The hospital discharged Marcus three days later.
With a clean bill of health and a head full of questions, he stepped out into the cool afternoon air. The sky was cloudy, the city humming with distant noise. Life, it seemed, had returned to normal.
But Marcus hadn't.
He made his way back to his apartment near the university campus. His body still ached in strange ways—like the pain was buried in his bones—but he forced himself to walk steady.
When he reached his front door, he barely turned the key before something white and fluffy slammed into him.
"Kiya!"
The fox-like creature yipped furiously, nuzzling against his chest and circling him in fast loops. Her red-tipped ears twitched as her tails swished, and her golden eyes were wide with worry.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Marcus murmured, dropping to his knees and hugging her tightly. "I missed you too."
Kiya pawed at his arms, sniffing his bandages and letting out a sharp whine. She jumped onto his shoulder and licked his cheek, refusing to leave his side.
After settling in, Marcus showered and collapsed into bed. Kiya curled up beside him, her warm fur brushing against his neck. She didn't sleep much that night—every time he stirred, she stirred too, as if sensing something unnatural still clinging to him.
The next few days were a strange dance between routine and unease. Marcus returned to his classes, did his assignments, and even hung out with a few friends who hadn't noticed his brief disappearance.
But something had changed.
He moved more cautiously. Shadows seemed to stretch longer than they should. And in his dreams… the sword returned. Always glowing, always waiting.
Still, he tried to smile. For Kiya's sake, he acted like everything was fine.
Until one rainy evening, when he finally opened the black envelope.
Inside was a sleek black card. No name, no address—just a circular emblem embossed in silver. A glowing glyph pulsed at its center like a heartbeat.
Marcus stared at it. He could feel the weight of a decision pressing on his chest.
Kiya, sitting nearby, looked up at him with a soft whimper.
"I need answers," he said, more to himself than her. "I need to know what's happening to me."
He touched the center of the card.
A cold jolt shot through his arm, and in the next instant, the world around him shifted.