The next day, Uriel was walking with another person. This was Effie, who had insisted on seeing his new home.
"I still don't understand why you wanted to move. Are we such bad roommates?" asked Effie with amusement in her voice.
"Oh, of course not," Uriel responded with an amused smile on his face. The height difference between Effie and him was quite evident. Although he wasn't as short as Sunny, he was still shorter than Effie by at least a head and a half. Effie in these months had only grown taller, reaching at least 1.80 meters, while he was barely of average height at 1.70 meters.
He remembered that his family, both on his mother's side and his father's side, weren't that tall, so he doubted he would get taller soon. Not that it really mattered to him.
"Hey, Little, you spaced out. Were you talking to Shade?"
"No. He's asleep now. I was just thinking about my family."
"But aren't you an orphan?"
"Yes, but I wasn't always one, you know?"
"And what were they like? I mean, your family."
"Hmm. Well, they were good people. Quite sociable, in fact. Both worked. Although our life wasn't the best, my siblings and I never really lacked anything." A nostalgic smile appeared on his face.
"Among my siblings, I was the most... how to put it... 'introverted.' It was very difficult for me to socialize or make friends."
Effie laughed.
"Oh, really? You, an introvert?" she asked between laughs.
"Oh, of course. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. I lived well, that's all I'll say. Oh, it seems we've arrived," said Uriel, stopping in front of his home.
Effie looked curiously at Uriel's house. It was similar to all the other surrounding houses—a simple house for a family earning a bit more money than the people in the city.
Uriel placed his hand on the biometric scanner to open the main door and enter. Effie followed a moment later.
"It's quite empty. I thought you'd have bone decorations or sacrificial rituals."
"What kind of idea do you have about me?" asked Uriel.
"A crazy guy who performs rituals to summon some Spawn at midnight when no one is looking."
Uriel blinked.
"Well, that's Shade, not me. Last night, he tried to summon a succubus or something like that. It didn't work in the end."
"What's a succubus?" asked Effie curiously.
"Oh, you don't want to know, believe me." Uriel opened his refrigerator, taking out a large jug of strawberry juice. At the same time, he put on some gloves and took out a large tray from the oven, revealing a huge pizza divided into twenty pieces with cheese and pepperoni.
Effie sniffed the delicious aroma.
"Do you want pizza?"
"Oh, of course. I'm on it."
Soon, the duo began to devour the pizza with great enthusiasm.
"This is delicious."
"Not bad. If I had real condiments and not synthetic ones, the flavor would triple," he murmured with his mouth full.
Once they had finished, they chatted a bit, and Uriel showed Effie the rest of his home. Of course, when Effie tried his bed, she attempted to take the incredibly comfortable bed that had cost him so much effort to obtain.
In the end, he kept his bed, much to Effie's annoyance.
After the tour, which lasted about 30 minutes, they were sitting in the main living room, simply relaxing.
"Hey, Effie, I have a question for you," said Uriel, making the girl look at him.
"And what would that question be?"
"Hmm. It's a bit strange..." Uriel thought for a few moments.
"Let's say that from one moment to the next, you wake up in another place. Suppose it's a different world. You know you don't belong there, and you want to return to where you came from, but the more time you spend in that place, the more comfortable you feel. Would you stay in that other place or return?" he asked.
Effie made a thoughtful face.
She leaned back, letting out a sigh as she crossed her muscular arms over her chest.
"Wow, Uriel. For a guy who specializes in kicking Nightmare asses, you get very philosophical out of nowhere," she said with a half-smile, though her tone lacked her usual mockery. "But I understand where you're going."
She fell silent for a second, looking at the ceiling of the dojo as if remembering her own days of hunger and weakness before becoming an Awakened.
"Look, most people would tell you that 'home is where the heart is' and all that sentimental crap. But I'm more pragmatic. In this world, or any other, comfort is a luxury paid for in blood."
Effie leaned forward, locking her eyes on his.
"If that 'new' place gives me what I need, if it allows me to be strong and protect what I want, and if it also makes me feel... comfortable, as you say... why the hell would I want to go back to a place that no longer belongs to me? The past is like a Memory you can no longer invoke; no matter how much you miss it, it won't help you in a real fight."
She paused, and her expression softened slightly.
"But here's the trick: if that desire to return is what keeps you awake at night, then you're not really comfortable, are you? You're pretending. I would stay where I can eat better, laugh louder, and where my strength means something. If this strange world is the one that gave me my 'family'—she glanced in the direction where the others would be—then this is my place. 'Home' isn't a point on a map, Uriel, it's the people you're willing to die for. So stop thinking about yesterday and focus on what you have in front of you, not what you left behind."
She gave him a strong pat on the shoulder, regaining her mischievous smile.
"Besides, I doubt that 'other place' has a beauty like me to brighten your view. That should be reason enough to stay, don't you think?"
Uriel listened to Effie with a calm face before becoming thoughtful.
"I see."
"But where did such a strange question come from?"
"Simple curiosity, that's all," said Uriel, looking at his communicator before his face paled a bit.
"Oh crap, Cassie is going to kill me," he said quickly.
"Do you have a date?" asked Effie, a sly smile drawing on her face.
"You could say that. Well, I have to go now," he said, starting to leave. "Oh, if you want, you can stay a while longer. There's plenty of food in the refrigerator. But if you take my bed, I'll hunt you down even if you escape to the Dream Realm, and believe me, I'll throw a dragon in your face. You know I'm capable of it." After saying those final words, Uriel disappeared into the darkness, leaving Effie a bit nervous from the threat.
...
Since it was around one in the afternoon, the sunlight was covered by thick gray clouds due to the approaching winter. Moving through the darkness, it took him less than a minute to cover a great distance and appear where he wanted. It was a café near a train station.
He looked around, seeing Cassie sitting inside the café.
Uriel entered the café, sitting across from Cassie, who was calmly sipping her tea.
"You're late," said the blonde girl, her eyes covered by a black blindfold.
"I know, and I'm sorry for that. I got a bit distracted chatting with Effie. I think I'll have to buy more food," he murmured to himself at the end.
Cassie laughed softly at the raven-haired man's suffering. She was using her Ascended ability on Uriel, sharing his senses, and what she felt overwhelmed her for a moment.
Sight, smell, sensory range—even the darkness. She could perceive everything with superhuman detail. It was interesting and curious at the same time.
"So, why exactly did you ask me to come here?"
"Well, this place is just a simple meeting point. I want to take you to another place and chat a bit."
"Are you trying to have a date?" Uriel felt his cheeks heat up a bit.
"Uh... well..." Uriel didn't know how to respond.
"You haven't talked to many girls, have you?"
"Yes, of course I have. I had female friends before, you know?"
Cassie's face changed to one of slight surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes," an expression of pride drew on his face.
"Your mother, sister, or aunts don't count," said Cassie, making Uriel's pride crumble to pieces.
"Well, just a few, but they fall into the category of acquaintances. Though there was one, once."
"Once?" Uriel fell silent before shaking his head.
"No, it doesn't matter. Maybe I'll tell you someday."
Cassie was curious but decided not to press the topic further. She knew Uriel would tell her on some occasion in the future when he was ready. After all, that was the kind of person Uriel was.
"Well, let me go pay so I can take you," said Uriel, standing up.
Cassie was left alone for a few minutes until Uriel returned.
"Alright, we can go now," he said, looking at Cassie. The girl stood up, and both left the café.
"This will be a bit disorienting," warned Uriel, placing his hand on Cassie's shoulder. Cassie was about to ask what he meant, but her question died when she felt her entire world spin and her senses were completely altered.
Almost a minute passed before Cassie felt her body was in order again. She leaned on Uriel, feeling as if her meal was trying to rise up her esophagus to her throat.
"Are you okay?" asked Uriel, looking at Cassie, whose face had turned a bit green.
He quickly summoned the Infinite Spring, which Cassie took, drinking several gulps of the cold water.
"I just need a few moments."
Uriel waited a few minutes until Cassie finally returned to herself.
"Next time, give me more time to prepare," said the girl.
"Hehehe. Well, it's the first time I've dragged someone with me through the darkness. Although, if it's any consolation, the same thing happened to me the first time I did it. I even vomited; it wasn't a pleasant sight, I assure you."
Cassie wrinkled her face.
"You can avoid talking about vomit."
"Alright, alright." Cassie observed through her wind eyes the tall buildings, as well as the polluted and dirty air, unlike the filtered air of NQSC.
"Where are we?"
"We're on the outskirts of NQSC. This is where I come from," said Uriel with a somewhat nostalgic smile on his face.
Both began to advance in silence.
"I remember you mentioned you come from the outskirts. It's a bit strange, considering your education and behavior," said Cassie.
"What can I say? I learn quickly to blend in among different social classes," Uriel shrugged.
"So, where are you taking me?"
"Where it all began for me, I suppose," he said, confusing Cassie, who remained silent.
They walked for at least ten minutes until Uriel stopped in the middle of two semi-destroyed high-rise buildings. Between the buildings, there was a space that functioned as an alley, its interior hidden by shadows, but Uriel saw through them, and by extension, Cassie saw people in poor condition with empty, gaunt eyes.
Uriel said nothing, his expression calm.
"Cassie, this is where I first woke up," he finally said, making Cassie raise her eyebrows in confusion.
"What do you mean by 'first woke up'?"
"Exactly that... Cassie, I am not from this world."
...
Cassie felt that the air, already heavy and polluted on the outskirts, became unbreathable. Uriel's confession wasn't simply a surprise; it was a crack in the structure of her reality. As someone whose Aspect was linked to vision and knowledge, Cassie always felt she had the threads of fate between her fingers, but this... this was a thread that didn't belong to the tapestry she knew.
"I am not from this world." The words resonated in her mind, clashing against everything she knew about the Nightmare Spell and the nature of the Awakened. If Uriel didn't belong to this reality, what did that mean for her visions? Was he an anomaly, an external variable that fate hadn't foreseen, or was he a piece sent by an even older and more unknown force than the Gods themselves?
She felt a mix of vertigo and terrifying curiosity. She observed the degraded environment, the empty faces of the outskirts people, and then Uriel.
His behavior, his incredible strength that defied the logic of ranks, and even the existence of Shade began to take on a different, more alien meaning. He wasn't just a talented young man who appeared out of nowhere; he was an invader or a refugee from an existence beyond the reach of the Nightmare Spell, even beyond the gods.
Cassie was snapped out of her thoughts upon hearing Uriel speak.
The truth was that Uriel had spent a lot of time thinking about his own origin and his arrival in this world. He often found himself questioning and wondering if he truly wanted to return to his own world.
That's why he had asked for Effie's opinion, and her response had only left him with more doubts in his head. Honestly, Uriel felt lost in his destiny right now.
"You know, Cassie. The first time I woke up was in that place. I was confused, in pain, and hungry," a small smile appeared on his face.
"When I found out I was infested by the Spell, I cursed with all my might, got angry with any deity I knew, but in the end, I resigned myself. I didn't even know if I would be able to survive my first Nightmare."
Cassie turned her face, looking at Uriel with intensity.
"You weren't sure you could pass it?"
"Oh, no. I was sure I was going to die. So I simply resisted as much as I could. Day after day, I fought to avoid falling asleep, each time convincing myself more that this was just a dream and I would wake up, but it wasn't like that. Eventually, maybe a few days later, I resigned myself and surrendered as a carrier of the Spell, nine days after being infected by it." Uriel sighed.
Uriel fell silent for a few moments before continuing.
"It's strange, really. I couldn't do literally anything in my Nightmare until the very end. I resigned myself to dying. Since I had resigned myself to death, I didn't care what happened." Uriel paused, starting to walk, followed by Cassie in silence.
As they walked, Uriel continued talking, more to himself than to Cassie, who simply listened.
"Of course. They say the Spell is cruel but fair in equal measure, but that doesn't apply to me. This world has been cruel to me, perhaps because I come from another world, perhaps because I'm an anomaly, perhaps because I was never originally destined to exist in this place? I really don't know, and I doubt I'll ever know. But when I was suffering, a single thought crossed my mind: 'I want to live.' That simple thought became my anchor. That's what allowed me to move forward and overcome my Nightmare."
Uriel stopped, arriving at a park where there was a single leafless tree due to the arrival of winter. There were wooden benches where other people were sitting, giving them a few glances due to their expensive clothes.
"It's a strange twist of events. I, whom the world seems to hate, who never expected to be chosen for anything, ended up here as one of the most important Awakened of the present."
Uriel lowered his head and smiled.
"...What a strange twist of events, huh?"
Cassie said nothing, simply placing her hand on Uriel's shoulder, trying to convey all the comfort she had for him.
"Well, if it's any consolation, I'm glad you exist in this world. It doesn't matter if you're from this world or not. The fact that you're here now is something good for everyone, especially for me," said Cassie, her words filled with warmth.
Uriel looked at Cassie for a few moments. His expression was strange. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he kept it to himself. There were still many things he hadn't said and wanted to say.
He wanted to vent, but he couldn't. That was his fate—to carry everything alone, as he had done until now.
Perhaps that's why his Flaw was Double Mind. Since he liked to carry everything alone, he was forced to share his burden, whether he wanted to or not, learning not to carry everything on his shoulders.
A sad sigh escaped his mouth. His eyes looked at the solitary tree for a few more moments.
"Uriel. I know there are things you're still keeping to yourself and that you won't share no matter how much I insist, but tell me one thing: Are you happy bearing all that burden on your shoulders?" asked Cassie, looking at him.
Uriel looked at Cassie, not knowing how to respond.
"I don't know how to answer that, Cass. There are things it's better not to know. Ignorance is bliss, and knowledge is the heaviest thing in the world," said Uriel.
"Although perhaps... in the future, I'll tell you everything. And when that day comes, I hope your opinion of me changes for better or worse."
Cassie didn't understand what Uriel meant. Her ability to see the tapestry of fate didn't work with Uriel, although it worked with everyone else. Although she knew what would come in the future, she didn't know what would happen with Uriel.
For her, Uriel was just a black spot, and anything related to him was simply unknown.
"I'll wait for that day, then," said Cassie. "I doubt what you want to tell me will affect how I see you."
Uriel gave a small smile upon hearing those words.
He was about to say something when, at that moment, several figures suddenly appeared from a corner, surrounding them. They were all dirty and disheveled, with the typical appearance of thugs or bandits from any cliché-filled series. The leader was quite cliché: a tall, muscular man with dark skin, bald, with a scar on his face, pointing a weapon with a smile on his face.
"Not so fast, lovebirds. Rich kids like you should think twice before coming to a place where you don't belong."
Uriel put on a blank face. Even Cassie was amused by the current development of these events.
'Darn. If Shade were awake, he'd be rolling on the floor laughing at how cliché this is.'
"...Well then, why don't you take out your communicators and any valuable objects before an accident happens?"
Uriel said nothing, simply slowly taking out his hands, raising them.
"Alright, but before that..."
Uriel's face deformed into darkness, lunging forward. His face changed into that of a beast so terrifying and indescribable that the faces of the assailants turned as white as paper. They let out a not-so-masculine scream, running away stumbling.
Uriel returned his face to normal with clear amusement on his face.
Uriel heard a laugh, seeing Cassie laughing softly.
"Sorry about that."
"It doesn't matter; it was quite funny," said Cassie, still laughing.
Uriel also smiled.
"I guess this world isn't so bad," he murmured, feeling the wind caress his face, moving his black hair.