That night, while Kael was sound asleep, the world exploded.
BOOM!
A deafening blast shook the entire estate. The walls trembled. His bed lurched. Distant screams tore through the halls like knives.
Kael bolted upright, heart hammering in his chest. "What was that?!"
Before he could reach the door, the room shook again—this time with a bone-deep rumble that rattled the windows.
He flinched, terrified, frozen for a moment.
Then the door burst open.
"Young master!" A maid rushed in, her face pale with fear. Two others followed. "Come with us, quickly! We'll protect you!"
"W-Where's Papa? Where's Mama?!"
"They're fine! Just stay with us—hurry!"
But they were crying. All of them.
Kael didn't understand why. The Veyrion estate was the strongest in the North. Their family was loved. Feared. Respected.
Who would dare attack House Veyrion?
The moment they entered the corridor, chaos swallowed him.
Flames crawled along the ceiling. Stone cracked under pressure. Screams echoed from all directions. Ahead, soldiers in dark armor clashed with Veyrion knights. Blood sprayed. Bodies fell. The air reeked of smoke and metal.
Kael couldn't make sense of it. The world he knew was crumbling.
A maid grabbed his hand. "This way! Come on!"
They ran.
Down the corridor. Past the gardens. Past the murals of ancestors.
Finally, they reached a small storeroom.
The maid dropped to her knees, frantically opening the door. "Get inside. Hide. Now. Under the bed. Don't come out."
"But I—"
"Now!"
Kael's breath hitched. Tears welled in his eyes, but he obeyed.
He scrambled beneath the dusty bedframe, heart pounding, hands over his mouth.
Then—screams.
Outside the room.
The sickening sound of steel tearing flesh.
"Where's the kid?" a voice growled.
"Search every room," said another. "He's the heir."
The door creaked open.
Heavy boots thudded inside.
Kael barely dared to breathe. He peeked through a gap in the wooden boards.
Shadowed figures moved through the room. Two. No—three? Maybe more. Their faces were hard to make out in the dim flickering light, but their intent was clear.
They were here to kill him.
The building trembled again—louder this time. Wood splintered. Walls cracked.
"Damn that dragon…" someone cursed from beyond the door. "It's destroying everything. That duke bastard must've really been controlling it with that necklace."
Necklace…?
Kael's breath caught.
The king's necklace—the one he gave to Father…?
No. No way. His young mind tried to reason. The king wouldn't…
Footsteps approached.
"Your Highness, we've eliminated everyone. Did you take care of the duke?"
Kael barely dared to breathe as the door creaked open. A faint light from the flames outside flickered across a silhouette entering the room.
Blood streaked his white gloves. His golden hair shimmered in the firelight. His expression? Blank. Unbothered.
The king.
Kael's eyes widened. His tiny hands shot over his mouth to hold in a gasp.
The king glanced around casually… then stopped. His cold eyes settled on the floor. On the thin fingers peeking out from beneath the bed.
And he smiled.
"Ah," he said, almost amused. "Still alive?"
He spoke calmly—like discussing weather. "Yes. I took care of the duke and his lovely wife. They died in the fire… eventually."
Kael's heart shattered.
His hands shook violently under the bedframe. Papa… Mama…
The king turned to one of his men. "Did you find the Ash Crow yet? There should've been a divine beast in this place."
"The second team searched everywhere," the soldier answered. "Nothing."
The king's expression twisted into something cold and violent. "Then keep searching. Tear this place apart if you have to."
"But sire, we still haven't located the duke's son—"
"Forget the boy." The king waved dismissively. "He's worthless. Just a soft little noble brat. He'll die on his own."
They left.
They left him.
The heavy boots stomped away. The door creaked shut. Their voices faded down the burning corridor.
And Kael was alone.
Then the screams came—not from outside this time, but from inside him.
"MAMA!!!"
"PAPA!!!"
"ANITA! KATE! ANYONE!!"
He screamed until his voice cracked. Until his throat burned. Until it echoed through the ruined walls.
He sobbed into the wooden floor, body trembling, heart caving in on itself.Because when Kael cried his mother would always come running.
But No one came…He was now Alone.
BOOM!
Another blast rocked the building. Kael screamed and scrambled to his feet, stumbling down the blood-slick corridor, tears still streaming down his face.
He didn't know where he was going. He just knew he had to run.
Then, through a shattered window at the end of the hall, he saw it—
A dragon.
Massive. Ancient. Its scales shimmered like obsidian under the firelight. It turned its head—its glowing eyes almost locking onto his.
And then it breathed fire.
Kael's body locked up. His legs wouldn't move. The world glowed orange—
KRAAAAAK!
The blast hit the corridor.
The explosion flung him backward like a rag doll. He crashed through a stained-glass window on the opposite side of the estate—
THUD. CRACK.
He hit the ground hard—tumbling down from the third floor. His body twisted unnaturally. Pain surged through every nerve.
He couldn't move.
He couldn't scream anymore.
He was dying.
Lying there in the dark, broken and barely conscious, all he could do was cry.
Then—
a shadow fell over him.
Wings blotted out the moonlight.
A great bird descended—black as midnight, with feathers like obsidian blades and eyes glowing like dying stars.
The Ash Crow.
Kael blinked through the tears, barely breathing. He remembered this creature.
His mother used to take him to see it—caged, ancient, proud, and cruel.
It had never liked him.
Yet now… it came.
He raised a trembling hand. Tried to touch it. Couldn't.
The pain was unbearable. But at least… he wasn't alone.
Then—
[Tsk. Don't you dare die on me now, you pathetic little human.]
The voice rang inside his skull—dry, sharp, and furious.
[Absorbing half my essence without permission? I knew that stupid Mother of yours had something planned.]
Kael's eyes widened. "I… I don't understand…"
The Ash Crow perched beside him—massive and ancient, with eyes that had seen ages pass.
But it didn't feel terrifying like the dragon. It felt…like an angry bird talking.
But not cruel.
[Because of her meddling, I can't leave this cursed place. Now I'm bound to you.] The crow scoffed. [But fine. You'll do. You're already more interesting than that weakling of a father.]
Kael's lips barely moved. "I'm… tired…"
[Don't you dare die yet, brat!]
The crow shrieked—and its form melted into black mist, surging toward Kael's chest.
Kael gasped. His body arched as the mist forced its way inside him.
And then—
He ignited.
A dark flame erupted from his body—pure black with violet sparks, searing the ground around him. It ate through flesh, peeled away skin, scorched bone—yet he didn't scream.
He couldn't.
He was no longer human. Not entirely.
And then—
His body began to rebuild itself.
Bone regrew. Flesh wove itself back together. Skin reformed. Hair flowed. Eyes opened.
In seconds, the dying boy was whole again.
"Huff….huff"
He was Alive ?
Eyes glowing faintly violet.
[WHAT?!]
Kael jolted.
[You little bastard… I knew it.] The Ash Crow's voice echoed in his skull, furious and rattling. [You've had half my soul inside you this whole time. No wonder I couldn't escape. You're only eight… and already growing a damn nest. Tch—so you do have talent.]
Kael blinked, stunned. "W-What just happened…?"
But the crow didn't let up.
[No time for your dumb questions. Listen, brat—get up and RUN. I've patched you together, but I don't have much æther left. MOVE.]
"Æther…? What's—"
[I SAID RUN!]
Kael scrambled to his feet, still naked and shaking. His legs burned, but they worked. Somehow, he was whole again. Somehow, alive.
He ran.
Barefoot, across scorched earth and ash-covered stone.
"Kael… don't leave us…"
He froze.
Slowly, he turned around.
They were all there.
His mother.
His father.
The maids.
Only—they weren't alive.Pale, blood-soaked, faces half-burned. Moving like corpses. Reaching for him.
"Kael… stay…"
"No… please—just wait," he whispered, tears streaming. "I'll avenge you. Just give me time. I swear it. Please…"
Their arms reached.And then—
SNAP!
Kael jerked awake with a gasp.
His body flinched, and he realized—he was tied to a tree.
Night. The academy.
Lanterns flickered. Crickets chirped. The world had changed—but his heartbeat hadn't.
He looked around, disoriented.
Then saw Emilio sitting nearby, munching on something, while Serina watched quietly, hands folded in her lap.
"Welcome back, amigo," Emilio said with a half-smile. Then he paused, noticing Kael's face."…Why are you crying? Did you have a nightmare or something?"