Kael could hear the metallic rattle of the handcuffs as they cut into his wrists, the cold bite of steel against his skin matching the hollow chill in his chest. The detention cell was small and reeked of unwashed bodies and despair. The flickering light above him bathed everything in a sickly yellow hue, casting deep shadows on the faces of the men surrounding him. He had made mistakes before, but this... this was something else. This was the kind of mistake you didn't get to live through.

"Swallow it," the man in front of him hissed, shoving a small, tightly sealed bag into Kael's face. The man had the look of someone who enjoyed the power that fear gave him—a Mafia enforcer, hardened by years of dealing with weak and desperate souls. The other men in the cell watched, either too scared or too indifferent to intervene. They were used to this kind of thing. It was a brutal world, and survival meant keeping your head down.

Kael stared at the bag in disgust. He knew what was inside—drugs, a concoction of powder that would kill him as easily as any bullet. He'd been nothing more than a pawn, a disposable tool for the Mafia, used to smuggle and sell. And now, as the walls of his life closed in, the very people he'd worked for were determined to silence him forever. He knew too much, and that knowledge made him a liability.

"Do it, or your sister will pay for it," the enforcer sneered, and Kael felt his heart twist painfully. Emily. He pictured her fragile smile, her tired eyes as she sat by the window in their cramped apartment, waiting for him to come home. She was all he had, the only light in his dark, miserable life. The thought of her alone, vulnerable, filled him with a sense of dread that eclipsed his own fear of death.

Kael hesitated, a mixture of fear and rage boiling beneath his skin. He had taken on the dirty jobs, taken the risks, all for her. For the money to pay for her medicine, for the hope that she could have a better life someday—one that didn't involve scrounging and scraping to survive. He had endured the threats, the beatings, the sleepless nights filled with anxiety, all to keep her safe. But now, he could feel the end pressing in around him, the inevitability of his fate.

He took the bag, his fingers trembling. He knew there was no way out of this. Even if he fought back, even if he somehow managed to take down this man and escape, there would be nowhere to run. The Mafia had eyes everywhere, and they would find him. And they would find Emily. She would suffer for his defiance, and that was something he could never allow.

He swallowed the bag. The taste of plastic filled his mouth, a bitter reminder of his powerlessness. The enforcer grinned, patting his shoulder as though he'd done something noble. Kael felt the sting of tears welling up in his eyes, not from fear, but from sheer frustration and helplessness. He had failed. He had failed Emily. There would be no one left to protect her, no one left to fight for her.

As the minutes passed, Kael could feel the effects of the drugs seeping into his bloodstream, his vision blurring, his body growing heavy. He slumped against the wall, his breathing shallow. His thoughts turned to Emily again, her laughter echoing in his ears, the warmth of her hugs, the way she always believed in him despite everything. He remembered the nights they spent huddled together, sharing stories and dreams of a better future. He had promised her that one day they would leave this life behind, that he would find a way to give her the happiness she deserved.

"I'm sorry, Emily..." he whispered, his voice barely audible over the chaos of the detention cell. Darkness began to close in, his consciousness slipping away. He wished, with all that remained of him, that he could have been there for her, that he could have protected her from the cruel world they lived in. He wished he could have kept his promise.

In that final moment, a strange sense of warmth enveloped him, as though someone were holding him, comforting him. He felt tears streaming down his face, and he heard a voice—Emily's voice—praying, pleading for him to come back. The desperation in her words cut through the fog of his fading mind, and something deep within him stirred. He could almost feel her presence, her love and hope reaching out to him, refusing to let go.

Images of their life together flashed through his mind—Emily as a child, laughing as they played in the park, her eyes lighting up whenever he brought home a small treat. He remembered the nights he would hold her when the pain from her illness became too much, her small body trembling in his arms. He had promised her that he would always be there, that he would protect her, and the weight of that broken promise crushed him now. The memory of her innocent face, filled with hope even in the darkest times, was unbearable.

Then, as his body gave in, Kael felt a sudden, wrenching pull—a force unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It was as if the very essence of his soul was being torn from his body, yanked away from the dying shell that had betrayed him. He could feel the world slipping away, and with it, all the pain, fear, and regret. For a fleeting moment, he was weightless, untethered, caught between life and death.

The sensation was surreal—like floating in a vast, endless void where time had no meaning. Kael could feel something pulling at him, a force that seemed to come from deep within his being. It was as if every fragment of his soul was being called upon, summoned by something far greater than himself. He could hear Emily's voice, her prayers resonating with his very essence, intertwining with his last wish to protect her.

And then, there was nothing.

Emily's Prayer

In a small, dimly lit apartment, Emily knelt by her bed, her thin frame trembling with the weight of her sobs. Her hands were clasped tightly together, her knuckles white, as she whispered her desperate prayers into the empty room. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice cracking as she pleaded.

"Please... please, bring him back. He's all I have. I need him. I can't do this without him..."

The air around her seemed to shift, a strange energy filling the room, as though the universe itself had heard her cries. Emily's tears fell onto the floor, each drop echoing in the silence. She didn't know if anyone was listening, if any higher power would hear her, but she kept praying, her heart aching with the hope that somehow, her brother could be saved.

She remembered the nights when Kael would come home, battered and exhausted, yet always with a smile for her. He would sit by her side, telling her stories of far-off places, of worlds where people were free and happy, where they didn't have to live in fear. He had always made her believe that there was something better waiting for them, that they just had to hold on a little longer. She clung to those memories now, her prayers growing more frantic as she begged for a miracle.

"Please... don't take him from me," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I need him... I need him more than anything."

The room grew colder, the air thick with an unexplainable tension. Emily could feel something—an energy, a presence—like a gentle touch on her shoulder, as if someone were there, listening. Her tears continued to fall, each drop a testament to her love and desperation. She didn't know if it would make a difference, but she poured everything she had into her plea, her heart aching with the hope that somehow, her brother could be saved.

She closed her eyes, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. The memories of their life together flooded her mind—Kael helping her with her homework, his smile as he encouraged her to keep going, the way he always seemed to make everything better, no matter how dire the situation. He was her rock, her protector, the one person she could always count on. Without him, she felt as though her entire world was crumbling around her.

The air seemed to hum with energy, a soft vibration that resonated through her very bones. Emily's tears slowed, her breath hitching as she felt the presence grow stronger, almost tangible. It was as if the universe itself had paused, listening to her cries. She could feel something changing, a warmth enveloping her, giving her a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, her prayers were being heard.

"Kael... please..." she whispered one last time, her voice barely audible. She didn't know what else to say, didn't know how to express the depth of her need for him. All she could do was hope that somewhere, somehow, her words would reach him.

And somewhere, far beyond her reach, her prayers resonated, intertwining with the final wish of her brother—a wish born of love, regret, and an unyielding desire to protect her.

Summoning

The cell was silent, the men around Kael staring at his lifeless body. The enforcer scoffed, turning away, satisfied that the problem had been dealt with. But as the others moved to leave, a strange light began to emanate from Kael's body—a soft, otherworldly glow that filled the cramped cell, bathing everything in an ethereal radiance.

The light grew brighter, pulsating with a strange rhythm, as if alive. The men froze, their eyes widening in fear and confusion. They had seen death before, but this... this was something beyond their comprehension. One of them muttered a prayer under his breath, his voice trembling as he backed away from the glowing body.

Kael's body convulsed, his eyes snapping open, but they were different—filled with a knowledge and intensity that hadn't been there before. The warmth that had enveloped him moments before death now surged through him, bringing with it a flood of memories and sensations that didn't belong to this world. He could feel the echoes of another life—a life filled with magic, power, and a purpose far greater than anything he had known here.

The men in the cell backed away, fear and confusion etched across their faces as Kael slowly stood, the chains around his wrists falling away as though they were nothing. He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers, a small smile tugging at his lips. The feeling of power, even if it wasn't the same magic he once wielded, was intoxicating. He could sense the energy coursing through him, the remnants of whatever force had brought him back.

"This... is unexpected," he murmured, his voice carrying a different weight—a confidence that hadn't been there before. He looked up, his eyes locking onto the enforcer who had forced the drugs on him. The man took a step back, his face paling, the smug confidence from earlier replaced by a growing fear.

Kael tilted his head, a glint of something dangerous in his gaze. He could feel it—the power, the knowledge, the sheer will that had brought him here. He wasn't the same Kael who had swallowed that bag. He was something else now, something far more dangerous. He could feel the memories of Vesper, the magic that had once been his to command, the battles he had fought, the enemies he had vanquished. All of it was there, just out of reach, but enough to remind him of who he truly was.

He took a step forward, the enforcer stumbling back, his eyes wide with terror. The other men in the cell watched, frozen, as Kael advanced, his expression calm, almost amused. He could feel the fear radiating off them, and he reveled in it. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt in control. He wasn't just a pawn anymore.

"Let's see how this new world works, shall we?" he said, a hint of amusement in his voice, as if addressing someone only he could see. He glanced up, his eyes meeting the flickering light above, as though acknowledging the unseen forces that had brought him here.

The men in the cell scrambled to get away, fear driving them to the far corners of the room. Kael watched them, his smile widening. He had been given a second chance—a chance to be something more than just a tool for others. He had been powerless once, but not anymore. He could feel the potential within him, the possibilities that this new world offered, and he intended to seize them all.

And with that, Kael took his first step into a world that was about to change forever.