As soon as the thing stopped moving…
the noise came back.
But it wasn't the same as before.
Now they were voices.
— It was him.
— It can't be.
— I told you it was him.
— He came back?
Mike looked around, turning slowly, like he was trying to keep up with everything at once.
— They're talking about you.
Kael didn't answer.
Lyra crossed her arms, looking around.
— Of course they are.
One of the hunters who was closer finally gathered the courage and approached.
He was still a bit out of breath.
He looked first at the thing stopped on the ground… then at Kael.
— You… — he hesitated — you didn't even attack.
Kael answered simply:
— I didn't need to.
The guy stayed silent for a few seconds.
And then took two steps back.
Not out of fear.
Out of respect.
Mike noticed that immediately.
And gave a small smile.
— Do they do that often?
Elion answered:
— Not always.
Lyra added:
— Only when they understand who's in front of them.
More people started to approach.
But no one got too close.
It was like there was an invisible limit there.
And then—
— So it's true.
The voice came from the side.
Light.
Almost too excited for the situation.
A girl stepped into the space, passing through everyone without asking.
She didn't walk like someone cautious.
She walked like someone… interested.
Hair a bit messy, eyes too alive.
Easy smile.
— I thought it was exaggerated.
She stopped a few meters from Kael.
Looked him up and down.
With no kind of formal respect.
— But it's not.
Lyra let out a sigh.
— Here comes trouble.
Mike tilted his head.
— Who is she?
The girl heard.
Turned instantly.
— Me?
She opened an even bigger smile.
— I'm someone who was waiting for this to get interesting.
Elion answered dry:
— That doesn't answer.
— It does.
She shrugged.
— But if you want a name… whatever.
She looked back at Kael.
— You're better than they said.
Small pause.
— That annoys me a little.
Kael didn't react.
She leaned slightly forward.
— Do you still fight?
Silence.
— No.
She made an exaggerated disappointed face.
— What a waste.
Mike laughed.
Quietly.
— I like her.
Lyra answered:
— Of course you do.
— And you?
The girl looked straight at Mike now.
— You're the problem, right?
Mike blinked.
— I'm starting to think I am.
She laughed.
— I like that.
Before anyone said more—
another presence arrived.
Different.
The kind of presence that doesn't need to speak.
He didn't step into the middle.
Just stopped.
Watching.
Tall.
Straight posture.
Gaze… too still.
Mike was the first to notice.
— That one doesn't like talking.
Elion answered low:
— No.
— Is he strong?
— Very.
The man didn't look away.
But it wasn't at Kael.
It was at Mike.
Kael noticed.
And that was enough.
— No.
The word came out low.
But firm.
The man looked away.
Immediately.
Silence.
Lyra watched the two.
— This is getting interesting.
And then—
— I knew you'd show up.
Another voice.
This time more controlled.
More precise.
A man stepped in, adjusting his sleeve like he had just left somewhere important.
His gaze passed over everything.
Fast.
Calculating.
— This is a mess.
Elion sighed.
— You too?
— "Too" what?
He looked at the scene.
— This shouldn't be happening.
Mike looked at him.
— You look like someone who likes explaining things.
The man answered immediately:
— I like understanding.
— Then explain this.
Silence.
He looked at the thing stopped.
Then at Kael.
— I can't.
Mike gave a small smile.
— Then you're not that good.
Lyra laughed.
— I liked this one.
The man ignored it.
But clearly… didn't like it.
— This isn't a common error.
He said, more serious now.
— This is being repeated.
Silence.
Elion looked at him.
— How many times?
Small pause.
— More than it should.
Now yes…
the mood changed.
Mike looked at Kael.
Then at the thing.
And this time…
he didn't look curious.
He looked… focused. No one moved.
But everyone had changed posture.
The circle that was just curiosity before…
now was real attention.
Mike was looking at the thing stopped on the ground, crouched, elbows on his knees.
— This is still… kind of wrong.
He said it like commenting something simple.
— Don't get close.
Kael said, without raising his voice.
Mike didn't even turn.
— I'm not going to touch it.
Pause.
— I'm just trying to understand.
The strategist man (the one who wanted to understand everything) took a step closer.
— This isn't something you "understand" like that.
Mike looked at him.
— Then how do you understand?
— By studying.
— I'm doing that.
— That's not studying.
Mike tilted his head.
— To me it is.
Lyra laughed quietly.
— He's going to annoy you more than you think.
The unstable girl was already walking around the scene.
Watching.
Curious.
— I hate things that don't react right.
She said.
— Feels like a boring fight.
Elion answered:
— It's not a fight.
— Then what is it?
Short silence.
— Problem.
She made a bored face.
— Then it's a boring problem.
And without warning—
she advanced.
Tried to hit the thing directly.
The impact happened.
But delayed.
Again.
She froze mid movement.
One second.
Two.
And then broke free.
Stepping back fast.
— …ok.
She smiled.
But now different.
— This is interesting.
Rivel didn't move.
But spoke:
— You almost entered the same state.
— I know.
— And you liked it?
She answered without thinking:
— A little.
Lyra looked sideways.
— You're crazy.
— I know.
Mike was standing now.
Watching more seriously.
— It doesn't react the same every time.
He said.
Elion turned his gaze.
— What do you mean?
— Like… — Mike gestured — sometimes it's slow… sometimes it doesn't even seem fully here.
The strategist answered:
— Instability.
— No.
Mike shook his head.
— It's like it's trying to decide what it is.
Silence.
Kael looked slightly at the thing.
— That gets worse.
Everyone went quiet.
— How do you know?
Elion asked.
Small pause.
— Because it started to respond.
That was enough.
The thing moved.
Again.
But different.
Now… more solid.
The air around it got heavier.
The hunter who had been hit before was still strange.
Slow.
Like he was out of rhythm.
Mike pointed.
— Him too.
Lyra got serious.
— Is this spreading?
The strategist answered:
— It shouldn't.
— But it is.
Mike said.
Silence.
Rivel finally moved.
One step.
That's all.
But the impact of it was felt.
— If this starts copying human patterns…
He said low.
— It'll be a bigger problem.
The unstable girl smiled.
— Now it got good.
Elion looked at her.
— This isn't fun.
— Not for you.
Kael took another step forward.
This time… without stopping.
The thing reacted.
Faster.
More direct.
But Kael too.
He didn't try to destroy it.
Didn't try to force it.
He simply entered the rhythm.
Read.
The thing tried to change.
But this time—
Kael anticipated.
And touched again.
Only now…
with intent.
The thing failed.
Didn't vanish.
But… lost form.
Like it had been corrected.
Total silence.
Mike widened his eyes.
— He doesn't fight it… he adjusts it.
Elion answered low:
— He resolves it.
Rivel added:
— That's why he stopped.
Lyra looked at Kael.
This time… different.
— You still can.
Kael didn't answer.
But his silence wasn't the same as before.
Mike kept watching.
Without saying anything for a few seconds.
And then smiled slightly.
— I'm going to learn that.
Kael answered without looking:
— Then start by seeing what you get wrong.
Mike nodded.
Serious this time.
Around them…
the hunters didn't speak.
But everyone had understood one thing.