The next morning arrived not with alarms or chaos—but with music.
Kai opened his eyes to find himself resting on a circular stone platform, covered with moss and flowers that glowed faintly in the dawn.
He stretched, blinked at the twin suns in the sky, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Then he remembered.
"Right… I'm still here."
Still in the realm of peace.
Still without a clue why the universe kept throwing him around like a ping-pong ball.
The Omnitrix on his wrist glowed steady. No alarms. It felt… balanced. Like it was syncing with the world around it.
And then came the voice.
"You slept longer than most."
Kai turned.
The old being from the observatory now stood behind him, hands folded behind his back, long robes drifting in the air like mist.
Kai scratched his head.
"You people love dramatic entrances."
"Are we gonna talk, or are you going to start me on another cryptic mission?"
The old being smiled faintly.
"No mission. Only understanding."
"Come. The others are waiting."
A short walk brought Kai to a large clearing surrounded by silver trees. At the center, a ring of flame hovered just above the grass—perfectly circular, flickering without smoke or heat.
Seven figures stood around it, each radiating calm, silent power. None of them looked like warriors—but something about their presence told Kai they didn't need weapons to be dangerous.
The girl who'd given him fruit now stood with them, eyes calm, hands glowing faintly with swirling wind energy.
"Step into the ring," said the elder.
Kai shrugged.
"What's the worst that could happen?"
He stepped in.
The flames didn't burn.
Instead, they shimmered around him, casting orange light on his skin. The Omnitrix reacted instantly—syncing, adjusting, and pulsing green in harmony with the ring.
Then came the first lesson.
Not combat.
But stillness.
"You carry a device that connects worlds," the elder said. "But you fight like you are always cornered. Fear and rage cannot guide every battle."
"You must learn presence."
Kai scoffed.
"You want me to sit here and meditate while shadow monsters try to rip my face off?"
"Exactly," said one of the quiet figures.
"To master chaos, one must first master self."
Kai grumbled but sat.
He closed his eyes.
Tried to calm his thoughts.
Tried not to fidget.
Tried not to think about spicy ramen.
It didn't go well for the first few minutes.
But slowly…
Something shifted.
The hum of the Omnitrix smoothed out.
The fire around him responded—rippling to his breath, steady with his heartbeat.
He opened one eye.
The others nodded.
Later, they moved on to motion training.
Not just physical combat—but flow.
Dancing with energy.
They taught him to step into wind, to pull strength from light, to mirror fire with his body—not just throw punches.
The girl, whose name was revealed to be Lira, showed him how to mold the space around him. She demonstrated with small crystal butterflies that fluttered from her fingertips.
"Everything alive leaves behind Urja," she explained.
"It is not magic. It is memory. Intention."
Kai raised a brow.
"You mean like… aura?"
"Similar. But older."
He tried.
Failed.
Tried again.
Focused.
And at last, a faint green shimmer danced across his palm.
The Omnitrix vibrated softly.
"You're listening now," Lira said, smiling.
That night, they sat around a real fire. Not one made of energy, but simple wood and flame.
Kai shared his story.
About arriving in a desert during a missile test.
About meeting Tony Stark.
About hiding who he was while pretending to be a simple delivery boy.
And about the deal with SHIELD for ten million dollars if he ever helped save the world.
Everyone laughed at that part—even the elder, whose laugh sounded like thunder through leaves.
"We are not so different," said Lira.
"Many of us were wanderers. Carriers of strange power. We too were pulled across worlds by forces we didn't understand."
"But this place gave us peace."
Kai looked down at his wrist.
The Omnitrix seemed calm now—almost meditative.
For the first time, he didn't feel like it was just a weapon.
It felt… alive.
"Maybe it brought me here on purpose."
"Maybe I'm supposed to learn something before going back."
The elder nodded.
"And when you do, the door will open."
But as the fire crackled and laughter faded, Kai's smile slowly vanished.
He looked at the twin moons now rising above the trees.
Something gnawed at his chest.
"They don't even know I'm gone…"
The elder placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You are not forgotten."
"Sometimes the universe removes a piece from the board only long enough for it to remember who it is."
Kai didn't answer, The peace was only temporary.
And he knew it.