The moment Kael pulled the sword—
The world broke.
The Outside World
To everyone else…
It lasted less than a second.
A flicker.
A pulse of light.
But to Kael—
Time stopped.
The Other World
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
Children ran across a bright open field.
Small shoes tapping against soft ground.
Voices overlapping.
High-pitched.
Alive.
"Don't run inside the classroom!"
A woman's voice echoed, tired but warm.
Another child tripped—
Cried—
Then laughed again.
Kael stood still.
"…What?"
Buildings.
Simple.
Colorful.
A playground.
Slides.
Swings.
Drawings taped to windows.
"…A kindergarten?"
His breath caught.
"This… is…"
Earth.
His world.
Children ran past him.
Through him.
Not seeing him.
Not hearing him.
"…So this is just a memory…"
"Not exactly."
A voice.
Soft.
Close.
Kael turned.
She stood at a distance.
A girl.
Small.
Fragile.
Long pale hair swaying gently.
Eyes far older than her appearance.
She wore something strange.
Not quite a dress.
Not quite armor.
Something in between.
Something sacred.
"…You're the voice."
She nodded slowly.
But didn't approach.
Her hands were held close to her chest.
As if afraid.
"…Your world is beautiful," she said.
Her voice carried something quiet.
Something aching.
Kael frowned slightly.
"…Beautiful?"
She nodded again.
"Children… laughing…"
"Growing without fear…"
"No hunger… no corruption…"
"No monsters…"
Her gaze lowered.
"…No chains."
Kael was silent for a moment.
Then—
He laughed softly.
"…You're seeing the surface."
She looked at him.
Curious.
Kael scratched his head.
"…That world isn't perfect."
"People suffer."
"They starve."
"They get sick."
"They hurt each other."
He looked around.
At the children.
At the illusion.
"…This place here?"
He gestured.
"It's just one small part."
"One memory."
Silence.
She processed that.
Slowly.
"…Even so," she whispered, "it is still… kinder than where I come from."
Kael's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Then tell me."
A pause.
"…Who are you?"
She hesitated.
Then—
She stepped forward.
Just a little.
"…My name is…"
A breath.
"…Eirvessa."
The name echoed softly in the space.
"I am… what remains of a spirit."
Kael didn't interrupt.
She continued.
"I was born in a land of elves."
"A place where souls are allowed to walk again."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"Spirits who complete their journey… are granted reincarnation."
Her voice trembled.
Just a little.
"I was close."
Silence.
"…Very close."
Her eyes darkened.
"But then…"
Her body trembled.
"…they came."
The world around them flickered slightly.
Children laughing.
Teachers shouting.
But her voice—
Cut through it.
"A group of adventurers."
Her gaze lowered.
"They hunted spirits."
"Captured them."
"Sold them."
Kael's expression hardened.
"…And you?"
She smiled.
But it wasn't warm.
"I fought."
A pause.
"I lost."
Silence.
"They sealed me."
Her eyes lifted.
Meeting his.
"Inside a sword."
The world around them cracked slightly.
Like glass.
"Decades passed."
"No voices."
"No light."
"No time."
Her voice softened.
"…Just me."
Kael's chest tightened.
"And then…"
She looked at him.
"…you came."
Silence.
But—
Her expression changed.
She stepped back.
Distance again.
"I do not trust you."
Direct.
Cold.
Honest.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"…Fair enough."
She continued.
"You are human."
"You break things."
"You abandon things."
A pause.
"You discard what you do not understand."
Kael didn't deny it.
"…Yeah."
Silence.
Then—
He stepped forward.
"…But I was discarded too."
That—
Made her freeze.
Just for a second.
"…I don't care about being chosen."
Kael said quietly.
"I just don't want to be thrown away again."
Silence.
The world flickered harder now.
Cracks spreading.
Time was running out.
Eirvessa hesitated.
Then—
Slowly—
She extended her hand.
"…One chance."
Her voice was quiet.
"If you die… I return to nothing."
A pause.
"If you live…"
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"…then I will see your world."
Kael looked at her hand.
Then—
Took it.
The moment their hands touched—
The world shattered.
The Awakening
Light exploded.
Not outward.
Upward.
From the ground.
To the sky.
The entire capital trembled.
People stopped.
Guards froze.
The air itself—
Vibrated.
Brakk stepped back slightly.
His eyes widened for the first time.
"…What… is that…?"
The light intensified.
Then—
Collapsed.
And revealed—
Kael.
But not the same.
A white mantle flowed around his body.
Marked with black lines that moved like flames across his back.
His presence—
Silent.
Heavy.
Absolute.
KAI — Model One
The ground cracked beneath him.
Not from force.
But from existence.
Brakk moved first.
Instinct.
His blade swung.
Full power.
No hesitation.
The strike landed.
Nothing happened.
Silence.
Kael raised his hand.
Just slightly.
Slash
Brakk's armor split.
Clean.
Precise.
Blood followed.
"…!"
Brakk staggered.
Then roared.
He attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Punches.
Kicks.
Strikes.
Everything.
Nothing worked.
Kael walked forward.
Calm.
Each movement—
Inevitable.
He raised his hand—
And grabbed Brakk's helmet.
Crushed it.
Metal screamed.
Shattered.
The face beneath—
Revealed.
Brakk's eyes trembled.
For the first time.
Fear.
Kael looked down at him.
And spoke.
"…Kneel."
The world obeyed.
Brakk's body dropped.
Knees hitting the ground.
Not by force.
By will.
Silence spread across the entire city.
People watched.
Frozen.
Terrified.
Then—
A voice.
"STOP!"
The King.
Behind him.
With Seraphine.
With the heroes.
With soldiers.
And then—
The King knelt.
"…Please…"
"…forgive us…"
Kael raised his hand.
Power gathered.
To strike.
To end it.
But—
Another hand—
Stopped him.
Not physical.
Something deeper.
"…It is enough."
Eirvessa's voice.
Soft.
Firm.
Kael's body stilled.
Silence.
Then—
He lowered his hand.
The light began to fade.
The mantle dissolved into particles.
The pressure vanished.
And Kael returned.
Normal.
Breathing.
Alive.
Holding the sword.
The Hero's Sword.
Silence filled the world.
Then—
He spoke.
Just once.
"…We need to talk."