Kai sat in his room for hours, surrounded by stacks of books and loose pages. "Zhull come in various forms and types," he muttered to himself, flipping through a heavily annotated textbook. As a researcher dedicated to understanding the Zhull, keeping his knowledge up-to-date was not just a necessity but a responsibility. He poured over theories, old and new, about their origins, habitats, and behaviors, trying to piece together answers that always seemed just out of reach.
Unlike the creatures native to his world, Zhull were fundamentally alien—shadowy monstrosities with grotesque and nightmarish forms. He stopped at an illustration depicting one mid-lunge, its jagged limbs reaching out as if to devour the page. "In order to rank them, the Zhull are classified into three distinct tiers: Murkspawn, Tenebraith, and Obsidian Overlords," he read aloud, his finger tracing the clean text under each illustration.
The section on Murkspawn was extensive, detailing their physical traits, weaknesses, and the Rulin forces' strategies to combat them. "Murkspawn alone are enough to challenge Vanguards, and some even threaten Guardians," he murmured, shaking his head. Moving to the next tier, Tenebraith, the pages grew thinner, and the text more speculative. These creatures were rare, with sightings handled almost exclusively by Sentinels. Finally, he turned to the blank, almost mocking space dedicated to the Obsidian Overlords. A single sentence was scrawled at the top: Their existence has only been theorized. Few survive to confirm.
"How do we fight something we can't even begin to understand?" he sighed, leaning back in his chair and massaging his temples. The world seemed calm to most, but Kai knew the truth—the Rulin forces were barely holding the line. Shumara, the origin of the Zhull, was leaking its horrors into their world, and the war was far from the victory the public was led to believe. They weren't winning. They were surviving, and just barely at that.
Kai's mind wandered to his brother. "To think Leon is somehow linked to that forsaken world... How?" He tapped a pen against the desk, trying to connect the dots. The image of Leon as a young, carefree boy conflicted sharply with the unsettling implications of his connection to Shumara. Could he be a threat? Or, perhaps, humanity's greatest chance?
But hope felt fleeting. The Rulin's ranks of Sentinels were dwindling, and the Zhull's strength only grew. The margin for error was slim, and someone like Leon—unpredictable and potentially dangerous—was a gamble most would never take.
The muffled sound of raised voices from downstairs snapped Kai from his grim thoughts. "Leon's back," he muttered, rubbing his temples again. The distinct cadence of an argument reached his ears, and he shook his head, deciding to stay put for now.
He tried to redirect his thoughts to something more pleasant, something—no, someone—who had recently brought him a rare sense of peace. Man, she's beautiful, he thought, smiling to himself as memories of his date with Nahlia filled his mind. The way she walked, the subtle inflection in her laugh, the way her eyes lit up at her own stories—it was enchanting.
The dreamlike quality of the date replayed in his head, each detail vivid. "I must be desperate to fall this easily," he said, chuckling quietly. Despite his self-deprecating tone, he couldn't deny the warmth the memories brought him.
Suddenly, a loud, forceful knock at his door shattered his reverie. Kai frowned, the moment of peace slipping away. "Who is it?" he called out, his voice tinged with annoyance.
"Bro, go and convince Mom and Dad!" Leon's voice, thick with frustration, echoed from the other side of the door.
Sighing, Kai set his book down and opened the door. He found his younger brother pacing outside, his face flushed with anger and determination.
"Tell them I'll be coming with you!" Leon demanded, his fists clenched. "I don't care about some damned education when my only goal is to become a Rulin!"
"Relax," Kai said, raising a hand to calm him. "I'll figure something out. For now, just focus on your training, and I'll handle them."
"If they force me to stay, I'll just leave!" Leon declared, his eyes blazing with defiance.
Kai frowned. "Calm down, Leon. If you run away, where will you go?"
"I'll come to you!" Leon snapped, his voice resolute but laced with desperation.
"It's not that simple," Kai sighed, rubbing his temples. "Listen, go cool off and meet me outside. We'll start your training, and I'll tell you something important—something you need to understand about your power. Maybe then you'll see why this isn't just about what you want."
Leon's anger flickered into curiosity, though his furrowed brows betrayed his lingering frustration. He took a deep breath and nodded before walking off, leaving Kai shaking his head.
Descending the stairs, Kai found himself stepping into a storm of its own.
"That idiot!" his father growled, pacing the room with a fury that mirrored Leon's earlier anger. He spun around as Kai entered, his glare sharp. "You need to tell your Weaver friend to screw off. He is filling Leon's head with nonsense!"
"Dad, why are you being so stubborn about this?" Kai shot back, his tone even but firm. "If Leon wants this and I'm there to look after him, where's the problem?"
"And now you think you know better than me?" his father countered, his voice rising.
Kai met his father's glare without flinching. "Technically, I do. I've spent years in the city. I've been in the field. I know what I'm talking about, and I know my brother. If you keep pushing him like this, he'll just run—and I'll be the one to pick up the pieces."
"What makes you think you get to step in?" his father barked, taking a step closer. "I'm his father, not you!"
"And I'm his older brother," Kai replied, his voice sharper now. "That means I have a say in his path, too. If you try to force him to stay here, he's going to make a choice you won't like. Let me take him before it gets to that point."
"You think you can just take him away?" his father growled. "He's not ready for this—he's too immature!"
Kai rolled his eyes, frustration leaking into his tone. "Immature? When I was his age, I was working, studying, and training as a Rulin all at once! You didn't think I was too immature then, did you?"
"That's different!" his father snapped. "You were more mature—"
"I wasn't more mature," Kai interrupted, his voice rising. "I just had more pressure! And I handled it because I had to. I've done everything I could to give Leon and Maribel the chance to follow their own paths, and I'm not letting you take that away from him now."
Kai turned to his mother, his tone softening slightly. "Mom, you know this is true. I've always upheld my responsibilities, and this isn't any different. I can take care of him better than anyone else right now."
His mother sighed deeply, her gaze shifting between her husband and Kai. "We're not worried about your ability, Kai," she said quietly. "We're worried about him. He's still so young."
"I know what you're worried about," Kai said, his voice steady but firm. "You're afraid of losing him. But keeping him here won't protect him—it'll only make him resent you. He's not a child, and you're not his owners. You have to trust him to make his choices."
His mother sighed again, her shoulders slumping. "Just let Kai handle it," she said softly, turning to her husband.
His father glared at Kai for a long moment before finally sitting on the sofa, his face stormy. "If anything happens to him, I'm holding you responsible," he growled.
Kai nodded curtly. "I know." Without another word, he turned and walked out of the house, leaving the tension behind as he stepped into the open air.
Kai sat on the grass, staring at the setting sun as it painted the sky with hues of orange and purple. He sighed deeply. "Man, I do the most and still get the short end." Shaking off his frustration, he leaned back, letting the cool breeze settle his thoughts.
Minutes later, Leon emerged from the house in his training clothes, his earlier fury replaced with a calmer expression.
"You need to learn to control your temper around Dad," Kai said, his tone firm as he glanced over. "He's not young anymore, you know."
Leon rolled his eyes. "Pfft. I still speak more respectfully to him than you do."
Kai smirked. "That's because Dad and I have a different relationship. We're more like partners than father and son."
"Yeah, okay." Leon didn't buy it, shrugging as he crossed his arms. "Anyway, what's the plan?"
"First, follow me to the training field." Kai pushed himself up and led the way.
The village's training field wasn't far—a large, fenced space with neatly trimmed grass and open surroundings. Most people trained early in the morning, so by evening, the place was deserted. For Kai, the emptiness was ideal.
As they entered the field, Kai stopped and turned to his brother. "Leon, remember how I said your power is related to Shumara?"
"Yeah," Leon said, stepping into the field. "You mentioned it's some dangerous place where Zhull come from, right?"
Kai nodded. "Exactly. But after some research, I realized your power isn't just connected to Shumara—it's far more complicated."
Leon chuckled. "More complicated than being linked to a hellish world? That's a stretch."
Kai's expression turned serious, catching Leon off guard. "Whatever I tell you now, you can't share it with anyone. If the wrong people find out, it could mean death—for you and for our entire family."
Leon's mouth twitched. "Come on, that's a bit dramatic—"
"I'm not exaggerating," Kai cut him off. "Your power… it seems to have the ability to give birth to Zhull."
Leon froze, his eyes widening. "W-what? No way."
Kai nodded grimly. "That pebble I had you crush? I ran a few experiments on it. After a few days, it started to form the beginnings of a Zhull."
Leon swallowed hard, his excitement battling with unease. "That's… cool. Dangerous, but cool."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Cool? Leon, think about what the Rulin would do if they found out you could create Zhull. At best, they'd kill you. At worst, they'd drag you off for experiments."
Leon's smirk faded, replaced by a nervous frown. "So what do I do?"
"That's why we're here," Kai said. "If your Ammara alone can create Zhull, imagine what happens when you reach Lawamma—or Mulhimah."
Leon's face paled. "I can't even imagine."
Kai gestured for him to sit. "For now, we need to test your abilities and strengthen your Nafs. But there's more I want to try. When I reached Lawamma, I discovered something called the Sahalim."
Leon sat down, intrigued. "What's that?"
Kai leaned forward, his tone instructive. "The Sahalim is an inner world—a reflection of your emotions, goals, and personality. It's unique to every individual. It's also where your Latifa resides."
"My Latifa?" Leon asked, his curiosity spiking.
"Yes," Kai confirmed. "The Sahalim houses it, and unlocking it can give you immense control over your Nafs. Typically, only those at Lawamma can access it through intense self-reflection, but I think we can try with your powers. If it works, it could accelerate your training."
Leon's eyes gleamed with excitement. "What do I do? How do I enter this place?"
"Calm down first," Kai said, amused by his brother's energy. "I'll guide your Nafs toward your mind. It's going to hurt, and you'll probably lose consciousness. Don't panic when that happens."
Leon grinned confidently. "Don't worry, I've trained my body like crazy. I can handle it."
Kai rolled his eyes. "We'll see. Now, give me your hands."
Leon hesitated, raising an eyebrow. "Bro… I'm not gay."
Kai's eye twitched as he shoved Leon's shoulder. "Just hold my hands, idiot."
Laughing, Leon reached out, but as soon as their hands touched, his mischievous grin returned. He wiggled his fingers. "What, this isn't romantic enough for you?"
Kai sighed, barely resisting the urge to throttle his brother. "Leon, be serious."
"Fine, fine." Leon straightened up, though his smirk lingered.
"Now, slowly release your Nafs toward me and—" Kai paused as Leon's face contorted, holding back laughter.
"Ha!" Leon burst out, falling backward onto the grass.
"What?!" Kai demanded, though a smile tugged at his lips.
"I don't know—it's just funny!" Leon cackled, holding his stomach.
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose, suppressing his own laughter. "Leon, please! Can you focus for once?"
"I'm trying!" Leon laughed harder.
Kai took a deep breath, his patience wearing thin. "Okay, calm down. We'll wait until you're serious."
It took several minutes and a series of deep breaths before Leon finally composed himself, though his face was red from suppressed giggles. By then, the sun had dipped lower, casting long shadows across the empty field.
"Ready now?" Kai asked, his tone dry.
"Yeah, yeah," Leon said, wiping his eyes. "Let's do this."
Kai sighed and nodded. This better work, he thought as he closed his eyes and prepared to begin.
"Release your Nafs into your palms, slowly," Kai instructed, his tone sharp and controlled. He locked eyes with Leon, ensuring his younger brother understood the gravity of what was about to happen. "Too fast, and I won't be able to control it."
Leon nodded, his smirk fading as he felt the tension in the air. For once, he refrained from making a joke. He closed his eyes, focusing inward as he had done during countless training sessions. Yet, this time felt different—heavier, like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
Kai braced himself, his hands steady but his mind alert. The first jolt of energy hit him like a dagger, a searing pain that shot through his palms and up his arms. His face twisted as Leon's Nafs began to flow—a wild, chaotic force unlike anything Kai had ever encountered.
"Ah, damn it!" Leon groaned, his hands trembling violently. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the black tendrils of his Nafs crawled out, writhing like living shadows.
"Don't let go!" Kai's voice was a sharp command, cutting through Leon's panic. The black tendrils lashed out, striking against Kai's own purple cloud-like Nafs, which strained to contain them. Each collision felt like an explosion inside his body, the dark energy burning through his defenses.
"This... this is insane!" Leon gasped, his voice cracking. His whole body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside.
Kai ignored his brother's cries, his focus razor-sharp. "I'm redirecting it back to you now," he said through clenched teeth, his tone cold and unyielding. "It'll hurt like hell, and you'll lose consciousness. Don't fight it. Just endure."
"Endure?!" Leon barely managed to speak as the pain surged. "This feels like—ARGH!"
Kai grunted as he forced his own Nafs to envelop the black tendrils, forming a barrier around the chaotic energy. Each tendril lashed against him, clawing at his essence. It felt like acid eating away at his soul, but he didn't falter. Slowly, he began funneling the energy back into Leon's body.
The strain was visible on both brothers. Leon's face was contorted in agony, his teeth clenched so tightly it felt like they might crack. His hands trembled uncontrollably, the black tendrils slicing through his skin as they surged back into him.
Kai wasn't faring much better. His jaw was set in determination, but his breathing was ragged, and his hands were trembling from the sheer force of holding back Leon's Nafs. "Just a little more," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "Stay with me, Leon."
Suddenly, the black tendrils turned, surging toward Leon's mind. Kai's purple Nafs guided them with precision, wrapping around the chaotic energy like chains and forcing it inward.
Leon let out a blood-curdling scream, his body convulsing as the energy pierced his consciousness. His vision blurred, his mind drowning in a sea of darkness and light. The pain reached an unbearable peak, and with one final cry, his body collapsed, limp and unconscious.
Kai fell back onto the grass, his hands shaking violently. His palms were raw and scorched, faint black marks etching his skin like battle scars. His breath came in ragged gasps, the strain of the ordeal leaving him utterly drained. He stared at his unconscious brother, whose chest rose and fell steadily now, as if the chaos had subsided.
"Damn it, Leon," Kai muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He wiped the sweat from his brow with a trembling hand. "You're more trouble than I thought."
He forced himself to sit upright, his body protesting with every movement. The faint glow of the setting sun cast long shadows over the training field, a stark reminder of how much time had passed. Kai glanced at Leon, his expression softening despite his exhaustion.
He has no idea what this power could do... or what it could cost him.
Kai reached over, placing a hand on Leon's shoulder. "One step at a time," he said to himself. "We'll figure this out. Somehow."
The wind picked up, rustling the grass around them. The field, once silent, now seemed to hum with the residual energy of their training. Kai sat there for a while longer, gathering his strength before he would carry his brother back home.