"Hello, Kairos. I've heard a lot about you." I stand frozen, staring at the young woman before me. She's about my age, with long, flowing green hair and hazel eyes that sparkle with unspoken power. She wears the same armor as Evander, which makes me wonder—what is going on here? Is there some kind of teaching organization behind this? Regardless, it doesn't matter right now. What matters is the girl standing in front of me, smiling as though she knows me. But there's something else, something deeper. How does such a young person become a teacher? And why does it feel like I've met her before?
My thoughts race, my head spinning in confusion, until Drefan's heavy pat on my back pulls me from my daze. "That's Edith Winslow," he whispers in my ear. "The youngest Captain in Orai's military."
I blink, realizing the stories I've heard about her are true. She's famous, yet here she stands, as my teacher.
"I apologize," I say, trying to compose myself. "I wasn't expecting my new teacher to be my age… or the protégé captain." I realize my words sound blunt, but it's too late to take them back.
She laughs softly, a sound full of warmth. "I get it. People are usually shocked when they see me. But trust me, I'm a capable teacher," she says with a bow, catching me off guard. I shift awkwardly, asking her to rise. I'm not a fan of formal gestures like that.
"When do we begin training?" I ask, eager to move on from the awkwardness.
"Whenever you're ready," she replies, her voice steady and confident.
"How about now?" Drefan chimes in, his excitement clear.
Edith gives a small smile. "Alright then. Let's get started."
We head toward the training compound, fully geared up with our weapons and armor.
"We'll start with a sparring session," Edith declares, drawing her sword. "Come at me with everything you've got."
Drefan and I exchange a glance, both surprised at the sudden challenge. We decide to attack together, not wanting to be reckless in front of someone of her caliber. Edith takes a defensive stance and calmly gestures for us to begin.
Drefan is the first to move, attacking from her right. He aims low, hoping to force her into jumping. But Edith is quick—too quick. She steps back just enough to avoid his swing and kicks his sword out of his hand. Now, she's fully focused on him.
Seizing the opportunity, I charge toward her blind side, planning to land a hit. But before I can get close, Edith springs forward with a midsection kick, fast and powerful. My sword barely blocks it, the force shattering my blade as I'm knocked backward, sent crashing to the ground.
A fire ignites inside me. I can't allow myself to be beaten so easily, not by someone my age. With a determined growl, I push myself up, ready to fight despite the lack of a weapon.
Then, something strange happens.
The world around me shifts. Colors become brighter, more vivid. Edith still stands before me, but I can now see multiple reflections of her moving, almost as if they're mirror images. What's going on? I don't understand, but my body moves instinctively.
I surge forward, unable to stop myself, closing the distance between us faster than I've ever moved before. Edith smiles knowingly, dropping her sword and taking a fighting stance. Her left jab comes for my head, but my body dodges it with ease, moving to the right without thinking.
Then, almost unconsciously, I whisper, "An uppercut next."
As if on cue, Edith's follow-up attack comes—an uppercut, just as I'd predicted. I jump backward, narrowly avoiding it. Did I just see her movements before they happened?
Before I can process what's happening, Edith closes the distance with renewed aggression. She swings for my midsection, and I block her attack, but she seems taken aback. Confusion flashes in her eyes.
Drefan, taking advantage of her hesitation, manages to sneak up behind her and place his sword at her throat. We've won, or so I think. But something is wrong. The mana around Edith shifts, becoming more volatile. Her energy surges, like a storm on the horizon.
"Drefan, get away from her!" I yell, but it's too late. Edith unleashes a blast of energy that sends Drefan flying across the compound, his body crashing into the ground.
"I said we were sparring, not just sword fighting," she says coldly. Her demeanor has completely changed. Her hair is now a blazing red, her entire form surrounded by flames. I feel an overwhelming sense of danger. There's no way I can win.
The rest of the sparring session is brutal. Both Drefan and I are beaten into the ground, unable to mount any offense against her overwhelming power. As I lie there, bruised and broken, Edith stands above us, a menacing grin on her face, her flames casting long shadows.
Is she a devil? The thought flickers in my mind before the pain becomes too much and everything goes black.
Dream Sequence
I wake up in a surreal, unfamiliar space—an endless room filled with stars and constellations. The ground ripples like water with each step I take. What is this place? I wander through the room, searching for an explanation, but the only thing that stands out is a white throne at the far end. Upon it sits a crown, glowing with an unnatural light.
"Come," a voice beckons, coming from the crown.
"Who are you?" I ask, hoping for some kind of answer, but there's only the constant beckoning from the crown.
"Come, come, come."
I begin to feel like I'm being drawn to the throne. I try to stop myself, but I can't. I don't understand what's going on, but my instincts tell me to stay away from that crown. Just a few feet from it, I feel my body heat up, and immediately I'm pulled out of the room forcefully.
"He's waking up."
I open my eyes to see my mother, Drefan, and Edith hovering over me with concerned looks on their faces. Edith is still on fire, her flames touching my arm.
"What's going on?" I ask, trying to sit up.
"Don't get up yet," Edith says, gently pushing me back down.
"You've been out for four hours, Kairos," my mother says, a look of fear on her face. "I was scared you wouldn't wake up. Edith had to force-feed you her mana."
As she says this, I glance at Edith, now noticing how tired she looks. Her mana is fluctuating weakly, as if she's drained. There's a heaviness to it—a feeling of guilt. Does she blame herself?
To calm everyone down, I let out a laugh, surprising them all. "I'm okay now," I say with a big smile. Slowly, they relax, but Edith's mana still carries that hint of guilt. She puts out her flames and sits back, exhausted.
"I'll watch over him for the night," Edith says to my mother. I feel perfectly fine, but I can tell Edith needs this, so I convince my mother to let her stay.
"Hope you get better," Drefan says, leaving the room with my mother.
"Are you okay?" I ask Edith, noticing that she looks lost in thought after we're left alone.
"What? Yes, I am… I should be the one asking you," she says, her voice distant.
"Are you sure?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your mana… it's filled with guilt."
"What?"
"I can see your mana… it's a gift."
"That's quite a gift," she says, sighing. "I do feel guilty. I let my rage win and almost killed you."
"I'm sure you held back," I say jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. It seems to work, as she lets out a soft chuckle.
"That's not funny," she says, trying to stay serious. "I could have killed you."
"Maybe, but you didn't."
My attempt to make her forgive herself doesn't seem to be working. What can I do? Maybe a form of punishment will make her feel better. Will she believe she's atoned if I impose something on her?
"Okay, how about this? I'll give you a punishment of my choice whenever I want for almost killing me," I say, watching her mana closely. It fluctuates again. Her emotion changes. Relief.
"If that's what you want, I'll agree to it," she says solemnly. Her eyes and mana, however, betray her—they reveal relief.
"Very well then, that's what we'll do," I say with a smile on my face. She turns away from me instantly, staring out the window.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
I see the side of her cheek curl into a smile.
"Get some rest," she says, standing up and leaving the room.
That's strange. Why did she leave?
Just then, an image of the crown and throne flashes in my mind, accompanied by a searing pain. I growl in agony, clutching my head. What is this feeling? I feel like I'm being drawn into a vortex. The room spins, and I struggle to stay conscious, but I can't. I'm about to pass out. The room fades. I feel cold. Am I dying?
I black out for a moment. I feel like I'm sinking in a pool of water, gradually descending. A hand grabs me, a familiar mana flow. I open my eyes to see the silhouette that's been watching me.
"It's not time yet," a female voice says, before I'm pulled out of the pool of water.
I'm back in my room. It's cold. Am I wet? My clothes are dripping, my hair fallen. What just happened? Where did I go? Who was that? Questions flood my mind as I remain seated on my bed, feeling numb. It takes a while, but I eventually fall asleep.
The week flies by just as it began. I spend most of it watching Drefan train with Edith. My mother insists I stay away from combat after my incident, although I secretly train with Edith, using my "guilt chip" to secure private lessons. I enjoy my time at home, but now it's time to leave.