The sun shining on my face was enough to wake me up. When I sat up in my bed, tiredly rubbing my eyes, I felt as if the energy from my body had been sapped away even after resting. It was like the bed itself drained energy rather than giving energy following a good night's sleep. Letting out a low, haggardly groan, I remembered the instructions documented by Kael in his journal, but I shrugged them off.

  Heading downstairs to the first floor of the safe house, I approached the counter on the far end beside the fireplace, plucking an apple from a fruit basket and taking a crisp bite. Like the other fruits from the market, it was juicer and more vibrant than any other fruit I had tasted before—now even the genetic modifications exhibited back in my town of Japan could cultivate something this ripe.

  At this moment, I turned around and saw a woman with crimson hair tied into two ponytails that draped to her shoulders. She was clad in eerily casual attire for the time of morning, rubbing her eyes as she descended the staircase.

  The woman paused for a beat, glancing at me before smiling warmly. "Good morning, I presume you slept well?"

  I nodded, replying as I bit into the apple again. "I did, but the room was awfully cold."

  "Ah, I'd figure that. There's nothing worse than waking up in a cold room."

  "I still feel exhausted," I grumbled, approaching the front door.

  The woman with ponytails watched me for a few silent seconds before saying. "Where are you going? The morning is new and most of the village hasn't woken up yet."

  I looked back at her, running a hand through my hair. "I thought I'd take a walk; the cold weather is only a burden until you forget it's there."

  Looking back at the old wooden door, I slowly pushed it open, gazing at either end of Clifton. Every house was dark, almost looking deserted to an extent. The windows were dark, and there wasn't a single person in sight. In the distance, the sun had only begun to rise over the mountain range, illuminating the field of wheat with golden light.

  I tucked one hand into my pocket, walking along the field as I ran my other hand along the wheat, the texture and sensation somewhat satisfying. The air around me smelt moist and earthy, the wood from the forest, the snow meddling with the dirt and plants that managed to grow, and the fruits that lay in the gardens nearby.

  Overall, it was somewhat peaceful here, and I felt my heart ache upon having to leave this place so quickly—I'd only been here a single night, but my friends needed me right now.

  Looking back at Clifton, the village remained shrouded in an inscrutable silence, complemented by the distant calling of birds as they graced the horizon, soaring low enough to pluck a field mouse amongst the uncountable amount of wheat plants. The silence was peaceful, but at the same time, it was dangerous.

  "If I do go through with this, how could I get back quicker? Can't you do that portal-thingy you did back during the Blood Moon?"

  I turned to face the Umbridge, who idly stood at the edge of the village. The figure draped in an illusory cloak remained silent.

  "That is a possibility, but at the same time, it's a lot more dangerous and exerting considering you're not entirely human anymore."

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  "Not entirely human?" I repeated under my breath, letting the words sink in.

  "Those horns and wings you possess can grant you dangers and unwanted attention from prying eyes. From what I understand, that feat you managed to pull off during the Blood Moon was something mostly incapable to other Seekers."

  I knew that to an extent. Absorbing all of those demons and creatures during the Blood Moon, having my body undergo a qualitative change, and gaining new symbolic appendages is something Kael hadn't mentioned. If he had done something similar with his power, I'd surely see some changes on his body. His pointed ears are most likely genetic from making a guess; I knew little about the cultures and species of this world.

  "I can see why Kael would want me by his side, to hone this power and make me stronger... to help me find out more about Silas... but at the same time, my friends could be in danger; they probably think I'm dead!"

  Without much thought, the spiritual wings on my back expanded, rippling and pulsing with malevolent energy. Countless eyes open, gazing in all directions. As I propelled myself upwards, the wings on my back flapped behind me. At this moment, a searing pain shot through my back, sending me hurling back to the ground. I landed in the middle of the wheat field, sending a bunch of mice scurrying off in fear.

  "Damn it..." I suddenly remembered the pain in my back, the reason I needed the walking stick for the moment.

  Had I been so ambitious I forgot to take it with me?

  As if my thoughts were commanding my body, my legs suddenly fell numb, pulsing and aching like a dying organism. Their coloration was slightly gray, lighter than my usual skin but feeling dead and cut-off from the rest of my senses. The Blood-Moon Charm—which I absorbed into my body—wasn't doing much good for me either.

  Could it have some sort of limit, some kind of exhaustion and replenishing system?

  I wanted to move my body, but my arms and legs remained frozen and numb. It was painful to even blink or move. The snow beneath me was cold and chilling, sending me into shivers. I wanted to call for help, but no sound wanted to leave my mouth. The moment I tried to fly, the energy was sucked from my body.

  At this moment, the Apocalypse sigil on my left hand began to buzz and pulse, burning away at my skin yet dealing no physical damage. Radiant crimson light seeped from the wound, taking the form of an illusory figure with only half a body. He had combed red hair, elven ears, and was clad in formal attire—Kael.

  This projection of him looked down at me with their illusory eyes before scoffing. "You tried to run, didn't you?"

  These words hung in the air for a second, stinging my skin and sending a wave of goosebumps directly to my brain. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. It hurt like hell.

  "I know you did; I can read your thoughts, Silas."

  Before I could react, they continued. "I know, it's shocking."

  Kael suddenly snapped his fingers, conjuring a scene before my eyes. It was me fighting the dog that was corrupted by something. I watched as the Apocalypse sigil formed on my left palm in my mindscape. Kael's voice was ethereal as he continued explaining.

  "I used that dog with my own influence to form a connection with you. Why do you think our powers reacted the way they did when we first collided?"

  "W-wait..." I finally gained the strength to speak, my voice coming out somewhat raspy. "You... You sent that dog? Don't tell me it was you that possessed it!"

  The elven man nodded his head. "But it was you that killed it. It was you that made Helana the miserable girl she is now. You killed her dog, you still can't accept that, so you give her family gifts because confession, the admission that you need help, that you need true guidance, is like a burden to you."

  The projection extended its hand, tracing my cheek. "Your friends see you as a murderer, they saw the crime scene, they know about the blood you drew last night. They'll cower in fear and anger once they see you again... there's no going back; they don't want you anymore."

  "T-they do, damn it! They won't throw me out of the window just like that! I bet they're o-on their way right now..."

  It was immensely painful to stand up, but I managed to get myself back onto my feet. My knees buckled beneath me, threatening to give way and collapse to the ground. My arms and legs were sore and broken, but I wanted to run, to run and run, as far away from here as possible.

  "You fight for a future you can't resist, you fight against inevitability." Kael's voice continued to sound through the projection in my left hand, ebbing above the sigil.

  "Be quiet!" I didn't know why, but I began clawing and scratching at the sigil on my palm, as if doing so would erase his presence for now.

  "When you come back here, I'll rip you apart you bastard!"

  The entire time Kael smiled down at me like a serpent, chuckling under his breath. A sudden, brilliantly powerful surge of pain coursed through my body as the sigil unleashed a current of electric-like energy, the current pulsing through me until I fell back to the ground, curling into a ball.

  "I see you're angry, Silas. That's not suppression, but a regular process. My friends will get you back onto your feet. In the meantime, get your little cane and read a little of my journal..."

  Before he departed, Kael spoke one more time. "Don't read where you shouldn't."

  As the illusory projection faded completely, the Umbridge manifested on the edge of the field, looking at me. They extended their boney hand, conjuring the walking stick Kael had made for me.

  "You're tired and beaten, Isaac... you should rest; your body needs it."

  I stumbled my way to the edge of the field, reclaiming the walking stick with trembling hands. My eyes glanced one more time at the forest where I could have ran away, where I could have gone back... but Kael doesn't want that. He's stronger than me, more powerful than me. I said it myself that I'd oppose the gods so I could get home and see everyone again... but god forbid they got to me first.