Chapter 1: A Kind HandA Sky Unlike Any Other
Kael couldn't remember the moment he fell asleep—or if he had even closed his eyes. One second, he was trudging home from another late shift, rain plastering his hoodie to his back. The next, he was lying on the ground, staring at a sky that wasn't his own.
It was purple. Not the soft, fleeting lilac of twilight, but a deep, consuming hue streaked with gold and black, as though the stars had melted into the ether.
He sat up abruptly, the chill of the damp earth seeping through his clothes. Around him stretched an ancient forest, its twisted trees tangled together like an army of skeletal fingers clawing at the heavens.
"What... is this?" Kael muttered, his breath curling in the frigid air.
His voice was hoarse, almost drowned by the distant rustle of leaves. He rubbed his arms, more out of instinct than warmth. This wasn't a dream. He could feel the rough texture of bark under his fingers, smell the faint, metallic tang of the wind.
"Hey!"
The voice startled him, sharp and clear against the quiet. Kael twisted toward the sound, his body stiffening.
A girl stepped into view, her brown eyes wide with surprise and concern. She had a satchel slung over one shoulder, and her auburn hair was tied back in a loose braid that swayed as she moved closer.
"You... you're not hurt, are you?" she asked, slowing her approach.
Kael blinked, his brain scrambling for words. "Uh, no. I'm fine, I think." He hesitated. "Where am I?"
Her gaze flicked around the clearing before settling on him again. "You're not from here, are you?"
"No," Kael admitted. He stood cautiously, brushing dirt from his jeans. "I don't even know how I got here."
She tilted her head, her expression softening. "Then you really shouldn't stay here. It's dangerous this close to sundown."
"Dangerous?"
"Yes," she said quickly, glancing over her shoulder. "There are daemons in these woods."
Daemons? Kael opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but the urgency in her voice silenced him. He'd figure it out later—when they weren't standing in a creepy forest that apparently had monsters lurking around.
"Alright," he said, falling into step behind her.
Aira
The girl—Aira, as she introduced herself—led him through the winding paths of the forest with surprising confidence. She didn't speak much at first, her focus fixed on the path ahead. Kael didn't mind. His head was spinning with too many questions to hold a conversation.
After what felt like an eternity, the trees thinned, revealing a small clearing with a modest wooden cabin nestled among the underbrush. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney, and the warm glow of candlelight spilled through the windows.
"You can rest here for now," Aira said, pushing the door open.
The cabin was small but cozy. A worn rug covered the floor, and shelves lined with jars of herbs and books occupied the walls. Kael sat heavily on a wooden stool by the fire, grateful for the warmth.
"Here." Aira handed him a steaming bowl of soup.
Kael blinked at her. "Why are you helping me?"
She shrugged, sitting across from him. "You looked lost."
"I am lost," he muttered, staring into his bowl. The broth reflected his weary face, and for a moment, he felt the weight of his situation press down on him. "I don't even know how I got here."
Aira didn't press him for details. Instead, she offered a small, understanding smile. "Then maybe you're here for a reason."
The First Encounter
Kael jerked awake to the sound of something crashing outside.
The fire in the hearth had burned low, casting long shadows across the room. Aira was already at the door, her face pale.
"Stay here," she whispered.
"What is it?" Kael demanded, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
Aira didn't answer. She slipped outside, and Kael hesitated only a moment before following her.
The clearing was bathed in the faint light of the alien sky, but it did little to chase away the darkness pooling at the edges of the forest. And from that darkness, it emerged.
Kael couldn't even find the words to describe it. The daemon was massive, its body shifting like smoke given form. Its face—or what passed for one—was an ever-changing mass of jagged shapes, with hollow, glowing eyes that pierced through the gloom.
"Aira," Kael whispered, his voice trembling. "What the hell is that?"
Her hands began to glow faintly, a golden light pooling in her palms. "It's a daemon," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "Get back, Kael."
"No," he said, his feet rooted to the ground. "You can't fight that thing alone!"
"I have to," she shot back. "It's heading for the village. If I don't stop it here—"
The daemon surged forward, cutting off her words. Aira raised her hands, the golden light expanding into a barrier between them and the creature. For a moment, it held, the daemon's shadowy form crashing against the glowing shield.
But only for a moment.
Kael could only watch in horror as the daemon's claws tore through the barrier and struck Aira. She cried out, blood blooming across her tunic as the light around her flickered and died.
"Aira!" Kael ran to her side, catching her as she fell.
Her breaths were shallow, her eyes unfocused. She reached for him, her bloodstained hand trembling. "Kael... please... save me."
He choked back a sob. "I—I will. Just hold on. Please, Aira—"
But her hand fell limp, and the light in her eyes dimmed.
The Beginning of the Cycle
Kael's scream echoed through the clearing.
Without thinking, he charged at the daemon, rage blinding him to everything else. The last thing he felt was the creature's claws ripping through his chest.
Then, nothing.
When Kael opened his eyes, he was back in the forest, lying on the ground beneath the alien sky.
"Aira!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.
She was there, a few steps ahead of him, her brown eyes wide with concern.
"Hey," she said, her voice exactly as he remembered it. "Are you okay?"
Kael's heart stopped. "No," he whispered, his voice trembling.
Because he knew.
He couldn't save her.
And this was only the beginning.