The night was super quiet, like that stillness that makes every little sound feel louder. Kael strolled through the dimly lit streets, hands in his pockets as he tried to keep his mind on where he was going. But honestly, all he could think about was Amara.
What's she gonna say when she spots me? he thought. Is she gonna be stoked to see him? Or is she gonna be mad that he was reckless enough to go on such a risky mission?
Cobblestone roads reflected the distant streetlights' faint glows as Kael turned the corner instinctively, his feet carrying him toward Amara's apartment. In his mind played the memories of the time they spent together: shared laughs, quiet moments, when the world seemed to fade into emptiness and only he and she remained.
For the first time in ages, Kael felt a little spark of hope. After all the stuff that went down, Amara had always been there for him, like a light in the dark.
He reached her building and climbed the familiar steps. His heart pounded as he stood in front of her door. He raised his hand to knock but stopped when he heard something.
A muffled sound.
Kael furrowed his brows, leaning closer to the door. At first, he thought it was just his imagination. But then, he heard it again—a low, soft moan. His stomach twisted as the sounds grew clearer.
His mind racing with an explanation for it. Perhaps she's injured. Perhaps she's—
The sounds, however, didn't abate and sounded not at all like a cry for help. Kael let his hand fall to his side as the icy feeling crept over him.
His mind was racing, trying to figure out what was going on. Maybe she's hurt. Maybe she's—
But the noises continued, and were not cries of pain. Kael's hand fell to his side as the cold realization slowly began to sink in.
His feet carried him to the side of the building, but he had no control over them. He saw the window to her apartment—one he knew well from the many times he had visited. He cautiously approached it with hesitant movements as if his body was trying to protect him from whatever he was to see.
He looked through the window and froze his heart
Inside, Amara was with another man. They were on the couch, in each other, their bodies moving together in such a way that there was no question. Kael's breath came to a standstill as he observed, stuck still, unable to look away.
The man's voice broke through the haze, clear and cruel. "Why are you even with that loser, Kael?"
Amara laughed softly, totally mocking him. "Oh, you're talking about the 'mighty E-Rank hunter'? Come on. I'm just hanging out with him for kicks."
Kael felt like he was about to fall over. He had to press a hand against the wall to keep himself upright because his legs were about to buckle.
The guy chuckled. "He's such a loser. A dude like that isn't worth your time."
Amara smirked. "Exactly. But he's useful. He'll do anything I ask without question. He's so desperate for approval it's almost cute—pathetic, but cute."
The words pierced Kael like a dagger to the chest. His vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes, and he clenched his jaw tight to bite into his lip in an attempt to keep quiet.
The man bent in closer toward Amara. His voice dipped to a conspiratorial whisper. "You should just ditch him. You're too good for someone like him."
Amara sighed dramatically, as if the idea of Kael was more of an inconvenience than anything else. "I know, I know. But he's harmless. Honestly, he's so weak it's laughable. What's he gonna do, challenge you? He can barely hold his own in a fight."
Kael clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms as if trying to repress his feelings. The pain of betrayal wrapped around him, a tight squeeze.
Why? he thought furiously. Why would she do this? Was everything just a farce?
The guy laughed once more, nastily mocking. "Yeah, he's no match for me. He's just an E-Rank, after all.
He couldn't hear it anymore. Kael pulled away from the window, and his breathing was ragged as he stumbled backward into the shadows. His thoughts were a mess of anger and sadness and humiliation.
Tears dripped down his face, scalding hot and unstemmed, yet he made not a sound. Kael wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing just how deep those words had cut into him.
Kael walked out of the building like his heart was completely shredded into pieces. He did not even know which way he was walking; for real, he did not even care. Streets passed by, hazy and without focus in his line of sight, while his mind simply seemed to hold up a picture of Amara laughing at him with this dude.
He had been totally crushed by the weight of their words, each one just reminding him how small and insignificant he seemed to them.
But under all that sadness and pain, something else began to rise: a spark of anger, some defiance.
They think I'm weak? They think I'm nothing?
Kael wiped the tears off his face, his jaw getting tight. His heart still hurt, but now it was mixed with this burning determination.
I'll show them.
He had no clue how or when it would happen. But one thing was for sure: he wasn't about to let their betrayal run his life.
Kael kept on walking, the cool night breeze hitting his face. Everything felt weighty, more than ever, but for the first time, he actually didn't feel like bolting.
One day, he figured, as his steps became more solid, they're gonna regret underestimating me.
And as he disappeared into the darkness of the city once more, the faint light of system's interface flickered across the edge of his sight, a quiet reminder of power now at his fingertips.
The Kael Eryndor they had known was gone.