Darkness.
Then—
Fire.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
Air rushed into his lungs as he gasped, clutching his chest.
Heat surged inside him.
Not normal heat—
It felt like something within him was… breathing.
He collapsed onto his side, coughing violently.
The rooftop was still there.
The city still stretched below.
Everything looked the same.
But nothing felt the same.
"What… what happened…?"
His voice was weak. Dry.
Then the pain came back.
Stronger.
Kael screamed.
It tore through his body—his veins burning like molten metal, his bones trembling under unbearable pressure.
His skin felt too tight.
Like something inside him was trying to break free.
"Stabilization incomplete."
Kael froze.
That voice.
"You… you're real…"
Silence.
Then—
"I am Aetherion."
The name echoed inside his mind.
"You're… inside me…?"
"Correct."
"No… that's not possible…"
"Your survival probability without integration: zero percent."
Kael let out a shaky breath.
"This is insane…"
"This is necessary."
The heat flared again.
Worse than before.
Kael dropped to his knees, gripping his head.
"Make it stop!"
"Energy levels unstable."
"Host body inadequate."
"I don't care—just stop it!"
No response.
The heat kept rising.
Kael forced himself up, stumbling toward the rooftop door.
His vision blurred.
The world tilted.
"I need… something…"
He didn't get far.
The rooftop door creaked open.
A man stepped out.
Mid-thirties. Rough-looking. A cigarette hanging from his lips.
He paused when he saw Kael.
"Hey—what the hell are you doing up here?"
Kael tried to speak.
No sound came out.
The man walked closer, frowning.
"You drunk or something?"
Kael reached out.
Not thinking.
Just instinct.
Their hands touched.
And everything changed.
The burning inside Kael surged—
Then suddenly…
It vanished.
Relief flooded his body.
Cool. Silent. Stable.
Kael froze.
The man didn't.
His body went rigid.
The cigarette slipped from his fingers.
"What the—?"
His voice cracked.
Then his skin began to age.
Wrinkles spread across his face.
His hair turned gray.
His body weakened—rapidly.
Kael stumbled back in horror.
"No… I didn't—"
The man collapsed.
Still breathing.
But barely.
Kael stumbled back, his hands shaking uncontrollably.
"No… I didn't—"
His voice broke.
His eyes locked onto the man's body.
Wrinkled.
Fragile.
Drained.
Like decades had been stolen in seconds.
"What… did I just do…?"
Silence.
Then—
"Energy absorption successful."
Kael's chest tightened.
"Absorption…?"
"You converted external life force into usable fuel."
His stomach dropped.
Slowly—
He looked at the man again.
Barely alive.
"You mean…"
His voice trembled.
"I did that to him…?"
"Correct."
Kael staggered back.
"No…"
His breathing became uneven.
"I'm not doing that… I'm not—"
The heat returned.
Violent.
Hungry.
A warning.
"Without fuel, you will burn."
Kael clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his skin.
"There has to be another way…"
"There is not."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Crushing.
Kael looked at the man one last time.
Alive.
But barely.
And for the first time—
He understood.
This power…
Wasn't a gift.
It was a choice.
A choice he would have to make again.
And again.
And again.
His hands trembled.
Because deep down—
He already knew.
If it came down to it…
He would choose to survive.