Though Kael and Selene lay together, only one of them truly slept.
Kael opened his eyes in silence. He hadn't slept at all.
Careful not to wake her, he slipped from the bed, moving quietly through the darkened halls until he reached the rooftop.
The sky was still deep with night, but a faint blue was gathering on the horizon—morning was near.
He stood there, arms crossed, the cold breeze brushing past him. His thoughts drifted back—back to his fight with Eiden.
That battle had left deeper scars than the wounds on his body. It hadn't just been a clash of strength… it had broken an illusion.
After defeating monsters, undead, generals—Kael had begun to believe the path ahead might always be that smooth.
That he would rise, challenge by challenge, like some fated hero in a story.
But reality had a crueler rhythm.
This wasn't a fantasy world. There were no rules that forced stronger enemies to wait, no final boss who politely sent underlings first.
