The forest got quieter the deeper Kael went.
Not peaceful quiet.
Wrong quiet.
No insects.
No wind.
No distant movement.
Just… absence.
Kael slowed slightly, eyes scanning everything.
"Either nothing lives here…"
A step.
"…or everything knows better."
A faint distortion flickered at the edge of his vision.
Gone in an instant.
Kael stopped.
"…There."
He didn't turn his head.
Didn't react visibly.
Just waited.
Seconds passed.
Then—
A whisper of movement behind him.
Kael moved instantly.
He stepped forward and twisted—
A blade of dark steel sliced through the air where his neck had been.
Fast.
Silent.
Precise.
Kael's eyes locked onto the attacker.
A girl.
Slim.
Dressed in dark, fitted gear that blended into the forest.
Her presence was… strange.
Like she didn't fully exist in the same space.
She didn't speak.
Didn't hesitate.
Attacked again.
Her form blurred.
Not speed.
Something else.
Kael raised his hand.
"Glitch."
The space around her flickered—
Then snapped back.
No effect.
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"…Another protected target?"
She was already in front of him.
Blade thrusting forward.
Kael shifted just enough—
The blade grazed his shoulder.
A thin line of red appeared.
He stepped back.
Creating distance.
"Not system constructs," he murmured.
"They don't bleed."
The girl didn't respond.
Didn't even acknowledge the hit.
She just adjusted her stance—
And vanished.
Not ran.
Not jumped.
Vanished.
Kael didn't move.
"…Stealth ability."
Advanced.
Very.
The air shifted again.
This time—
Kael didn't aim at her.
He aimed everywhere.
"Glitch."
The world stuttered.
Leaves froze mid-fall.
Light bent unnaturally.
Space itself… hesitated.
And in that hesitation—
She appeared.
Just for a fraction of a second.
Behind him.
Blade already descending.
Kael moved first.
He turned—
Caught her wrist mid-strike.
Her eyes widened.
Just slightly.
First reaction.
"Found you."
For a moment—
They locked in place.
Up close, her expression was cold.
Focused.
But not empty.
"…You're not in the system," she said quietly.
First words.
Sharp.
Certain.
Kael smirked faintly.
"Good observation."
Her grip tightened.
She twisted her wrist—
Trying to break free.
Kael didn't let go.
"Same goes for you."
That made her pause.
Just for a second.
"…What?"
Kael's gaze sharpened.
"I tried to break you."
A slight tilt of his head.
"Didn't work."
Silence.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
She pulled back sharply, breaking contact.
Creating distance.
Her stance changed.
More cautious now.
Less aggressive.
"…You're dangerous," she said.
Kael shrugged lightly.
"I get that a lot."
Another pause.
Measured.
"…Name."
Kael blinked once.
"…That's how you ask?"
She didn't react.
"…Lyra."
Kael nodded slightly.
"Kael."
Silence again.
Awkward.
But not uncomfortable.
Just… unfamiliar.
Lyra's eyes didn't leave him.
"You broke the forest."
Kael glanced around.
"…It was already broken."
"…Not like this."
She stepped closer.
Carefully.
"The system doesn't like anomalies."
Kael smiled faintly.
"Yeah, I noticed."
Lyra studied him for a moment longer.
Then—
"…It'll send something."
Kael's expression didn't change.
"Good."
That answer clearly wasn't what she expected.
"…You don't understand."
Kael met her gaze.
Calm.
Certain.
"No," he said.
A slight pause.
"I do."
The air shifted.
This time—
Both of them felt it.
Pressure.
Heavy.
Descending.
Lyra's expression changed instantly.
"…Too fast."
Kael looked up.
The sky—
Glitched.
For a brief moment—
It flickered like a broken screen.
Then—
Something opened.
A tear.
Small.
But wrong.
And from it—
Something began to descend.
Not a construct.
Not a creature.
Something else.
The system reacted immediately.
[Emergency Protocol Activated]
[Target: Anomaly Suppression]
Lyra took a step back.
Instinct screaming.
"…You triggered this."
Kael watched the tear calmly.
"…Looks like it."
The thing inside moved.
And the world… trembled.
Kael's eyes sharpened slightly.
Finally—
Something interesting.
"Stay back," Lyra said.
Kael didn't move.
"…No."
The tear widened.
Darkness spilling out.
And then—
It looked at him.
No eyes.
No form.
Just—
Awareness.
Kael smiled.
"Let's see what happens…"
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
"…when the system tries to fix a mistake."