The newly reborn being, carrying both Habil and Neo's memories, stands still, surveying his surroundings. His gaze shifts briefly before settling on his brother. His muscles react instinctively, a smile forming on his face. Suddenly, he rushes toward Kayn, attempting his signature tackle.
Kayn smiles and counters smoothly, effortlessly pinning his brother down into the shallow pool of element zero, not allowing him to move.
"Damn it!" Habil exclaims.
"Hahaha! Maybe next time, buddy." Kayn lets him go, standing up and offering his hand.
Habil grabs it and Kayn pats his arm affectionately as he pulls him up.
"Welcome to your new life . . . brothers," Kayn says, smiling.
Neo turns his head toward One as Yara approaches. She stands close, locking her gaze with his.
. . .
"Perfect," she smiles. "What name should we bestow upon thee now?" she asks.
"Neo, Habil . . . either works. It doesn't matter," he replies.
"Very well, Habil. Would thou desire the explanation now?" she asks.
"No, Charlotte is my priority right now. Can it wait until afterward?"
"Ah, the one whom both thy selves love."
"Both?" Kayn says, surprised. "Wait, so Charlotte is—"
"Yes, she's Leah. How did everyone's memories get erased, including mine?" Habil asks, curious.
"Oh, well, long story short, it was an act of mercy by our sister, Tahara. Don't worry about it for now."
"Tahara? Last time I saw her, she was just a baby," Habil smiles fondly.
"You'll be proud when you see her now. Anyway, who captured Leah?" Kayn asks.
"It's not who—it's what. The thing that . . . took our mother."
"Are you sure she's still alive if that's the case?" Kayn asks, concerned.
"Yes. Somehow, Aegis finds its way back to me. I'm in control of it and use everything I can to command it through the cracks to save Leah. It's still at the outer edges of the beast's mouth, holding her, but I don't know for how long."
"I'm sorry, Habil, but I can't help you right now. My Ianites are completely exhausted from what I did earlier. They need time to recover."
"It's fine. My Ianite still has some energy left. I'll go down and fight that thing to get her. You talk to them—two stones with one bird."
"Are you sure you can handle it? You're not at full power."
"I'm confident I can stop and defeat the beast, but I'm not sure how to do it safely while keeping Leah unharmed. If anything goes wrong and she falls into that void, it's over."
"Might I offer a solution?" Hami interjects.
Neo and Kayn turn to Hami, waiting for an answer.
"Thou couldst use him to tame or bend the beast to thy will, nay?" Hami points toward a figure in the distance, slowly approaching.
"Him?" Habil looks in the direction Hami points.
"I don't see anyone," Kayn says.
"He hath not yet entered the common field of sight. He strives to reach us, but his body, aged and wearied, can but move so swiftly."
"Wait! You don't mean—!" Habil swiftly moves toward the figure. His Ianite forms a new set of armor around him, small parts propelling him forward with high speed, fueled by a chemical reaction.
Kayn watches as Habil disappears into the distance. "Well, I'll be . . . even he's back. Talk about a reunion,"
He smiles, then turns to One, "Who are you, and what do you want to tell us?"
"Who we are . . . well, that dependeth on whom thou ask. To some, we are but characters in a tale."
Kayn raises an eyebrow, a hint of disappointment on his face. "Really?"
"Aye! Such is their view, at the least. Yet let me offer thee ours. 'Tis more a question of 'what' we are than 'who,' but to truly understand the 'who,' do thou not see how the 'what' holds much weight?" Yara smiles, and Kayn adjusts his posture, realizing he might be getting more information than he anticipates.
"I am another descriptive fragment, as art thou—though of a different kind," she continues.
"Descriptive fraction? Meaning?"
Yara traces a pattern in the air with her finger, a trail of flame left in its wake.
"In days long past, there was a human, unlike thee or me. Wearied, inquisitive, and alone, he delved deep into the infinite mindscapes, and there he uncovered the realms within. In his search, he was shattered into endless fragments—each a descriptive part, with a name and a being tied to it. We were scattered across the mindscapes, and ever since, all hath been recorded within the Library, inscribed in the tales the Author doth write."
"Who is the Author?" Kayn asks.
"I could reveal more unto thee, but—" Yara begins, but Hami interrupts.
"Might it be better that thou meet him thyself?" he says, snapping his fingers.
. . .
Kayn's vision blurs, and every muscle in his body spasms from exhaustion. It isn't just the physical toll of the journey; he finds himself in a completely different place. The world he now stands in is unlike any he has known.
The pressure of this place weighs heavily on his mind, pushing him to his mental limits. He uses all his strength to stay standing. Despite being completely depleted from the stunt they had to pull off to save Habil from the sacred oath, the Ianites begin working overtime automatically to protect their beloved Kayn.
"Why did thou act without first seeking my counsel? Thou couldst have undone all we hath wrought," Yara says, scolding Hami.
"My dearest self, time is no longer our ally. Either he is prepared, or he is not. Mere words would never suffice to test his readiness. Thou knowest this as well as I. This path was the most fitting," Hami says, holding her hand.
She looks at him thoughtfully, "Maybe thou art right . . . yet thou shouldst have at least forewarned me."
"Maybe I acted with too great haste, and for that, I beg thy pardon," he admits.
"What . . . what did you do to me?" Kayn struggles to ask, barely able to move. He is using perfect forces just to walk and speak in this new place, yet the others seem unaffected.
One look at him, surprised.
"Behold, he surpasseth our every expectation," Hami says.
One turn toward a man standing in the middle of the park.
"Kayn, behold the Author."
The pressure Kayn feels intensifies as his gaze meets the Author's. Those eyes—they see everything, all fractions, all truths. Kayn, using every ounce of strength from his Ianite, stands firm, swallowing his fears. He holds his ground, proud.
The Author smiles and speaks. "Are we done here, One?"
"Aye," they respond, snapping their fingers. They disappear, taking Kayn with them, leaving the Author alone.
The Author turns his attention to you, the reader. "Thank you for continuing this far into the tale. I hope you've enjoyed it. Now, it's time to flip to the next page."
Flip.