Klein Cylrit
The conference hall filled one by one as students shuffled in. Nico sat down next to me, and I slid into the chair beside him. My eyes swept the crowd, searching for familiar faces—Grey, Raya, Rain—but found none.
Turning to my right, I glanced at Nico. His eyes were hollow, stripped of any spark of life, fixed on the heavy red curtains draped across the stage. Front of us, aether particles drifted lazily in the air, as if mocking us with their silent dance.
"'The Sun Is Health,'" I thought. What a ridiculous name for a conference.
The man leading it was Dr. James Zoe, a name I had heard but knew little about. All I understood was that today, he would stand in front of my school and speak.
When the last of the students had settled, the vice principal strode across the stage, gave a formal introduction about Dr. Zoe, and then stepped aside. A few seconds later, the curtains pulled back and Dr. James Zoe appeared, greeting us with a wide, warm smile.
The aether particles moved toward him at once. I had no idea why, but the sight was unsettling.
He cleared his throat and began. "Esteemed principal, teachers, and students. First I want you all to know that, I am really happy to be around children. It makes me just happy."
From what I could tell, he was in his forties. Yet his hair was already bleached white, his face sagging under the weight of years. His voice was also sharp but friendly in a way. Medicine did this guy dirty.
"Today," he continued, "I want to share with you the importance of our Sun."
His voice carried well—steady and alive—but even so, I noticed a few students struggling to stay awake.
"As you all know, the Sun is the only star in our solar system." He paused for breath, then pressed on. "Its dazzling yellow glow, however, is not yellow at all. In truth, the Sun is violet. The reason we humans perceive it as yellow lies within our atmosphere—it bends what is violet into yellow."
He lifted a remote and clicked. Behind him, a photograph appeared on the screen: the Sun, captured from the void of space. It glowed with a deep violet radiance, shimmering in a way that reminded me of the very color of aether. My pulse quickened. Maybe—finally, I would learn something new about aether.
I almost leapt out of my chair, but Nico grabbed my arm.
"Don't do anything stupid, Hero," he muttered.
"What?"
He frowned, eyes narrowing. "Instead of asking him your ridiculous questions, sit still and listen to the damn conference."
His choice of words surprised me. I looked at him and smiled.
"Why are you smiling like that?" he asked.
"I don't know. Maybe because I thought you'd finally decided to act like a decent human being."
"You—!" His cheeks flushed, and he let go of my arm, slumping back into his seat. Instead of another insult, he muttered, "Hero."
Some students I had helped had given me that nickname before. It was flattering to hear it from him, even if unintentional. I leaned back, forcing myself to calm down and focus on Dr. Zoe.
Another slide flicked onto the screen: "The Benefits of the Sun."
"As you can see," Dr. Zoe said, "our Sun accelerates our bodies, strengthens us, and increases endurance. The reason is not fully known, but scientists have one explanation…"
The image shifted again. This time, it showed a muscular man, every line of his body sculpted in detail. A violet light shone across him from behind, illuminating his back and limbs, even the smallest tendons of his fingers.
"As this picture illustrates, the Sun's violet light enhances our physiology. The gift it provides is extraordinary. The Ammut Space Research Facility has studied this for years, though we lack the technology to examine stars beyond ours."
Students groaned in disappointment, their voices mingling into a low hum. I turned to Nico, curious about his reaction. He noticed my gaze, shot me a sharp look, and raised a brow. "But probably not many of you know a really interesting fact about our dear little Moon." Doctor said with a confidence. And the students that were even sleeping awoke in a flash. "New studies about our Moon are a little interesting." Doctor said with a grin in his face. Than Doctor Zoe showed a picture of our Moon captured from space. "If we look closely, we can see a human silhouette on the Moon." Almost everyone in the hall jumped from their seats. Students gasped with fear and curiosity, and so was I. In a shock I looked at Nico, but when he looked backed, I saw that he didn't had the same emotions on his face.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like you're some vampire about to suck me dry."
"Huh?" I shook my head. "Ridiculous. Why would I look at you like that?" Still, I had to admit he might have been right. The thought of aether stirred such excitement in me that I probably wore strange expressions without realizing.
On stage, Dr. Zoe dragged a chair forward—but instead of sitting, he stepped onto it. Teachers gaped in shock, while students leaned forward in curiosity.
"Tell me!" His voice thundered, his arms spread wide. "Do you call this freedom? Do you call this helping? Do you call this protecting? Do you call this living? Surviving? Understanding?"
His words echoed. Then he pointed to the projected image of the Sun.
"Without unity, none of these mean anything! If the Sun is our purpose, then we must understand it, protect it, help each other, to be free, to live, and endure together!"
The room erupted in applause. Teachers rose, students clapped with amusement and excitement. I joined in, slower than most, but clapped all the same. The man had given me far more in one speech than I'd expected.
Even Nico's face—usually painted with smugness—was alight with genuine interest.
Dr. Zoe climbed down, bowed deeply, and stepped back as the curtains closed.
Teachers began ushering students out. Just before I left, I caught sight of Grey and Raya in the crowd. Grey scowled as always, but Raya—her face was etched with fear. That look unsettled me. Something had happened while I wasn't with them. Something important.
The last time I had seen Raya like that was back in the alley.
The games aether played with us were spiraling out of control.
Someone living on the Moon. A star made entirely of aether. At first, the thought had seemed wondrous. But the more I turned it over, the more terrifying it became. If that was true—what came next? Other worlds? Other beings?
And Raya's fear… it wasn't only from these revelations. I was certain of it.
I hurried outside and found Grey and Raya already sitting on a bench in the garden, staring at The Eye of the Void and Bosque. I approached. Raya looked up, but Grey kept his gaze fixed on the book and the rabbit.
"Wow! You guys are fast."
Seeing their gazes I got curios.
"Why the sad face?" I asked.
Neither answered. Grey finally raised his eyes, opened the first page of the book, and pointed at it.
"The rules…" he muttered.
I frowned, trying to piece it together, but he sighed and jabbed at the words.
Rule One:Once the book is bestowed upon you, you must not share it with anyone.
Everything clicked. Grey had broken the rule when he showed us the book. And now he was paying for it.
He shut the book with anger, exhaling heavily.
"After school, we're meeting with a kid," he said flatly.
Raya shot upright, shocked. "A… a kid? Why? Does he know something about aether?"
Grey smiled faintly, his golden eyes calm. Raya's blue ones, by contrast, were alive with nerves and curiosity as they flicked between us.
"Met him this morning," Grey explained. "Bit depressive. But throw food in front of him and he loses it."
We laughed. A raw, honest laugh that made us feel, for that moment, like true friends. Seeing Grey's rare smile, Raya's hair fluttering in the breeze, their joy—it warmed me.
Later, Grey and I regrouped in the bathroom to discuss what to do after school. I wished Raya had joined us, but she had gone to comfort Rain fpr of couse a sad reason.
"This Sunny kid," I asked, "Can he see the aether?"
Grey nodded. "Didn't seem to know what it was, though. Probably just started seeing it."
He spoke with such certainty, his voice steady and deep, that I couldn't doubt him.
"Anything else?"
Grey smirked, pride curling his lips. "I learned something new about the runes. The Rune of Destruction seems to harm, while the Rune of Creation heals."
He showed me the runes etched into his palms.
"I've got to admit," I added with a sly grin, "those are some impressive names you came up with. Suits them well."
"You know?" Grey said with a grin "Your more likeble than I thought."
I grinned back. "Glad you think so, golden eyes."
He stood, stretching. "Let's get out of here. Bathrooms are dull."
I chuckled. "Bet you prefer the private ones, anyway."
He only smirked and reached for the door.
But it swung open before he could touch it. Nico stood there, eyes wide with surprise.
For a long moment, the three of us just stared. Then Nico finally broke the silence.
"Eh? What the hell are you two doing here?"
Grey's expression shifted. Not angry. Not cold. Strangely… pleased. As if Nico's presence was exactly what he had been waiting for.
My gaze darted to Nico's stunned face. I reached for Grey's shoulder, but stopped myself when I saw his eyes—those piercing golden eyes.
Hands folded neatly behind his back, he spoke calmly. "Klein, I think I need to relieve myself."
"What? Wait, what are you—"
Before I could finish, Nico lunged toward him. "Grey! I'm talking to you, damn it! A person shoud—" He faltered, voice cracking. "—a person should talk back. Please."
That final word was barely a whisper, soft, almost broken.
Grey stared at him, unreadable. His eyes seemed to bore through Nico, yet his stance remained strangely relaxed. And then, at last, he spoke:
"Don't worry, Nico. We were only discussing life. Forgive me for not answering you sooner."
Both Nico and I froze. Grey never spoke like that to Nico. Hell he never spoke like that with anyone.
Before I could make sense of it, Grey's hand clamped around my wrist. He yanked me forward, hurling me straight into Nico.
We stumbled to the floor, tangled together.
By the time I lifted my head, Grey was already stepping back, the bathroom door swinging shut between us.
I pressed a palm against it, but it was no use. The lock clicked.
Pinned beneath Nico's weight, I sighed. "Damn it, Grey…"
Grey Nirmala
I slammed the bathroom door shut and unleashed the aether stored within the Rune of Destruction. The doorknob melted away in an instant, leaving nothing but a charred hole in the frame. I'd worry about escaping later. For now, there were more important matters.
Behind Nico, hundreds of aetheric particles swirled in the air. That wasn't normal. Yet because of them, I saw something else—something worse.
The Eye of the Void was watching us.
I snatched the book from the floor, glaring at its cover. "Come on… do something. Anything other than erasing my bag."
Scowling, I raised the Rune of Destruction toward it. "If you won't give me answers, then I'll bury you in questions."
The aether I had absorbed surged forward, striking the book with all the fury of destruction itself. But instead of tearing apart, the Eye of the Void flared with an unnatural glow. It pulsed, brilliant and violent, until my instincts screamed at me to drop it. The moment it left my hands, the book detonated in a burst of violet light.
My vision drowned in purple, burning my eyes until I could see nothing else. Then, just as suddenly, the brilliance faded.
"Damn it…" I groaned, forcing myself off the tiles. The bathroom was almost untouched—except for the cracked mirror.
"Perfect. Just perfect. From now on, no more attacking cursed books."
I stalked toward the mirror, studying the jagged fracture that sliced across half my reflection's face. A crooked smile tugged at my lips. "Wow. You actually look terrifying."
Then I sighed, gaze shifting back to the door. "Maybe throwing Klein and Nico out and locking myself wasn't the best idea after all." My frown deepened. "Idiots."
Klein's pounding fist rattled the other side of the door. His muffled voice carried through—"Grey, open up!" and "What the hell are you doing in there?"—blah, blah, blah. I ignored him and turned back to the Eye of the Void, opening the first page.
Rule Seven: The Book is merely a gateway to the Dream Realm.
I exhaled, rolling my eyes. What the hell was that even supposed to mean? Everything had grown so tangled, like I was some kangaroo forced to hop from one absurd revelation to the next. The sun was made entirely of aether, there was a huöam like creature living on the moon, and now this? If things continued at this pace, I wouldn't be surprised if Nico, Rain, Alora and even Opie, started seeing aether too.
I looked back at the cracked mirror. "Hey, amazing Grey. Care to lend me a hand? You haven't exactly been pulling your weight…"
The fracture pulsed faintly, glowing for a moment before going dark. Nothing more. A flicker of anger surged through me. I raised the Rune of Destruction, pressing it toward the glass. "What if I just shatter you instead?"
Of course, I didn't expect an answer—this damn mirror couldn't speak afterall. I only wanted to understand. But instead of answers, I kept finding more questions. And I was sick of it.
I released the last of the rune's destructive aether into the glass. The crack widened, spreading like a wound across the surface. But this wasn't what I expected. I expected the mirror to fade, erase completely, not the crack to grow.
"Why do I even care?" I muttered. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore. Was it to remember that night? To understand aether? To overthrow this pathetic system of slavery? I don't remember. I don't understand. I don't know."
A bitter smile curled across my face. I raised my left hand, the Rune of Creation was glowing faintly, and I pointed it at the crack. I hadn't pushed Klein and Nico away because I hated them. I'd only wanted solitude—because no matter how much time passed, no matter how many people I called friends, I would always end up alone. That was my fate. Because this was who I was. A bastard.
I pressed my forehead nearly against the mirror, staring into my fractured reflection. "Hey, Grey. Do you believe in fate?"
No reply.
"What's your purpose then, Grey? Why are you here? Who are you here for? To help? To survive? To be free? To love? To protect? Or just to live?"
I pulled back my fist, trembling. "Answer me! Please… please—why the hell are you like this? Why am I like this?"
The silence stretched. And then, finally, my reflection spoke—not aloud, but in my own thoughts.
Maya's death is on you. She stood beside you in your darkest moments. But when it was her turn, you weren't there.
My chest tightened.
You killed her, Grey. It's your fault. Even if you could bend space and time with aether—even if you control life and death itself—it wouldn't change a single thing. Maya is still gone. She'll always be gone. And you'll never have the power to save her.
I stumbled back from the mirror, shaking. Then I thrust the Rune of Creation toward the doorknob's empty socket. If Destruction could erase, then surely Creation can restore. Right?
Aether spilled from my palm. Nothing.
"Oh, come on!" I snarled at my own hand. "Why does nothing ever work the way I want?"
I turned back to the mirror, scowling. "For someone who wants to be alone, you sure collect a lot of friends."
I pointed the rune back to broken mirror. The Rune of Creation flared again. My body felt weak, drained, but I pushed it anyway. Slowly, carefully, the crack in the mirror began to heal. The lines closed, the fracture sealed, until my reflection stood whole again. I couldn't help but smile faintly. For a fleeting moment, I swore I looked like Alora. Sunny had been right—I really did resemble a girl from behind.
I chuckled under my breath. "Stupid Sunny. That kid eats like a beast… but I guess it suits him."
Klein's pounding had faded. He was probably sulking on the other side of the door, waiting me out. I had wanted to be alone. That was true. But beneath that truth lied more. I wanted to know why so many particles danced behind Nico. That was why I had locked them out. I guess.
I stared at the filthy ceiling. White paint long gone, replaced by stains and even a few wads of wet tissue stuck to the plaster. "Students really have too much fun in here."
My gaze returned to the Eye of the Void. I'd broken the rules, and lost my bag because of it. But why hadn't the black flames consumed Bosque too? Strange.
Then I remembered—the being with white eyes had made me press my hands together before something happened. Could it be as simple as touch? Ridiculous. Still, II sat cross-legged on the floor, placed the book before me, and set both palms on its cover. Nothing happened. Just silence.
Seconds ticked by. The class bell rang. Then finally, something stirred.
A figure appeared before me. A woman with long chestnut hair and eyes like mine—gold, but soothing, unlike my sharp predatory glare. White wings unfurled behind her, her gown radiating calm. She smiled with warmth that sank straight into my chest.
"Grey Nirmala," she said softly. "I know where this path leads. Please. Stop before it's too late."
I didn't listen. I couldn't. Why should I stop now? For the first time in my life, I'd found purpose.
Her smile dimmed, cooling into something sorrowful. "My dream has always been to protect you. But if you choose to continue, I cannot stop you."
Then she faded, leaving behind only traces of aether.
"Damn it…" I muttered. I wasn`t even surprised to the sight of this angle. Was I slowly becoming more emotionless? Nah.
I sucked the remnants into the Rune of Destruction. My palm glowed once more. With a bitter grin, I placed it back onto the book. This time, something answered. Something that wasn`t a angle.
The erased doorknob reappeared, gleaming as though freshly forged.
I rose, staring at the door. My hand closed around the knob, ready to leave. But hesitation rooted me in place. Something was coming—I could feel it.
Still, I turned it and stepped forward.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
I fell, weightless, plummeting into a silent void. My stomach lurched, but the sensation was almost liberating—like flying.
"I wonder," I whispered to myself, "if I fully understood aether… could I truly fly?"
The thought excited me. Who wouldn't want to soar freely?
The descent felt endless, until finally a translucent violet pathway appeared below. I slammed onto it, but no pain followed. Slowly, I stood, catching my breath. The path stretched infinitely in both directions. No beginning, no end. "So... Nice void. But why the fuck am I even here?"
I spread my arms, pointing the Rune of Destruction left and the Rune of Creation right. I poured every drop of aether out of me. I hoped that they would show me the right path but of course who am I?
The particles converged, coalescing into shape. Before me hovered the Eye of the Void, pages opening on their own. The second page.
Two words glowed there. Destruction.Creation.
My heart pounded. Why now? Why these words?
I reached toward the book, but the instant my fingers brushed it, the world detonated. A bright dark light consumed me whole.
When the light cleared, I was standing at the edge of annihilation. Firestorms raged, quakes shattered mountains, hurricanes tore the sky apart. But before me yawned a singularity that was more destructive than others. A single black hole, devouring all. The ultimate incarnation of Destruction. I felt like I was drawend to it. The black hole wanted me to embrace its mighty power.
But behind me came another energy. Calm, soothing, alive. I turned.
A river flowed, forests bloomed, the sky burned blue. Life itself. Creation.
Both forces pulled at me, demanding allegiance. My hands lifted instinctively—one toward ruin, the other toward renewal. The runes screamed for release. But I denied them both.
Instead, I brought my hands together. If I lacked aether, then I would forge it.
Aether surged through me, flooding every nerve. Pain and serenity clashed in equal measure, tearing me apart and piecing me together. The infernos dimmed. The rivers dried. Both hope and despair erased themselves.
Silence.
And then—eyes.
A pair of vast, unblinking diffrent colored eyes fixed on me. I knew them. Raya had told me.
"You broke the rules," the eyes whispered, sharp and cold. "The Pillars will punish you. And more will come. The Organizer gave you the runes, gave you the book—but that was a mistake."
"Show yourself," I demanded.
The eyes paused, as if pondering. Aether spiraled around them.
"All of this is Legacy's fault," the voice hissed. "The fall of the Five Realms… his crimes."
"Legacy?" My voice shook with confusion.
"If you want to prevent the cycle from repeating, you must stop him. If you want to save them—you must succeed."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I roared.
But the eyes were gone.
And in their place, I stood. I was at the corridor, staring directly at Klein, Raya, Rain, and Nico.
"Fuck!"