Kairo didn't move. He just stared at his hands—dark, cracked, pulsing faintly like embers under the skin.
He wasn't dreaming. The pain was real. The transformation was real.
Arien stood a few steps away, frozen. "Kairo… what are you?"
"I… I don't know." His voice cracked. "I think something woke up inside me."
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed in the temple halls.
Guards.
"Kairo Veyne!" someone shouted. "Stay where you are!"
Kairo panicked. His mind screamed: Run.
But his legs didn't listen. They burned, twitched—then moved on their own. In a blink, he was gone.
One moment he stood there.
The next, he was behind the temple walls—without even knowing how.
Arien's voice echoed behind him, confused and scared: "Kairo?!"
He kept running. His body moved like it didn't belong to him.
What the hell was happening?
Kairo sprinted through the ancient alleys outside the temple. His feet barely touched the ground—like shadows were carrying him.
"What is this?" he muttered, breathless. "This isn't normal…"
His body felt lighter, sharper. Every sound was louder, every scent clearer. Even the wind had a voice now.
But he didn't feel powerful. He felt… empty.
Lost.
He ducked behind an old stone arch as the temple guards passed by, their armor clinking.
"Spread out!" one shouted. "The boy's dangerous!"
Dangerous? Me? Kairo clenched his fists. He didn't even know what he'd done.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head.
Visions flashed.
Dark forests. A burning sky. A throne made of bones.
And a girl… standing in the flames, staring straight at him.
"You will bring ruin… or rebirth."
He gasped and stumbled back, heart pounding like a drum.
Behind him, something moved.
A whisper in the wind: "Found you."
Kairo turned fast—too fast.
But there was no one there.
Only shadows. And silence.
Until…
A soft voice echoed right behind his ear.
"You don't belong here."
He spun again. This time, he saw her.
A girl—no, not quite human. Her hair floated like smoke, her eyes glowing violet. Her presence twisted the air around her.
"You're not ready," she whispered. "But they're coming anyway."
Kairo stepped back. "Who are you?"
She smiled faintly, almost sad. "Your mistake."
The ground cracked beneath him.
Dark hands shot out of the earth, grabbing his legs.
Kairo screamed.
But before he could fight back—
—everything went black.
He fell.
Into the void