with you."