The sunlight hit Kaleo's face.
He blinked. Disoriented. Lungs filling with air that wasn't the stale, metallic tang of the pocket realm. Four years. Four long, lonely years in a world that shouldn't have existed. And now… he was back.
The scorched field stretched before him. Vandor's plains, dotted with human settlements, lay beyond. Ships hummed in orbit. Life had moved on, oblivious to the trials that had shaped him.
Crystals from the pocket realm clung to his boots and armor, glittering gold in the sunlight. A faint pulse ran beneath his chest. The Aether Core was alive.
Above, a ripple of light. A presence stirred.
One of the Celestials aligned with the Dark Elves. Its voice whispered across the winds:
"The Aether… it has awaken."
Kaleo did not flinch. He had survived. He had endured. He had changed.
Step by step, he walked.
The S-Rank exam grounds were littered with shattered stones and twisted metal. Chaos and destruction were normal here, yet he barely noticed. This was a bridge between the world he had survived and the life he was about to reclaim.
The guild hall loomed.
Silence fell as he entered.
Adventurers froze. Eyes widened. Lips parted, then closed. The hall was still, broken only by the echo of his footsteps.
He stopped in front of the attendant's desk. He dropped his exam slip with a sharp thud.
"Kael Varen," he said. Calm. Precise.
The attendant froze. Mouth open. Eyes wide.
"Kael?"
Lyra Vale stepped in. Shock and disbelief written across her face.
Her steps were cautious, then faster, then — thud. She embraced him.
Kaleo froze.
Two months. Two months of acquaintance before Halburn fell. Barely words exchanged. And now… this broke the cold around his heart.
Instinctively, he hugged her back.
The hall was silent. Every adventurer froze. Time itself seemed to hold its breath.
When he released her, Lyra searched his face. Scarred. Golden veins faintly glowing.
"Four years… Kael. We thought you were dead."
He pressed lips into a thin line. Couldn't explain. Couldn't tell her of the pocket realm, the beasts, the Core. He simply nodded.
"I'm alive. That's what matters," he said softly.
Her eyes lingered on him. Shock. Relief. Unspoken feelings.
"You've changed," she murmured.
He looked away toward the rising sun. Warmth he hadn't felt in four years.
"I can't stay," he said. "I got what I came for. That's enough."
"And me?" she asked quietly. "You can't just leave me behind?"
He shook his head. Sorrow pressed in.
"You can't follow me. I wouldn't let you try," he whispered. "This life… it can't include anyone else."
Her lips trembled. She nodded. She always understood, even when she didn't.
"Promise me you'll come back," she whispered.
He didn't answer. His promise was in his actions. His survival. The Core pulsing beneath his chest. The S-Rank ID in his hand.
The silence shifted.
The Guild Master entered. Tall. Commanding. Eyes scanning him.
"Kael Varen… you've returned. I never expected—"
Kaleo straightened. Shoulders squared. Calm. Unwavering.
"I'm here," he said.
The hall remained quiet. The Core pulsed beneath his armor, faint golden light threading along his veins. The S-Rank ID was more than identification — a key. A shield. A weapon.
Lyra stepped closer. Hand brushed his sleeve. Eyes met his. He nodded — acknowledgment. Not affection. Not explanation. Just recognition of a bond she would have to accept from afar.
Kaleo turned to the doors. Vandor's sun streamed in, dust motes floating like scattered stars.
Each step deliberate. Each breath carrying the weight of a survivor, a warrior, the Child of Aether.
The world waited.
And he walked forward.