The air was warm, a stark contrast to the cold dampness of the tunnels Kaius had last remembered. His eyelids fluttered open, the soft glow of an old-fashioned lamp casting a gentle yellow light across the room. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of machinery nearby. His body felt heavy, like he'd been submerged in a thick fog, but there was something else—something pressing against his skin. Tubes connected to his arms and legs, pulsing faintly with a cool liquid. A glance down revealed thin, transparent cables running from his body into a sleek, mechanical device near the bed—a NutrientNet, a cyberpunk life support system designed to feed nutrients and stabilize the body after severe energy depletion.
As Kaius blinked, his mind swam in confusion. Where am I? His throat was dry, and his body ached, but as he tried to sit up, his muscles screamed in protest. His vision blurred briefly before settling on the room around him. The walls were made of old wood, warm and homey, with cracks running along them that hinted at the room's age. It was far more comfortable than the cold, sterile spaces he had grown used to. The lamp on the bedside table flickered slightly, casting a soft glow across the worn furniture.
He struggled to pull himself up, his limbs sluggish, but just as he managed to sit halfway, the door creaked open. A figure stepped inside—a girl, younger than Sura, maybe a couple of years older than him. Her eyes widened when she saw him, and she blinked in exaggerated surprise. Her expression quickly morphed into a playful smirk.
"Well, look who finally decided to join the living!" she said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.
"I was beginning to think you'd never wake up."
Kaius blinked, still processing everything. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was too dry, and his words came out in a hoarse croak. The girl leaned over, placing her hands on her hips, eyeing him with a mock-serious expression.
"Not much of a talker, are you? Guess you're still half-asleep. Don't worry, happens to the best of us," she teased, her tone light but tinged with arrogance.
"I'll get you some water. Try not to die in the meantime, alright?"
Before he could respond, she darted out of the room, her voice carrying down the hall as she called out, "He's awake! Finally!"
Kaius leaned back against the headboard, confusion swirling in his mind. Three days? He looked at the tubes connected to him, the gentle hum of the NutrientNet beside the bed soothing in an odd way. He hadn't realized how drained he was, how close to the edge he had been.
Moments later, the door opened again, this time revealing Sura. She entered the room quietly, her expression soft, yet guarded. She approached the bed, her footsteps almost silent against the wooden floor.
"How do you feel?" Sura asked, her voice gentle but laced with curiosity.
"I've… been out for three days?" Kaius asked, his voice raspy.
Sura nodded. "You were in bad shape. We had to put you on life support to keep you stable. Whatever you did back there—it took everything out of you."
Kaius winced at the memory of using his powers on Lucian. He could still feel the pull of the red strings, the overwhelming rush that had consumed him. "Where are we?" he asked, looking around the room again. It felt different from the rebellion's underground safe house—warmer, safer somehow.
"We moved you to a safer location," Sura explained, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You're still with the rebellion, but this place… it's off the grid. No one's going to find us here."
Kaius nodded slowly, his gaze falling to his hands. The strings had felt so real, so vivid, but also terrifying. He had barely been able to control them. He clenched his fists, feeling the tension return.
"I hurt Lucian, didn't I?"
Sura's face darkened slightly, her eyes flicking to the door as if expecting someone to overhear. "He'll be fine. You just bruised his pride," she said with a faint smile.
"He's tough. More annoyed than hurt, really."
There was a pause, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging between them. Kaius shifted uncomfortably.
"What happened to me?" he asked.
"It's like I couldn't stop it. I felt… out of control."
Sura studied him for a moment, her expression thoughtful.
"You've always had power, Kaius, but it's getting stronger, faster than we expected. Lucian said you were dangerous… and he's not entirely wrong. But you're not a threat—at least not to us," she added quickly.
"You just need to learn how to control it."
Before Sura could say more, the door burst open, and the girl from earlier waltzed back in, holding a glass of water in one hand and a cocky grin on her face.
"Still alive, I see," she said, handing him the water. "Good for you."
Kaius took the glass gratefully, his throat still parched. He sipped slowly, the cool water soothing his dry mouth. The girl plopped herself down on a nearby chair, her legs swinging over the armrest, clearly at ease.
"This is Ella," Sura introduced, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"She's been helping us with supplies and… keeping an eye on things."
"Keeping an eye on things?" Ella scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"You mean doing all the heavy lifting while you play hero?" She turned her attention back to Kaius, her expression playful.
"So, what's the deal with you? Some kind of superpower going haywire or something?"
Kaius wasn't sure how to respond. Her attitude was a strange mix of sarcasm and arrogance, but there was something oddly charming about it.
"Something like that," he muttered.
"Well, just try not to blow up the place, okay?" she quipped, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh.
"I'd hate to have to drag your unconscious body out of here again. It's way too much effort."
Kaius felt a faint smile tug at the corner of his mouth, despite everything.
"I'll try."
Sura shook her head, clearly used to Ella's antics. "You'll be on your feet soon," she said, ignoring Ella's smirk.
"But don't push yourself too hard. The Sky District's still out there, and we don't know how much time we have before they find us again."
Kaius nodded, his thoughts swirling with everything that had happened. His mind kept circling back to his powers, the way they had spiraled out of control. He didn't fully understand what was happening to him, but he knew one thing: it was only going to get worse if he didn't learn how to control it.
As he finished the glass of water, he felt a strange mix of fear and determination settle in his chest. Whatever was happening, he had to figure it out. And fast.