"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I don't want to remember my past!"
Blessing slammed his book shut, the sound sharp against the stillness of the room. Tears slid from his dark azure eyes, his expression twisting with pain. He shot up from the wooden chair, knocking it over as he stood. It crashed to the floor behind him. His fists clenched at his sides, and strands of his long royal-blue hair flared around him like threads of ice-cold fire.
"You can't keep running from it, Blessing." Alcer's voice trembled with urgency. "This is the only way to break the seal."
Blessing turned to face him. Their eyes met, and for a long, tense moment, neither spoke. The air in the room was heavy, thick with things left unsaid. Only the sound of Blessing's ragged breathing filled the space.
Without a word, he stepped toward the door, opened it, and walked out into the hallway, letting the silence crash behind him like a wave
***
Blessing stepped into the quiet restaurant, the bell above the door chiming faintly behind him. It was a quiet little shop on the north end of his house — his usual escape. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on an empty table beside the window. He walked over and slid into the seat, the soft buzz of his headphones filling the silence — not with music, but stillness. That was how he preferred it. No voices. No questions.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached.
"What's with the gloomy look, Blessing? Yesterday, you were glowing with excitement. What happened?"
Ember stood beside him, holding a notepad. Her short violet hair curled slightly at the ends, and her dark eyes shimmered with concern.
Blessing didn't look at her. His gaze stayed on the city beyond the window, half-lidded, his body slouched forward against the windowsill.
"It's Alcer," he muttered. "He's trying to force me into doing something I don't want."
Ember sighed gently. "You know, Alcer's your guardian. He's just doing what's best for—"
"Ember, please." Blessing's voice dropped. "I don't want to talk about this."
There was a pause. Then Ember nodded. "Okay. What can I get you?"
"Lemonade."
She gave him a small smile and walked off.
Blessing sat up straight suddenly, a chill crawling up his spine. Something was wrong—something far beyond the restaurant walls.
"What is this aura I'm feeling…?"
He pushed himself out of the seat and bolted for the door, completely forgetting his order. Outside, he grabbed his bike and pedaled hard — like something was chasing him. The wind tore past him, his hair flying behind him like royal-blue flames.
A few minutes later, he reached the outskirts of the city. A cave waited for him there, silent and pulsing with pressure. The energy seeping from within made his stomach twist.
"Could it be? Did something from an external verse manage to enter this universe without Alcer noticing? No, that's not possible."
He dropped the bike and stepped forward cautiously, his fists clenched, his posture shifting into combat instinct. The cave seemed to breathe as he walked in, shadows stretching along the damp stone walls.
There, deep inside, a glowing blue gemstone hovered just above the ground. It pulsed softly — calling to him.
Blessing reached out and touched it with trembling fingers.
The world turned white.
And then — nothing.
The seal pulsed in response — as if waiting for him to wake up.
***
Two figures moved through the noisy city streets, the sky above obscured by towering skyscrapers.
"How long have you known this Blessing guy?" asked Innocent, hands buried deep in his hoodie pockets. His fiery red hair flared wildly in the breeze, and his garnet-red eyes burned with restless curiosity.
"Our families were close when we were young," Lunar replied calmly. His silver-gray hair shimmered under the city lights, and his blue eyes were steady. He wore elegant, otherworldly clothes — white with glowing blue stripes — that made him look like he'd stepped out of a different dimension. "The last time I saw Blessing was three years ago, right before Alcer adopted him."
As they walked, heads turned. Everyone on the street stared, intrigued by the strange, striking outfits both boys wore.
"This Alcer guy must be insane," Innocent muttered. "Covering a whole universe with his Sensory-Khan? That's beyond terrifying. No normal being can do that."
"Despite what the news says about him," Lunar said, "Alcer's a good man. When Blessing ran away from his family, Alcer raised him like a father."
Innocent grinned. "I'm gonna ask him to train me."
"I doubt he'll agree," Lunar said, casting him a quick side glance.
They reached Blessing's house and stopped at the gate. Lunar pressed the doorbell.
"Innocent," he added quietly, "Alcer's strength doesn't come from hard work like yours. It comes from something... else."
From inside the house, a voice called out. "Coming!"
A moment later, the door swung open. Alcer stood there, surprised.
"Oh… Lunar. Nice to see you. Come in."
Lunar didn't hesitate. He stepped through the doorway, his voice firm and his posture tense.
"Alcer, sir — the UG has discovered your location. They've sent Laztrus. You must relocate. Immediately."
Alcer paused. His expression barely shifted — only the faintest twitch in his brow betrayed him. Then, as if he were being told it might rain tomorrow, he turned calmly toward the kitchen.
"They've sent Laztrus, huh," he said, reaching for a kettle. He filled it with water and placed it on the stove. "He was bound to show up sooner or later. Would either of you like some tea?"
"Alcer, sir — this is serious!" Lunar shouted.
Alcer put down the kettle and turned to face the balcony, eyes fixed on the peaceful city outside. His voice, when he spoke again, was steady… but under it, something cracked.
"I've spent years running — from decisions, from consequences, from what I always knew would come. But tides don't wait forever. It's time I stopped pretending I can control the storm."
He looked over his shoulder, and his next words fell heavy:
"Blessing… he's no longer a boy. The fire in him is rising. I can feel it — his dream is beginning to call him. And when it does, Lunar… don't hold him back. Let him walk into it. The greatest love we can offer someone is not protection… but freedom."
Lunar flinched. "What are you trying to say?"
His voice cracked. Small tears formed in his eyes.
Alcer turned fully now, eyes deep with history and weight.
"If I go all out, lives will be lost. This planet won't survive that kind of battle."
He stepped closer, placing a hand on Lunar's shoulder.
"I know Blessing's dream might feel distant — like a star you'll never touch. But those are the dreams worth chasing. He doesn't need a protector. He needs someone beside him. Someone to remind him why he started. You knew him before the fire, before the name. Help him become who he was meant to be."
For a long moment, there was silence.
Then, quietly, Alcer said, "Laztrus has already entered this universe. I've felt him drawing closer for some time now."
He looked Lunar in the eyes.
"Please. Take Blessing… and leave this universe."
Outside, the wind died.
Time seemed to hold its breath.
Then, a crack—not of sound, but of reality itself—splitted the sky open.
A black spear fell from the heavens.
It hit the ground silently.
And from the rippling shockwave, Laztrus stepped into this world…
…with a smile, and a whisper of death.