[RIN'S POV.]
The ceiling above me is dull and gray. Smooth, seamless steel—meant to feel clean, modern, maybe even comforting. It doesn't. It feels cold.
A soft beep ticks from the monitoring device beside me. Not loud. Just enough to remind me I'm stuck in bed.
I try to shift. Pain flickers up my ribs like a blade catching light. I inhale through clenched teeth. No one hears.
I've been awake for hours. Or maybe just one. Time doesn't work right in this room. The lights dim automatically every so often to simulate a day-night cycle, but it's artificial, like everything else in Velmaris.
Footsteps echo outside. A low murmur follows—two people, probably ADC medics, talking in that rehearsed hush people use when they don't want you to hear.
They stop near my door.
"Still can't get a clean trace. Matches Idran's logs too closely."
"That's not a deviation. It's a breed."
The cart wheels squeak once. Then silence. Then footsteps again, fading.
Idran?
My eyes narrow.
Why the hell is Idran's name in a sentence like that?He wasn't just some Solstice. He was atleast top five. He was a force—cold, precise, relentless. I'd only met him once, when I was too young to ask the right questions. But he left an impression, even on the other Solstices.
And now… his logs are being cross-referenced?
They didn't say he died. But I've been in ADC facilities long enough to hear that tone. It wasn't routine. It was clean-up.
Something happened. Something that made them nervous.
I push myself upright, biting down hard as my side flares. My legs feel like they're made of wet sand. Still too early.
Doesn't matter. My mind's working just fine.
I close my eyes and replay the fight. Not like a dream—sharper. I can still see its shape, that demon, limbs jagged and wrong, moving with this strange rhythm that didn't feel animal, but didn't feel smart either.
It didn't strike like it was planning. But it didn't strike like it was wild.It was like… like it had seen this before. Like it recognized something in us.
I try to dismiss it.
But I remember the way it turned its back on me. The way it lunged at Kael like it knew how he fought. It wasn't random.
Still, no. It was too reckless to be intelligent. And too small to be the real threat.Which means it might be younger, if demons age.
I reach for the notepad on the bedside tray. It's nothing fancy, just some scratched-up pages Sae left for me to jot down rehab notes.
I flip to a clean page.
Note: "Non-metallic. Organic. Grows mid-fight. Watch for delay."
I stop. then I wrote: "Idran fought one, i think."
It's a theory, not a fact. I don't like guessing. But nothing else fits.
I flip the page and write a name. Idran.
Then beneath it:"Why would they match it to his logs? He fought one too?"
I hesitate.
If Idran faced the same thing we did… and I survived what he didn't...Then this isn't an accident.
I tap the pen once against my lips.
I'm missing pieces. No big picture yet. But something about this, thes demons, this breed, the secrecy, it's meant to be buried.
I write one last line at the bottom of the page:
"Test run?"
Outside, footsteps return. They pause. Right outside my door. A shadow shifts under the doorframe.
I lower the notepad slowly and close my eyes.
The door doesn't open.
After a few seconds, the sound of retreating footsteps again.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
(A week later)
Seven days.Three visits from Sae. Still no answers.
Each time, she'd walked in with her usual half-smile, the one that didn't reach her eyes, and left without telling me anything useful.
And the more I healed, the more the silence itched at me.
I stood now, shoulder stiff but no longer searing, fingers tracing the pages of a half-read book Sae had brought. I hadn't touched it in days. Couldn't focus long enough. My thoughts kept circling back to that night.
The demon.
It was our first time facing one up close. I'd read about Voidwalkers in files, heard older cadets spit stories between bites at dinner — but nothing had prepared me for that thing. And even now, with time dulling the pain, something didn't add up.
Its movements, the way it waited.Its eyes.The sound it made when it was cornered — it hadn't felt animalistic. It hadn't screamed. It had watched us fall apart like it expected us to.
I had no proof. No data.
But the feeling hadn't left.
Sae hadn't denied anything.
She just... evaded. Shifted topics. Asked how I was sleeping, if the food was edible, if I'd started writing again. All things that didn't matter. And every time I asked, she gave me the same soft look, like I was too young to understand what I'd lived through.
Maybe I was. But I wasn't blind.
They were hiding something.
Kael and I hadn't spoken since that night.They kept us in separate rooms. Said it was procedure, that we needed rest.
I didn't believe that either.
Not after I saw how tense Sae looked when I mentioned his name.
If he was fine, why avoid the question?
I moved to the small desk in my room and opened the sketchbook I'd kept hidden under the floorboard panel. No one had bothered to search my room after I was discharged.
Pages flipped by rough sketches of the demon's body, anatomical breakdowns based on memory, speculative patterns, behavioral notations.
All guesswork.
And none of it concrete.
But there was one page I kept coming back to — a timeline I'd drawn in pencil.
Day 1 - Sae visits.
Day 2 - no contact.
Day 3 - second visit, avoids the topic.
Day 4 - no contact, again.
Day 5 - third visit. Same evasion.
She knew something. And whatever it was, it wasn't just sensitive. it was deliberately buried.
Which meant I wasn't supposed to know.
That made it worth knowing.
I closed the sketchbook slowly, thoughts circling back to Kael.
I didn't know how he was holding up.
They hadn't let us see each other, something about rest, recovery, standard procedure. I wasn't sure if it was true or just another layer of control. Knowing Kael, he was probably clawing at the walls by now. Sitting still wasn't his strength.
But whatever he was doing, wherever he was, if he'd seen what I saw, felt what I felt that night…
Then maybe I wasn't the only one asking questions.
[Kael — One Week Later]
The paper's still on the desk.
Exactly where I left it, folded once, no name, no seal, just sitting there like it's not driving me insane.
Kaito gave it to me a week ago, Said, "Open it when you think you're ready."
Whatever the hell that means.
I'm walking fine now. Still sore in a few spots, but it's duller, more annoying than painful. I even ran a little this morning, just to see if I could. Regretted it after ten steps, but I didn't fall. That counts.
Tried summoning a flame last night. Held it for ten seconds before the nausea hit. Progress.
Four visits. That's how many times he came by.
Each time, same smile. Same stupid grin, like he wasn't dodging every single question I threw his way. I asked about the demon. About what it was. He changed the subject. Every damn time.
And the fourth time… he just dropped a bag of candied ginger on the bed and said, "You're doing great, kid" like I didn't notice the way he slightly tensed up when I brought up Rin.
Even I could tell he was full of it. And that's saying something.
I pick up the paper again. It's creased now from me messing with it so much. My thumb presses into the fold like that'll suddenly make it talk.
I haven't opened it.
Not because I'm scared.
…Okay. Maybe a little scared.
Whatever's in there, it's not nothing. And if Kaito's playing dumb, then this might be the only honest thing he's left behind.
I should open it.
I might open it.
Just… not yet.
Not until I figure out why everyone's treating him like a ticking bomb.
I lie back. Stare at the ceiling like it's gonna write the answers out in fire.
Five minutes pass.
Then ten.
I sit up.
Stare at the paper again.
No wind in the room. No movement. Just the quiet weight of it existing. Mocking me.
I reach out. Thumb the edge. My pulse ticks up, steady and annoyed.
Screw it.
I unfold it fast, like if I do it quick enough it won't feel like a choice.
It's not long. Barely a few lines, all in Kaito's sharp handwriting. I scan it once. Then again.
"There are classifications Above Solstices. Ones not listed on any public registry. Same for demons, classifications higher then what the public knows.
Its body was original.
Meika's old report from Caelhurst matches the pattern.
Be careful who you ask. They're listening.
—K"
What the hell does that even mean?
" Above Solstice"? There's no such thing. Solstices are the peak. The twelve of them, legends, monsters, call them what you want, they're the strongest. That's the whole damn point.
But what we fought… I mean, it was different.
It moved like it was thinking.
I didn't want to say it back then, because it sounded stupid. Demons don't learn. They don't adapt.
Still, Kael, what the hell are you supposed to do with this?
I stare at the bottom line again. "Be careful who you ask."
I fold the paper back up, slower this time. My fingers feel clumsy.
Something about this is wrong. Not just the demon. Not just Kaito dodging everything. It's all of it.
And I've been walking around pretending it'll make sense later.
But I don't think it will.
Suddenly, Kaito barges in the room, i didnt hear his footsteps.
he grins, though still not like his usual self, at that moment i wanted to ask about the paper and what he wrote in it, before i could, he glances at the opened paper in my hand.
Then speaks before i could.
Kaito says we're going for a walk.
No warning. No explanation. Just "Get up, lazy. Let's stretch those legs before they turn into toothpicks."
I'd hold out on the asking, for now.
I grumbled something about preferring toothpicks over his nagging, but I got dressed anyway. The air's humid outside, warm in that sticky way that makes your shirt feel heavier than it is.
We walk in silence for most of it. my body still ached, but felt blissful compared to being hospitalized.
He hums a little, hands behind his head like he's just out for a casual stroll, but I can see the way his eyes flick corners. Watch shadows. Too relaxed to be real.
Another test?
We take a right. Then another. I don't recognize the streets at first, but something feels familiar. Like a dream I forgot halfway through.
And then we turn the last corner.
And I see him.
Rin.
I stop walking.
He hasn't seen me yet. Or maybe he has, and he's just choosing not to react.
Kaito nudges my shoulder lightly. Doesn't say anything. Just gestures forward like this was always the plan. Then without a word, walks away, Sae, who was behind rin does so too, i could see a smirk on Kaito's face before he went.
I walk, slow at first.
Rin finally looks up.
Our eyes meet.
And for a second, neither of us says a word.
He stands. His posture's stiff, not from injury, but something else. Caution maybe. Guilt. Who knows.
"You're alive" I say. Not sure if I meant it as a joke or not.
"You to" he replies, quiet.
I'm a few feet away now. Close enough to see the thin bandage wrapped around his wrist. His clothes are fresh, but his face looks like he hasn't slept in days.
We just stare at each other.
No dramatic hug. No tears. Just two people who used to understand each other, suddenly not sure what the other is thinking.
The silence that follows isn't awkward, just like we're both processing it.
"I opened it" I say.
He blinks. "Opened what?"
"The note. Kaito gave me one."
That catches him. His brows pull together. "What note?"
"You didn't get one?"
"I haven't even seen him" Rin says, slowly. "Not once since the demon we fought."
I pause.
I reach into my jacket and pull out the folded paper. It's crumpled now, soft from a week of fidgeting. I don't hand it to him — just hold it in the space between us.
Rin's eyes flick to it.
"What is it?"
"It just said… 'Be careful who you ask.' That's it."
Rin processes it, eyes narrowing.
"Kaito gave you that? When?"
"A week ago. Right before the first time he left."
"And he hasn't told you anything?"
"No." I shove the paper back into my jacket. "Every time I bring it up, he dodges it. Smiles like he's a teacher waiting for me to solve the riddle myself."
Rin says nothing. Just keeps staring at the spot where the paper disappeared.
"He's hiding something," I say.
Rin finally looks at me again. His voice is low. "I know."
We stand there for a moment longer.
I realize my hands are shaking slightly. Not from fear. From frustration. From feeling like everyone around me knows something I don't, and won't tell me.
"Why didn't he give you one?" I ask.
Rin's lips press into a thin line. "Maybe he didn't need to."
That bothers me more than I expect.
"You think this is about you?"
"I don't know what it's about," Rin snaps, not loud, but sharp. "And I don't like guessing."
I stare at him.
There he is. The same Rin, always 2 steps ahead of everyone, except when it comes to emotions. Excluding the solstices and some other higher-ups.
"…I'm glad you're okay," I say, finally.
He doesn't answer.
But he doesn't look away either.
And that's enough. For now.
We don't sit right away.
Just stand there in this quiet little patch of park, like neither of us is sure if this is real yet. Like if we move too fast, it'll vanish.
Rin's the one who finally breaks it. He walks toward the bench and eases down, slow like his ribs still hurt. I follow, not quite limping, but not exactly graceful either. We sit with a space between us.
The wind shifts. Warm, but not unbearable. I pick at the hem of my sleeve.
"…I've been thinking," I say. "About that thing we fought."
"Same," Rin murmurs. His eyes are on the pavement, not me. "It wasn't acting like anything I've read about."
I nod, relieved. "Exactly. It was watching us."
"It flinched at my flame. Not like it was scared, though."
That sends a little shiver through my spine. Because I saw that too, and I wasn't sure I trusted it until now.
Rin shifts. "And the way it grew mid-fight? That wasn't something demons do."
I glance sideways at him.
He doesn't answer at first.
Then: "I think it knew what we were."
That hangs in the air a little too long. Like we're both thinking the same thing but don't want to say it.
I rub at the back of my neck. "Kaito's note said something about classifications above Solstice. Ever heard of that?"
"No," Rin says, but there's a slight pause. "But I've heard rumors. Old files no one talks about. People who vanished mid-rank ascension. One guy supposedly exploded in a training room and they covered it up by saying he 'transcended.' Whatever that means."
"Comforting," I mutter.
Rin leans forward, elbows on his knees. "What if this wasn't a breach?"
I blink. "What?"
He glances at me. "What if it wasn't random? That thing didn't just wander in by accident."
"You're saying someone let it through?"
"I'm saying someone wanted to see what we'd do against it."
That sits heavy in the air.
I frown. "It didn't act like the ones we've seen before."
"No," Rin says. "It studied us.It picked its ground. It didn't even bother finishing me off when it had the chance."
I nod slowly. "It wanted to see what we'd do."
"Exactly," Rin says. "It wasn't just attacking. It was measuring."
The thought makes my jaw clench.
"It looked like it knew what it was doing."
"Which means someone else knew what we were doing." Rin said.
"But that wouldn't make sense, why would someone let a demon out to study us? why would someone want to study us?" i said, questions piling up in my head.
"theories for a reason, kael. Though if you are right, why study us? if we're right, we could be overthinking this."
"or not." i said, trying to connect the dots, yet nothing, i couldn't find anything, nothing that had even a slight bit of evidence. i looked up, my gaze gliding across the stars, faintly shimmering, the usually bright city of Velmaris, one of the Five Monuments of Humanity, the safest place in the world, it was asleep. the city.
It was, peaceful.
"any theories?" Rin said, probably unaware of my momentary zone-out.
"nothing. Its getting late, im returning to my hospital room to sleep" i said, though i hated the hospital, i had to go, i wasn't released yet, for whatever reason that was, i was injured, sure, but i had healed, i could walk on my own.
"annoying hospital." i heard rin mutter under his breath as he nodded, and i smirked. getting up, he followed suit, as we walked together, i was well aware we stayed at the same hospital, just on different wings of it, since it was quite big, being the central hospital for ADC members, and of course we had luxury rooms.
We were siblings of a solstice after all, and sons of 2 of them as well.
It was silent, we were silent. it wasn't awkward surprisingly. My body still ached, but i could wake, and it was more a annoyance then pain.
i didn't know about rin, i didn't ask, he was alright if he was walking with me.