A flicker of blue light surged through the glyph as Ayato's fingers made contact. The world around him muted—the whispering wind vanished, and even Kaito's voice was drowned in an eerie stillness.
Then came a voice. Not loud. Not sharp. But ancient—soaked in echoes of time itself.
"Voidborn... bearer of the Eternal Seal... the worlds are dying, and you must choose which one survives."
Ayato's heart slammed against his chest. He staggered back, but the glyph pulsed brighter. Kaito rushed toward him, grabbing his shoulder.
"Ayato! Snap out of it!"
He blinked. The ruins were back. The wind returned. But the mark—now etched in glowing blue—remained on his right hand, like a branded sigil.
"What the hell just happened?" Ayato muttered.
"You tell me," Kaito said, looking both scared and awed. "That symbol—it wasn't there before. What is it?"
Ayato didn't have the answer. But deep within, something stirred. Something old, like memories that weren't his.
---
Later that night, Ayato sat alone on the roof of the inn. The sky was unusually clear, and the stars seemed to be watching.
That voice echoed again in his head. "Voidborn..."
He whispered to himself, "Why me?"
Suddenly, a girl landed beside him with unnatural grace—barefoot, wearing a dark cloak, and eyes glowing faintly like violet fireflies.
"You're awake," she said simply.
"Who are you?"
"A Messenger. And you just triggered a seal that hasn't been touched in over 10,000 years. The Seal of Eternity has accepted you."
Ayato narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"
"It means," she said, standing up straight, "you've inherited a curse and a choice. One that decides the fate of not just your world, but all worlds connected through the Void."