Kamigan let out a weary sigh as he stepped into the house. His eyes scanned the room, noting Balthazar's cloak draped carelessly over a rail, unfinished food left on the table, and a glass of water still half-full.
"So he left in a hurry... but why?" Kamigan mused, piecing the details together. He dismissed the thought with a shrug. "Not my business."
The sky outside had already begun its descent into twilight. He turned on his heel. "I should head back. Sir Aldric said he had something important to tell me."
---
The cobblestone road was eerily silent as Kamigan walked. Each step echoed through the lonely street, a rhythmic reminder of his solitude. Then, suddenly, a chilling sensation shot through his body. Every hair on his skin stood on end. It was as if an unseen force loomed beside him—death itself whispering in his ear.
Without hesitation, he sprang forward, landing deftly as he turned, scanning for the source of his unease. But there was nothing. Just the empty street, bathed in the dim glow of lantern light.
Kamigan exhaled, shaking his head. "Just my imagination..."
---
By the time he reached Dr. Aldric's house, the unsettling feeling had faded. The moment he stepped inside, a familiar voice shrieked with joy.
"Big brother Kamigan!"
Before he could react, Silvana ran into his arms, squeezing him tightly.
Kamigan let out a small chuckle. "Thank you, Silvana."
A deeper voice followed. "Ah, Kamigan. Welcome back."
Kamigan turned to see Aldric standing in the doorway. "Good evening, Dr. Aldric."
His tone had dropped slightly, carrying a faint note of resentment, though even he wasn't sure why. Aldric, however, seemed unbothered.
"Follow me. I have something to show you."
---
Descending into the dimly lit basement, Aldric spoke as they walked. "So, how is your search coming along?"
Kamigan furrowed his brow. "My search...?" The realization struck him like a forgotten dream. "Oh... right. My home."
Aldric chuckled knowingly. "You forgot, didn't you?"
Kamigan averted his gaze. "I haven't made much progress lately."
"That much is clear."
They reached a heavy wooden door. Aldric pulled out a key, unlocking it with a creak. The air inside was thick with dust, untouched for years.
"I never wanted to be a doctor, you know." Aldric's voice took on a distant tone. "In fact, I didn't even like people. My family forced me into medicine. I had no choice."
Kamigan frowned. "Why is he telling me this?"
"But what I truly wanted to be," Aldric continued, "was an archaeologist. So once I finished my studies, I set out on my own journey. One of the places I explored was the Ashen Caverns. Deep inside, I found something... something I should have left buried."
He stepped further into the room and switched on a dim overhead light. Shadows danced against the walls as he reached into a drawer, retrieving a small, ornate case. Slowly, he opened it, revealing its contents.
Kamigan's breath hitched. His skin went pale. A sharp, suffocating fear wrapped around his throat. His legs trembled, forcing him to his knees.
"T-That's..." His voice cracked. "No... There's no way. That's the same orb my father forced down my throat back at the tower! But it should still be inside me! So why—why the hell is it here!?"
Aldric studied Kamigan's reaction carefully, then nodded. "I suspected as much."
He knelt beside Kamigan, gripping his shoulder. "Back then, when you told me you were looking for Athernis, I dismissed it as a joke. But now... I believe you. Athernis did exist. Because when I touched this orb, I was drawn into a void of absolute nothingness. I was floating, weightless... and then I heard a voice."
Kamigan swallowed hard.
"A voice that sounded like a thousand souls speaking at once, from every direction. It said: 'You have touched thou which does not exist. You have made contact with a relic of Athernis.'"
Aldric paused, giving Kamigan time to process the words.
"And then, it said something else. 'Thou who has come too close to the truth shall face appropriate penalty. Reconstructing balance of causality.' And just like that, I was thrown into another realm—a world on the brink of destruction. Fire. War. Screams. And there, I faced my punishment."
Aldric turned his back to Kamigan, pulling down his shirt to reveal a deep, jagged scar across his skin.
"This... this is the price I paid for seeing a glimpse of the truth."
Kamigan remained silent, his heart pounding.
"But in that realm, amidst the chaos, I saw something—something strange. A glimmering light, small but unwavering, like hope itself. I don't know why, but my body moved on its own. I reached for it. And the moment I did, I was yanked back into this world. I woke up, drenched in my own blood, lying in the capital city. And in my hands, I found this orb... and this key."
Aldric retrieved another object from his pocket—a key, simple yet ancient.
"Ever since then, I've been hunted. The noble families, the royal family... they want me dead. Ten years of running. And now, Kamigan, I stand here before you."
Kamigan clenched his fists. "So you were forced to flee."
"Perhaps." Aldric exhaled. "Or perhaps I was just running from the truth. We often refuse to accept our true nature. Maybe that's what makes us human."
Kamigan smirked slightly. "That's a twisted philosophy."
Aldric chuckled. "Not as twisted as the world we live in."
Silence lingered between them. Then, Aldric held out the key and the orb.
"Kamigan, I want to see it. Not just a glimpse this time. The whole truth. Consider this my gift to you."
Kamigan hesitated. "A gift...?"
Aldric smiled. "It seems you forgot again. Happy birthday, Kamigan."
Kamigan's eyes widened. His birthday. It had already been half a year since he arrived at Aldric's home.
He reached out, taking the key and orb in his hands. Aldric's voice was steady, resolute.
"Go find your kingdom. And when you return, give me the truth as my gift."
Kamigan tightened his grip, determination igniting in his gaze.
"I will."
---
As the long night drew to an end, Kamigan and Aldric retreated to their rooms, each lost in their own thoughts. The weight of their conversation lingered in the air, pressing heavily on Kamigan's mind. Lying on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, the flickering candlelight casting restless shadows across the room.
"What will I do now?" he murmured to himself.
Despite the overwhelming revelations—the orb, the truth about Athernis—no clear path formed in his mind. He turned over, closed his eyes, and let the rhythmic sounds of the night lull him into slumber. The wind whispered through the trees, the distant stream murmured, and crickets sang their gentle chorus. For a moment, all was still.
Then, the earth trembled.
A violent explosion shattered the tranquility, its force rattling the walls. Kamigan's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest.
"What was that?!"
He leapt from his bed and bolted outside. The cold night air hit him, but it was nothing compared to the sight above. His breath hitched. His body stiffened.
The sky was ablaze.
Hundreds of fireballs, each the size of a small house, streaked across the heavens with a crackling fury, their descent painting the world in hues of orange and red. One by one, they crashed into the village, consuming everything in their wake. Flames roared. Ash filled the air. The ground trembled beneath the onslaught of destruction.
Kamigan stood frozen, his mind unable to process the sheer scale of devastation unfolding before him.
This was no ordinary attack.
This was annihilation.
---