Leon jerked his eyes open, but all he saw was darkness—black, dense, suffocating.
"Where… am I?" he managed, though his voice seemed to vanish into the void. Panic rose as he tried to speak again, only to find he couldn't breathe, couldn't even form a scream. The sensation was like being plunged into deep water, his limbs impossibly heavy and slow.
Outside, Kai knelt beside Leon's limp body, his heart pounding as he watched his brother's skin grow pale and clammy. Leon's muscles twitched and spasmed, and every few seconds, his entire frame shuddered, as though something inside was battling for control.
He's not just unconscious—something's going wrong, Kai thought in alarm. It wasn't supposed to be this intense.
Desperate, Kai pressed a trembling palm to Leon's forehead, intending to channel his own Nafs to help. In an instant, a violent jolt blasted him backward. Pain shot through his body as he hit the ground with a heavy thud, stars dancing in his vision.
"What the—?" Kai gasped, forcing his eyes to focus. A glance at his palms made his stomach twist. Black tendrils—thick, oily, and alive—were creeping into his arm through his very skin.
"Zhull!" he realized, horrified.
He gritted his teeth and summoned his purple Nafs, trying to stave off the invading darkness. Agony flared in his veins like molten metal, and he roared as he fought to keep the blackness from spreading further.
Meanwhile, inside the black ocean of his mind, Leon thrashed about in slow motion. His lungs burned for air, but every movement felt smothered, as if the liquid darkness weighed a thousand pounds. Am I drowning? he thought, heart hammering. Help!
He tried to scream, but no sound escaped. His vision blurred, and every instinct told him to swim up—yet there was no "up," no sense of direction at all in this suffocating void. Worse, the water moved. He felt it shift, something massive stirring in the depths.
A chilling realization hit him: I'm not alone down here.
He strained his eyes, searching for any hint of light. Suddenly, a shape emerged—a mouth. It glowed a shade of black more vivid than the surrounding darkness, impossibly large, impossibly close. Leon's heart seized in terror. He tried to kick, to flail, to do anything, but his limbs refused to move. No… no, no!
His final thought before the jaws closed in was pure, primal panic.
Outside, Kai roared in pain as he forced the black tendrils away from his bloodstream. Purple energy crackled around him, forming a cloud that battled the writhing darkness. His right arm throbbed with every heartbeat, the veins beneath his skin turning an eerie shade of gray.
Leon, hang on… Kai's own thoughts teetered between desperation and guilt. I pushed him too far, too soon. This is all my fault.
Suddenly, Leon's eyes flew open. He jerked upright with a ragged scream, tears spilling as he choked on a mixture of spit and fear.
"W-where am I?" he gasped between hyperventilating breaths, sweat and tears mingling on his cheeks.
"You're back," Kai managed, voice rough. He dropped to his knees beside Leon, gripping his shoulders tightly. His own body was shaking, and every breath he took felt like razor blades in his lungs. "You're safe now."
Leon coughed violently, his entire torso lurching with the force of it. "That—" he wheezed, unable to form a coherent sentence. Terror still danced in his eyes, and he clutched Kai's forearm with white-knuckled desperation.
"Easy," Kai said, struggling to keep his voice gentle. He rubbed Leon's back with a trembling hand, feeling the slickness of sweat soaking through his shirt. "Just breathe. Slow. In… out…"
Leon nodded, but every inhale felt like shards of glass slicing his throat. Calm down… calm down… he repeated in his head, trying to drown out the memory of that giant mouth, that crushing darkness.
After several moments, he finally caught enough air to speak. "I-it was terrifying," he whispered, his voice quaking. "I… couldn't breathe… I was drowning… and then this… giant mouth…"
Kai's eyes narrowed with concern. He glanced at his own arm—riddled with bite-like marks, burned patches, and darkened veins. He quickly tugged his sleeve over the worst of it, hoping Leon wouldn't notice. A Sahalim shouldn't be lethal, he thought. So why did it try to kill him?
"We moved too fast," Kai said aloud, forcing a steadiness he didn't feel. "You weren't ready to enter the Sahalim. I'm sorry… I should've waited."
Leon inhaled shakily. "I… I felt it," he admitted, voice cracking. "There's something inside me—something big, something horrifying. If I use my Nafs again… I'm scared it'll kill me." Tears fell from his eyes as his voice quivered. "No more— I can't be a Rulin. I can't!"
Kai's heart twisted at the sight of his brother's tears. Leon had always been so brash, so eager. But now, he looked genuinely broken. "We don't have to continue," Kai said softly, placing a reassuring hand on Leon's back. "I'll figure out a way to handle your powers so you can live normally."
Leon nodded, his entire body still shaking. He staggered to his feet, peeling off his drenched shirt and tossing it aside like it was contaminated. "Let's just go home," he whispered, voice hollow.
Kai stood as well, grimacing at the lingering pain in his arm. He watched Leon's defeated posture—his shoulders slumped, his eyes haunted—and felt an overwhelming pang of guilt. Maybe Dad was right, he thought. Leon's just too young for this.
As Leon walked away unsteadily, Kai followed, the training field eerily silent around them. Overhead, the stars glittered coldly, and the moon shone down on two brothers who had just brushed against a darkness neither of them fully understood.
Weaver Fren arrived at the house early in the morning, stepping inside with a calm but inquisitive demeanor. Kai greeted him at the door, face drawn and serious.
"Is Leon ready?" Fren asked, glancing around as though expecting to see the young Novice.
Kai sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "About that…" He gestured for Fren to sit, then joined him. "There's been… a complication."
Fren frowned, clearly concerned. His eyes landed on the bandaged wound on Kai's arm. "What happened to you, Sir Kai? And what's this about Leon?"
Kai's gaze dropped to the table, shame knotting his stomach. He produced the bronze badge from his pocket and held it out to Fren. "I'm sorry. Leon can't pursue being a Rulin right now. This is yours."
Fren stared at the badge, his worry deepening. "Why? He seemed so excited yesterday. Did something happen?"
Kai felt a pang of guilt; Fren had respected his request for secrecy, and now Kai was forced to offer at least a partial explanation. "It was my fault," he admitted. Lifting his free hand, he conjured the faint glow of his purple Nafs. "I recently reached Lawamma. Hardly anyone knows."
A flicker of surprise lit Fren's face. "Congratulations. That's a major achievement."
Kai's expression remained grim. "Thank you, but it led to a miscalculation. As you know, once you're in Lawamma, you can access your Sahalim." He paused, noticing how Fren's features darkened with sudden understanding. "I tried to guide Leon into his too soon. He wasn't ready. The backlash was… severe."
Fren set the badge on the table and leaned forward, disappointment evident in the tight line of his mouth. "You scholars and your experiments," he said quietly. "Why attempt something that risky before awakening his Latifa? He would've had at least some measure of protection."
Kai swallowed hard. "I know. It was reckless. I have no valid excuse." His gaze flickered to the bandages on his arm, and shame twisted inside him. "He's… not hurt too badly physically, but his psyche took a hit. Every time he tries to sleep, his own Nafs drags him back into the Sahalim."
"That's dangerous, Sir Kai," Fren said, his voice dropping to a worried hush. "You're aware his mind could be destroyed if this continues."
Kai nodded, numb with regret. He reached for a biscuit, as though the simple act might ground him, but the taste turned bitter in his mouth. "I'm keeping my Nafs running through him, hoping to stabilize things until I find a solution. For now, we have to pause his training entirely."
Fren rose from his seat with a sigh, sliding the badge into a pocket. "What an unfortunate turn of events. I know you're a highly regarded researcher in the city… but this time, you went too far."
A wave of guilt slammed into Kai, who rose to follow Fren to the door. "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this. I apologize for wasting your time. I'll repay you somehow."
"Don't worry about payment." Fren shook his head. "I was already passing through on patrol." At Kai's curious look, he added, "Weavers were dispatched for border duty—there's been Hanyue tribe activity nearby."
Kai's heart lurched. "The Hanyue?" The name alone chilled him. "Are you saying they're in this area?"
Fren nodded, face turning grim. "We're not sure if any Qashir are with them, but that's why we're here." His hand reached for the door. "In any case, since there's no need for me to stay, I'll be returning to file my report."
He paused with his hand on the handle, his voice cooling as he turned back. "Sir Kai… I understand you want to protect your brother. That's why you're keeping him away from the city. But know this—"
A sudden pale-blue light flickered in Fren's eyes, and a heavy aura radiated from him. "I've been a Weaver for many years Sir Kai, facing more Zhulls than I can count. Their stench is unmistakable, and I smell it here."
Kai's heart thundered in his chest. Without thinking, he summoned his own Nafs—thick purple clouds enveloped him, heat coursing through his body. A single bead of sweat ran down his temple as the house itself seemed to quake under the pressure of their opposing energies.
For a moment, the two men locked gazes, their auras colliding like thunderheads. Kai's arm throbbed painfully beneath its bandages, reminding him of just how unfit he was for a direct fight. I'm no fighter—I'm a scholar, he thought, chest constricting with both fear and anger. But I can't back down.
A voice from upstairs rang out, panicked. "What's going on?!"
Fren inhaled and let his energy recede, his eyes returning to normal. Kai followed suit, feeling an immediate wave of exhaustion. Fren's parting words were cold: "Keep watch over your brother. If anything happens, I'll return—and I won't be alone."
He pulled the door open and strode out, leaving Kai standing there, hands shaking, heart pounding.
A flurry of footsteps came thundering down the stairs—Kai's parents, their faces damp with sweat. "Kai, what in the world just happened?!" his mother demanded breathlessly.
Kai slumped onto the sofa, pressing a hand to his forehead. His lungs felt squeezed, as though he'd just sprinted a mile. "Nothing," he lied, drawing a labored breath. "Just… a misunderstanding."
His father studied him, concern etched into his lined face. "You're pale as a sheet, son," he murmured, but he didn't push. The tension in the room was stifling.
Kai couldn't stop replaying Fren's warning in his mind: If anything happens, I'll return—and I won't be alone. He swallowed against the knot in his throat, painfully aware of the bandaged arm he clutched protectively. He knows something's off. He knows Leon's tied to the Zhull.
Another knock at the door startled them all.
"I'll get it," his father said, hurrying over.
Kai didn't move; he felt too drained to even stand. Moments later, he heard his father's voice, forced into a semblance of cheer. "Oh, Nahlia, dear. Good to see you."
She entered hesitantly, taking in the disarray—frames on the wall knocked askew, furniture shifted, and Kai himself drenched in sweat and slumped on the sofa.
"Kai?" she asked, eyes wide with concern. She stopped short, seeming unsure whether to approach with his parents still present.
His mother caught on quickly. "Honey, let's go upstairs and tidy," she said to Kai's father, tugging him along. "A few things fell; we'll be back."
The moment his parents left, Nahlia rushed over, her voice trembling. "Kai, what—what happened? You're hurt?" She motioned to the bandages on his arm, where a faint stain of red was visible.
Kai forced a weak smile, using the last of his composure. "It's nothing, really. Just scraped it." He knew the lie was transparent, but he couldn't bring himself to burden her with the truth.
Her frown deepened. "You're pale, sweating… This is more than a scrape." She reached out gently, but hesitated to touch him without permission.
He exhaled, heat flooding his cheeks—equal parts embarrassment and relief. The tension from Fren's visit and the guilt eating at him eased slightly just seeing her worry. "I promise, I'm fine," he said, his voice a shade warmer. "What brings you here?"
"Well, my mom told me you dropped by yesterday," Nahlia explained, still eyeing his injury. "I just wanted to see if everything was okay. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Kai shook his head, offering her a grateful smile. "No, really. Did you like the flowers?" He tried to shift the subject, though he saw the worry that lingered in her eyes.
She nodded, but her beautiful eyes clouded in worry, lingered on his arm.
Seeing that same beautiful concern only made him want to reassure her, so—on instinct—he reached out and patted her head gently. "Don't worry," he whispered, his own breath unsteady. "I'm just worn out. You being here helps, honestly."
Nahlia blinked in surprise at the gesture, her cheeks colouring. Despite the anxiety gnawing at the edges of his mind, Kai felt a flicker of genuine comfort in her presence. Even if just for a moment, everything feels a little less suffocating.