REX POV
"Rex, over here! Over here!" Fabian's excited voice echoed through the open field as he waved his arms frantically, urging me to pass the ball.
Felix was on the move, eyes locked onto me, ready to intercept. It had been a while since he joined our games, too caught up in training and other responsibilities, so most of my matches had been with Fabian. And Fabian, well, he likes me a lot now, if not obsessed.
Sometimes, Freya would be around too, but she never really played. We just talk about a lot to things together. She was too much of a girly girl, which made me wonder how exactly did she plan to get stronger like that? Not that I'd ever say it out loud.
The past three months had been fun filled. Being with this new family and I loved them so much.
With a quick motion, I passed the ball toward Fabian, but his grip fumbled for just a second—just long enough for Felix to swoop in, stealing it effortlessly. He grinned as he bolted past us, his speed nearly impossible to track. Felix had become insanely fast, too fast. He had trained so hard, and it showed.
I couldn't wait to join the Academy tomorrow and finally begin my training. Felix had already told me everything I needed to know—at least for now. The Academy had a rigorous schedule: five months of intensive training, followed by a one-month break, making it a twice-a-year cycle. That meant Fabian and I wouldn't be coming home again until December.
"Damn it!" Fabian groaned, punching the air in frustration. He hated losing.
"Don't worry," I laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulder. I was almost his height now, surprisingly. "When we get back from the Academy, Felix won't stand a chance against us.
"Yes! That's true!" Fabian's grin widened as he turned to Felix. "You hear that? You'll be no match for us."
Felix chuckled, tossing the ball between his hands. "You guys think so?" His smirk was knowing, confident. "We'll see about that."
We all burst into laughter.
The sun was beginning to dip beneath the horizon, casting long shadows across the field. It was time to head home.
"Come on," Felix said, dusting off his hands. "You guys need to start packing for tomorrow."
We had spent the day hunting, bringing the ball along for a little fun afterward. But now, as we neared home, my gaze landed on Leah, standing by the doorway, arms crossed, a strange expression on her face.
"I packed your things for you guys" she said as soon as we arrived.
Her voice was casual, but the smile on her lips wasn't the usual one. There was something off. Felix and Fabian didn't seem to notice.
"Really?" Fabian grinned in relief. "Ah, thank you!"
"That's really nice, Freya," Felix added with appreciation.
Fabian stretched with an exaggerated sigh. "Now I can just sleep"
"Not so fast," Felix cut in, following him inside. "You still need to—"
Their voices faded as they disappeared into the house. I stayed back. Leah's head was slightly bowed, her posture stiff.
"Hey," I said quietly. "You okay?"
"Yeah" She let out a small chuckle, walking past me.
That obviously wasn't true.
I turned to follow, but she veered to the right into the woods and suddenly quickened her pace, eventually breaking into a run.
Instinct kicked in, and I chased after her. She laughed as she sped through the trees, clearly enjoying the playful moment. I had no idea why she was running or why she suddenly wanted to play, it wasn't like her.
We ran for almost ten minutes before she finally stopped and we were in front of a fountain. It was the most beautiful one I had ever seen. The water sparkled in the fading sunlight, flowing from a stone structure covered in vines and wildflowers. Fireflies danced in the air, glowing softly like tiny stars. The surrounding trees stood tall, their thick branches forming a natural canopy overhead and the whole place felt peaceful, almost magical.
"Whoa," I breathed.
Leah smiled as she walked up to me. "It's pretty, yeah?"
I nodded. "It's… incredible."
She lowered her gaze. "I come here sometimes. When I'm sad."
I turned my gaze from the beautiful fountain behind us to her stunning eyes. "What's wrong this time?" I asked.
"You guys are f***ing leaving," she said, using the f-word for the first time, her voice trembling as she tried to hold back tears. "I'm going to miss you guys, I'm going to miss you." She blinked several times rapidly, looking away.
I didn't really know what to say.
So I paused for a moment. I let my gaze drift back to the fountain, taking the beauty in and letting the silence settle.
"We still have a few more hours togeth—" Before I could finish my sentence, her lips were on mine. I froze completely. By the time I processed what had just happened, she had already stepped back.
I looked at her, but she couldn't meet my eyes. She was older, definitely not usually this shy around me, but I'd always known she avoided looking me in the eyes for long. According to Fabian, my gaze was too cold for comfort.
"I'm sorry," she blurted, panicked. "I'm so sorry. That was so inappropriate. What the hell is wrong with me?" She slapped her forehead.
"It's… it's okay," I tried to say, but before I could finish, she spun around and ran.
I stood there, stunned, staring at the place where she had been.
Then, slowly, I sat down on a stone, my eyes fixed on the water.
I didn't know what to feel. I had just experienced my first kiss, and it was awkward. I huffed, shaking my head, trying to shake off the feeling, but it wasn't just in my mind. Was it the shock or the tension?
My body felt uneasy, still warm and slightly painful. It was like something inside me had been triggered.
I huffed, running a hand through my hair. Was this normal for Awakened? Did everyone feel like this?
I wasn't sure if every Awakened person felt this way. I usually don't know who I am or what I'm doing, and everything I do feels fake, like I'm not really myself. I can never find myself or truly know who I am.
As I stood there, lost in thought, I suddenly noticed a strange, translucent barrier growing around me. I stood up, confused, and turned around. It was surrounding me, becoming thicker.
Panic curled in my gut.
What's going on? Is there about to be another devastation?
While trying to make sense of it all, a frail-looking old man emerged from the barrier.
My eyes locked onto him, studying his features.
"Doom," he called.
The name echoed in my ears, strangely familiar. Was that my name in a past life? No, focus, I needed to figure out who this man was.
His messy grey hair hung over his face. His tattered clothes looked like they hadn't been changed in months—seriously, the devastation happened a while ago, could he not find something better to wear? He was barefoot, about six feet tall, with sharp, handsome features marred by deep scars, far more than the single one Mr. Ray had. A long, full white beard made him look even more intimidating and his presence, his energy felt overwhelming.
"Who are you?" I asked, standing still as I watched him. He didn't move either.
"A young boy who lost everything and is now left with nothing but unlimited power," he said. "No better vessel." A strange smile crept onto his face.
What's he talking about? Is he referring to me? His words sent a chill through me.
"I'm Kael," he said as he took a step closer, his gaze never leaving mine.
I instinctively stepped back. He looked really intimidating up close, his scars making him seem battle-worn, ancient and there was something off about him.
"I could sense the danger inside of you from miles away," he continued, "even though it is concealed. And now, standing here, I can tell just how great the force truly is."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped, frustration bubbling up. "What do you want?"
"I'm only here to help you, kid," he replied calmly. "You have something inside you. Something that can either end this world or save it. And right now, you don't even know which."
"What do you mean?"
Kael tilted his head. "Right now, you may be Rex. But trust me, Rex is fading. A single trigger, and he'll be gone for good, and doom will awaken"
My stomach twisted.
"You can't be around them," he continued, shaking his head. "You can't be around anyone. It's dangerous. You'll harm them. You can't control him."
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. Okay, he's crazy. What do you expect from some old guy in the woods dressed like a lunatic?
Kael narrowed his eyes. "You don't believe me?"
"Obviously not. Would you believe yourself if you were me?" I shot back.
I turned, intending to walk away, only to remember the barrier blocking my path. I hesitated, then moved forward, pressing my hand against it. It looked like floating jelly but felt as solid as iron.
"You don't even realize what you're trapped in, do you?" I heard him chuckle and I realized I was trapped
"This is a Nullfield Barrier. A seal designed to suppress high-tier entities." He gestured around us. "It's a fusion of two forces—Chrono Lock and Abyss Veil. The Chrono Lock prevents outside interference, freezing the space within. Even if someone was right outside, they wouldn't be able to sense you. And the Abyss Veil? That's what's keeping you in. It absorbs force, dispersing it infinitely, making it unbreakable from the inside. No attack will even scratch it.
I turned back to him "I need to go home."
Kael's smirk faded "You don't have a home."
"That's not true."
"They'll come after you. They'll turn their backs on you. And in the end, you'll either hurt them… or they'll kill you."
"They won't, they love me."
"Love?" His laugh was cold. "Love isn't real. People think they love—until it's time to prove it."
I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temple. I was done listening to this nonsense. I needed to get home early if I wanted to wake up on time for the Academy tomorrow.
"That's my battle to fight," I said firmly. "Now, please take down the barrier."
Kael studied me for a long moment. "You have to make a choice first."
I frowned. "What choice?"
"If you agree to come with me now, for the safety of everyone and the world, I'll take it down. But if you refuse, the barrier stays. I can't free you otherwise."
I clenched my jaw. "I'm never going with you. No matter what you say. I'm going back to my family. I'm living a normal life."
Kael let out a low, chilling laugh.
"Normal life? I'm afraid breaking a curse doesn't come with that luxury."
His smile faded, replaced by a heavy sigh.
"And now that you've made your choice... I'm afraid you're trapped here." He turned to walk away.
"Hey!" I called out, but before I could say anything else, he walked straight through the barrier—vanishing into the night, leaving me locked inside.