Kaduel caught Dr. Toram just as her knees buckled, steadying her trembling frame against his armored shoulder. Toram's breath was heavy and jagged; her chest rose and fell like a violent tide crashing against a jagged shore.
"Doctor... Toram!" Kaduel gripped her shoulders firmly, his voice thick with concern. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Toram gasped for air, a lingering terror flickering in her eyes. "I'm... I'm okay," she managed to choke out, though her voice sounded hollow and alien. "It's just... a horrific sensation. Like fire licking at the inside of my skull."
"Is it a surge from the armor? Or perhaps—" Kaduel began, but Toram cut him off.
"Daruel... he knows I'm here. Through this suit, our spirits have touched," she said, taking a long, shuddering breath. Her exhale carried the sharp, metallic scent of ozone.
"I see... then it is as we feared," Kaduel muttered. "But he cannot breach the barrier yet. That is why you must awaken the suit's full potential. It must recognize you as its master." He took her arm, offering more support. "That's enough training for today; your body needs respite. Tell me... why not come to my home today? My little daughter is dying to meet you, and my wife is eager to welcome you."
The phantom pain vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of pure confusion. Toram stared at Kaduel. "Family? You mean... you have a family? I don't understand!" To her, the idea of angels and gods living domestic lives like ordinary mortals was a concept her mind hadn't yet filed.
"Of course! You know... when I went home yesterday, you were all they talked about."
"Everyone?" she interrupted. "Who is everyone?"
"Listen, Doctor... what happened on Earth and your arrival here has been broadcast across the great screens of Rama. The entire populace is in a state of high anxiety. The resurrection of Daruel has terrified them all. My family, like everyone else, is desperate to know if there is hope."
Toram felt a new weight settle on her heart, one heavier than the armor. "You mean... the people have placed their hopes on me? This shouldn't be happening! Your government, your gods—they should be taking the responsibility!" She began walking toward the main exit of the training grounds, rubbing her temples. "This is madness! I am a scientist, not a savior!" she muttered to herself.
Kaduel caught up to her, his wings beating softly against the air. "I understand your anxiety, Doctor. But put it aside for a moment. A family dinner is waiting for you."
Toram stopped. Kaduel landed gracefully in front of her. Though she felt a profound urge to be alone, she realized she couldn't face her own thoughts in that empty palace wing. She gave a slow, hesitant nod.
Kaduel offered a soft, encouraging smile. "Thank you. Shall we?" He extended his right hand. The moment Toram touched it, the world blurred into a swirl of light, and they vanished from the plains.
They materialized at the threshold of a magnificent crystal structure that seemed to pierce the very belly of the clouds. As Toram surveyed the estate, she felt as though she had stepped into a literal paradise. The flowers in the garden glowed with a diamond-like luster, and the air carried a fragrance of absolute peace.
"Wow... what incredible architecture," she whispered in genuine awe. "You actually live here?"
"You like it? Come, let's go inside!" Kaduel led the way toward a massive door, at least five meters tall, which swung open before they even reached it.
"Papa!" A young girl, barely a child by human standards, came running out. She hovered a meter off the ground, her tiny wings fluttering in a blur of excitement as she threw herself against Kaduel's chest. "Papa, I missed you!"
Watching the child, Toram felt a painful tug in her soul; memories of the life she had left behind on Earth threatened to break her composure. Moments later, Kaduel's wife, Lilith, stepped out. She was draped in a gown that looked as if it were woven from gold and starlight. Lilith kissed Kaduel warmly on the cheek before turning to Toram with a radiant smile.
"You must be Dr. Toram!" Lilith extended her hand. Toram offered a small, shy smile and shook it. "Please, treat this as your own home. You are no stranger to us," Lilith said, gesturing toward a sprawling, sunlit living area.
They gathered around a table laden with an endless variety of non-terrestrial delicacies. They spoke of lighthearted things, laughing and sipping on Rama's finest celestial wine. Kaduel boasted of Toram's progress, while his daughter peppered her with questions about the wonders of Earth.
After the meal, Toram and Lilith walked side-by-side across the shimmering grass of the estate. Rama's twin suns were beginning their slow descent, painting the sky in bruised purples and golds.
"So..." Lilith broke the comfortable silence. "How do you find Rama? The city, the people... how does it look to you?"
Toram understood the weight behind the question. "It's... beautiful. You are a unique culture, a unique species. The peace, the knowledge, the power—it's all so different," she said, a brief, flickering smile crossing her face.
"I see," Lilith said softly. Her gaze drifted to the twin hilts protruding over Toram's shoulders. "Would you mind if I... if I touched these 'God-Slayer' blades? We have only ever known their stories from the books of prophecy."
"Oh, not at all! Go ahead," Toram replied quickly, not thinking twice.
Lilith reached out slowly, her fingers moving toward the hilt of the ember-red blade. The moment her skin made contact with the metal, the world went white.
Toram was violently jerked off the ground, suspended in mid-air by an invisible force. Her entire body became a conductor for a massive discharge of sapphire and crimson lightning.
"AAAGGHHHH!" Toram's scream tore through the tranquility of the estate—a sound of bone-shattering, soul-rending agony. Lilith was thrown backward, collapsing into a heap. In the heartbeat of a second, the peaceful home was transformed into a landscape of terror.
To be continued...