Two days later.
A steady rhythm of beeping machines echoed faintly in the sterile silence of the military medical ward.
Filtered sunlight bled gently through a fogged glass window, casting a pale glow across two reinforced recovery pods positioned side by side—one holding Arin, the other Vayushri.
Arin lay silent, face calm but unnaturally pale. Almost every bone in his body had been fractured or shattered. His ribs had pierced muscle. His right shoulder was dislocated. Internal bleeding had been borderline fatal.
And yet… within 48 hours, his body had already regenerated to a degree doctors described as "impossible."
Most of the medical staff now simply referred to him in hushed tones as:
"The Demon Boy."
Perin slept curled at the foot of Arin's bed, occasionally waking to nuzzle his arm protectively before drifting off again.
Next to Arin, Vayushri floated unconscious inside a special water-based healing capsule, her spiritual form unstable, flickering occasionally like a dimming flame. When she breathed in pain, the water shimmered with faint blue ripples.
A spiritual monitor displayed her fading life force.
Every few hours, the doctors would whisper:
"If she gives more energy away… she won't survive another collapse."
Outside the ward, Shivani stood alone in the corridor, leaning against the wall, eyes locked on the window that revealed nothing but shadowy silhouettes inside.
She hadn't left for two days.
Her uniform was still stained with battle dust, her eyes rimmed red—not from lack of sleep, but something heavier.
Why do I feel like I failed him…?
She took a deep breath.
He was sent there to grow stronger. But this… this isn't strength. He came back broken. That look in his eyes…
Her fingers curled tightly into a fist.
He was screaming without sound.
She bit her lip, chest burning.
"…Damn it, Arin…" she whispered under her breath. "…Don't scare me like that again."
Footsteps broke the silence.
Om Sai approached casually, hands in pockets, wearing a fresh uniform. But his eyes were sharp, fixed on the door to the medical ward.
He didn't smile this time.
"Still here, Commander Ice Queen?" he teased lightly, trying to cut the tension.
Shivani ignored the nickname.
"…Doctors said he might wake up today," she replied quietly.
"And the water spirit girl?" Om Sai asked.
"Stable but weak. They said she's close to losing her form entirely."
Om Sai exhaled slowly, gaze contemplative.
Silence.
Then he spoke slowly.
"…Whatever he faced in that fog… it wasn't just a monster."
Shivani's eyes narrowed. "You think he met… something else?"
"I don't
Om Sai's expression darkened slightly.
"I don't think," he said quietly. "I felt it."
Shivani turned toward him sharply. "Felt what?"
Om Sai's fingers subconsciously brushed the faint scar on his neck—the claw mark he rarely talked about.
"…A pressure," he murmured. "A killing intent so cold, it didn't feel like Astra… or even Echoform. Something older… wilder. Like death itself had opened its eyes."
Shivani didn't speak, but her throat tightened.
He continued, eyes narrowing.
"When they brought him back, the moment he stepped through the gate… even with half his bones broken—his aura… was crushing. You didn't feel it?"
Shivani looked away. "I didn't feel it," she whispered. "…I was too focused on… him."
Om Sai watched her for a moment, then sighed dramatically to lighten the mood—though it didn't fully work.
"Seriously… only you would cry over a guy who calls you a tomato when angry."
Shivani glared. "I DID NOT cry."
He smirked. "Sure, Snow Queen. Whatever helps you sleep."
Before she could punch him, the door to the ward clicked.
They both froze.
Inside the recovery pod, Arin's fingers twitched.
Perin immediately jolted awake, lifting its head and whining softly.
A faint breath escaped Arin's lips, shaky but there.
His brow furrowed slightly—like someone waking from a war, not a dream.
Then…
His eyes opened.
But they weren't the same deep, calm black as before.
For just a second…
They flashed with a faint, terrifying shade of dark crimson—before returning to normal.
Perin whimpered and pressed against him protectively.
Arin blinked slowly, chest rising in a deep inhale.
"…Vayu…shri…" he whispered weakly.
His voice cracked.
"…Is she… alive…?"
The door slid open.
Shivani stepped in first… slowly. Her boots felt heavier than usual. She kept her face neutral—but her clenched fists betrayed her.
Om Sai followed behind with his casual grin gone.
Arin weakly turned his head toward the sound.
For a moment, no one said anything.
Only Perin's soft whimpering and the slow beeping of the medical monitor filled the silence.
Shivani finally exhaled and spoke—voice soft but steady.
"…You finally woke up, idiot."
Arin blinked. His throat moved like he wanted to respond, but couldn't.
Shivani took two hesitant steps closer.
"You were gone for almost four days," she continued. "When they found you, you could barely walk. You kept muttering one thing over and over…"
She paused.
Arin looked at her with hollow eyes.
"…'Save her.'"
His chest tightened painfully.
His fingers dug into the hospital sheet.
"…Vayushri?" he whispered, voice cracking.
A beat.
Shivani looked him in the eye.
"She's stable," she said quietly. "Barely… but alive."
Arin's breath shuddered with relief—but guilt instantly followed, flooding his expression like a storm.
He looked down.
"…It's my fault," he muttered. "She got hurt—because of me…"
Shivani froze.
Om Sai crossed his arms but didn't interrupt.
Arin continued, eyes distant.
"If I were stronger… if I didn't lose control… if I—"
SLAP.
It wasn't a hard slap—but it shocked him enough to make him look up.
Shivani's hand trembled slightly in the air.
Her voice, however, did not.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," she said firmly.
Arin stared at her, stunned.
She took a shaky breath. "She isn't hurt because you were weak. She's alive because you fought."
Arin looked away. "But—"
Shivani cut him off. "You think guilt makes you noble? It only makes you careless. If you break down now… what will she wake up to?"
Arin's lips parted slightly… but he couldn't argue.
Om Sai finally stepped forward, resting a hand on Arin's pod gently.
"You survived something that should've killed you. You carried two beings—while half dead yourself. And your Echoform didn't consume you completely." He grinned slightly. "That alone makes you one stubborn bastard."
Arin didn't laugh.
But a faint breath escaped him—almost like a release of tension.
Shivani slowly dropped her hand and stepped back, regaining her usual stern composure.
"…Rest for now," she said quietly. "Once Vayushri wakes up… we'll figure out what comes next."
She turned to walk away… but paused at the door.
Without looking back, she added softly:
"...I'm glad you're alive."
Arin's eyes widened.
She walked out.
Om Sai patted his pod and gave him a faint smirk. "Heal up fast, Demon Boy. Shit's only going to get crazier from here."
He followed her out.
The door closed.
…
Silence.
Arin lay still, staring at the ceiling.
Perin curled beside him, pressing its small body against his arm as if grounding him to reality.
Arin slowly raised his other hand… noticing faint marks on his skin.
A dark, almost tattoo-like pattern—just barely visible near his veins—like something sleeping.
He shivered.
"…Kalkin…" he whispered faintly.
Somewhere deep inside, in the darkness of his subconscious…
A faint chuckle echoed.