The chamber was swallowed in the silence of night, broken only by the faint crackle of torchlight. Guru's gaze fixed on Hans, his voice so low it was nearly a whisper.
"Hey… he's not your kid by blood, is he, Hans?"
Hans stopped mid step, his eyes widening slightly, just enough for Guru to notice, before he exhaled slowly. His gaze flickered briefly toward Key, who sat nearby, lost in thought. Hans glanced around cautiously before leaning closer, his tone hushed, heavy with unease.
"How… how did you figure that out?"
Guru's expression darkened, a flicker of something like recognition passed over his face.
"When he let out that power earlier," he said softly,
"something about it felt familiar. Like I've encountered it before."
Without another word, Hans motioned for Guru to follow. They slipped away from the others, their footsteps echoing softly through the long stone corridors. Shadows wavered on the walls, dancing under the dim glow of torches.
Once inside a secluded chamber, Hans shut the door tightly. He turned, his voice kept low.
"Is it… Lun?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
He ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts spinning wildly.
"Laura and I… we never tried to find out if he had it. We didn't care. To us, just having him… that was enough. We only wanted to give him the life he deserved."
Guru shook his head slowly. His calm tone did little to hide the undercurrent of unease.
"No. It's not Lun."
Hans staggered back a step, his voice rising in disbelief.
"Not Lun? Then what kind of power does he have?"
Guru's gaze drifted into the distance, focusing on nothing as if he were searching through his memories.
"I've seen something like it before… I think. But I'm not certain yet." His voice dropped even lower.
"But I'm sure that isn't Lun."
A long silence settled between them.
In this world, Lun was a rare gift, a power bestowed upon only four out of every ten children born. It lived within them, granting special abilities. In the Kingdom of Nebura, those blessed with Lun were bound by law to undergo the Knight's Trial, a tradition designed to select the protectors of the kingdom's future. Those who carried Lun held far greater chances of passing than those without.
But Guru was a man who defied fate. Born without Lun, he had risen against all odds to achieve the rank of Stellar, among the most powerful knights in Nebura. His accomplishments became a beacon of hope for all those born ordinary, proof that greatness was not something inherited at birth but forged through willpower and relentless effort.
For this reason, Guru had always refused to take on disciples who possessed Lun. To him, true strength was not a gift, but something carved out of hardship.
Hans looked to Guru with hopeful eyes, almost afraid to blink.
"So… you'll accept Key as your student?" he asked.
Guru's expression remained calm, though there was a firmness beneath his voice.
"I have never taken a student born with Lun. But this boy… he's different. I'm sure that isn't Lun"
Relief washed through Hans like a cool mountain stream over parched earth. He allowed himself a wide smile, his shoulders easing.
— — —
The following morning, sunlight spilled gently across the training hall. Renzo sat slumped against the wall, bandaged but grinning, while Newth standing beside him.
Key approached hesitantly, his voice quiet, carrying a weight of regret.
"Hey… about last night. I'm sorry."
Renzo waved it off with a carefree snort.
"Dude, don't worry about it. You're amazing. I mean, moving that fast? I didn't even see it coming."
Newth laughed, leaning forward with interest.
"Yeah, same here. One blink, and you sent him flying. It was awesome."
Key bowed his head slightly, still unable to shake the worry clinging to him.
"Even so… I still can't control it… this power, it's dangerous."
Newth tilted his head, curiosity sparking instantly.
"Hold on, dangerous? Do you mean you've got Lu—"
The heavy creak of the door cut him off. Guru entered the hall with Hans at his side.
All three boys straightened instinctively.
Guru's gaze settled on Key.
"Key," he said, "come with me."
Key followed without a word. They entered a dim chamber lit only by the faint glow of torches. At its center sat a plain wooden table, upon which rested a glass of clear, untouched water.
Key's heart pounded, but he trusted Guru.
The test was simple. To determine whether one possessed Lun, a person had only to dip their finger into the water and release their energy. If the water shifted color, Lun was present.
"Place your finger in the water," Guru instructed.
"Focus your energy inward… then let it flow into the water."
Though confused by the instructions, Key obeyed. He dipped his finger into the water, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
The room was silent, save for the sound of his breathing.
Minutes passed. The water did not change.
Guru's brow furrowed. He exhaled softly.
"Again," he said.
Key repeated the process, brow furrowing with effort. Still, the water stayed clear. Once more, they tried. Once more, there was nothing.
No matter how he concentrated, no matter how tightly Guru guided his energy, Key showed no trace of Lun.
A small, almost relieved smile tugged at the corner of Guru's mouth. His suspicions settled into certainty.
"Key," he said,
"from this moment on, you will train, learn, and grow… as my student."
Key's eyes widened, a spark of joy igniting within them.
"Thank you, Master!" he exclaimed, breathless with excitement.
Hans, standing nearby, could not hold back his own smile.
He stepped forward. "Key," he said quietly,
"I won't be visiting often."
Key straightened, his voice steady despite the flicker of sadness in his eyes.
"That's alright, Father."
Hans thought to himself, astonished, He doesn't worry at all?
"I'll miss you, Key," Hans murmured.
Key's smile softened. "I'll miss you too, Father."
Hans chuckled softly, running a hand through his son's hair before turning to Guru, bowing his head slightly.
"Guru, thank you for taking him in. I'll take my leave now."
Guru returned a solemn nod.
"I'll walk you to the gate," he said, his tone carrying its usual quiet dignity.
After that, Key returned to the room where Renzo and Newth were waiting. A wide smile stretched across his face as he told them the news, he was now officially Guru's disciple. Their conversation resumed from where it had left off.
"Newth," Key asked politely.
"you mentioned something earlier. You said I had… something?"
Newth leaned back on his hands, expression thoughtful.
"Right, Lun. It's a rare ability."
Key blinked. "Huh? Me? I have something like that?"
Renzo snorted and shook his head. "Nah, impossible. Guru never lets anyone with Lun train here. And you literally just said he accepted you."
Newth rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Yeah… that's true. So if it's not Lun, then what is it?"
Key gave a soft laugh, shoulders tensing. "Honestly… I don't know either."
Meanwhile, Guru and Hans walked side by side toward the great gate. Between them hung a silence full of unspoken thoughts.
Hans finally spoke, his voice warm but weighed with hesitation.
"Thank you, old friend. I'm entrusting Key to you… for the next ten years."
Guru's expression remained unreadable as he gave a slow nod.
"I'll train him well. But I must ask, how often do you intend to visit him?"
Hans frowned slightly. "I'm… not sure. Maybe once a week? Or once a month?"
Guru stopped walking for a moment, his voice calm but absolute.
"Once a year."
Hans froze. "What?! That's—"
Guru cut him off with a firm, unwavering look.
"If you can't accept that… I will not train him."
Hans let out a long defeated sigh, a faint smile tugging at his lips though it felt forced.
"Fine," he said reluctantly.
"Once a year. If that's what you require."
Guru's eyes drifted, unfocused, as if searching the dim air for a memory just out of reach. Something weighed on him, something he couldn't yet grasp.
"That power…" he murmured, almost to himself. "I've seen it before. But I can't recall where."
He turned slightly toward Hans, a faint tension tightening his brow.
"You said you found him in the Starhaven Flower Garden, right?"
Hans blinked, confused by the sudden shift. "Yes. Why?"
Guru's eyes narrowed, his voice sharpening with intent.
"When you found him… was there anything strange?"
Hans stopped walking, sifting through fragments of memory. At last, he nodded, his expression heavy.
"I remember… the flowers around him were withered. Completely drained. And the cloth he was wrapped in… it was charred in places." He swallowed.
"There was also a strange mark burned into it. Like the letter K."
The moment Hans spoke of the strange mark, Guru's expression darkened. His mind stirred with fragments of a forgotten memory, black flames curling into the shape of a K. He couldn't tell if it was a dream or something he had truly witnessed, but the shadow of it unsettled him.
Hans watched him carefully.
"Guru... what is it?"
Guru exhaled slowly, forcing his voice into calm.
"Nothing. Don't trouble yourself about it."
They finally reached the gate. Hans placed a firm hand on Guru's shoulder before parting ways.
"Take care of him for me," he said, steady but earnest.
Guru met his gaze with quiet conviction.
"I will."
As Hans disappeared into the horizon, Guru remained at the gate, his thoughts still circling around that burned mark. Whatever truth lay behind Key's mysterious power, he was determined to uncover it.