The confusion was a dense fog in my mind, a whirlwind of fear and suspicion that made it hard to breathe. Their kindness and the luxury of the room seemed like a mere facade, a comfort that hid the real danger. I tried to calm myself, focusing on the soft touch of the carpet beneath my fingers, but panic was a rising tide in my chest. A key. A specimen. A storm to be navigated. Their words echoed, twisting the concern they showed into something sinister.
At that moment, the door opened with a soft click, and Lyara entered, carrying a silver tray. Seeing me huddled in the farthest corner of the room, a shadow of panic and pain in her eyes, she stopped. With deliberate gentleness, she placed the tray on a side table and approached, but she kept a respectful distance, as if I were a frightened animal that might bolt at the slightest sudden move.
"What happened?" her voice was a velvety murmur. Before I could answer, she continued, her voice tinged with a reassuring urgency. "It's going to be okay, Kael. Nothing is going to happen to you. We're going to protect you, we're going to help you."
The words, which should have been a balm, sounded hollow. "I heard," my voice came out hoarse, a wisp of sound. "I heard the conversation in the hallway."
Lyara understood immediately. A deep understanding softened her features. "Ah. Jhonny... he's just worried. Someone so... special like you, showing up so suddenly. He doesn't know you. And Misuki... he's the one in charge around here. He'll sort everything out, you'll see."
"The problem is how he'll sort it out," I retorted, my voice gaining an edge of restrained desperation. I didn't shout, I didn't argue; I was too confused to feel anger, lost in a sea of uncertainty. "They weren't talking about me like a person. It was as if I were a tool, something to be used, studied. Jhonny said I'm a danger to myself and to you all. He said I can't know what I am. What the hell am I, Lyara?"
She moved a little closer, the calm in her red eyes an anchor in my storm. "No one is going to use you against your will, Kael. I trust them, and I can tell you that you can too. If you want to leave, they'll let you. Of course, they wouldn't recommend it. From what I've gathered..." she hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "...you must be a cursed one. And curses are like malignant diseases; they can take your life and the lives of others at any moment. So, yes, they'd rather study you to understand. As for Misuki..." a small, amused smile played on her lips. "...he'll actually want to train you."
The word caught me by surprise. "Train me? What are you people?"
"I was saved by Jhonny. I'm one of the people he helped, and so I help out wherever I'm needed," she explained simply. "Misuki and Jhonny are like brothers. Best friends. In general, they try to help as many people as possible in this corrupted world. But tell me, Kael, do you believe in what can't be explained? In things that aren't... natural?"
I snorted, a low, bitter sound. "I only used to believe in what I could see, what I was sure of. But now... I don't know. What happened to me wasn't natural. And if Misuki said there's no way to explain it, and now you're talking about curses... Before, I would have called anyone who believed in that crazy. Now, I can't say the same."
"Well... there's a lot that can't be explained," Lyara continued, her tone patient, like a teacher's. "And infinite things we may never discover. The world is vast. The point is to doubt, but not to completely disbelieve. Take it as an opinion to be considered. You've heard legends of werewolves, vampires, and other things, right?"
I nodded, my mind spinning with the flood of information.
"They're almost always all true," she said, as if discussing the weather. "These beings exist. We just call them Beings. Comprehended entities, with a logic and a reason to exist. What about things like ghosts? Do you believe in them? Have you ever seen one?"
"No," I answered, trying to stay focused. "But if werewolves exist, then they must exist too, right?"
"Not exactly," she corrected. "But yes, they are also real. We just categorize them differently. Those are Uncomprehended Beings, whose contact can make your sanity unravel and, inevitably, drag you to your death. They are creatures with their own logics; we call them the Inexplicable. Your curse fits into something similar. Something that can't be simply explained. And there's something else, too. We call it the Occult, to represent everything that lies beyond our five senses, our understanding. For example, Occult Energy. There are many kinds, and almost none have been discovered. The most common one for us is Etherium, the energy responsible for spells and rituals. We believe it might also be responsible for your curse, and for the energy you manipulate. Like in fantasy tales, have you read any? Magic?"
I shook my head. "I've never read books like that. In fact, hardly any books at all."
Lyara chided me with a comical look. "A crime! If you stay here, I'll make sure you read. That's a promise."
The small scene, the lightness in her voice, was exactly what I needed. The tension in my shoulders eased, and for the first time since I woke up, a drop of relief settled in my chest. Just as we were starting to talk again, Misuki burst through the door, an expression of pure pleasure and excitement on his face.
"Kael!" he exclaimed, not even noticing the mood in the room. "You have two choices! Serve me and help me, or be my friend and help me! What do you say?" His voice was serious, but he was barely holding back a laugh.
Then, his gaze finally fell on us. His happy expression vanished, replaced by confusion. He saw us, me on the floor and Lyara too close, in a proximity that could be misinterpreted. He brought a hand to his mouth, his face contorting into an embarrassed apology.
"Oh! A thousand pardons! Did I interrupt something? I'll leave you two alone."
I hadn't realized it until he spoke, but when had Lyara gotten so close? A jolt of pure shame made me jump back, and my head hit a piece of furniture hard. The pain and embarrassment made me groan as Misuki, with that expression, walked toward the door. "It's not that!" I yelled, and they both burst out laughing.
Misuki turned around again, the smile fading and seriousness returning. "Look, I've talked it over and thought about it. I'm not going to force you into anything. The choice is yours. Stay with us or leave. We've already saved you; you don't need to repay us. It's what we do. If you stay, we'll welcome you as part of the family, help you understand your curse, and support you in whatever you want to do with your life. In return, we'll ask for your help with our... work. Only with what you're capable of, no pressure. But you can also leave. It's just that we won't be able to guarantee your safety. I can't promise everything will be fine. From what we've seen, you're unstable. Your curse needs to be contained, or it could harm you... and anyone around you."
The image of Elara, of her body falling, shot through my mind like a blade of ice.
"You're free to decide," Misuki concluded. "But honestly, my opinion is that you should stay. So we can figure this out together and avoid any more... problems."
He left me with this impossible choice. The silence in the room was heavy, filled with valid reasons for either option. Shortly after, Misuki said he'd let me think and that I needed to rest. They all left, but before closing the door, Misuki gave me one last look. There was pity and concern on his face.
Alone, I sat on the bed, my head in my hands. Leave? To where? Back to Oakhaven, to the city that was an open-air prison? To Doctor Aris, putting him in danger? I was a ticking time bomb. Stay? And become a "key"? A lab rat for their curiosity? But they had offered me a family, a purpose. The memory of Elara was a double-edged sword. Staying meant honoring her sacrifice, using this power so no one else would die like she did. But what if the truth about me was something she would have hated? What if she died to protect a monster?
The conflict tore me apart inside. A short time later, soft knocks sounded at the door. "May I come in?" The deep, rough voice was Jhonny's.
I was already close to a decision. "You may."
Jhonny entered. He had wavy, dark brown hair that fell casually over his forehead, with a longer lock that swept over one eye, moving slightly as he leaned forward. He looked to be around 27 and wore the formal clothes of a nobleman, in shades of brown. His silver eyes were piercing, a shade that, for a moment, reminded me of my own. He wore plain black earrings. His face was handsome, defined, and he emanated a restrained strength. He walked toward me. "Are you all right?"
I nodded. He seemed at a loss for words. "Thank you," I said quietly. "For saving me." "I wish I had gotten there sooner," he replied, his voice heavy with an unsaid weight. "I'm glad you're okay. Those guys won't be bothering anyone again for a long time. And if there was someone important to you there... that person will be safe."
His words reminded me again of Elara, the only person I truly cared about. But then, I remembered Doctor Aris, and a small wave of relief washed over me. At least he would be safe, at least from those people. I hoped so.
Jhonny took a deep breath, looking awkward. "Have you made your decision?" Before I could answer, he cut me off. "If you stay, you'll learn to use this to fight. So you don't let people like your friend die. Don't let her death be just an excuse for you to prolong a useless life. Make it count. Make the one life she saved be able to save hundreds. Think about it. I'll train you myself. And Misuki... ah, he'll use you, but you'll get over it. I don't want your answer now. You can tell me at dinner."
He left, his words echoing in the room. Time passed. Later, Lyara appeared again. She was wearing a casual black dress that made her look even more beautiful, which left me enchanted for a few moments. She called me for dinner, saying I should be able to walk by now, but that she would help if I needed it. And indeed, I felt a little better, my legs steadier.
She led me through luxurious hallways. "You look beautiful in that dress," I commented, and she thanked me with a smile.
We arrived at a magnificent dining room. Misuki and Jhonny were already at the table. Lyara sat down with us as well. We began to eat, and I devoured the food as if there were no tomorrow. It was the most delicious meal I had ever tasted. Chatting, I found out that Jhonny had prepared it. He seemed lighter, almost happy. "I'm glad you liked my food. If you need or want anything, just ask." There was enough food on the table to feed an army.
Time passed in surprisingly normal conversation. Then, Misuki asked: "So, Kael. Have you decided?"
I replied that I had. The drama and suspense hung in the air. "What did you choose, then?" he pressed.
I took a deep breath. "Losing Elara... she protected an-good-for-nothing like me. And I was left behind. What kind of friend does that? I don't understand any of this, and I'm afraid of what I might find out. All of this... it's too much for me." My words sounded like a prelude to a refusal; the room fell into a tense silence. "But... I'll stay."
The silence was broken by a slow smile that formed on Misuki's lips. For an instant, it looked malicious, and a shiver ran down my spine. What if they had changed their minds? I barely knew them.
"I have nowhere to go back to," I continued, my voice firmer. "If these things exist, and you fight against them... if you can stop incredible people like Elara from dying... I'll help. If I can do something, anything, I'll stay."
Suddenly, Misuki leaped to his feet with a jump that startled everyone, shattering the silence with a loud celebration. "WELCOME! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY! I'M GOING TO TRAIN YOU, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME!"
An immense relief flooded through me. Jhonny's face broke into a genuine, light smile. "I'll make more food, then."
Lyara was smiling too, a calm, happy expression on her face. In that moment, with those people, I felt as if I had found a family. The same comfort Elara used to give me.
Kael...
Her voice cut through the air. Everything went deafeningly silent.
Help. You're a monster.
The whisper was for me alone. I froze, the fork falling from my hand. Confusion and a chilling terror seized me. The voice was hers, but the words... How? Why? What did she mean by that? Am I a monster? Then why was she asking for help?
The sound of the world returned abruptly, but I couldn't say anything, paralyzed by surprise and fear. As Jhonny stood up to go to the kitchen, already reaching the door, Misuki's face hardened. The joyful expression vanished, replaced by a mask of steel. Something had gone very wrong.
I couldn't say a word. Misuki jumped up, and the atmosphere in the dining room grew heavy, electric. Jhonny, on the threshold of the door, noticed it too, his body instantly tensing.
"Lyara," Misuki's voice was a sharp command. "Take him to my office. Now. And don't leave, either of you, until Jhonny shows up."
Without a second thought, Lyara beckoned to me with an urgent gesture. Stunned, I followed her out of the room. We passed through the luxurious corridors and began to climb a spiral staircase. "What... what happened?" I asked, my voice a wisp. "I don't know," she answered, and the worry in her voice only heightened mine. "But if Misuki asked for this... something serious has happened."
At that moment, as we ran, an absolute truth solidified in my mind. No matter where I was, there was no safe place. But something had changed within me. Even knowing this, I now understood that for a place to become even minimally safe, we needed to be strong. And I would do everything possible to keep the people around me safe.
When we reached a dark oak door, probably the office, I grabbed her arm. "Lyara, I... I heard a voice. It was Elara's."
Her expression changed instantly. The concern gave way to genuine alarm. Her eyes widened, and she froze for a few seconds, staring at me as if I had said the most terrible thing in the world. Ignoring Misuki's direct order, she pushed me into the office, but instead of entering with me, she closed the heavy door from the outside. I heard the metallic and final sound of a lock.
I was left alone, my heart hammering against my ribs, my worry for her mingling with my own fear. And then, Elara's voice returned, and the sound of the world around me muffled again, as if I were underwater.
You're not going to grow up, are you?
The voice was slow, with cruel pauses. I tried to speak, to scream, but I couldn't even hear my own voice inside my mind. No matter how hard I tried, there was only her sound.
You'll always stay behind people...
No matter what happens... you'll never grow up. You'll always be the same scared boy who only dreams.
I took three steps back, hesitant, trembling with fear. I squeezed my eyes shut and ran towards the locked door. My body slammed against the solid wood. I felt the weight of the door on my shoulder, the sharp pain of the collision, and heard only the dull thud of the wood refusing to yield.
I have to try.