Takeshi blinked.
He was no longer in his room.
He stood in the middle of a wide, dark field.
The grass moved like it was alive.
Wind blew, but the air felt still.
He looked down.
He was wearing different clothes—dark, soft, light as air.
His Drift mark glowed on his hand.
Faintly.
---
> "Welcome back."
The voice came from behind.
Takeshi turned fast.
No one.
Just empty land. Mist rolling in.
---
He started walking.
Each step made no sound.
Far ahead, he saw something tall—like a tower or a tree made of glass.
It pulsed with soft blue light.
He didn't know why, but he had to go there.
Like something inside him pulled him forward.
---
Then, the ground shook.
Only once.
Just enough to say: "You are not alone."
---
Takeshi stopped.
Someone was standing on a stone a few feet away.
Long silver hair.
Cold blue eyes.
Rei.
---
> "You came here too," Takeshi said.
Rei nodded.
> "Of course. I always come here."
> "How?" Takeshi asked.
"You're new."
> "No," Rei said. "You're the new one."
---
The sky cracked.
Just a little.
A single line of light cut through the dark clouds.
---
Rei stepped closer.
> "You use Fracture," he said. "But do you know what it costs?"
Takeshi didn't answer.
He didn't know.
Not really.
---
Suddenly, the air twisted.
A low sound rose from the ground. Not loud—but heavy.
A shape crawled out of the field.
Tall. Thin. Wrapped in skin that looked stitched together.
Its mouth was sewn shut.
It pointed at Takeshi.
Then at Rei.
Then back at Takeshi.
---
> "Don't let it touch you," Rei said.
> "What is it?"
> "A memory eater," Rei said. "They live near the edge. Feed on thoughts."
The creature stepped forward.
Slow.
Its fingers were too long.
Its eyes were gone.
Still, it walked straight toward Takeshi.
---
> "Use your Drift," Rei said. "Or lose a piece of yourself."
Takeshi looked at his glowing hand.
The mark burned.
He raised it, aimed at the creature, and let go.
Crack!
The air split.
The field shook.
The creature stopped.
Half of it was gone—cut clean by a line in space.
The other half twitched…
…and then vanished.
---
Takeshi dropped to his knees.
His head pounded.
His nose bled.
---
Rei stood still.
Watching.
> "That was one cut," he said. "How many more can you take?"
---
The sky cracked again.
The line was wider now.
And something was trying to crawl through.
---
End of Chapter 14.