The night no longer felt calm.
It felt… heavy.
"Can you stand?" Cyris asked softly.
I nodded, even though my body still felt unfamiliar… like something inside me hadn't fully settled yet.
He helped me up carefully.
"Stay close to me," he added.
"I'm not going anywhere," I replied quietly.
But my eyes were already on the house.
The door stood open.
"…My aunt," I whispered.
This time—
Cyris didn't try to stop me.
We walked in together.
The silence inside felt deeper than before.
"…Aunty?" I called.
No answer.
And then—
I saw her.
She lay on the floor, still and unmoving.
Everything inside me shattered quietly.
"No…" I breathed, dropping beside her.
My hands trembled as I reached out, but I already knew.
She wasn't coming back.
"This is my fault…" I whispered, my voice breaking.
"It's not," Cyris said.
"They came because of me," I insisted.
"Yes," he said.
"But this didn't begin tonight."
That didn't make it hurt less.
Silence filled the space again.
I closed my eyes briefly, forcing myself to breathe.
"…We can't just leave her like this," I said.
Cyris didn't argue.
Instead, he nodded once.
"Then we won't."
We buried her just behind the house.
The earth was still soft from the recent rains.
But even so—
It should have taken longer.
Cyris stepped forward, his expression quiet.
Then—
The ground shifted.
Not violently.
Not unnaturally.
But as if the earth itself was listening to him.
The soil loosened.
Moved.
Made space.
I watched in silence.
He didn't look at me while he did it.
Didn't explain.
He just… helped.
And somehow—
That meant more than words.
When it was done, I knelt beside the grave.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"I couldn't protect you."
The wind moved softly around me.
For once—
It didn't feel restless.
It felt… gentle.
Like it was carrying my words somewhere.
I stayed there a moment longer.
Then slowly stood.
"…We should go," I said.
Cyris's expression shifted slightly.
"They're getting closer," he replied.
That was all I needed to hear.
He raised his hand.
And once again—
The air tore open.
A portal formed before us, swirling with quiet power.
I looked at it.
Then at him.
Everything I knew was behind me now.
Everything I didn't understand—
Was in front of me.
"…Don't let go," I said softly.
"I won't," Cyris replied.
And together—
We stepped through.
The world changed instantly.
When I opened my eyes—
Everything was different.
Lights.
Buildings.
Movement.
Life.
Nothing like the quiet village I had known.
"…Where are we?" I whispered.
"You're far from where you started," Cyris said.
People moved around us.
But when they saw him—
They slowed.
Lowered their gaze.
Something about him commanded it.
Respect.
Power.
Authority.
I turned to him slowly.
"Cyris…"
He looked at me.
"What are you?"
For a moment—
He didn't answer.
Then—
He stepped closer.
Close enough that his presence felt steady again.
Grounding.
"You're asking the wrong question," he said quietly.
My brows furrowed slightly.
"Then what should I be asking?"
His gaze held mine.
Deep.
Knowing.
"Ask what you are first," he said.
My breath caught.
"And everything else…" he added softly,
"…you'll discover on your own."
Silence fell between us.
Not confusing.
Not empty.
But filled with something new.
A beginning.
I looked around again.
At the unfamiliar world.
At the people who seemed to know him without words.
Then back at him.
Cyris.
Whoever he was—
Whatever he was—
I had a feeling…
Finding out the truth about him—
Would change everything.