Boom—like a distant memory, the world quivered in Kayden's mind.
Kayden and Liora walked side by side down the quiet street, their steps echoing faintly. The evening breeze carried the scent of dust and cooling pavement. They had spent some time chatting after leaving the small restaurant they stopped by, but as they approached the fork where their paths separated, both slowed down.
Liora tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You should be careful, Kayden. After everything that happened, people like the Vex Crew don't just… forget."
Kayden smiled a little. "I know. But I can handle myself."
She looked unconvinced but didn't push further. "Alright. Just… stay alert."
Kayden nodded, and they finally parted ways.
But what neither of them noticed was the figure crouched behind a parked vehicle across the street, eyes narrowed, watching every step they took. A faint glow shimmered under Kayden's shirt—his sigil—sending a small pulse through his skin like a warning tap.
He paused, glancing back.
"…Huh?"
The glow faded.
Kayden frowned, rubbing his chest. "Maybe… just stress," he muttered and walked inside.
---
The next day arrived quietly.
No mention of the day of the week in the air—just a calm morning turning into an exhausting afternoon.
Kayden sat at his desk, surrounded by papers and textbooks. The lecturer had given them an assignment so complex it felt like punishment. Equations, diagrams, endless written explanations—it was the kind that drained the brain slowly.
Hours passed.
Daylight dimmed.
Kayden was still stuck halfway.
"Kayden!" His mother's voice came from the living room. "Please, go and buy flour for me. I need it to finish cooking."
"Alright, Mom!" he answered, stretching his tired legs.
He grabbed his wallet, slipped on his sandals, and left the house. The shop was only a street away. Nothing unusual. Nothing suspicious. Just a quick errand.
But the moment Kayden turned the corner…
Everything changed.
---
BAM!
The front door of the house burst open — kicked in by the Vex Crew.
Five of them stormed in, stepping over the broken wood. Their footsteps were heavy, confident, not caring who they disturbed.
Kayden's father came out first, startled.
"What—who are you people?!"
Ragna stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "Where is your son?"
Kayden's mother appeared behind her husband, fear in her eyes. "Our son? What do you want with him?"
One of the boys leaned toward Ragna. "Uh… boss, is this even the right place?"
"It is," said Jex, arms crossed. "I'm sure. I saw him entering here days ago."
Ragna smirked slightly. "Good. Then where is he now?"
The parents exchanged confused, worried glances.
"We… we don't know where he is at the moment," the father said carefully.
Ragna's expression hardened.
"Oh? Hiding him?" He stepped closer. "You see… your son has been causing some trouble for us. And we don't like troublemakers."
Before the parents could react, the Vex Crew rushed them—not brutally, but aggressively enough to overwhelm them. They tied the couple's hands together and covered their mouths with cloth. The mother tried to scream, the father struggled, but the bonds held
The mother tried to scream, the father struggled hard against the ropes, but the knots held them in place. Their muffled voices filled the room with fear.
One of the Vex Crew members sneered and leaned toward them.
"When your naughty son comes out from wherever he's hiding, he'll understand this is our warning. Make sure he gets the message."
The boys laughed as they walked out, leaving the couple tied and moaning helplessly in the dim light of their home.
The broken door slammed loosely against the wall as the last of the Vex Crew disappeared.
---
Kayden walked back through the street, flour in hand, the night unusually quiet. But then—
the sigil on his arm pulsed sharply.
A jolt ran through him.
Kayden froze.
"…What was that?"
His heartbeat quickened. The air felt heavier. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.
He didn't know what.
He didn't know why.
But the sigil never reacted unless danger was close.
His steps turned into fast strides.
Fast strides became a run.
He sprinted toward home, breath tightening as he reached his street and saw the broken door hanging open.
His stomach twisted.
"No… no… no!"
Kayden rushed inside.
His eyes widened.
His parents were tied to chairs in the living room — struggling, muffled, terrified.
"Mom! Dad!"
He dropped the flour and ran to them, quickly untying the ropes. His hands trembled with rising anger he couldn't control.
"Who did this?!" he asked, voice shaking. "Who came here?!"
His mother caught her breath, eyes watery. "A group… a group of boys. They came in asking for you."
Kayden's father placed a weak hand on his shoulder. "Kayden… did you get into a fight with someone? Did you offend anybody?"
"No… I didn't!" Kayden answered, anger boiling underneath. "I haven't done anything!"
But he wasn't fully sure.
He remembered the bullies.
He remembered Ragna's threat.
He remembered the strange eyes watching yesterday.
And his sigil had reacted.
A heavy silence filled the room.
His mother winced — the ropes had left marks on their arms. They were shaken, hurt, and barely able to stand.
Kayden's eyes widened in alarm. "You're both injured—come on, we're going to the hospital!"
He supported them both, leading them out of the damaged house and down the street, urgency pushing his steps faster and faster.
But in his mind, one thought kept repeating:
Who would attack my parents just to find me?
And why?
Kayden clenched his fists.
"I don't know who did this," he muttered under his breath, eyes burning with fury.
"But when I find them… they're going to pay."
The night around him felt colder.
The sigil under his shirt burned hotter.
And somewhere in the shadows, eyes were watching.
The storm around Kayden had only just begun.
---