When Matteo opened his eyes, he found himself still within the inner realm—the sky above a soft twilight hue, the void no longer oppressive but calm.
His body felt… different. Lighter, yet heavy with potential.
He stretched his fingers slowly, watching how they flexed, how the air shimmered slightly around his palm.
His hair had reverted to its usual dark tone, though now it flowed a little longer than before, brushing past his back. His violet eyes had dulled—returned to a natural hue—yet something about them still shimmered beneath the surface.
He felt… complete.
Not stronger exactly. But realer.
Behind him, a voice hummed with amusement.
"I see it was a success..."
The old man appeared from the shadows, hands folded behind his back, golden eyes narrowed in contemplation.
"My, what an interesting fellow you are..." he said, inspecting Matteo like an antique blade with a story to tell.
Matteo raised a brow. "You say that like you're looking at a museum piece."
The old man chuckled, ignoring him.
"I was wondering why that mask of yours gave off a familiar energy... So it was the last fragment after all..."
Matteo blinked. "Last fragment?"
The old man's eyes glinted.
"Yes, yes... It seems destiny has set its eyes on you, boy."
"You have now set the wheels turning for all future events. There's no stopping it now."
Matteo stared. "Right... and that means?"
The old man turned, beginning to walk away.
"It means you've invited the attention of forces far older than you can imagine. And not all of them will be as kind as I am."
"For now, go rest. Tomorrow, your real life begins."
"…Thanks for the pep talk, Grandpa."
As Matteo began heading back to the manor proper, the old man called out once more:
"Oh, and by the way…"
"Don't scream when you look in the mirror."
"…Okay… that's not ominous at all."
---
The old man remained standing beneath the red tree as the wind picked up slightly.
His eyes narrowed toward the sky, where stars had begun to flicker.
"Hohoho… I suppose my intuition hasn't dulled after all."
"I've fulfilled my part... haven't I, Kazar? Even after death, you still find ways to annoy me… you big black lizard."
---
Back in the room Matteo had first awoken in, he paused at the mirror.
His eyes widened.
"...What the hell..."
Golden irises gleamed back at him—serpentine, slitted like a dragon's. His once-muted gaze now burned like sunlight through honey.
He leaned in closer, mouth half-open in disbelief—
Sharp. Razor-sharp teeth.
A predator's smile. Not monstrous… but not exactly human either.
The Rune remained etched across his shoulder, its red veins glowing faintly under his skin like embers beneath the surface.
His hair had grown longer—past his back now—and shimmered faintly in the low light.
"…Well. I guess I get what he meant…"
Just then—
SLAM!
The door burst open and a blur of white barreled in like a giggling snowball.
"Bwuthur's back!!"
Yurisha, the tiny dragon girl, ran at full speed with her arms open like wings. She collided into Matteo's waist with a soft "oof!" and immediately started climbing him like a tree.
"Hey—! Yurisha!"
She pouted dramatically. "Bwuthur disappeawed! Yurisha thought you got eated!"
Matteo blinked, caught off guard by the sudden clinging and wobbling tail wrapped around his arm.
"…No, no eating happened. I'm fine."
Yurisha poked his face. Then gasped.
"Your eyes are shiny now! Like Gwandpa when he's angwy!"
"…I'm not angry."
"You look kinda cool though!" She grinned proudly. "Like a shiny bwug!"
"…Thanks?"
She giggled, then climbed onto his back like a backpack and refused to let go.
"Yurisha missed you! Let's go play!"
Matteo sighed, softening. "Let me breathe for a second first, shortstack."
"Only if you promise to give me five of your snacks later!"
"…Four."
"Five!"
"…Fine. Five."
---
Outside, the wind howled gently over the mountain peaks.
But inside the manor, warmth and strange peace settled for a brief, fragile moment.
Tomorrow, everything would begin.
The training. The awakening. The pain.
A war waited on the horizon. A truth waiting to be revealed.
But for now…
"Bwuthur! Come look! Yurisha drew you as a dwagon!!"
"…That's a worm with a mustache."
"It's a dwagon!!"
He smiled.