The golden water in the tub, once vibrant with healing energy, gradually dimmed as the last traces of magic dissipated. The once-glowing liquid turned dull, signaling that there were no more injuries left to mend. Kael's previously ragged breathing evened out, becoming steady and serene. It was a clear sign—the healing process was complete.
Orm, standing at the side of the tub with his arms crossed, observed the young man closely. A deep sigh escaped him before he raised his right hand, gathering a small amount of magia at the tip of his index finger. The energy coalesced into a tiny, crackling orb of electricity, its faint blue glow illuminating his calloused hand. Without hesitation, he flicked the ball of lightning into the tub.
The moment it touched the water, a sharp crack of energy surged through the liquid.
A jolt of electricity shot through Kael's body, forcing his muscles to spasm involuntarily. His eyes snapped open, and with a startled yelp, he shot upright in the tub, water splashing in all directions. His breath came in short, confused gasps as he instinctively scanned his surroundings, his red hair clinging wetly to his forehead.
His vision cleared, and he took in the sight before him—Orm standing with a neutral yet expectant expression, Sui leaning against the railing with his usual smirk (though there was something sharper in his eyes), and Zyra standing near the entrance, arms crossed, watching with amusement.
But it was Zyra's presence that puzzled him the most. While he knew she was acquainted with Orm and Sui, seeing her here, within the courtyard of the Red Door, was still surprising.
His brows furrowed as he spoke, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. "Am I… out of the dungeon?"
Orm nodded. "You were carried out by your friends and brought here. You were in bad shape. Seemed like you took quite a beating, but Zyra handled that." He gestured toward the potion master, who merely lifted a brow in response. "Now, go sit over there. We need to hear your side of the story."
Kael, still dazed, slowly climbed out of the tub, water streaming from his body as he stepped onto the cool stone floor. His muscles felt strangely light, as if all the tension and pain had been drained away. Wrapping a towel around himself, he moved toward a wooden bench and sat down, gripping the edges as he tried to recall what had happened.
His mind searched for the last thing he remembered.
"I was fighting the horde of goblins," he murmured, his eyes narrowing as fragmented memories pieced together. "But… at some point, everything just… faded. I blacked out. And now I'm here."
Sui, who had been silent up until now, suddenly spoke, irritation lacing his tone. "You moron."
Kael blinked at him in confusion.
Sui pushed off the railing, walking closer with his arms crossed. "While fighting, you unconsciously copied my battle technique—the Dance you've been watching while training here." His blue eyes were sharp with reprimand. "Do you have any idea what you just did? It took me eight years to properly use that in real combat. Eight. And another four for my body to completely adapt to it." He exhaled sharply. "Yet you, dumbass, tried using it for the first time mid-battle. Your body couldn't handle it, so it shut down."
Kael's stomach sank as the weight of Sui's words settled in.
Orm, his expression stern, added his own piece. "Almost all your muscles were damaged. That technique requires precise control, strength, and magia to handle the strain it puts on your body. You used none of that." His voice was deep, firm. "Next time, think before you try something so reckless. You won't be lucky again."
Kael grimaced, lowering his gaze. He hadn't realized just how much danger he had put himself in. He had only thought about ending the fight as quickly as possible, not the consequences of pushing his body beyond its limits.
"I… didn't know what I did," he admitted, his tone subdued. "We are in danger, goblins are coming almost non stop, all I wanted was to finish the battle fast." He clenched his fists on his lap, then sighed, shoulders dropping. "I'm sorry if I caused trouble."
He turned his head toward Zyra, his red eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you for your help."
Then, much to Zyra's surprise, he bowed deeply from where he sat.
Zyra raised a brow before shaking her head with a small smirk. "It's fine, kid. Just be careful next time," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "And don't be so reckless."
The atmosphere settled, tension giving way to quiet contemplation. Orm watched Kael with a serious expression, while Sui simply exhaled, shaking his head. Zyra, on the other hand, took one last glance at the boy before turning toward the exit.
Kael leaned back against the bench, staring up at the featureless white sky. The consequences of his actions weighed heavily on him, but even now, a thought lingered in the back of his mind.
He had done it.
Even if it was reckless, even if it nearly broke him—he had done it.
A small, barely noticeable smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
------
The heavy metal door of the forge creaked open, revealing Kael and Orm as they stepped out into the shop. The warm glow from the forge's embers cast their long shadows onto the wooden floor.
Kael stood tall, his posture relaxed yet composed. His armor was once again strapped securely to his frame, and his twin axes rested comfortably at his sides. Despite the severe injuries he had sustained earlier, there was no visible sign of weakness left in him. It was as if he had never been wounded at all.
His crimson eyes swept over the familiar faces waiting for him—Adrian, Mila, and Elise. They had been waiting for his return, and the moment he locked eyes with them, a surge of gratitude welled up inside him.
Without hesitation, Kael took a step forward and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry for causing you trouble and making you worry," he said, his voice steady but sincere. "I promise I'll make it up to you. I owe you all—big time."
Adrian was the first to respond, flashing a lopsided grin. "Hey, it's fine. You were the one who saved us first anyway. Paying back the favor is nothing much."
Mila crossed her arms, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, seriously, without you and Elise, I don't think we would have survived that horde of goblins."
Elise let out a sigh, placing her hands on her hips. "You moron, trying to be a hero doesn't suit you. Just don't be so reckless next time, alright?"
Hearing their words, Kael felt a genuine smile spread across his face. He wasn't used to being fussed over, but it felt… nice. Their concern, their camaraderie—it was a warmth he hadn't expected.
"Thank you, guys. Really," he said, his voice softer now. "If it weren't for you all, I don't know if I would've made it out of there."
Orm, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat, drawing their attention.
"Brat," he said, fixing Kael with a stern gaze. "Make sure you learn from this." Then he turned to the others. "As for you three, making it out of a dungeon safely after a monster stampede is no small feat. Consider this a reward—I'll do free repairs on your gear."
Kael's brows furrowed slightly. "Monster stampede?"
Orm nodded. "Yes, brat. You were lucky to survive it. A stampede happens when a unique monster is evolving into a boss. During that process, monsters become restless, their aggression skyrockets, and they start moving in unnatural ways."
A sudden realization struck Kael, and he turned to Adrian, his expression questioning.
Adrian, catching the look, let out a tired sigh. "Yeah… that might be the cause," he admitted. "I need to report this to the Dungeon Diver Guild."
Mila nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation. Without wasting time, the two of them excused themselves and left the Bear Paw, heading straight for the guild.
Kael and Elise exchanged glances, both coming to the same unspoken conclusion—they needed rest.
"Let's take days off," Kael suggested. "We should recover properly before diving back in."
Elise gave a small nod. "Agreed."
With that decision made, they turned back to Orm, offering their thanks before finally heading home for the night.
------
Kael pushed open the wooden door, the familiar creak announcing his arrival. The warm glow of candlelight illuminated the cozy interior, casting soft shadows across the modest furnishings. The scent of home-cooked stew still lingered in the air, though it had long since cooled.
Before he could take another step, a blur of movement shot toward him.
"Big bro!"
His younger siblings, Aiden and Lyra, rushed forward, their tiny feet pattering against the wooden floor. Their small figures crashed into his legs, wrapping their arms tightly around him.
"You're back! You're back!" Aiden cheered, his voice high-pitched with excitement.
Lyra, always the more observant of the two, pulled back slightly, tilting her head up to look at him with big, curious eyes. "You don't look okay… Weren't you supposed to be okay everytime?"
Kael chuckled, ruffling Aiden's hair before giving Lyra a playful flick on the forehead. "I was, but I got better. See? I'm fine."
Aiden beamed, clearly satisfied with the answer, but Lyra narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Hmm… Did you drink a magical super potion? Or did you turn into a monster and heal yourself?"
Kael smirked. "Maybe I did. What if I became a goblin while I was in the dungeon?"
Lyra gasped, stepping back dramatically. "No way! That means we have to slay you before you become the Goblin King!"
Aiden, caught up in the game, grabbed a wooden spoon from a nearby table and pointed it at Kael like a sword. "Fear not, little sister! I will defeat this evil goblin!"
Kael laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, you got me. But if you take me down, who's going to bring you sweets from the market?"
Both children froze. Aiden immediately lowered his spoon, while Lyra squinted at him, clearly weighing the pros and cons of slaying her brother versus getting sweets.
"…Fine. You can live," Lyra said begrudgingly.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Kael turned just as his parents, Darius and Evelina, entered from the back room.
Darius, a broad-shouldered man with short, graying hair and sharp brown eyes, crossed his arms as he eyed his son. "You were supposed to come straight home after your dive. What happened?"
Evelina, standing beside him, had the same crimson-red hair as Kael, though hers was tied back into a neat braid. Her blue eyes studied him with concern. "We heard from some of the other divers that there was a monster stampede. Are you hurt?"
Kael sighed, scratching the back of his head. "We got caught up in it… were fine now. I had some help."
Darius's eyes narrowed. "Help?"
Kael nodded. "Adrian with his companion Mila and Elise took care of me. If it weren't for them, I'd probably still be out cold."
At the mention of Orm, his father's expression eased slightly. "Hmm. That boy? He is reliable, I'll give him that."
Evelina, however, stepped closer, her motherly instincts in full force as she scanned him for any lingering injuries. "Are you sure you're completely healed? You don't feel any pain?"
Kael hesitated. He could still feel the strange change in his body—the heightened senses, the lightness in his limbs—but it wasn't pain. It was something else. Something new.
"I'm fine, Mom. Really." He gave her a reassuring smile.
She sighed, but nodded. "Good. But you're not diving again tomorrow."
Kael blinked. "Huh? Yeah about that"
"You heard your mother," Darius said firmly. "You're taking the day off."
Kael opened his mouth to protest, but hesitated. He had already planned to rest, but hearing his father order it was strange. Normally, Darius pushed him to train harder, to dive more often, to get stronger.
"…Alright," Kael agreed. "I was planning to rest anyway."
Evelina smiled, clearly relieved. "Good. You can spend the day with your siblings. They've missed you."
Lyra and Aiden immediately perked up. "We get to play with Big Bro all day?!"
Kael chuckled, feeling a warmth settle in his chest. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't try to slay me again."
Aiden grinned mischievously. "No promises."
Darius let out a deep chuckle. "Get some sleep, Kael. You need it."
With that, the family settled back into their routine, the night wrapping around them like a comforting blanket. For the first time in a long while, Kael felt at ease. Even with the mysteries surrounding his newfound strength, he allowed himself to simply enjoy the warmth of home.