Chapter 4

Scene — “Where the hooded one didn’t ask for permission… but earned it anyway”
Broken Sun Path – Final stretch toward the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
6:09 p.m. – The wind no longer asks, the dust still murmurs, and the day wants to know who walks as if he already knows everything

The royal carriage advanced, escorted by six knights—living armor, straight spears, steady eyes.
Princess Lileth watched intently through the open curtains, tension still etched on her face.
Since the minotaur’s death, everything had been far too… quiet.
And silence, in that stretch of the kingdom, had never meant peace.

Half an hour later, they saw him.
Hooded.
Standing at the edge of the road, biting into an apple as if the day weighed nothing.
Rusty sword at his side, worn, with a faint dark stain on the hilt.

Knight 1 (instantly, firm tone) —
“Stop! Raise spears!”

Three aimed at him.
Tension rose like fire on dry wood.
But then…

Captain Aerth (smacking two of them on the back of the neck) —
“Are you stupid? Raising weapons at a lone man who hasn’t even looked at you?
Observe, don’t provoke!”

The knights rubbed their heads, slightly embarrassed.
The hooded figure didn’t flinch.
Didn’t blink.
The wind barely moved his cloak.
And then… he slid the hood back.

Revelation
White hair, like silent snow.
Golden eyes.
Calm gaze.
Rusty sword.
And yes… dried blood on the hilt.

The man kept eating his apple.
No urgency.
No fear.

Princess Lileth (stepping out of the carriage, voice firm but inquisitive) —
“Knight, why is there blood on your sword?”

The hooded figure turned his face slightly, calmly.

Kagayaku —
“Because I killed a minotaur.”

Silence.
One stammered.
Another lowered his spear by reflex.
The captain’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Knight 2 (voice cracking) —
“A… a minotaur? Alone?”

Knight 3 (swallowing hard) —
“The one from this region… the one that devoured horses and uprooted trees?”

Kagayaku (biting another piece, not looking directly at them) —
“That one.”

The moment of decision
The knights tensed.
The princess glanced at the captain.
He nodded.
And stepped forward.

Captain Aerth —
“I am Aerth, leader of the royal escort.
These men and I belong to the Knight Corps of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon…
and the lady you see is the crown princess, Lileth.”

Kagayaku (courteous tone, lowering his gaze slightly) —
“I understand.
I’m headed in that direction as well.”

Lileth (curious, almost puzzled) —
“To the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon?”

Kagayaku —
“Yes.”

Silence.
Aerth watched him.
The knights were still processing.
The princess blinked once.
And Kagayaku stepped forward.

Kagayaku (firm but respectful voice) —
“Would you mind if I joined the journey?
It seems… prudent.”

Aerth observed him for a few seconds.
Then bowed his head respectfully.

Aerth —
“We don’t mind.
I don’t know who you are…
but something tells me that where you walk, danger doesn’t last long.”

Kagayaku nodded.
Kept eating his apple.
And walked beside the carriage—
not seeking space,
but not asking for it either.

Scene — “Where the hero shared without claiming to be better”
Silent Wind Forest — Royal Camp, before dawn
11:22 p.m. – The night doesn’t roar, it only watches; and hunger stops being a problem thanks to someone who never mentioned it

Night had spread its black mantle over the forest, and the branches creaked softly as if listening.
The royal caravan had settled in a clearing protected by ancient stone and interwoven roots.
The fire crackled at half volume, and the hunters patrolled the perimeter with care.

Kagayaku reclined calmly against a tree that seemed to respect him.
His rusty sword rested diagonally across a root,
and he remained silent, eyes half-closed,
breathing like someone who trusts he doesn’t need to be awake to stay alert.

Uncomfortable hunger
Across the fire, the knights shifted.
Their stomachs growled beneath their plates,
whispers began to slip through the silence.

Knight 2 (whispering to Knight 4) —
“I’m about to eat twigs. Didn’t we bring anything solid from the last outpost?”

Knight 4 (shivering) —
“Just dust and pride. Neither fills the stomach.”

Princess Lileth listened quietly, seated on a moss-covered stone.
Captain Aerth turned his head slightly, uncomfortable.

Unexpected movement
Suddenly, without changing posture or opening his eyes,
Kagayaku slid his leather satchel toward the center of the group.
It rolled softly across the ground…
but the impact was enough to break the silence.

Knight 1 (quick reflex, catches it mid-air) —
“Got it—!”
—and falls backward with the satchel on top of him.

Captain Aerth (turning toward him) —
“A satchel knocked you down? A satchel?
Does the fruit carry the weight of conscience or what?”

Scattered laughter escaped among the knights.
The satchel opened accidentally.
And there it was:
shiny apples, dark juicy grapes, golden peaches with sweet aroma.

Group reaction
Knight 3 (staring at the fruit, almost in disbelief) —
“Where did he get this?! I thought he only carried silence and problems…”

Kagayaku (without moving, low voice from the tree) —
“Eat.
It’s not worth going hungry out of formality.”

Knight 1 (still on the ground, laughing while biting an apple) —
“Well, this hooded guy doesn’t just slay monsters… he hands out fruit too!”

Lileth (smiling softly) —
“Some heroes give more than peace.
They give relief when no one expects it.”

That night, the forest didn’t roar.
The knights ate in silence, grateful.
The princess etched the moment into memory.
And Kagayaku remained calm,
against his tree,
as if nothing had happened.

Narrator (like a root that stores fruit for those who need it) —
“Hunger didn’t ask for permission…
And the hero didn’t ask for recognition.
He simply tossed a satchel…
and calmed more than stomachs.”

Scene — “Where the hero breathes in silence… and the world prepares its board without knowing it”
Silent Forest / Arcane Basement of Arastría Academy
11:59 p.m. — Two days before the arrival of the 120 students

Kagayaku among branches
Beneath a mute sky and stars dimmed by memory, Kagayaku rested against a centuries-old oak.
His rusty sword lay beside him, and the earth accepted him without question.
He exhaled.
Not from fatigue.
From remembrance.

His mind crossed impossible distances.
His family, hidden between cracks in time.
His previous world, beyond the reach of any map.

And without knowing it…
the other end of destiny was already debating how to receive him,
unaware that he was the piece that wouldn’t fit any diagram.

Arastría Academy — Meeting in the sealed basement
In the depths of the oldest magical structure in the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon,
Director Haelros presided over the circle of masters.
The basement was marked by ten pillars, each sealed with runes not spoken since the last astral war.
At the center floated the Esferum of Assignment:
the core that would reveal the magical rank and house of each new student.

Director Haelros (firm voice, hands behind his back) —
“One hundred and twenty arrive the day after tomorrow.
None are here by luck.
The sphere will decide by affinity, rank, and resonance.
And you… must be ready for what you don’t understand.”

The ten assigned disciplines

1. Arcane Defense — shields, spiritual structures

2. Runic Magic and Ancient Scripts — sealed glyphs, forbidden activation

3. Rituals of Summoning and Eternal Pacts — binding with creatures or higher entities

4. Elemental Mana Manipulation — direct channeling of natural mana

5. Advanced Combat Sorcery — offensive magic, battlefield tactics

6. History of Realms and Magical Lineages — dynasties, betrayals, myths of power

7. Forbidden Spells and Lost Magic — spells sealed by ethics or devastation

8. Mystical Transmutation and Alteration — essence, form, and matter shifting

9. Blood and Soul Magic — channeling through spiritual bonds or sacrifice

10. Astral Harmony and Dimensional Connection — portals, dreams, planar travel

Magical assignment houses

· VALDRAK — leadership, fire, war

· NYLSHAR — shadow, stealth, illusion

· EZURAN — water, healing, balance

· KHELVAR — wisdom, astral, mind

· MIRENDAL — strategy, transmutation, secrets

Dialogue among professors
Master Arvelin (Runes) —
“Each student will activate the sphere with their hand.
The color, symbol, and resulting energy will define their house.”

Professor Zehn (Combat) —
“I hope VALDRAK gets the fiercest ones.
Last year they sent us theorists with good grades but zero instinct.”

Director Haelros (gazing at the Esferum) —
“Remember: we don’t assign by desire…
we assign by arcane truth.
And if someone activates something that doesn’t fit…”

Everyone looked at him.
Waiting for the phrase that had haunted them for centuries.

Haelros (low voice) —
“…we’ll have to decide whether to build them a house of their own.
Or give them something the system doesn’t yet recognize…
but the world does.”

Scene — “Where the Celestial Sphere burns before the world can pray”
Sanctuary Basement — Arastría Academy, Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
12:38 a.m. – The flames no longer illuminate. They only warn that history is about to be rewritten

The underground hall, built beneath the Wing of the Forgotten Dragon,
had been sealed for centuries out of fear of what it might remember.
The ten oldest professors surrounded the runic stone table,
above which floated the Esferum:
a mystical sphere meant to activate only on the day of academic entry.

And yet… tonight… prophecy disrupted the calendar.

The sphere began to burn. Not glow.
The runes at its base tore open,
as if cracking from within.
The torches extinguished without wind.
The core’s fire turned deep purple.

The Sphere speaks
The voice that emerged was not human.
Not magic.
It was celestial and sharp—
with a tone that seemed programmed by the cosmos before time itself began.

Celestial Esferum (female voice, distorted and divine) —
“The Last Hero… is coming.
His shadow already steps upon this world,
his fury comes with him.
He was not summoned… he was decreed.
He was not expected… but he is feared.”

“He will be born of pain,
grow in fury,
and his arrival will be marked
by the cracking of the skies
and the weeping of the sane.”

“It all began 2,500 years ago…”

“The First Hero fought against darkness,
in the ruins of the dragon,
when the demons of the abyss
ravaged the last hope.”

“And there… amid smoke and blood,
rose Dullminior:
a being of the cosmos,
floating crown of three points,
armor forged in dead stars,
and a sword whose blade reveals
the tombs of forgotten galaxies.”

“The war lasted five days…
five days where the sky stopped turning…
and in the end, the First Hero,
kneeling and broken,
raised his voice one last time.”

‘I will send one more…
One who will burn with the strength of a thousand angels.
And when he arrives… there will be no peace, only destiny.’”

“Dullminior did not respond.
He simply raised his sword…
and condemned him to eternal silence.”

“Now, history repeats.
And the Last Hero… is coming.
Not even hell will stop him.
Because this time… the end has no escape.”

Reactions in the sanctuary
Professor Zehn (sweating) —
“What… was that? That’s not in any runic archive!”

Master Arvelin (trembling) —
“That wasn’t a prediction.
It was confirmation.
History has already begun… and we were just waiting by mistake.”

Director Haelros (voice broken, staring at the extinguished sphere) —
“The hero won’t come to learn.
He will come… to rearrange the world’s board.”

Narrator (like ash that still holds light) —
“The sky bleeds.
The earth does not pray.
And when the hero walks…
there will be no rites to receive him.
Only echoes…
and fear disguised as ceremony.”

Scene — “Where the hero’s calm and the plane’s darkness marked the beginning”
Sanctuary of the Core — Arastría Academy of Magic, Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
12:39 a.m. – Time doesn’t weigh on clocks. It weighs on voices that know what’s about to awaken.

The Esferum floated above the runic table, wrapped in soft purple light.
It no longer trembled.
No longer screamed.
It simply projected… and everyone present fell into absolute silence.

In the suspended image, Kagayaku was seen asleep beneath an eternal oak.
His breathing was slow, serene.
His rusty sword rested near his feet.
And his white hair swayed with the night wind,
as if even the air respected him.

It was pure calm.
Not from weakness.
From balance.

The celestial voice manifests
Esferum (female voice, gentle as a blessing, firm as a vow) —
“The brave heart… will come to protect.”

No further words.
No repetition.
The projection faded slowly…
as if no explanation was needed.

The Director’s command
Director Haelros (without raising his tone, but with absolute weight) —
“Bring the Book of the Last Hero’s Prophecy.
Now.”

An assistant ran through the sanctuary’s hidden passages.
He returned with the tome sealed in enchanted iron.
The cover: black, marked by an astral emblem that only glowed under active prophecy.

Upon opening the book, the pages began to turn on their own, moved by magical resonance.
And at the end… a painting floated.
Not printed.
Projected from the soul of the text itself.

The suspended painting
A black plane.
No stars.
No ground.
Only living darkness.

In its center, two figures floated.
They did not speak.
They did not look at each other.
But the universe seemed to hold its breath between them.

KAGAYAKU
Wings extended like memories of silence.
His sword, raised with firmness, emitted a soft glow like invisible shields.
His face… showed no war.
It showed purpose.

DULLMINIOR
Three-pointed crown suspended in broken gravity.
His sword burned with impossible light:
one that did not illuminate,
but remembered what it had burned before.

And between them, there was no space.
There was history waiting to be unleashed.

Scene — “Where calm was a strategy… and the encounter, a warning”
Prophetic Core Chamber / Silent Forest — Border of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
12:50 a.m. – The world’s breath still holds what’s about to arrive
5:59 a.m. – The dream fractures at the edge of the inevitable

Underground Sanctuary — 12:50 a.m.
Blue torches pulsed faintly in the runic chamber.
At the center, the Esferum was now extinguished, its surface opaque.
The Book of the Last Hero’s Prophecy remained open on the circular table, still displaying the floating painting.

Director Haelros (firm, controlled voice) —
“Remain calm.
We must not act from emotion.
The Last Hero does not need ceremony.
He needs the world to be standing when he chooses to enter.”

Master Arvelin (watching the projected pages) —
“What if he’s already inside… and just waiting to be recognized?”

Haelros (closing the book carefully) —
“Then let him find us prepared… not afraid.”

Silent Forest — 5:59 a.m.
The first traces of light began to spill through the leaves.
The air was cold.
Almost respectful.

Kagayaku slept, leaning against an old tree whose bark seemed to have accepted him as part of the terrain.
The caravan remained silent:
knights waking slowly,
Captain Aerth fastening his chestplate,
Princess Lileth seated on a stone, watching the sky as if waiting for an answer she hadn’t yet asked.

But Kagayaku… wasn’t fully asleep.

Dream Plane — Encounter with the Shadow
In his dream, Kagayaku walked through a place that was neither forest nor sky.
Branches floated.
The ground had no texture.
Everything was suspended.

His steps were slow, steady.
Until something…
looked at him.

From the shadows between planes, Dullminior appeared:
crowned, silent, sword extended with the light of shattered galaxies.
He floated, as always, without walking.
But he was closer than ever.

Kagayaku watched him without speaking.
His golden eyes fixed.
His hands still.

And in that instant…

The dream fractured.
Light spun toward the void.
The edges of the dream world tore with a soundless rupture.
And then…

Awakening — 6:00 a.m.
Kagayaku opened his eyes.
Not abruptly.
He simply opened them…
as if he already knew what was coming.

The forest was bathed in soft light.
The knights were already preparing.
Aerth gave instructions to two of them.
And Lileth, still seated, turned discreetly upon noticing Kagayaku’s movement.

Lileth (softly, without looking directly at him) —
“Did you sleep well?”

Kagayaku (gazing at the pale sky, neutral expression) —
“Enough…”

Narrator (like a branch that didn’t crack from breaking, but from choosing to change shape) —
“The hero sleeps…
But between planes, between shadows, between images that do not obey the day…
he has already crossed gazes with the eternal.
And when he awakens…
the real world… must awaken too.”

Kagayaku dreamed.
But what he saw…
needs no interpretation.
Only preparation.

Scene — “Where the gesture was enough”
Calm Wind Path — En route to the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
6:51 a.m. – The morning moves slowly, as if it knows that what walks deserves its own rhythm

The procession advanced along the wooded trail, the carriage floating gently, the horses’ hooves marking the pace of the journey.
The knights formed two firm flanks, watching with calm eyes.
Captain Aerth led at the front, and beside him, without ornaments or escort, walked Kagayaku.
His satchel wasn’t on his shoulders… yet.

A small return
A knight approached, extending the leather satchel with a sincere smile.

Knight 1 (light tone) —
“We kept it safe for you. Thanks for the fruit, by the way… it felt like a miracle.”

Knight 2 (soft chuckle) —
“Yeah. Not sure if it was a gift or a lesson, but we’re grateful.”

Kagayaku took it without haste, nodded, and replied in a low voice, without breaking stride.

Kagayaku —
“It’s fine.”
(spoken like someone who knows that giving doesn’t weigh)

A carriage without food
Inside the carriage, Princess Lileth sat in silence.
She searched among the delicate fabrics of her travel case.
Her breakfast wasn’t prepared.
The enchanted tray hadn’t been placed.
She said nothing.
Just looked outside with still eyes.

The tree
At the edge of the path, a peach tree emerged.
Tall, robust, with branches heavy with fruit in soft pink and warm orange tones.
Without words or glances, Kagayaku veered gently.
He approached.
Raised his arm.
And picked one.
The peach was firm.
Its aroma delicate.
Nothing magical.
Just perfect.

The offering
He walked toward the carriage.
The knights watched without interfering.
Kagayaku reached the side door, and the princess, noticing his shadow, slowly turned her gaze.
Without speaking, he extended the fruit to her.
Palm open.
No obligation.
Just a gesture.

Lileth (taking the peach gently) —
“…Thank you.”
(looking at him with an expression that said more than the word)

Kagayaku nodded slightly.
Did not reply.
Returned to the escort.

Narrator (like a branch that dropped its finest fruit without expecting it to be picked)
“He didn’t speak.
Because the moment didn’t need it.
He simply picked.
Offered.
And kept walking.
Like someone who understands that not all protection is carried in a sword.
Sometimes… it rests in an open hand.”

Scene — “Where the market witnessed something even magic hadn’t anticipated”
Town of Ryndhal — Gateway to the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
9:07 a.m. — Warm bread, clear water, and the weight of a gesture that changed everything

Arrival at the town
Two hours after departure, the royal caravan crossed the enchanted bridges leading to the majestic town of Ryndhal.
People of all shapes and sizes filled the streets. Humans, semi-humans, and wandering merchants shouted among magical fabrics.

Merchant —
“Fresh tomatoes, straight from the Valeris gardens!”

Baker (with a loaf levitating in steam) —
“Freshly baked! Blessed by elemental fire!”

Blacksmith —
“If my metal doesn’t protect you, nothing will.”

Farther ahead, the river cut through the city like a silver vein, its waterfall roaring behind the Arastría Academy of Magic,
and beside it, suspended in mist, the Castle of the Kingdom of the Rising Dragon
rested as if it had always been waiting for something that hadn’t yet happened.

The interruption
As the royal escort moved through the crowd,
a man in imperial robes from the Eastern Kingdom crossed the path without protocol.

Eastern Prince (looking at Lileth, annoyed) —
“And him? Who’s that walking beside the carriage?”

Lileth (from inside, without lowering her voice) —
“A traveler. I’m escorting him to the Academy.”

Prince —
“A traveler? And you bring him as an escort?
Are you queen now, or just playing on the road?”

He turned abruptly…
and shoved Kagayaku.
The hero exhaled.
Calm.
But the air seemed to stop.

A thought overheard
Kagayaku looked at Lileth without turning.
Her mind…
couldn’t hide what hurt.

“They’re forcing me to marry him.
If I refuse…
my grandmother dies.”

Final provocation
The prince shoved him again.
Harder this time.
And threw a punch at Kagayaku’s jaw.

His hood slid off.
White hair.
Fair skin.
Golden eyes lit by a glow the world hadn’t seen in centuries.

Prince (mocking, ignoring the silence) —
“Come on, answer! Who are you, traveler?!”

Kagayaku (dry, low voice) —
“Shut up.
And leave Lileth alone.”

Prince (scoffing) —
“You? Giving orders?
I’m her husband.
I’m the prince of the East.
And no one tells me what to do. Least of all you.”

Lileth (stepping down from the carriage, voice breaking) —
“Stop! You’ve done enough!”

The prince looked at her.
And without hesitation…
slapped her.

The response
Kagayaku didn’t change posture.
He simply moved his arm with precision.
The punch landed clean.

The prince flew, crashing through a magical shop sign and slamming into the enchanted wall of an astral café.
Dust rose.
Murmurs fell silent.
But Kagayaku…
wasn’t finished.

Invisible movement
In a fraction of a second,
Kagayaku vanished.
The air bent.
And he reappeared right in front of the staggering prince.

The hero’s hand rose.
And with the back of his palm…
he repeated the gesture the prince had made to Lileth.

The impact launched him 200 meters
Straight through the air.
Over bridges, fabric rooftops, and into a watchtower—without breaking his trajectory.

Reactions from the town
Baker (covering her mouth) —
“Did anyone see how he moved? That wasn’t magic… it was pure instinct.”

Semi-human blacksmith (low voice) —
“Those eyes…
They say when the last hero appears… he won’t need to announce himself.
He’ll just act.”

School-caped girl —
“He’s going to the Academy? I thought only teachers walked like that…”

Royal Knights
Escort 1 (looking at Aerth, nervous) —
“Do we stop him?”

Escort 2 (not moving) —
“For what?
What if destiny just arrived… walking with a rusty sword and a cloak without insignia?”

Captain Aerth (firm voice, arms crossed) —
“No one touches the princess.
And the one who protected her…
didn’t ask for permission.
He gave it.”

Scene — “Where the body remembers what the mind still denies”
Town of Ryndhal — Main Market, in front of the royal carriage
9:22 a.m. — Silence falls over the city, not from fear… but from confusion

The sun bathed the enchanted stone streets, the cream-colored awnings, the scent of freshly baked bread.
Semi-humans walked among humans without haste.
The river sang beyond, and the waterfall behind the Castle of the Rising Dragon Kingdom rumbled as if telling something no one fully understood.

And then… without violence, without sound, without explanation, something happened that no one expected.

The kneeling
The prince of the Eastern Kingdom, still standing before the carriage, turned slightly as Princess Lileth stepped back into her seat.
Kagayaku walked behind, flanked by royal knights as part of the silent escort.

In that instant, the prince took a step.
His foot trembled.
His vision twisted.
And he remembered.

The vision no one saw
Slow steps.
Still breeze.
Kagayaku approaching.
Not with rage.
With resonance.

The hero crouched, looked him directly in the eyes.
And something inside him… opened.
He saw his death.
Not as a threat.
As certainty.

“If you touch Lileth again…
the world will know the weight of a decision without compassion.”

He returned to reality.
Nothing had happened.
No one touched him.
No one stopped him.
But… he was already on his knees.

Confusion in the plaza
Merchants watched.
The prince was kneeling before Kagayaku,
who kept walking without changing pace.
He hadn’t spoken.
Hadn’t turned.
Nothing.

Fruit vendor (watching the scene) —
“Did he fall?”

Wandering mage —
“No, look closely… he knelt. As if remembering something that didn’t happen.”

Baker (whispering while handing out bread) —
“Did you see the boy’s eyes? He did nothing. But that man… won’t touch power the same way again.”

Royal escort
Knight 1 (low voice) —
“Did someone order him to kneel? I saw no signal…”

Knight 2 —
“I saw Kagayaku look at him for a second… nothing more.
And it seems that second… was enough.”

Lileth, from the carriage
The princess glanced discreetly through the enchanted window.
Her gaze met the scene.
The prince on his knees.
Kagayaku standing.
Nothing said.

Lileth (thinking, unspoken) —
“I… don’t understand why he knelt either.
But…
I don’t feel afraid now.
For the first time… someone made him retreat… without even raising their voice.”

Scene — “Where thought weighs more than the sword”
Town of Ryndhal — Beneath the carriage’s shadow
9:27 a.m. — The prince still kneels. Kagayaku has passed. But in his mind… the weight has only begun

The market air resumed its rhythm.
Merchants murmured.
Knights reorganized positions.
The carriage moved forward as if nothing had happened.

But the prince remained on the ground.
Sweating.
Not understanding why.

And then…
the voice arrived.

Mental communication — no sound, no permission
Kagayaku (inside his mind, firm and dry) —
“Good. You changed the outcome.
Because if you had done the same…
I would’ve taken your life.
Not out of rage.
Out of consequence.”

“…By the way…
Deliver Lileth’s grandmother safely.
I know you have her.
And she…
has nothing to do with your ambition.”

“Do it.
Do it soon.
Because if you don’t…
I’ll appear as something worse than your fears.
As the way the world will erase you.
Without shouting.
Without trial.”

Silent reaction
The prince closed his eyes.
His breath broke.
And tears fell again.
Not from shame.
From knowing he couldn’t hide.
Nor negotiate.
Nor win.

He watched the carriage move on.
And Kagayaku…
who never looked back.

Scene — “Where the duel almost happened… and the awakening wasn’t voluntary”
Marble Bridge — Entrance to the Castle of the Rising Dragon / Broken Dream Plane
9:40 a.m. — The gates are near. But someone… got lost in the crossing

Mist from the river rose gently over the marble bridge.
To the side, the castle walls shimmered with enchanted light,
while the towers breathed ancient magic without speaking.

Princess Lileth walked with her gaze forward,
fingers touching the fabric of her cloak, steps unhurried.
Beside her, Kagayaku moved with the same calm,
as if the wind knew it had to step aside for them.

Lileth (pointing to the distant structure that looked like a frozen constellation) —
“The Academy of the Rising Dragon… feels bigger when you’re close.
And lonelier, when you know you can’t learn what no one teaches.”

Kagayaku didn’t respond.
He turned slightly…
and the world changed.

Sudden collapse
A sharp, dry buzz crossed his left ear.
The air warped around him.
An invisible pressure concentrated behind his temple.
And then…
he fell.

Kagayaku collapsed without a cry.
The marble touched his body.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes closed.

Lileth (stopping, rushing toward him) —
“Kagayaku…?
Hey… are you okay?
Wake up, please…”

Escort 1 (already approaching) —
“Princess, did he faint?! What happened?!”

Lileth (her voice lowered as she knelt beside him) —
“Don’t shout… just…
I don’t know what happened… but don’t touch him yet.
Let him breathe.”

Dream Plane — Throne of Forgetting
Centerless darkness.
Smoke floating without wind.
A vast hall, broken, timeless.

Dullminior—cosmic being—sat on his throne carved from ancestral metal and dead stars.
Behind him: fallen banners, faceless figures, kingdoms buried by decisions no one can undo.

Kagayaku appeared before him.
Standing.
Breathing as if the plane had summoned him before birth.

Kagayaku (with restrained rage, eyes still golden) —
“I’m tired.
I always wake up… right when we’re about to fight.
I’m done.”

The duel begins
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Frost.
Crystals expanding without permission.
The entire platform froze,
as if the plane itself was the breath of his fury.

Kagayaku charged.
His rusty sword vibrated as if it had already fought before.
Dullminior rose without moving his body.
His blade: the cosmos’s sentence.

The swords clashed.
A dry, ancient sound.
The plane trembled.
Kagayaku exhaled.
His eyes ignited: deep red, black iris.
He was no longer holding back.

Three seconds
Step.
Clash.
Turn.
Breath.
Another strike.
A perfect block.

And in the third second…
The swords were about to meet again.
No longer as warning.
But as destiny.

But before the fourth second…
the plane shattered.

Awakening — Marble of the royal bridge
Kagayaku opened his eyes slowly.
The buzz faded.
The frost vanished.
His breathing was calm…
but his hands still held tension.

Lileth remained beside him.
She hadn’t touched him.
But her gaze hadn’t moved.

Lileth (soft voice, almost a whisper) —
“You were very far away…
And yet, it felt like something was fighting with you.”

Kagayaku sat up without speaking.
The knights kept their distance.
And the castle…
waited.

Scene — “Where silence weighs more than words”
Entrance Hall — Castle of the Rising Dragon
9:47 a.m. – No one speaks. But everyone feels what hasn’t yet been said

The enchanted marble of the hall felt colder than before.
Suspended stained glass windows cast blue light over the stairs,
as if the sky itself wasn’t sure how to receive what had just happened.

Kagayaku sat at the edge of one of the stone benches,
his back straight,
his gaze lowered,
his body steady.
He didn’t speak.
He didn’t move.
But something in him seemed freshly returned from a place no one knows.

Lileth, concerned
The princess stayed nearby.
Not too close, but close enough to watch every breath he took.

Lileth (soft voice, slight tremble) —
“I don’t know where you were… but you were far.
And that scares me.”

There was no reply.
But none was needed.

The knights, whispering
Escort 1 (quietly to his companion) —
“Has he always been like this? I mean… disconnecting from the world like something’s calling him?”

Escort 2 (watching Kagayaku, not approaching) —
“I don’t know… but after what we saw today…
I don’t think he’s just a traveler anymore.”

Escort 3 (restrained tone) —
“Lileth never kneels, never runs.
Today she did.
And it was for him.”

Lileth, again
The princess walked slowly toward the bench.
She stopped half a meter away.
She didn’t touch him.
She didn’t interrupt.
She simply let her words fall without asking for a reply.

Lileth (more tempered voice, almost resigned) —
“I don’t understand what happened either.
But I’m here.
In case you want silence to have someone who listens.”

Kagayaku remained still.
But if one looked closely…
the air around him trembled slightly.
As if his return was still negotiating with the world.

Narrator (like a shadow that sits before deciding whether to stay)
“Sometimes the hero doesn’t need to speak.
Because what he lived…
can’t be put into words.
And those around him…
learn that being present is also a form of protection.”

Scene — “Where everyone spoke… except the one who should have”
Royal Hall — Castle of the Rising Dragon
9:49 a.m. — The air has a voice, but the hero remains silent

Kagayaku remained seated on the carved stone bench.
Back straight.
Hands still on his knees.
Eyes fixed on something not in the room.
The hall glowed with natural light, but there was a feeling…
as if the castle’s magic didn’t know how to interpret what was happening.

The knights murmuring among themselves
Escort 1 (whispering, arms crossed) —
“Did you notice his eyes? They weren’t golden this time… they looked dim, like they were seeing something else.”

Escort 2 (glancing sideways) —
“He hasn’t spoken since he came back.
Not to the king.
Not to Lileth.
It’s like he’s still there, wherever ‘there’ is…”

Escort 3 (more uneasy) —
“I’ve been on campaigns outside the kingdom.
I’ve never seen anyone fall like that, or wake up as if the ground was too light for him…”

Merchants in the plaza, unsure of what they saw earlier
Fruit vendor (to a customer, softly) —
“That young man… I saw him before. He walked with her.
But when he fell… it was like the air pulled back.
That’s not normal, that’s not human.”

Baker (serving in silence) —
“They say travelers bring wisdom.
He seems to bring something else.
Something even sages wouldn’t touch without protection.”

Lileth, thinking without speaking
The princess remained three steps from the bench.
She hadn’t touched him.
Hadn’t called his name again.
But her mind wasn’t silent.

Lileth’s thoughts —
“When he fell, I felt the world pull away.
As if he sank into something not made of earth.
I saw his face when he woke…
it wasn’t the same one I met days ago.
What if what’s calling him… is changing him?”

“I still don’t fully know who you are…
but I know there’s something that won’t let you stay with us for long.
And that…
worries me more than it should.”

Kagayaku didn’t move.
But the silence seemed to hold him
as if it, too, were part of his armor.