This new shape felt as if it were opening downward—but not into the earth… rather, into another dimension.
Sparks rose in spirals from the edges of the circle, colliding midair before falling again.
Light wasn't only coming from beneath Kael—it was coursing through him. His very being seemed anchored at the center of this circle. And then, at the very center of the circle...
The void cracked.
A tearing sound split the air. It was deeper than tearing fabric, sharper than twisting metal… a portal opened.
Round, glowing, yet dark within. Its edges shimmered with vibrations.
Light and darkness coexisted inside that circle.
It was both alluring and threatening...
Kael's gaze locked onto one point:
Something was watching him from within the portal.
No, it wasn't exactly an eye. But something had sensed his presence. Just as the writing had said: "You have been noticed."
Kael's throat went dry. His hand instinctively moved to his chest.
His heartbeat was no longer just from fear—it was the sound of the crushing weight of the unknown.
A subtle pull began to creep through his body, like the force of an invisible magnet. His feet lifted from the ground first; slowly but inevitably, he was being drawn in. He whispered to himself, "What the hell is happening?"
His panic and confusion were no match for the enormity of what was unfolding. Though he tried to resist, he felt how powerless he was against the force in front of him.
Kael looked around. It was as if he were trapped between two colossal, flat walls—one pushing from behind, the other a barrier ahead. In the narrow gap between them, there was no escape. He tried to fight back, but the more he resisted, the faster he seemed to be pulled in. "Why? Why is this happening?" he thought. His strength was failing him. An overwhelming force had taken full control.
Even gravity had lost its meaning; the laws of the universe seemed bent for this moment. Goosebumps rose across his skin, his heart thundered. Without grounding himself, he felt his body being lifted—feet first, then slowly his midsection.
As the pressure on his chest grew, breathing became difficult. His throat tightened. He was helpless.
His neck, and finally his head, were pulled in. He was trapped in a narrow, invisible prison. He let go of everything. His eyes slowly closed, as though surrendering to darkness, making a soft descent into the unknown.
As his eyelids shut, a muffled, echoing, indecipherable sound began to fill his ears. It felt like being underwater—no words, just vibrations and whispers.
He had no idea what was happening or where he was. His mind was clouded. His consciousness, hazy.
Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder. The touch was so real and vivid that Kael jolted. A spark ran through his body. His eyes slowly opened.
Warm, slightly burning rays of sunlight hit his face.
Squinting, he tried to adjust, but everything around him was still blurry. A gentle yet firm hand rested on his shoulder. Smooth, black hair fell over it. Thick, sharply defined eyebrows. Beneath them, deep dark eyes. Eyes that seemed imprisoned in darkness—yet full of meaning.
The woman's face was beautiful—extraordinary, even.
But her expression carried a strange tension Kael had never seen before. It was as though a storm raged within her, but she couldn't let it show.
In that moment, Kael felt that this unfamiliar woman wasn't really at war with him—but with something deep inside herself.
The woman gently shook Kael's shoulder and began speaking. Her voice was soft, but anxious:
"Hey… are you okay? Can you hear me?"
Kael's eyes locked onto her.
But something was disconnected. He could hear her voice, yet the words didn't quite register. His mind was still back there—in the darkness, in the muffled voices, behind the door of uncertainty.
The woman became more insistent.
"Please, say something! Hey, are you alright?"
There was a hint of helplessness in her voice.
When Kael finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and unsure.
"Where… where am I? Who are you?" he whispered. Even to himself, the sound of his own voice felt foreign.
The woman tilted her head slightly, her eyes meeting his, and replied calmly:
"What are you talking about? You're in the park."
Kael's face broke out in sweat—as if a cauldron was boiling within him. He touched his forehead and cheek; his palms were drenched. He looked around blankly.
In front of him was the same park where he'd smoked a cigarette and fallen asleep the night before.
The same bench, the same breeze…
But how had he gotten here? He couldn't understand. His head throbbed—like thousands of tiny bolts of lightning flashing inside his skull.
He placed his right hand on his forehead, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
He kept repeating to himself, "Was this all a dream? Or was it real?"
But the answer remained shrouded in his mind.
At that moment, the woman spoke again—this time, more tenderly and with concern:
"Oh, thank goodness… You're back. Your face looks better. Your voice is calmer. Can you hear me now?"
Kael opened his eyes and looked at her.
Her concern, the kindness in her voice—it gave him a strange sense of peace.
He wanted to believe she had a pure, well-meaning heart. And maybe that was the most beautiful thing in that moment.
The woman slowly pulled a plastic bottle from her bag and gently said,
"Here, have some water. You're sweating a lot."
"You must be dehydrated. In this weather, sweating like this is unusual."
Kael felt the dryness inside him. But he hesitated. He reached for the bottle, then pulled his hand back.
He was parched, yet felt awkward receiving help like this.
The woman smiled again, with more understanding this time.
"I won't force you. But I really suggest you drink some. Your body needs it."
Finally, Kael took the bottle and sipped hesitantly.
As the cold water slid down his throat, he felt a momentary relief in his body.
Kael turned his head slightly toward the woman. He was still wary, but he couldn't remain silent any longer.
Her closeness, her presence beside him… It wasn't something Kael was used to. Normally, he kept his distance from people, never opening up.
But at that moment, he felt oddly vulnerable. It had only been minutes since he escaped the darkness, and his sense of reality still hadn't fully returned.
The woman asked in a soft tone:
"What's your name?"
Kael hesitated.
Such a simple question, yet it felt like standing at the gates of judgment.
He hadn't heard his name from someone else's mouth in ages—hadn't said it aloud in who knows how long.
Maybe, for the first time, someone was genuinely curious about who he was.
With a small, burning urge within him, he answered honestly:
"Kael."
The woman nodded slightly, her eyes drifting up to the sky.
A gentle wind rustled the leaves. Her black hair briefly danced in the breeze. Then she turned back to Kael, and with a subtle, mysterious smile said:
"Liora."
The name hung in the air like a soft but ominous whisper.
Kael squinted slightly at the sound. "Liora..." he repeated inwardly.
The name didn't ring any bells.
Liora continued, smiling:
"How old are you?"
The question caught Kael off guard.
Things like this usually felt intrusive coming from strangers.
But there was a strange warmth in Liora's manner. She seemed genuine—yet highly aware.
Kael could see in her eyes that she was much more than a random stranger asking questions.
Her gaze was one that measured and weighed—as if she were reading not only his past but also his future.
Still, Kael composed himself. After a short sigh, he replied plainly:
"Thirty-two."
Their eyes met. Kael expected another question to follow.
Sure enough, Liora wasted no time and responded with the same warm smile:
"And you?"
Kael tried to guess her age briefly.
Her features were youthful, with no visible signs of weariness. But the balance in her words, the conscious way she spoke…
She carried the soul of someone much older.
Just as he was about to speak, Liora tilted her head slightly, her hair falling over her shoulder, and said in a calm voice:
"Not much difference. I'm thirty."
Kael widened his eyes in mild surprise.
"Thirty?" he thought. That was a few years older than he'd guessed.
She looked like she was in her early twenties—her clear skin, bright eyes, and the playful touch in her voice.
But more surprising than her age was the way she shared it—with the ease of an old friend, as if they'd known each other forever.
As Kael drifted through his thoughts, he quietly whispered to himself:
"Everyone has a strange side, don't they?"
Maybe Liora's strangeness was just part of that.
Maybe it wasn't worth overthinking.
Still… something felt off. Too warm, too quick-witted, too aware...
And then, one more sentence echoed in Kael's mind—light, but full of certainty:
"Talking to a stranger without fearing harm… sometimes, that's the greatest comfort."
And Kael looked at Liora's smiling face with a momentary sense of peace.
At least for now, in this very moment, he wasn't alone.