Darkness.
Then—
Fire.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
Air rushed into his lungs as he gasped, clutching his chest.
Heat.
Too much heat.
It felt like something inside him was… breathing.
He collapsed onto his side, coughing hard.
The rooftop was still there.
The city still stretched below.
Everything looked the same.
But nothing felt the same.
"What… what happened…?"
His voice was weak. Dry.
Then the pain surged again.
Kael screamed.
It spread through his entire body—his veins like molten metal, his bones trembling under pressure.
His skin felt too tight.
Like something inside him was trying to break out.
"Stabilization incomplete."
Kael froze.
That voice.
"You… you're real…"
Silence.
Then—
"I am Aetherion."
The name echoed in his mind.
"You're… inside me…"
"Correct."
"No… that's not possible…"
"Your survival probability without integration: 0%."
Kael let out a shaky breath.
"This is insane…"
"This is necessary."
The heat flared again.
Stronger.
Kael dropped to his knees, gripping his head.
"Make it stop!"
"Energy levels unstable."
"Host body inadequate."
"I don't care—just stop it!"
No response.
The heat kept rising.
Kael stumbled toward the rooftop door, barely able to walk.
His vision blurred.
The world tilted.
"I need… something…"
He didn't make it far.
A man stepped onto the rooftop.
Mid-30s. Rough-looking. Cigarette in hand.
He paused when he saw Kael.
"Hey—what the hell are you doing up here?"
Kael tried to respond.
Couldn't.
The man walked closer, annoyed.
"You drunk or something?"
Kael reached out.
Not thinking.
Just instinct.
Their hands touched.
The heat inside Kael surged—
Then suddenly…
Dropped.
A wave of relief washed over him.
Cool. Silent. Stable.
Kael froze.
The man didn't.
His body went rigid.
The cigarette slipped from his fingers.
"What the—?"
His voice cracked.
His skin began to age.
Wrinkles spread across his face.
His hair turned gray.
His body weakened.
Kael stumbled back in horror.
"No… I didn't—"
The man collapsed.
Still breathing.
But barely.
Kael stared at his hands, shaking.
"What… did I just do…?"
Silence.
Then—
"Energy absorption successful."
Kael's chest tightened.
"Absorption…?"
"You converted external life force into usable fuel."
His stomach dropped.
"You mean…"
He looked at the man on the ground.
Barely moving.
"I did that to him…?"
"Correct."
Kael backed away slowly.
"No… I'm not doing that…"
The heat flickered again.
Rising.
A warning.
"Without fuel, you will burn."
Kael clenched his fists.
"There has to be another way…"
"There is not."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Kael looked down at the man one last time.
Alive.
But barely.
And for the first time…
Real fear set in.
Not of the power.
But of what it would turn him into