No sky. No ground. Only emptiness, in which a faint light flickered. A voice echoed through the void, old, tired , yet full of hope.
"I trust you…"
⸻
The sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, bathing the city of Halmswick in a warm, golden light. From the rooftops, the entire city could be seen, the alleys, the markets, the river winding silver between the rows of houses.
On one of these rooftops sat Noen and Lyra, shoulder to shoulder. They laughed and teased each other, just as they always did whenever they came here.
"You're staring again, Noen. " Lyra said, tilting her head.
He immediately blushed, looking away , but far too late. "I… I wasn't—"
"Yes, you were." Her smile was wide, teasing, yet warm. She leaned closer, her big eyes sparkling. "Come on, admit it."
"Lyra, stop…" he murmured, but she didn't let up. "Say it."
Noen's heart raced, his face burning. Finally, barely audible, he said: "I just… think you're beautiful."
For a moment, there was silence. Then she gave him that heartfelt, carefree laugh that stole his breath every time. Her eyes shone, satisfied, almost tender.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Late in the evening, the two of them strolled hand in hand through the busy market streets. Merchants called out their wares, the smell of fresh bread and grilled meat lingering in the air. But the mood shifted when a man staggered through the stalls... Kairn.
He leaned on a half-empty bottle, his face twisted into a self-satisfied grin. With every step he took, the crowd pulled back. People hurriedly packed up their stands, others fled, and some simply froze in place.
"Keep moving," Lyra whispered, tugging at Noen's arm.
Her eyes flickered with disgust as she muttered more quietly, "Scum."
Noen clenched his fists." That's the one… the guy with mini god powers, right?"
Lyra nodded grimly. "Yes. Ever since the mayor was killed by one of those people, Halmswick has been ruled by a minigod-bearer who acts like a dictator. And Kairn… he takes advantage of it.
"Heyy…"
"You two there!"
Noen and Lyra froze...
Then....
"Run!"
Noen grabbed Lyra's hand and pulled her into a side alley. Their breaths raced as Kairn's voice thundered behind them through the streets.
"Stupid kids…"
A violent crash made the ground shake. Pieces of masonry flew through the air, dust swirling up, screams echoing through Halmswick.
"Faster!" Noen gasped.
They turned sharply, nearly slipping, jumped over a fence, tearing through hanging laundry lines. Behind them, another crash, and this time Noen saw it clearly.
A market stall Kairn had brushed with his hand collapsed in on itself, as if seized by an invisible fist. Wood splintered, goods burst apart, the entire stand compressed into a mangled lump.
Lyra clung tighter to Noen's arm, her face pale, eyes wide with panic.
"This way!" Noen shouted, pulling her around the next corner.
They kept running, their lungs burning.
"Noen… we—we're not going to make it," Lyra gasped.
"Yes, we will!" His voice nearly broke. "Just a little further!"
They turned into another alley — and froze.
A dead end. High walls. No windows. No escape.
"Back!" Lyra yanked at his arm. "We need to find another—"
But when they turned around, the path was already blocked.
Kairn stood at the entrance of the alley, swaying slightly, the bottle in his hand, a grin spread across his face.
"Hahaha… got you."
Their last hope shattered.
Noen and Lyra sank to the ground, their knees shaking.
"Please… we didn't do anything to you… we just want to go home," Noen stammered.
Lyra nodded frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks."Let us go… we'll do whatever you want… just please, please don't hurt us."
She pressed her hands together in desperation.
Kairn laughed, loud and filthy. When he realized the bottle was empty, he threw it to the ground, where it shattered with a sharp crash.
His gaze fixed on Lyra. "You… woman."
Lyra lifted her head, tears glistening in her eyes.
"I'll let you live. But…" His grin turned vile."…you'll be my wife."
Lyra sobbed, lowering her head. Droplets hit the stone beneath her.
Something inside Noen broke. Tears ran down his face — but they burned with rage.
"YOU… BASTARD…!" he growled.
His muscles tightened, ready to spring. Every part of him screamed to destroy this man.
But Kairn was faster.
He grabbed Lyra brutally by the hair, pulling her to him until she cried out. His hand... still surrounded by that horrific power — hovered dangerously close to her neck.
"One more step, boy," he snarled, "and she dies."
Noen froze. His heart pounded in his chest, his breath caught in his throat.
Everyone in this area knew Kairn's mini gods power.
Everything he touched, he could collapse into a single mass, as if the world itself crumpled in his hands. Buildings, stalls, walls — nothing could withstand it. Entire facades had folded in on themselves like paper when he laid his hands on them.
And worse… he had already used this power on people. Several had died that way — crushed, as if squeezed from the inside out.
And now…Now he had Lyra in his control.