<-Kael's POV>
The first light of dawn trickled through the cracks in my shutters, casting soft golden beams across the wooden floor. I stirred beneath the blanket, warmth wrapped around me like a second skin, but my body wouldn't settle. My dreams had been strange—shifting lights, pulsing energy, and something… watching me. No, inside me.
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes,after a quick wash, I pulled on my tunic and boots, my hands moving on their own. My body felt strangely obedient now, like it no longer questioned what I asked of it. But there was something heavy sitting in my chest. Not pain… pressure.
By the time I made it downstairs, the smell of roasted meat and warm bread filled the house. Normally, it made me smile. Today, I paused.
My mom was already at the table, hands folded neatly in front of her—but her face was distant, cold. Her fingers tapped the wood slowly, a rhythm I didn't recognize.
"Morning, Mom," I said, forcing my voice into something light.
She didn't look at me. Just nodded.
That wasn't like her. My stomach twisted.
I slid into the chair opposite her, the silence between us growing unbearable. "What's wrong?"
She looked up, her eyes piercing through me. "Kael… what did you do?"
Her voice wasn't angry. It was… measured. But firm enough to silence every excuse that rose in my throat.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You've been different lately. And your energy…" She narrowed her eyes. "It's changed. Completely."
I froze.
"I need to know the truth. You can trust me."
I didn't want to say it. I didn't want this to become real. But her gaze didn't leave me, and I realized I owed her this—especially her.
I drew a breath. "Do you remember when the Empire declared the emergency a few days ago?"
She nodded.
"Well… I kind of got involved with what caused it."
Her brows pulled tight. "Kael."
I explained everything. Meeting Lyra. The glowing cube. The Arcana Core being pressed into my chest, fusing with me, and how it hasn't left me since. How it pulses with life when I'm scared, or angry—or when I lose focus.
When I finished, she sat in stunned silence. Then, in a whisper, she said, "That must've been the surge I felt…"
"You felt it?" I asked, surprised.
She nodded, her voice distant. "I touched your back while you were asleep. And what I felt—it wasn't human. It was something ancient. Powerful. Almost... angry."
Guilt wrapped around me like chains. "I didn't mean to bring danger to us. I didn't even know what it was…"
Her features softened, but before she could speak, her tone shifted again.
"Someone's watching you. Last night… there were intruders."
"What?!" My pulse spiked. "But I was careful—no one saw me!"
"Are you sure?" she said, crossing her arms. "Have you used your energy? Even once?"
I hesitated. "I might've moved… faster. And… I hit harder than usual. I have better hearing, too."
She sighed deeply. "Classic signs of a Deviant awakening."
Deviant. That word again.
I blinked. "How do you know that?"
Then she smiled. Not a warm smile. A knowing one.
"Because I'm one too."
<-Lira>
His face was priceless—jaw slack, eyes wide. I let him stew in it for a second longer, then raised a hand toward the counter. A cup of water rose, hovering midair, before turning to ice with a flick of my fingers.
Then, with my other hand, I lifted Kael—and his chair—off the floor. Just slightly. A small breeze swirled around him before lowering him gently.
The stunned awe on his face reminded me of when he first saw snow.
"You're… amazing!" he said.
I chuckled, but there was a tension in my chest I couldn't ignore.
"Then why didn't you tell me?" he asked, frustration coloring his voice now.
"Because your father and I agreed to keep it hidden." I kept my tone calm. "We wanted you to live free of fear, or worse—control by the Empire."
"But I'm your son," he whispered.
"I know. And I love you more than anything. That's why we had to wait."
He dropped his gaze. I could see him thinking—processing. He always did that. So much like his father.
"…Your mood," he said. "This morning. You've been quiet. What really happened?"
I stood. "Follow me."
We stepped outside. The morning sun lit our small yard, but Kael froze.
His breath caught.
There it stood: a jagged mound of glistening ice spears. A monument to the violence of last night.
"What is this?" he whispered.
I didn't stop. "Come closer."
He followed, slow, hesitant. When we reached the ice, his eyes found the bodies inside—three of them. Frozen, twisted in pain, their blades still clenched.
He turned pale.
"Dead bodies…"
I kicked one gently. "We'll dispose of them tonight. They won't stink while frozen."
He stared in horror. "You… killed them?"
I met his gaze. "They tried to kill you, Kael. I won't apologize."
He swallowed hard and approached the third body. His shoulders stiffened.
"I know this one," he said slowly. "He's a Zaren guard."
My stomach sank. "The merchant family?"
He nodded. "Ryn… their third son. I—" He hesitated. "I might've fought them yesterday. In an alley. And maybe… maybe Ryn got hurt."
I turned toward him slowly, my fists clenching. "The first thing you did with your new powers… was pick a fight?!"
"I didn't mean—he was bullying someone, I—"
"You're not a vigilante, Kael!"
I wanted to scream, but I held it in. Just barely. I stared at him, this trembling boy in front of me, and saw the weight he now carried. He hadn't asked for it—but that didn't absolve him.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
I didn't answer. Instead, I turned to the ice and melted it down with a few gestures, channeling the water into the soil. The earth drank it greedily, leaving no trace.
Kael helped in silence, his movements stiff. He wasn't ready for this. But he would have to be.
We returned inside.
<-Kael>
I sat down across from her, and for the first time, I realized how little I knew about my own mother.
So much strength. So much she never showed.
She didn't look at me, just pushed a plate toward me. "Eat your breakfast."
I nodded and picked up my fork. The food was warm, rich with flavor.
But my appetite had vanished.
Every bite reminded me of the cold outside. Of the bodies. Of the secret I now shared.
One thought echoed in my head as I chewed slowly:
Things are never going back to normal.
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