Kaleb awoke in darkness, his body weightless and his mind foggy. He blinked, trying to focus, but the world around him was a swirling void, cold and oppressive.
"Ah, the meat-pie stirs!" a sharp, mocking voice rang out. "And here I thought you might've lasted longer."
Kaleb's heart raced as he turned toward the voice. A figure emerged from the void, stepping with a casual swagger.
His spiky purple hair was as wild as his mismatched robes, his grin sharp but lacking warmth. "Who… are you?" Kaleb croaked, his voice weak and unsteady.
The figure spread his arms dramatically, as if performing for an invisible audience. "Floki, God of Nothing, Trickster Extraordinaire, and now, apparently, your rescuer," he declared with exaggerated flair.
Kaleb frowned, confusion swirling alongside the faint remnants of pain in his chest. "Rescuer? From what?" he asked, the words coming slowly.
Floki's grin widened, his tone turning light and almost sing-song. "Oh, you're very much dead, little storm. That fancy blade your oh-so-loving family handed you? Let's just say it wasn't meant to save you."
Kaleb froze, the memory of the fight flashing through his mind. The glowing runes on the blade, the splintering crack, and the moment he had outsmarted the Gashadokuro, sending it plummeting into the ravine. Relief had flooded through him, his body trembling as he prepared to return to the clan.
"And then," Floki said, his voice cutting through Kaleb's thoughts, "came the real fun part." He snapped his fingers, and Kaleb felt a sudden jolt, like something being ripped from his mind.
"What are you doing?" Kaleb demanded, his voice shaking as he stumbled back. A glowing orb hovered in Floki's hand, swirling with fragmented images and flickers of light.
"Relax," Floki said, tossing the orb into the air. It expanded, forming a large, shimmering screen that floated in the void. "We're just taking a trip down memory lane. You know, for educational purposes."
Kaleb's hands clenched into fists as the screen came to life, the moments of his death playing out before him. He saw himself standing at the edge of the ravine, his chest heaving as he silently celebrated his victory.
"And here we go," Floki said, leaning back with a dramatic sigh. "Watch closely—this is where it gets interesting."
A shadow moved behind Kaleb on the screen, silent and deliberate. Kaleb's breath caught as he saw the figure, cloaked and poised, stepping closer with a dagger glinting faintly in the moonlight.
"What is this?" Kaleb whispered, his voice trembling as the image continued. "I don't remember this."
The screen showed the figure striking swiftly, the blade piercing Kaleb's back with precision. His body stiffened, his knees buckling as his vision dimmed. From Kaleb's perspective, the world had simply gone black.
Floki paused the screen, his grin fading into something sharper. "And just like that," he said, tapping the image of the dagger, "the boy becomes a ghost."
The screen shifted, showing the figure stepping into the moonlight. Vorrick Fulgur's face emerged from the shadows, his expression cold and calculating as he wiped the blood from his dagger. "Your beloved uncle," Floki said with mock reverence. "A true family man."
Kaleb staggered back, his body trembling as the weight of the revelation hit him. "No," he whispered, his voice raw. "He wouldn't… he couldn't…"
"Oh, he did," Floki replied, his tone calm but cutting. "The Stormborn don't waste time on what they consider weak. But you? You were a special case. Your uncle couldn't risk you coming back stronger. You weren't supposed to survive the Gashadokuro, and when you did, he made sure you didn't make it home."
Kaleb's fists tightened, the mixture of grief and fury threatening to consume him. "He killed me," he muttered, his voice low and shaking. "He killed me because he was afraid."
Floki crouched to Kaleb's level, his grin sharp and vicious. "And now," he said softly, "you have a choice, little storm. You can wallow in your betrayal, or you can rise and show them the storm they tried to bury."
Kaleb's eyes burned with determination as he met Floki's gaze. "I'll make them pay," he said, his voice steady despite the storm brewing within him. "Every single one of them."
"Lucky for you, I like fixing broken things," Floki said, his grin never fading. "And you, Kaleb Fulgur, are about to become my favorite little project."
A faint light began to glow in the void, casting Floki's shadow in strange, twisting shapes. The warmth of the light spread through Kaleb, steady and subtle, like the first sparks of a fire.
"What are you doing?" Kaleb asked, his voice wary but edged with curiosity. "Giving you a second chance," Floki said, standing tall as the light pulsed brighter.
...Kaleb's body felt weightless as the light wrapped around him, its warmth growing hotter until it felt like flames licking his skin. Pain surged through his limbs, sharp and unrelenting, as if his very essence was being reshaped.
The darkness around him shattered as Floki's voice rang out. "This isn't just a second chance, little storm. This is a rebirth."
Kaleb gasped as the pain subsided, his body falling onto solid ground. He blinked rapidly, his vision adjusting to a soft glow that illuminated his surroundings.
"Go ahead," Floki said with a sly grin, snapping his fingers. A tall mirror shimmered into existence, standing upright in the empty void.
Kaleb hesitated, his hands trembling as he stepped toward the mirror. When he finally looked, his breath caught in his throat.
His jet-black hair now had an electric blue tint at the ends, the subtle glow catching the faint light around him. His piercing blue eyes had changed too, now tinged with purple at the center, a faint glow barely noticeable but undeniably present.
He reached up to touch his face, noticing his sharper jawline and slightly more mature features. He still wasn't an adult, but he no longer looked like the boy he had been moments before.
His reflection shifted as he took in his new attire. Gone were his tattered clothes, replaced by pristine white kung fu robes with royal blue trim, the fabric flowing gracefully with every movement.
Floki clapped his hands, his grin wide and mischievous. "Well, don't you clean up nicely," he said, gesturing dramatically toward Kaleb. "You're practically glowing. Literally."
Kaleb stared at his reflection, his voice trembling as he spoke. "This… this isn't me."
"Oh, but it is," Floki said, stepping closer. "This is the version of you they feared. Stronger, sharper, and much harder to break."
Kaleb's fists tightened as he turned to Floki, his expression a mix of awe and determination. "What happens now?" he asked, his voice steadier.
Floki's grin turned sly, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Now, little storm, you learn what it means to truly rise."