Silence followed him.
Even after the others left.
Even after the training grounds emptied.
Kai Ryan Korr stood alone.
The air felt different.
Colder.
Heavier.
"…I almost lost it…" he muttered.
No answer came.
But something was listening.
A faint ripple moved through his shadow.
Then—
You did not lose.
Kai froze.
His eyes sharpened.
"…You're talking now."
A pause.
You resisted.
A rare trait.
Kai clenched his fist.
"…What are you?"
Silence.
Then—
The world shifted.
The ground beneath him faded.
The sky collapsed into darkness.
"…What is this…?"
And then—
He saw it.
A vast, broken land.
Endless.
Silent.
Not a battlefield—
But something older.
Ruins stretched endlessly.
Structures massive, ancient, unfamiliar.
Fragments of land floated in the sky.
As if the world had been torn apart.
The air carried a presence—
Heavy.
Oppressive.
"…Where am I…?"
Not where.
The voice echoed.
Clearer now.
When.
Kai's breath caught slightly.
"…What…?"
A shape formed in the distance.
Tall.
Indistinct.
Its form flickered between shadow and crimson.
Watching him.
"…Is that you?" Kai asked.
You call me a demon.
A pause.
But I was something far greater…
The ruins trembled faintly.
Once.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…Then what are you?"
Silence lingered.
Then—
I was a god.
The words fell heavily.
The sky cracked faintly.
From a plane your kind cannot reach.
Kai's heartbeat quickened.
"…A god…?"
The figure shifted slightly.
Power. Authority. Existence itself.
A pause.
All of it… was mine.
The ruins flickered.
A glimpse—
A world once whole.
Radiant.
Alive.
Then—
Shattered.
"…What happened…?" Kai asked quietly.
Silence.
Then—
Betrayal.
The word came cold.
The world distorted violently.
Fragments of memory flashed—
Unclear.
Broken.
Only conflict.
Collapse.
The vision steadied.
Kai clenched his fists.
"…Why me?"
A pause.
"…Why did you choose me?"
The figure moved closer.
You died.
Kai froze.
And refused to disappear.
The pressure intensified.
That moment…
A pause.
Is where we connected.
Kai's breathing slowed.
"…So what am I?"
Silence.
Then—
Not a host.
A pause.
Not yet something greater.
The crimson pulsed.
You are a vessel.
Kai's expression hardened.
"…I'm not becoming something else."
The ground trembled faintly.
You already are.
Silence.
"…What do you want from me?" Kai asked.
A pause.
To exist.
The answer was simple.
And through you…
The figure loomed closer.
I will.
Kai's jaw tightened.
"…At what cost?"
Silence.
Then—
Everything.
The world shattered instantly.
The sky broke apart.
The ruins collapsed.
Kai's vision blurred.
"…Wait—!"
Darkness swallowed everything.
Kai staggered forward—
Back in the training grounds.
His breathing was uneven.
Sharp.
"…That wasn't real…"
But it felt real.
Too real.
His hand trembled slightly.
You have seen a fragment.
The voice was quieter now.
The rest… will come.
Kai clenched his fists.
"…I won't lose myself."
Silence.
Then—
We will see.
Footsteps approached.
"…You look like you just fought a ghost."
Kai turned.
Ren Qin.
"…You stayed?" Kai asked.
Ren shrugged.
"…Obviously."
A pause.
"…I told you, I'm interested."
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"…In what?"
Ren smirked.
"…Plenty of things."
His gaze shifted briefly—
Toward where Aeris had gone earlier.
Kai noticed.
"…Don't tell me…"
Ren raised a brow.
"…Tell you what?"
Kai exhaled slowly.
"…You're here for her?"
Ren didn't deny it.
He grinned.
"…Among other reasons."
Kai stared.
"…You're serious?"
Ren stretched lightly.
"…I already applied."
Kai blinked.
"…What?"
"…And got accepted."
Silence.
"…That fast?" Kai said.
Ren shrugged.
"…Perks."
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"…What kind of perks?"
Ren smiled slightly.
"…Dragon clan."
The words landed heavily.
Kai's expression shifted.
"…You're from one of them?"
Ren didn't answer directly.
But the faint flicker of flame around him—
Said enough.
"…Heir," Ren added casually.
Kai went silent.
"…And they just let you in?"
Ren chuckled.
"…Let's just say the academy doesn't refuse certain bloodlines."
A pause.
"…And I insisted."
Kai shook his head.
"…You're insane."
Ren smirked.
"…You noticed that just now?"
A faint presence approached.
Light.
Cold.
Aeris.
She stopped a few steps away.
Her gaze moved from Kai—
To Ren.
"…You're still here."
Ren smiled slightly.
"…Couldn't leave just yet."
Her eyes lingered on Kai briefly.
"…You lost control."
Kai didn't respond immediately.
"…I handled it," he said.
Aeris didn't argue.
But her gaze didn't soften.
Ren stepped in casually.
"…He did better than you think."
Aeris glanced at him.
"…You talk too much."
Ren grinned.
"…And you don't talk enough."
A brief pause.
Then Aeris turned slightly.
"…Control your power," she said to Kai.
"…Next time, I won't hold back."
Silence.
She stepped forward—
Passing Ren.
He shifted slightly.
Trying to match her pace.
"…So… you free sometime?"
Aeris moved just enough—
Effortless.
He missed her step.
"…I appreciate it," she said calmly.
"…But no."
Ren paused—
Then smiled wider.
"…I like a challenge."
Aeris continued walking.
Without looking back.
Ren watched her go.
Then sighed lightly.
"…Yeah… I'm definitely staying."
Kai stared at him.
"…You're hopeless."
Ren chuckled.
"…You'll thank me later."
He turned and walked off.
Silence returned.
But this time—
It wasn't empty.
Inside—
Something was watching.
Waiting.
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