"Brother, why did you have to die?"

A boy with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes sat quietly on the soft grass, his gaze fixed on the sky above. He couldn't seem to look away, as if the clouds might offer some kind of answer.

The world around him was still, save for the gentle ripple of the lake in front of him. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, but time seemed irrelevant. Everything felt distant, weighed down by a heaviness he couldn't shake.

His eyes lowered to the lake's surface, the calm waters reflecting a time long gone, memories he wished he could hold onto forever.

Ring.

Ring.

The sudden sound of his phone broke through the silence, pulling him back to the present. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Lucas opened his bag and pulled out the phone. The screen showed a familiar name, and with a small sigh, he answered.

"Lucas, it's getting late. Are you coming home soon?" His mother's voice, soft and filled with concern, gently echoed through the speaker.

Lucas stared at the lake for a moment before replying. "Yeah, I'm coming, Mom."

"Alright. Be safe, okay? See you soon," she said warmly, her tone trying to mask the worry she likely felt.

The call ended, leaving Lucas in silence once again. He remained seated, looking up at the sky, as if he could stretch the moment a little longer. "This place... it brings back so many memories," he whispered to himself, a sad smile forming on his lips.

Slowly, he got up, brushing his hands against his jeans to shake off the grass. His legs felt heavy, not from the walk home, but from the weight of everything on his mind. This place, this quiet spot by the lake, had always been a refuge for him—a place where he and his brother spent countless hours after school, talking, laughing, or sometimes just sitting in silence. Now, it was only him.

As Lucas walked down the familiar path, his thoughts wandered, his mind replaying scenes from the past. He could still hear his brother's voice in his head, full of energy and life. He could see the way his brother would toss stones into the lake, laughing when they skipped across the water's surface. Those were better days—simpler days.

But now, everything had changed.

Suddenly, a loud thud shattered his thoughts. Something crashed into the ground in front of him with such force that a thick cloud of smoke erupted, swirling all around. Lucas froze in place, his heart racing. He instinctively took a step back, his eyes wide with shock.

The smoke was thick, lingering in the air longer than it should have. Lucas squinted, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Slowly, cautiously, he moved closer, waiting for the smoke to clear.

His mind raced with possibilities. A fallen tree? A meteorite? He couldn't remember ever seeing something fall from the sky like that.

When the smoke finally began to dissipate, Lucas saw it—or rather, what it wasn't.

He blinked, then blinked again, not trusting his eyes.

"A... vase?"

Lucas stood there, completely dumbfounded. His brows furrowed as he stared at the object in disbelief. How could a vase survive such a fall? It didn't make any sense.

The vase lay there in the grass, completely intact, not even a crack. It was strangely pristine, its surface polished to perfection. The deep, intricate designs of a dragon wrapped around its body. Lucas crouched down, reaching out hesitantly, almost expecting the vase to vanish the moment he touched it. His fingers brushed against the cool surface.

"How... how did this not break?" he muttered to himself, picking it up carefully.

The vase was heavier than he expected, solid and unyielding in his hands. It felt expensive—ancient, even. He studied it closely, marveling at the craftsmanship.

"Who would throw something like this away?" he wondered, his mind struggling to piece together any explanation. Could it have been an accident? Or was there something more to it? The sheer strangeness of the situation unsettled him.

Still, he figured if it was valuable, maybe he could sell it. A vase that fell from the sky? He scoffed at the absurdity of it, but at the same time, a small part of him felt like maybe—just maybe—this was some kind of gift.

"A blessing from the universe?" he thought, letting a brief smile tug at the corner of his lips.

Lucas continued his walk, now carrying the vase with him, still puzzled but too intrigued to leave it behind.

By the time he reached home, the sky had shifted into shades of orange and purple, the day giving way to night. As Lucas opened the front door, the warmth of home greeted him. His mother stood in the hallway, her smile lighting up when she saw him.

"Lucas, you're back! I made your favorite dishes tonight," she said, her voice full of affection.

"Thanks, Mom," Lucas replied, his tone soft but appreciative. He stepped inside, his gaze falling to the vase in his hands.

His mother's eyes followed his, her brows knitting together in mild confusion. "A vase?" she thought. The intricacy of the object caught her off guard.

"Lucas, where did you get that?" she asked, curiosity lacing her words.

For a moment, Lucas had forgotten about it. He shifted his weight awkwardly, then gave a small, hesitant laugh. "Oh, uh... I found it," he started, trying to explain. "It kind of... fell? In front of me? From the sky?"

His mother looked at him, her eyes widening in disbelief. "It fell? Without a single scratch?"

Lucas could see the doubt in her expression. He didn't blame her. The story sounded crazy, even to him. He wasn't sure how to explain it any better, so he shrugged, letting the subject drop for now.

Just as the conversation began to lull, his father appeared, bursting into the room with his usual enthusiasm.

"Happy birthday, son!" His father's arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace, catching Lucas off guard.

"Thanks, Dad," Lucas replied, barely managing to get the words out through the suffocating hug.

"Come on, let's not let the food get cold! Let's celebrate!" his mother added, guiding them to the dining room.

Before joining them, Lucas carefully placed the vase on his desk in his room. He didn't know what to make of it, but for now, it seemed harmless enough.

Dinner was filled with light-hearted teasing and laughter, his parents joking and poking fun at each other. Lucas smiled through it all, but inside, there was an emptiness. A familiar ache that no amount of celebration could fully heal.

'Brother, I promise to take care of them, like you told me to.' He thought, as he stared at his Mom and Dad.

Later that night, after the celebration was over and the house had quieted down, Lucas returned to his room. He sank into his bed, exhaustion from the day finally catching up with him.

"Sigh... today was long," he murmured, rubbing his eyes."

As his eyes were about to close, a strange sound echoed through the room.

Lucas's eyes snapped open, his pulse quickening. He sat up, scanning the room for the source of the noise. His gaze fell on the vase, and what he saw next made his blood run cold.