Kael's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the dim light of dawn streaming through the heavy curtains of his room. The familiar stone ceiling above him and the faint scent of lavender—his favorite herb—confirmed he was back in the fortress. Memories of pain and darkness blurred together in his mind, yet he felt… light. Alive.
As his vision cleared, Kael became aware of a warmth at his side. Tilting his head slightly, he saw her—Liana. Her head rested on the edge of his bed, her hand gripping his as if letting go would make him disappear. Even in sleep, her brows were furrowed, her face streaked with dried tears.
Kael stared at her, a mix of emotions swirling in his chest: relief, guilt, and something else he couldn't quite define. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain lanced through his ribs, forcing a grimace. The small movement was enough to stir Liana. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking as though unsure whether she was dreaming. Then, her gaze locked onto his.
"Kael…" she breathed, her voice trembling.
Before he could respond, she bolted upright and flung her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed uncontrollably, her tears soaking into his tunic.
"You idiot!" she cried, her voice muffled against his chest. "Why? Why did you do this? Do you have any idea how scared I was? I thought I'd lost you!"
Kael froze, unsure of how to react. His body ached, and he wasn't used to this kind of raw, emotional display. Hesitantly, he raised his hand and patted her back awkwardly.
"Liana…" he began, his voice hoarse. "I… I'm sorry."
She pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face tilted up toward him, eyes flashing with anger and relief.
"Sorry?!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking. "You think 'sorry' is enough? You almost died out there, Kael! What were you thinking, going into that forest alone?"
Kael avoided her gaze, staring instead at the blanket covering him. "I had to. There was something I needed to check… something important."
"Important?" Liana's voice rose, trembling with frustration. "Important enough to risk your life? Important enough to leave me and everyone else behind, worrying about you?"
Kael clenched his jaw, guilt gnawing at him. He couldn't tell her the full truth—not yet. Not about the dungeon or the voice that had whispered his name in the darkness.
"I thought I could handle it," he admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"You didn't mean for it?" she repeated, her voice laced with exasperation. "Do you think that makes it any better? I watched you lying there, covered in blood, barely breathing. Do you know how helpless that made me feel?"
Kael's chest tightened at her words. He had never seen Liana like this before. She was always the calm one, the one who managed to keep her composure in the worst situations. Seeing her so shaken because of him… it hurt more than any wound ever could.
"I'm sorry," he said again, his voice more earnest this time. "I never wanted to hurt you. I just… I thought I had to do this alone."
"Alone?" she echoed, her voice breaking. "You don't have to do anything alone, Kael. Don't you see that? You have people who care about you, who would do anything to help you. Why can't you just let us in?"
Kael didn't know how to respond. He had always kept people at arm's length, believing it was easier that way—safer. But looking at Liana now, he realized how much his actions had hurt her.
"I…" he started, then stopped, struggling to find the right words. Finally, he said softly, "I'll try. I promise I'll try."
Liana wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, sniffing. "You'd better," she said, her voice trembling. "Because if you ever do something like this again, I swear I'll… I'll drag you back myself, even if I have to fight every monster in that forest to do it."
Despite the seriousness of her tone, Kael felt a small smile tug at the corners of his lips. "I believe you," he said, his voice soft but sincere.
Liana's expression softened, and she let out a shaky laugh. "Good. You should."
Silence settled between them, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves outside the window. Her hand was still wrapped around his, and Kael didn't have the heart to pull away.
But as Liana's gaze lingered on his face, her smile faltered. She leaned closer, her brow furrowing in concern.
"Kael… are you sure you're okay?" she asked hesitantly.
Kael frowned slightly, though the motion felt foreign. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "Why do you keep asking me that?"
"It's just… your face," she murmured.
"What about it?" he asked, raising a hand to his cheek.
"It's like…" Liana hesitated, clearly unsure how to phrase her thoughts. "There's nothing there. No smile, no frown—nothing. Just blank."
Kael's fingers brushed over his features, confusion flickering in his eyes. "That's not possible. I just smiled at you a moment ago."
"No, you didn't," Liana replied softly. Her voice was steady, but her unease was palpable. "Since you woke up, you've been… expressionless. Like you're here, but not really here."
Kael's gaze dropped to the blanket, his mind racing. He didn't feel numb or disconnected. If anything, he felt everything—her warmth, her worry, the dull ache in his ribs. But none of it showed on his face.
"I don't…" he started, but the words faltered on his tongue.
"Kael," Liana said gently, kneeling beside the bed again. "If something's wrong, you can tell me. I want to help you."
He met her gaze, his thoughts a tangled mess. Why couldn't he express himself? Was it the stress of everything he had endured? Or something deeper?
"I don't know," he admitted finally, his voice tinged with frustration. "I don't know what's happening to me."
Liana's grip on his hand tightened. "It's okay," she said softly. "We'll figure it out. But for now, you need to rest. You've been through enough."
She stood, smoothing her skirt as she turned toward the door. "I'll get the doctor. Maybe he can help us understand."
Kael wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come. What could he even say? She was trying to help.
"Alright," he said quietly.
As the door closed behind her, Kael exhaled shakily. He raised a hand to his face again, trying to force a smile, a frown—anything. But the ornate mirror across the room reflected only a blank, unfamiliar face.
"What's happening to me?" he whispered to the empty room.
The silence that followed felt oppressive, heavy. And for a fleeting moment, Kael thought he heard a faint, mocking whisper in the back of his mind.
Whatever had happened in that forest had left a mark far deeper than any physical wound. And Kael feared it was a scar that would never fade.
Alone in the quiet, Kael realized one thing with certainty: whatever had happened to him in the forest had left a mark far deeper than any physical wound. And he wasn't sure if it could ever be undone.
He sat up, scratching the back of his head, as the dragon's voice returned, more conversational this time. You're wondering if the commander will sense your rank increase, aren't you?
"Yeah," Kael murmured. "I've moved up two whole ranks. Even after the Awakening, it's… it might be suspicious."
Don't worry, the dragon replied nonchalantly. I'll use my magic to mask the change. He'll think you've only increased by one rank. You'll be fine. But don't forget, my power is weaker now. If someone stronger comes along, they might sense your real strength.
Kael sighed in relief, but the weight of the situation still pressed down on him. I'll need to come up with an excuse for my power-up. Maybe I can say it was from the Awakening… He paused, uncertainty creeping in. I don't know if he'll believe it.
Just as he was lost in thought, there was a knock at the door. "Kael, I'm coming in," Liana's voice called from the other side. The door creaked open, and she walked in with a doctor, but there was someone else following behind her.
Commander Arvell Dyne.
Kael immediately felt his presence—sharp, calculating, and silent. The commander took a seat by the side of the room, his gaze fixed on Kael, his eyes narrowing as if he had a million questions but was waiting for the doctor to finish first.
The doctor began examining Kael's wounds, tending to the healing cuts and bruises. Kael couldn't help but notice that he felt no pain, even though his injuries had been severe. At first, he thought it was due to rapid healing, but something about it felt off. Even rapid healing couldn't restore injuries this quickly.
The doctor muttered to himself in disbelief. "Amazing… he's recovered so fast. It's as if his wounds never existed."
Hearing this, Kael glanced at the doctor, confused. "What do you mean? How is this possible?"
The doctor looked at Liana, his expression a mix of astonishment and gratitude. "This young lady is quite the healer," he said, his voice soft but filled with admiration.
Kael turned to Liana, still puzzled. "Healer?" he asked, his eyes searching her face.
Liana blushed slightly, looking down at her feet. "I didn't know how or why it happened… but when I saw you, lying there, covered in blood and on the brink of death… I just wanted to help. And then… my body just did it. Afterward, I tried to do it again, but it didn't work as well. It was like… it was something that just happened once."
Kael's mind raced. "You healed me…?" He muttered under his breath, surprised. In the original novel, Liana wasn't mentioned as a healer. She had been supposed to die, but now… it seemed her fate had changed.
Commander Dyne looked at Kael, his expression serious. "Yes, she was awakened as a healer. I've heard rumors, but I never expected to witness it firsthand… Especially not two awakenings."
He turned his gaze back to Kael. "And you… You were also awakened, weren't you? You've gained strength—what was it? One rank?… you're now E+ rank."
Liana's eyes widened, and she looked at Kael, her excitement shining through. "Is it true, Kael? You've leveled up?"
Kael simply nodded, his mind still spinning with the weight of it all. "Yeah," he said softly.
Liana beamed, clearly pleased as if she had been the one who helped him
Commander Dyne's voice cut through the air, his tone reflecting his intrigue. "I've only heard rumors about awakenings—about how they can unlock a person's potential. But now, seeing it with my own eyes… It's truly remarkable." He glanced at the marks on Kael's body, his brow furrowing. "When we found you, you were fighting a monster, weren't you? That near-death experience must've triggered your awakening. Amazingly, you survived."
Kael, though, felt a pang of disbelief. He had never thought of it this way. The idea that his near-death experience had somehow unlocked his potential… It felt like something out of a myth.
Commander Dyne's expression became more serious. "But remember this—this method only works once. You were fortunate to survive. If not for Liana, you would have perished, even after awakening."