Darkness swallowed everything.
The last thing Kael remembered was the sound of collapsing buildings and the distant clash of overwhelming Aether as Principal Drayke fought Varros Kaelith.
Then… nothing.
Kael's eyes slowly opened.
A dull ache pulsed through his body, especially his shoulder where the rogue Weaver had struck him earlier. His mind worked sluggishly as he stared at the wooden ceiling above him.
This is not the village.
The room smelled faintly of herbs and burning oil. Wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with bottles, tools, and strange metallic objects.
Kael immediately tried to move, but pain shot through his body.
"Careful."
A calm voice spoke from the corner of the room.
Kael's grey eyes snapped toward it instantly.
A man sat in a chair beside the bed, his posture relaxed but his gaze sharp. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with long dark hair tied loosely behind his head. A faint scar ran across the bridge of his nose, and his dark cloak looked worn from travel.
"You've been unconscious for nearly a day," the man continued.
Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he began analyzing the situation.
Unknown location. Unknown individual. No visible weapons within reach.
But the man's posture… confident.
"He's Dangerous." Kael thought
"Where is Lucien?" Kael asked quietly.
The man nodded toward the other side of the room.
"He's waking up too."
On another bed nearby, Lucien groaned and slowly sat up, pressing a hand to his chest where the burn scar remained.
"Ugh… that hurts like hell," Lucien muttered.
Then he looked around.
"This… definitely isn't the village."
The mysterious man stood and walked toward them.
"I found the two of you lying near the edge of the forest," he explained. "Collapsed from injuries and exhaustion."
Lucien frowned.
"Wait… after the fight?"
"Yes."
The man crossed his arms.
"The village was already under control when I arrived. The academy's principal had dealt with the attackers."
Kael's mind immediately started connecting the timeline.
Drayke defeated Varros.
Village secured.
Then they must have collapsed from exhaustion while trying to escape the battlefield.
"You brought us here," Kael said.
The man nodded.
"My base isn't far from the forest. It was safer than leaving two half-dead kids out in the open."
Lucien rubbed the back of his head.
"Well… thanks, I guess."
The Stranger
Kael studied the man carefully.
His movements were controlled. His breathing steady. Even the way he stood suggested someone used to combat.
Not a normal villager.
"What is your name?" Kael asked.
The man smiled slightly.
"Elias."
Lucien stretched slightly before wincing again.
"So… Elias," Lucien said, "this your secret hideout or something?"
Elias chuckled quietly.
"Something like that."
The room around them looked less like a home and more like a workshop. Strange metal devices rested on tables, along with pieces of Aether-infused stone.
Kael noticed them immediately.
"Aether research?" he asked.
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"You noticed that quickly."
Kael said nothing.
The Reality Sets In
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Lucien stared at the floor.
His parents.
His siblings.
Gone.
The memory of the rogue Weaver's attack replayed in his mind.
His hands slowly tightened into fists.
Kael felt a different kind of weight pressing down on him.
Amara.
Her warm smile.
Her gentle voice.
Gone.
A flicker of something cold passed through his grey eyes.
Elias watched them both carefully.
"You lost people in that attack," he said quietly.
Neither of them answered.
But the silence was enough.
Elias finally sighed and leaned against the wall.
"You two fought rogue Weavers and survived."
Lucien scoffed.
"Barely."
"That still says something."
Elias looked at them both.
"The world outside that village is far more dangerous than you realize. Rogue Weavers like the ones who attacked are only a small part of it."
Kael spoke calmly. "We already know that."
Lucien glanced at him.
"You're thinking about that Varros guy, aren't you?"
Kael nodded slightly.
"And the ones stronger than him."
Elias studied them with interest.
"Hmm."
For a moment he looked like he was deciding something.
Then he spoke again.
"If you plan to survive in this world… you'll need to grow stronger. Much stronger."
Lucien smirked slightly despite the situation.
"Yeah, that's kind of the plan."
Kael's gaze remained steady.
"How strong are you?" he asked Elias.
Elias laughed quietly.
"Strong enough to know that the world is far larger than the two of you think."
Then his eyes sharpened.
"And strong enough to tell you this."
"The attack on your village… wasn't random."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
Lucien sat up straighter.
"What do you mean?"
Elias looked toward the window where the night sky stretched endlessly beyond the forest.
"Someone wanted something there."
"And if Varros Kaelith was involved…"
His voice became quieter.
"Then things are only just beginning."