Kael turned back toward her, eyes narrowing with curiosity. Her expression had changed. It was softer now—less teasing, more solemn.
He waited silently.
"I am Nyx," she said. "You humans… call me a goddess."
Kael blinked, unsure if he'd heard right. "Goddess? You mean like… an actual goddess?"
Nyx smiled and nodded. "Yes. An actual goddess."
A cold shivers ran down Kael's spine. He had read about gods and divine beings in old scriptures and legends, but those were just stories. None of it had ever felt real. And now, here was a woman claiming to be one of them, lying casually on his bed.
Still, he was not so easily convinced.
"But… how does a goddess end up sealed inside a book?" he asked, his brows furrowed.
Nyx's smile dimmed, her gaze flickering with something unreadable. "I was sealed… by someone. Someone powerful. I can't say more than that. At least not now."
Kael could tell she meant it. There was pain behind those words, a heaviness she wasn't ready to unpack. He wanted to press further, to demand answers, but something in her tone made him stop. Maybe she did have a past—a painful one. He sighed quietly.
"So…" he said after a pause. "Why is it that only I can see you?"
Nyx leaned in and gently ruffled his hair with a playful smirk. "Because the seal was designed that way. My presence can't be detected by anyone… except the one who breaks the seal."
Kael stared at her, stunned.
"You," she continued, "weakened it. Whether it was chance or fate, I don't know. But it means I'm tied to you now. Spiritually, magically. Only you can see me, hear me, feel me."
Kael swallowed, the weight of her words sinking in.
"Tied to me…?"
Nyx winked. "Don't worry, little boy. I don't bite… unless you want me to."
Kael flushed, groaned, and turned away again.
"What have I gotten myself into…" he muttered.
She turned her back to him with a faint scoff. "I could help you train, you know," she said quietly. "But since it seems like you don't like me very much… maybe you don't need me after all."
Kael immediately sprang up, guilt flashing across his face. He stepped toward her and grinned wickedly. "Aunty Nyx, you look even more beautiful when you're angry."
Nyx turned her head, laughter escaping her lips. "Good. At least you know how to sweet-talk properly."
She turned to face him fully, eyes narrowing playfully before her expression turned serious. "So… it seems you're having trouble absorbing mana, right?"
Kael nodded slowly. "Yeah. No matter how much I focus, it's like something's blocking me."
Nyx hummed and moved to the center of the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor. She patted the space next to her. "Sit. Now."
Kael followed her command without hesitation, settling beside her.
"Close your eyes," she said softly. "And focus."
He did as instructed, inhaling deeply and calming his mind. Time passed slowly. A few minutes. Then several more.
His focus sharpened, his thoughts aligned… but he couldn't sense anything now, not even a speck of the mana.
It was as if the past had repeated.
Finally, frustration creeping into his voice, Kael opened his eyes and asked, "Aunty Nyx… what's happening? Why can't I feel anything?"
Nyx hadn't moved. She was staring at him, her eyes thoughtful, almost distant. "Something… strange," she murmured, tilting her head. "It's like… there's something else inside you. Something blocking you. A separate soul."
Kael's heart skipped. A separate soul? His mind raced. Could it be… the soul from Earth? Or maybe this baby's original soul?
"How do I fix it?" he asked, suddenly anxious.
Nyx didn't hesitate. "It's easy," she said, reaching out. Her fingers brushed his forehead, and the moment her skin touched his, a wave of warmth surged through him. It wasn't just heat—it was something deeper, like an energy that flooded his veins and soothed every inch of his body.
Kael's tense muscles relaxed. His breathing grew steady, deeper. His concentration locked in instinctively, sharper than before. The fog in his mind lifted.
Then, like a dam breaking, boom—he saw it, yes not only feel but see, physically.
The mana.
It was there. All around him.
It danced around him—alive, and swirling like thousands of fireflies in the night. He reached out, pulling them toward him like he had done before. The glowing particles trembled for a brief moment, as if testing his will, then surged forward, drawn to him.
As they neared, Kael could feel the strain. Absorbing mana wasn't effortless—it ate at his focus, drained his energy, and made his limbs feel heavier with each passing second.