Chapter 13— Dead Dust
Morning settled quietly over the house.
Soft light slipped through the curtains, stretching across Chad's desk.
Dust hung in the air—barely moving.
Chad didn't notice any of it.
The book lay open in front of him.
But he wasn't just reading.
He was working.
His finger traced a line of symbols slowly—
then stopped.
"…no."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He flipped back a page.
Then forward again.
Comparing.
"…this doesn't match."
He reached for a scrap sheet beside him.
Quick movements.
Short strokes.
Symbols turned into structures.
Structures into patterns.
"…if this connects here…"
He drew a line.
"…then this should collapse."
He paused.
Looked back at the book.
"…but it doesn't."
A small frown formed.
He tapped the page lightly.
Once.
Twice.
"…so the rule is wrong."
Another line.
Another adjustment.
"…or incomplete."
Something clicked.
Not fully.
But enough.
His eyes sharpened.
"…it's not reacting to the input…"
"…it's reacting to the change."
His pencil stopped.
A faint pressure stirred in his chest.
Aetherion.
Not strong.
But present.
Like it was… listening.
Chad didn't react to it.
He was too focused.
"…then if I reverse it—"
He flipped the structure.
Rewrote the flow.
"…it should stabilize."
He stared at it.
Silent.
Still.
Then—
a small shift.
The symbols almost felt aligned.
Not physically.
But in his mind.
"…yeah."
A quiet exhale.
"…that works."
Knock.
"…Chad?"
He closed the book instantly.
Slid it under papers.
Hidden.
"…yes?"
The door opened slightly.
"Breakfast."
A pause.
"…you remember what you promised."
"…I remember."
"No more alchemy."
"…okay."
She nodded.
Then—
"…someone's here for you."
Chad frowned.
"…someone?"
"You'll see."
Chad stepped into the living area.
And stopped.
Lira was already there.
Sitting at the table.
Eating like she'd been there for a while.
A beat.
"…you're here...?"
Lira looked up.
"Yeah."
She shrugged.
"Your mom said I could join."
Then added casually—
"And I'm not one to turn down free food."
And giggled.
His mother smiled.
His father didn't even look up.
Chad sat slowly.
Still adjusting.
Lira leaned forward slightly.
"…I was going out today."
She glanced at him.
"…shopping. Around the city."
A small pause.
"…come with me."
His mother lit up.
"That sounds nice."
His father gave a brief glance.
"…he's free."
His mother nodded.
"You should go."
Chad blinked.
"…I didn't say yes."
Lira tilted her head.
"You didn't say no."
A pause.
"Then it's settled," his mother said, placing more food on his plate.
Chad exhaled.
"…fine."
Lira smiled.
The streets were alive.
Voices layered over each other.
Footsteps steady.
Movement constant.
Merchants calling to customers.
Taverns exploding with laughters.
Carriages moving to and from.
Through it all, they walked taking it all in.
"…hey." Said Lira.
Chad, glancing at her.
"…what."
She scratched her cheek.
Looking away.
"…about last time."
"…your place."
"…yeah."
A pause.
"I overdid it."
A small shrug.
"I was messing with you." she added.
"…it was inefficient." Chad said plainly.
She blinked.
"…that's your way of saying it was weird?"
"…yes."
She sighed.
"…you're hopeless."
They walked again.
But Lira glanced at him.
Longer this time.
Thinking.
"…still…"
She murmured softly.
Her gaze lingered.
"…you were acting strange that day too…"
So quiet it barely existed.
Chad didn't hear it.
—
They continued walking, explorinh shops, boutiques, pastry stalls.
Until.
They passed a group gathered near the roadside.
Adventurers.
Not hard to tell.
Their gear spoke for them—
Worn armor, scratched weapons, dust clinging stubbornly to their boots.
"…I'm telling you, it started three nights ago…"
"…yeah… same here… that's when ours changed…"
"…they weren't hunting…"
"…they were running…"
"…like something deeper in the Beast Glaze pushed them out…"
"…I've never seen beasts abandon territory like that…"
"…whatever it is… it's wrong…"
Chad walked past without slowing.
Lira didn't.
Her steps slowed slightly.
"…three nights ago…?"
She murmured under her breath.
Her expression shifted.
Subtle.
A memory surfaced—
That pressure.
That distortion.
Inside her room.
That same night.
Her brows knit faintly.
"…that's when I…"
She stopped.
Shook her head lightly.
"…no way…"
Barely audible.
Chad kept walking.
Unaware.
"…you heard that, right?" she asked, tone normal again.
"…yes."
"…that's not normal…"
Chad didn't respond.
They continued.
But something had changed.
After a few more steps—
"…you still have it, right?"
Chad looked at her.
"…have what."
"…the vial."
A pause.
"…the Dead Dust."
Chad slowed slightly.
"…yes."
Lira held his gaze.
Searching.
Measuring.
"…good."
A small pause.
"…don't lose it."
Chad opened his mouth—
And just as he was abyto say something —
"—Oi."
A voice cut through the moment.
Sharp.
Close.
Just as they turned.
They saw a lad.
Red hair.
Sharp eyes.
Daunting look.
Somewhere between 11 And 13.
Chad's age.
"Riven" Lira muttered.
He stepped into their path.
His eyes locked onto Chad immediately.
"…you."
A smirk crept onto his face.
"Thought you'd keep avoiding me."
He stepped closer.
"…or are we finishing what we started in the library?"
The air shifted.
His companions lingered behind him.
Watching.
Nearby on lookers turned their attention toward them.
Lira stepped forward slightly.
"Not here."
Riven didn't look at her.
"What, still hiding behind her?"
Chad's voice remained flat.
"…you're in the way."
Riven laughed.
Short.
"Still talking like that, huh?"
A flame sparked in his palm.
"Let's see if you can back it up."
Lira moved in front of Chad.
"Stop it."
Dark energy flickered in her hand.
Unsteady.
The crowd shifted.
Space opening.
"…not here…"
"…idiots…"
Riven flicked the flame forward.
Chad moved.
The air tightened.
The flame twisted—
Then—
shattered.
A pulse exploded outward.
Lira was thrown back.
She hit the ground hard.
Air knocked from her lungs.
Riven was slammed sideways.
Skidding across stone.
Silence.
"…what was that…?"
"…that wasn't magic…"
Riven pushed himself up slowly.
Eyes locked onto Chad.
"…what did you just do…"
Then—
realization.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Oh…"
"That explains it."
He turned slightly.
Just enough for others to hear.
"This guy…"
A short laugh.
"…he's been messing with alchemy."
"…alchemy…?"
"…seriously…?"
"…isn't that forbidden…?"
"…what's wrong with him…?"
The shift was immediate.
Distance.
Suspicion.
Fear.
Even the adventurers stepped back.
Chad stood still.
Behind him—
space distorted.
Subtle.
But wrong.
Black dust lifted from somewhere behind him.
Pulsating.
"…what is that…"
"…that's not magic…"
Lira pushed herself up.
Still catching her breath.
Her eyes widened.
"…Chad…"
Riven stared.
No smile now.
"…isn't that...?"
He couldn't finish his sentence.
The presence behind Chad shifted.
Like it was breathing.
Watching.
Aware.
Of him.
Chad didn't turn.
Didn't see it.
But everyone else did.
Riven clenched his fist.
"…this isn't over."
He stepped back slowly.
His companions followed.
The crowd remained distant.
Uneasy.
Lira stood frozen.
Still staring.
Not at Chad—
But at what hovered behind him.
Something she recognized.
Butcouldn't understand.
Something that shouldn't be possible.
And for the first time—
Doubt settled deeper.
Not loud.
Not certain.
But there.