Bedtime Story

 —— ...There was movement in the city. Even at night.

Kaira's eyes briefly sparkled as she stood in the middle of the paved path, with gray stones polished to the point of looking freshly laid. There was something magical in every detail of that city—something that held the girl's gaze, enchanted by what she saw.

The bluish lights illuminating the streets came from thin, almost structureless lampposts. At the top of each one, a crystalline sliver floated, emitting a soft glow, its color oscillating between blue and cyan. It was a controlled, elegant light, enough to bathe the path without dazzling.

Behind the lampposts, perfectly arranged along the road, were exotic plants, trimmed with millimeter precision—as if shaped with scissors by botanical artisans. About twenty meters from the city entrance, two sidewalks on opposite sides ran straight ahead, separated by an extensive amethyst-colored lawn that seemed slightly luminous under the moonlight.

Protecting this lawn was a peculiar barrier: small black rods floated in the air, held by dark orbs at their ends. They rotated slowly, emitting a soft hum—as if magnetism and gravity intertwined there. They seemed fragile, but there was an authoritative energy in their presence. Jumping over or passing under them would be easy... but disregarding a local law rarely ends well. And every citizen seemed to know this.

Further ahead, the buildings began to stand out: low houses with white metal walls and triangular roofs in golden tones, as well as small buildings with light panels on their facades. This was, without a doubt, the residential area of Callus.

Akashi, with his hands in his pockets, observed everything with an indifferent gaze at first glance—but his eyes moved with intentional slowness, taking in every detail of the place.

— Not bad, huh?

He murmured, raising an eyebrow as he saw a three-storey building with violet windows and curved structures that resembled intertwined metal leaves.

Kaira did not respond. She simply stood there, her chin slightly raised and her silver eyes reflecting the bluish tones around her. Her hesitant steps gave her the appearance of someone in a dream — and perhaps that was exactly what she was. Her world, once lost, had never had anything like this.

Akashi noticed, but did not comment. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

After all, after everything they had been through so far... she deserved a moment of wonder.

— Let's find a place to spend the night, if we stay too long enchanted, we'll end up sleeping on the street. — he said, finally breaking the silence. — I bet there's no shortage of decent inns in a place like this.

Kaira blinked, turning her gaze back to him, and nodded in agreement.

— Good. Then let's go.

Akashi casually pointed his thumb north, and the pair moved on, walking in silence for a few more minutes.

△▼△▼△▼△

Twenty minutes had passed since they entered the main road, and finally the two left the residential area to come across a more ancient and robust-looking building with a flashing sign above the entrance.

"Gänysneil Inn"...

Before them stood a blackened steel gate, attached to wide columns adorned with arcane inscriptions in deep blue. Akashi read the inscription as if recognising something familiar — effortlessly, almost instinctively.

Kaira, on the other hand, just stared blankly. From the words to certain gestures of the people around her, everything sounded strange to her. And these people... although most looked vaguely human like her and Akashi, many stood out in visual details. 

There was great variation: civilians with extra limbs, bizarre stature, exuberant or overly exotic clothing, even animal features such as tails, horns, or fur. It was a true meeting point for multiple races.

— U-uhm...

Akashi turned immediately upon hearing the girl's soft grumble.

— Is something wrong?

Kaira stood still, her eyes fixed in a direction where the strangest figures would meet at the corner of the street. A strong, dark feeling was predominant at that moment. Not even Kaira understood what she was feeling, but she knew it was something so horrible that her legs seemed to buckle for a second. Her expression wasn't exactly one of fear... but there was something between discomfort and caution. As if she could sense a certain darkness in each of them, even without knowing them. Especially the man with short grey hair — tied in a ponytail — and purple skin a bit far from them.

Maybe it was just her imagination. Or maybe... not.

Faced with the question, she looked away and nodded slightly, denying it. But the discomfort remained visible in her posture.

Akashi did not insist. Instead, he just raised his hand gently.

— Let's go inside, then.

Without hesitation, the little girl reached out and held his hand tightly, as if the touch would guarantee safety in the midst of the unknown. Their hurried footsteps echoed together on the pavement until Akashi pushed open the half-open gate — making sure to hold it until Kaira crossed — and closed it shortly after, shutting out the outside world with a single gesture.

"———"

After passing through the gate, Kaira and Akashi climbed a short staircase of only three steps. Before them stood the entrance to the white building, with circular windows lined up vertically. Up close, the structure seemed much larger than it had from a distance. Nothing exaggerated, but imposing enough to surprise.

Before they even touched the handle of the double doors, a young woman greeted them with a slight smile and a visibly tired look. Her voice was calm and welcoming, like a gentle breeze after a long walk.

— Veyth aruun. Good evening, esteemed visitors.

She wore something close to a dark uniform: a long skirt that covered part of her ankles and a voluminous shoulder piece, while her thin arms displayed amber skin up to her elbows — where long, almost ceremonial white gloves began.

Her pointed ears resembled those of an elf, if one wanted to make the comparison. Her eyes — black globes with white irises — would be unsettling at first glance... but there was a serene beauty in them, accentuated by long, expressive eyelashes.

Her short, orange hair gave her an androgynous air, accentuated by a few soft strands on the sides of her face and a straight fringe over her forehead.

She was not tall, nor did she seem much older than Akashi. But there was something in her delicate posture, the softness of her voice, and the silent weight in her features that gave the impression of a young woman whose body carried more than it appeared. Perhaps it was just fatigue... or something deeper.

— G-good evening...

— ...?

For a few moments, everything around them seemed to slow down. The wind blew more gently, the lights around them seemed to shine more delicately, and even the footsteps coming from the street sounded muffled. Akashi and Kaira, standing a few steps from the entrance, just stared at the beautiful woman at the door of the inn.

She wore a subtle smile — kind, but slightly tired — with an almost ethereal touch in the way her black eyes with white irises watched the visitors. The slight blush on her face gave the impression that she was not completely accustomed to dealing with guests, or perhaps... she was just surprised by the pair in front of her.

Akashi blinked slowly, returning to reality with a slight cough.

— Um... sorry. It's just that... — He scratched the back of his neck, looking away briefly. — You have a very... striking presence.

Kaira, still hidden a step behind, peered from behind Akashi's arm, her eyes shining with curiosity and a touch of shyness. The elf girl tilted her head slightly, without losing the softness in her gaze.

— Hmm... I don't think I fully understand what you mean, sir... but if it was a compliment, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Welcome to Gänysneil Inn. You must be exhausted. Please come in... make yourselves at home.

With a subtle gesture of her hand, the receptionist stepped away from the door, allowing Akashi and Kaira to cross the threshold of the inn. The interior was surprisingly cosy — the circular walls had organic textures reminiscent of carved marble, but in soft shades of cream and navy blue. Crystals embedded in the upper corners emitted a faint golden light, simulating an eternal sunset.

The floor was smooth, darkened with almost imperceptible designs, and a light fragrance of dry leaves hung in the air, warm but not suffocating.

— Please, make yourselves comfortable for a moment in the entrance hall. — she said, moving with light, rhythmic steps. — I will prepare you a lemurya infusion. If you need anything, my name is Seraya. I am at your service.

Akashi, still attentive to every detail, let out a brief comment as he headed for one of the padded benches against the wall.

— A welcome tea, huh? Callus is somewhat interesting...

Kaira did not reply, just followed him silently. Her eyes still darted around curiously, examining every decorative object and every detail of the room, as if they were on another planet — which, in fact, they were.

As the girl sat down, adjusting her dark blue nightgown over her crossed legs, Akashi rested his elbows on his knees and glanced at the hostess, who was already walking away through an archway in the background, her short orange hair swaying subtly with each step.

— Seraya, — he murmured to himself. — With a beauty like that, I feel like staying longer.

Kaira nudged his arm with a slight frown of reproach.

— Tsk... I'm just commenting. Relax.

— Hmm!

— "Hmm" for you, too. By the way, what happened outside? 

Akashi broke the silence, keeping his tone light. His eyes turned to the small girl beside him.

— I noticed you were quite upset about something. I know civilizations from other planets can be a bit weird for newcomers... but your reaction was as if you had seen something sinister.

— Ah... hnm...

The question hung in the air, with no immediate answer. Kaira just looked down at the polished floor, the reflection of the lights flickering in her silver eyes. She said nothing. Not out of disinterest, but because she didn't seem to know how to say it.

Perhaps it was still too early for her to express herself well... or perhaps what she felt was too complex to put into words.

Akashi watched her for a moment, silently. He considered using the Crimson Crystal to access her memories once more. He could find out everything in seconds. But... it would be invasive. More than that, it could end up driving the little girl away.

And, honestly, she deserved better than that.

— It's okay.

He rested his arms on his legs, relaxing his shoulders.

— You don't have to talk if you don't want to. Sooner or later, I'll find out. But I won't pressure you, okay?

Kaira just looked at him for a moment... then nodded silently, as if that simple gesture was enough.

The newly established light-hearted atmosphere was gently interrupted by the arrival of rhythmic, delicate footsteps. The wooden side door opened with a subtle creak, and Seraya returned, balancing a simple dark metal tray with two steaming cups on it.

— Here, please, accept it.

she said in her low, drawling voice, almost like a warm breeze on a long night.

— A light tea, with herbs from the mountainous region of Iemurya. It calms the senses and warms the spirit. I hope you like it.

— Oh, thank you very much!

She placed the tray on the centre table and delicately arranged the cups, leaving one in front of Akashi and the other within reach of Kaira. The girl just watched curiously, her silver eyes reflecting the steam from the drink.

— The registration form will take a few minutes. Our system is... a little slow at night, unfortunately. — Seraya continued, flashing a tired but sincere smile. — In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable. If you want something to eat, I can arrange it.

Akashi nodded slightly, accepting the hospitality with a smile.

— Thanks. We're just going to rest for a bit.

Seraya nodded, asking no further questions. She knew how to read the room — she knew when silence was more valuable than conversation. Then, with a slight movement of her flowing robes, she calmly walked away, disappearing down the same corridor she had come from.

Kaira brought the cup to her mouth with both hands, blowing on the tea before taking her first sip. Her eyes widened slightly — perhaps surprised by the taste, or simply because she found it too hot. The answer came when she suddenly opened her mouth wide, the steam flowing out like her insides were being cooked.

— W-waaah!! 

Akashi just chuckled softly.

— Hehe... careful there, little one... it's not juice, you know?

She stared at him with a slight pout, but kept the tea between her fingers, warming them.

The moment was simple, almost mundane. But after everything they had been through... it was precious.

△▼△▼△▼△

A few minutes later. Both Akashi and Kaira were walking down a blue corridor, and if anything, it was much less surprising than one might expect.

It began after a staircase leading to the upper floor of the reception area. Ahead, there were several doors on both sides with strange symbols, like several worms trying to pose for a photo. The doors appeared to be made of wood at first glance, greyish and sturdy — if this were some kind of prison, no one would doubt it.

Greenish lights in chandeliers on the ceiling illuminated the corridor, whose floor was brown and made of some material similar to marble. A sweet and even refreshing aroma was predominant in the place, which made the environment pleasant. They probably don't allow people to sleep in the corridors, right?

△▼△▼△▼△

— Your room is "Ravtr-Sicstin".

— ...Right... How much will that be?

At the reception desk, Seraya returned with a spherical metal object. It had a small triangular projector in the centre, which would make a small blue screen float in front of Akashi.

There was a lot of varied information there. From name, age, nationality to even the address of his quarters. Typing all that must have been a hassle.

— Since you chose to stay only tonight, we are offering you a price of 125 dælcs.

— Hmm...

When mentioning the price of the stay, Seraya's pointed ears twitched for a short moment. It was a strange gesture that caught the attention of the curious Kaira, who admired her continuously in silence.

— 125... very well.

— Sir?

As he replied, Akashi reached inside his coat over his shoulders, a neutral expression appearing on his face. Seraya soon noticed the object he had taken out of a pocket inside his garment.

A kind of leather bag rolled up in a small sack, which seemed to be full of money. Akashi raised his hand, handing the object to the woman with an indifferent expression, as if giving so much money to someone was something trivial.

— You can keep the change.

Seraya's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Her hands gently waved in refusal.

— B-but... that's too much! Please, I can't accept more than the agreed amount!

Akashi just smiled, handing over the bag without ceremony. His voice seemed more forced to sound "cooler," taking on a soft, velvety tone.

— Consider it a thank you for the warm welcome. It's not often that people treat us like this right after we arrive. Also, we do have much more, these are just some small changes for us.

The woman hesitated, looking at the amount inside the small bag of money, her eyes seeming to tremble subtly.

— You are very kind... but...

He was already turning away, adjusting his coat. His face gently turned so he could look at Seraya over his shoulder, staring at her with a seductive crimson gaze — or trying to.

— And you are a beautiful, very polite young lady. If more attendants were like you, the entire universe would be less hostile. You know, I've wandered for years, seen stars born and die, seen chaos and destruction... you don't know... you have no idea how a mere gesture as kind as yours could save the entire cosmos!

It was just a random comment. A little dramatic. But Seraya took a while to respond. She widened her white eyes and shrugged her shoulders. Her half-closed lips could only utter an — O-oh!? — while a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

— Y-you really are...

— A dork, yes. —  thought the little one, who was right there. 

Kaira, standing next to her, just stared at the two of them, with that typical look of a child silently judging an adult: "(=_=)"

Akashi was hitting on the receptionist. With a straight face. Unable to speak properly, Kaira could only hold on tight.

△▼△▼△▼△

Returning to the present moment, Akashi and Kaira were standing in front of a door, halfway down the corridor.

It was noticeable that the door handle had a faint yellow light in the centre. Compared to the previous ones, which had green lights that stood out from the ceiling lights, it could be interpreted as a sign of 'come in' and 'do not enter'.

— Yeah. Looks like this is the one.

— Um...

— I can't help but say, I'm a little nervous about what I might find in there.

— Mhm.

— Top ten best dialogues that I ever had. Okay, let's go in.

Akashi reached out and held the handle firmly.

The touch was followed by a slight click, and the yellowish glow of the handle went out. The door opened with a soft creak, revealing the interior of the Ravtr-Sicstin room.

The room was spacious but simple. A large window occupied almost the entire opposite wall, covered by a thick burgundy curtain. The floor was made of a soft material, as if it were a mixture of carpet and some kind of woven plant fibre, and there were two beds — a larger one against the back wall and a smaller one closer to the window.

In addition, a small table with two chairs and a vase of crystal plants in the centre completed the decor. The walls maintained that cold, greyish tone typical of Callus, but a bluish ambient light softened the feeling.

— Hm... — Akashi entered first, turning his neck as if inspecting the place. — Better than I expected. And no strange smells. That's already a plus.

Kaira walked behind him, her silent footsteps echoing on the soft carpet. She looked around with curious eyes, but didn't seem bothered. When she saw the smaller bed, she approached it without saying anything and touched the sheet as if testing its texture.

— If you want this bed, it's yours. —  said Akashi, taking off his coat and throwing it over the chair.

She nodded again, without saying much. And even though she still didn't speak, the way she pulled the blanket and arranged it beside her indicated that she already considered this place a little more hers.

Akashi stretched his arms with a discreet yawn.

— You know... — he said, looking at the still-closed window. — Even though we went through some weird situations today... I think we've managed to have a peaceful end to the night.

Kaira turned to him, as if she wanted to say something. But instead, she just walked to the centre of the room, stopped in front of him, and stretched out her little hand. Her small fist was raised towards the boy's face, while she stared at him with a determined expression — or as if saying "you promised!" with her eyes.

Akashi stared at the gesture, somewhat surprised. Then he smiled slightly and nodded.

— I get it. All right, I'll tell you, if you promise to go to sleep after that.

He would say in a soft voice. A crooked smile spread across his face. Kaira nodded positively. He quickly turned around, returning to his cosy bed, waiting for Akashi.

The man took a few steps forward, sitting with his back to Kaira on the carpet. His arm rested on his right knee. Akashi sighed heavily, as if thinking about where to start.

A short silence spread through the room as Akashi's face lifted to stare at the white ceiling.

"104 years ago, I was only 14 when I was taken from my old home to a parallel world. Well... uh... to begin... I was born in another universe... in a different galaxy from this one... on the seventh planet of my old solar system — Earth."

And the story began, with some hesitation on his voice.

"I was essentially an ordinary boy. I had nothing special about me, except for a father who had left a criminal organization, my love of combat, an older sister who always tried to keep me from doing stupid things, and a hard-working stepmother who was always tired."

His eyes fell slowly to the carpet, weak, sad.

"My mother... she... died when I was born, so I never knew her... uh... so... one night, my stepmother talked to my family about moving to a new city, for a new life and new possibilities. I didn't want to. I had lived my whole life in that city... I knew everyone, even though I wasn't very sociable..."

A subtle smile formed on his lips, like he was ashamed to tell the fact that he was an anti-social person during his younger life.

"I wanted to participate in a tournament that my martial arts teacher had recommended, but that would no longer be possible. So... in pure sadness...  I went to my room. I never felt so bad as that day before... Unable to accept that I would lose everything I knew. That was when my life changed."

His right palm slowly raises to the ceiling, the gesture was confused for Kaira, but, for him... he saw the past. Specifically on his little finger — something that only he could see. A silver ring, with black dragons on its surface. 

"Heh... I... I feared change. I despised it. But in the end, just after I opened a single door... everything REALLY changed for me. I remember how sudden it all was. A cold, silent emptiness, as if the cosmos itself had stopped to watch me. Then, suddenly, I was hearing voices from all sides. That's when I realized, I was somewhere else, standing in the middle of the street, a few meters away from being crushed by a guy driving a carriage..."

Suddenly, a small chuckle escaped from his mouth — the memories coming one after one.

— Hehe... that day was crazy.

— H-hnm...?

With Akashi's subtle laugh, Kaira simply let out a faint murmur, as if to say, "What does that mean?" but the boy regained his focus.

— Sorry. I got a little distracted. Well... uh...

His attention now was focused on a wall. Well, actually he wasn't really staring to the wall like it had something interesting, or anything. He was lost. Akashi's mind was so focused on his past, that his eyes were almost seeing it — where he was staring at didn't really mattered on the real world, because his true attention was somewhere he wasn't physically. 

"Everything around me was strange, a new... and different world where I would have to find my place — and where the weight of the past would become my only anchor. Who would've expected? The thing that I most feared was changing, and I still was forced to it, but all alone? How ironic... hum... I was saved from a life on the streets, perhaps as unworthy as that of a criminal, by a man who took me into his home. There I found shelter and a new purpose."

As he pointed the irony of his life, an shy smile opened, his index finger scratching his chin. Tell Kaira that story was mostly telling how his life was made by forced changes, irony and how the world can always surprise you.

Which is why he began to simply not take the world itself so serious. 

"... in a few days living there, I quickly notice... how the people who lived there became important to me... all of them. So I asked to stay on as a butler, someone who could always be there and feel that I wasn't deadweight... the owner allowed, and my new life finally began to have some purpose... You can't imagine how difficult things were there... oh, and was in that world that I gained the strength I have today — the same strength you saw!"

His left fist raised, punching the air, while his free hand touches his own biceps — as if Akashi was showing off his strenght, or something. 

"I faced many opponents, each one serving as a stepping stone for my evolution... I learned from people who helped me become someone different, who strengthened me and inspired me to persevere... even when all seemed lost. After all, even when everything goes wrong, it's always possible to start over from scratch."

Akashi's eyes closed for a second, his smile now softer, as his voice becomes lower as he said:

— Right... "brother"?

He whispered to himself, his eyes slowly opened, turning to his own chest, where he gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly — as if a mixture of regret, pain, and sadness had arisen.

...

...

...

After a moment of silence, he let go of the clothes, sighed softly, and smiled once again, lifting his face.

"At one point, a mysterious being summoned me for a conversation. He brought my mother— well, her spirit—to a plane where we could finally see each other... There, that entity told me many things: the reason for her death, the purpose of my birth, and about cruel monsters that threatened to destroy everything in search of divinity... those... bastards...!"

Akashi's expression closed. His stern gaze turned to the ceiling, and a bitter face took the place of his usually smiling or indifferent one.

Even with his back to Kaira, she could feel the weight that had taken over the room. Yet, her silence was much more respectful than anything. 

"My allies and I defeated them. One by one, the monsters that devastated our home fell in battles that nearly took our lives. But..."

"The unexpected happened", was what he wanted to say. But, the sudden stinging feeling on his heart made all of his words escape for a moment, like something from the past simply came back to cause him more pain on his present.

Yet, he wasn't going to stop there.

"A primordial entity representing chaos—the first angel who opposed order, justice, and obedience to the Creator, an evil being named Nazgaroth—emerged after the tricks of one of the monsters we faced. His seal was broken, and countless worlds paid the price. Mine was no different... both of them."

His palm reached the white strands of his hair, that fell over his eyes. The fingers grabbed them, his teeth creaked and a dark expression took over his face for a few seconds...

— I survived... alongside another guy... who also fought to the end. He was amazingly strong, almost stronger than me at that time...

His body relaxed, eyes closed and then, his palms fell to the side of his body. Akashi heavily breathed, before proceeding.

At least, he was already finishing it.

"Saved by Adonis, Hokori and I rose up in a final battle against primordial chaos. And after a difficult clash on the emptiness, where used to exist entire universes... we won. Nazgaroth was sealed, and the worlds that were once lost returned."

In his mind, a single thought came, like answering to himself, correcting a small mistake: "Well... almost."

"Adonis and the entity that created that old world worked together to restore the destroyed universes. Yes. But at the price of their lives starting over from scratch. Some in alternative forms, others simply repeating themselves, without interference from beings from other worlds. My old homes... completely forgot my existence. To them, I never existed... yet, the destiny followed the original course for me... I had work to do, after all."

The sound of gnashing teeth and a trembling voice emerged in the room. A deep pain ravaged him. Subtle tears ran down his face, but Akashi still forced a smile.

Two lives erased. Forgotten by the worlds he once walked upon. Totally forgotten by those he loved and protected, in exchange for warding off danger — an act of self-sacrifice, driven by love and guilt.

"But it's okay. After all, they're alive... I mean, most of them are gone by now, but I can still see them at different periods of time. Whenever I can, I watch them to make sure no one messes around, you know? Heh... I can't... allow them to suffering like that again."

— ...

— My techniques and strength came from those people, from my experiences, and from everything I lived through in my two lives. Thanks to that, I am capable of facing anyone. It's true that after defeating Nazgaroth, I was taken to a place where my spirit was remodelled and my body strengthened beyond expectation. I was immersed in sacred flames and forged like a blade by the hands of my Master... Besides that–– huh...?

— ...

Kaira remained silent, and no one would have minded if she hadn't said anything upon hearing this story.

But there was the crucial point.

Turning slowly after hearing a soft snore, Akashi saw the serene, youthful face of the sleeping child. Expressionless, he just watched her, feeling a little awkward.

— Too much yapping, right? You walked so much, I bet you were really tired...

His gentle hand caressed Kaira's face, but she didn't react, only curled up even more. Small drops of tears glistened in the corners of her little eyes.

— I'm sorry... you've been through a lot, haven't you? Hm... but I can't keep taking you here and there. Tomorrow, when I manage to do what I came to do, I'll look for an orphanage for you to stay in, it's safer. One day, someone very kind will take good care of you, Kaira.

"Sweet dreams."