Ren sat on the roof of his house that evening, the twilight sky streaked with the fading light of the sun, his thoughts racing. His body was still sore from the battle with the shadow creature earlier that day, but it wasn't the physical pain that weighed on him. It was the reality of what his life had become.
Kaelir's power was no longer a dormant flicker in the back of his mind. It had been awakened, and with it, the world had shifted into something darker, more dangerous. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the flames—saw the moment when the fire had exploded from him, overwhelming everything in its path. It had felt exhilarating, but it had also felt terrifying.
Mira had been clear. His connection to Kaelir wasn't a coincidence, and it wasn't something he could run from. But what did it mean? Why had this ancient god chosen him of all people?
His phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking through the storm of his thoughts. It was Yuto, as expected, checking in after Ren had disappeared once again without an explanation. The messages were a mix of worry and curiosity, as always.
"Dude, where did you go? Are you avoiding me or what? If you need to talk, I'm here."
Ren sighed. He hadn't told Yuto anything, hadn't even tried to come up with a believable excuse. But how could he? How could he explain something he barely understood himself?
He stared at the screen for a long time, the empty text box taunting him. He wanted to tell Yuto everything, but the words refused to come. In the end, he typed a quick reply:
"Sorry, man. Things are complicated right now. I'll explain later."
It was a weak response, but it was all he could manage. The truth was too big, too strange, to share with anyone—at least not yet.
Just as he tucked the phone back into his pocket, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"You're distracted."
Ren didn't turn around. He didn't need to. Mira's presence was unmistakable—quiet, but powerful, like a shadow watching over him. She had been staying close ever since the encounter with the shadow creature, never far from him. Her duty to protect him had clearly extended beyond simple training.
"I'm just trying to process everything," Ren said quietly. "This power… it feels like it's alive. And every time I use it, I feel like I'm losing a part of myself."
Mira sat down beside him, her expression unreadable as she gazed out over the quiet streets below. "Kaelir's power is vast, and ancient. It's not something that can be fully controlled. Not by anyone. It has its own will, its own purpose. But you can learn to guide it, to make it work with you instead of against you."
"That's the part I'm worried about," Ren admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "What if I can't? What if this power takes over?"
Mira was silent for a long moment, her gaze distant. "That's the risk you face. The gods' power is not meant for mortals. It changes you, slowly, in ways you won't even realize until it's too late. But if you don't learn to master it, others will come for you. And they won't show mercy."
Ren looked at her, trying to understand the depth of her words. "Who are they, Mira? The shadows? Are there more of them?"
Mira's jaw tightened, her expression hardening. "There are always more. The shadows are echoes of the Forgotten—gods who lost themselves to the darkness long ago. Their power lingers, corrupting everything it touches. And now that Kaelir's flame has awakened in you, they'll be drawn to it. They'll see you as a threat… or a prize."
The weight of her words settled over Ren like a suffocating fog. The battle earlier hadn't been an isolated incident. It was the beginning of something much larger—something far more dangerous. The shadows were only the first to come, and more would follow.
"Then how do we stop them?" Ren asked, his voice firmer now, a flicker of determination in his chest.
Mira glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "We don't. You do. You're Kaelir's chosen, Ren. The fire that burns inside you is the only thing that can stand against the Forgotten. My job is to keep you alive long enough for you to figure out how."
Ren's breath caught in his throat. "No pressure, right?"
Mira didn't smile. She rarely did. "This isn't about pressure. This is about survival. The shadows will come for you, but they're just the beginning. The Forgotten gods themselves are stirring, and if they wake fully, this world will burn."
Her words hung heavy in the air between them, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke. Ren's mind reeled with the enormity of it all. The Forgotten gods, ancient beings lost to darkness, waiting to rise again. And somehow, he was supposed to stop them.
"How do you know all of this?" Ren asked, breaking the silence.
Mira's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "I've seen it happen before. I've fought this battle before."
Ren blinked, caught off guard by her words. "Before? How is that possible?"
Mira stood, her gaze shifting to the horizon, where the last light of the sun was slipping below the edge of the world. "I'm not like you, Ren. My connection to the gods goes deeper. My life has been extended by their power, long enough to witness the rise and fall of many who carried the flames before you."
Ren stared at her, the realization sinking in. Mira wasn't just some protector sent to guide him. She had lived through this before—seen others like him fall, seen gods rise and fall.
"How many?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "How many before me?"
Mira's expression darkened, and she looked at him with a sadness he hadn't seen before. "Too many. And none of them survived."
Ren's heart sank, the enormity of his situation crashing down on him like a wave. He wasn't just the next in line—he was the last chance. The final piece in a cycle that had claimed countless others.
Mira seemed to sense his fear, and for the first time since they had met, her voice softened. "You're different, Ren. Kaelir's flame is stronger in you than it ever was in those who came before. That's why the Forgotten fear you. That's why you have a chance."
Ren looked away, his mind struggling to process everything. The weight of Kaelir's power, the threat of the Forgotten gods, and the reality that he was the only one who could stop them. It was too much. But deep down, a part of him knew there was no turning back. The fire had already been lit.
"I don't feel strong," Ren admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't feel like I can do this."
Mira placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm but not unkind. "You don't have to feel strong. You just have to be willing to fight."
Ren nodded, though the fear still gnawed at him. He didn't know if he was ready, but he knew one thing for certain.
The fight had already begun.