That night, Kael slept fitfully. The glyph on his chest glowed faintly beneath his shirt. In the mirror, his reflection twisted — not entirely human, not entirely him.
A voice whispered from the shadows:
"You cannot hide from me. You are mine as much as you are yours."
Kael's breath caught. His chest ached as if something alive pressed against it. He touched the mark — and saw the shadow ripple across his reflection, moving independently.
He staggered back, fear and fascination mingling. This presence was neither friend nor enemy — yet he knew, instinctively, that survival depended on facing it sooner or later.