The pages of the book felt ancient beneath Kaelith's fingertips — as though they carried not just history, but memory. Symbols inked in black bled across the parchment, shifting when he looked too long.
"Not meant for humans," Kaelith repeated under his breath. "So what am I doing here?"
Helen didn't answer right away. She walked slowly to the window, arms crossed, as if watching the night itself.
"You were never supposed to cross over," she said. "But that seal… it cracked. The realm you came from is closed now — for a reason. But when the flood happened, something reached through."
Kaelith's voice was hoarse. "And dragged me out?"
"No," she said gently. "You reached out. You wanted to live."
He stared at the open book. There, sketched in red, was a figure that looked like him — or something like him — shrouded in flame. Beneath it, in trembling handwriting: "Blood of Atheris. Flame of the Forsaken."
He looked up. "What is Atheris?"
Helen hesitated. "A realm born from fire and war. Its rulers were demons — not the kind told in bedtime stories. Real ones. Bound to elements, to emotion, to ruin. You… are the last of them."
Kaelith stood. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was protecting you," she whispered. "The moment you learn what you are, the world starts to look at you differently. And worse — the realm you came from? It starts to look back."
---
Meanwhile…
Far beyond the veil of clouds, the angel still watched — but now she wasn't alone.
Beside her stood another, clad in silver armor, eyes glowing with steady light.
"He's awakened," the first angel murmured.
"Yes. And now they'll feel it."
A third presence entered — this one darker, with armor charred black and wings ragged from flame. But it wasn't a demon.
It was a Fallen.
Once an angel. Now something… else.
"The boy's power is unstable," the fallen angel said. "If he breaks the balance, the realms will collide."
The others said nothing.
Then, the first angel whispered, "We must prepare her."
---
Back on Earth…
Kiara hadn't spoken to Kaelith since the cafeteria.
Not because she was afraid — but because she'd seen too much.
That heat… the flicker in his eyes… the silence that followed.
She walked alone after school, phone in hand, unsure what to text.
"Hey... you okay?" she typed.
Then she paused. Deleted it. Typed again.
"You scared me. But I'm not leaving you."
She hit send.
Just then, behind her, a figure stepped from the shadows.
It wasn't a student. It wasn't human.
Its skin shimmered like oil on water. Eyes pitch black.
It tilted its head at her, like a predator tasting the air.
Kiara froze.
Before she could scream, it whispered, "Found her."
---
Back with Kaelith…
The book began to glow faintly, reacting to something unseen.
Kaelith looked at Helen, who was suddenly pale.
"They found her," she breathed.
Kaelith didn't need to ask who.
Something deep in his chest stirred — not fear, not rage… but instinct.
Flame, ancient and alive, sparked beneath his skin.
For the first time, Kaelith didn't try to hold it back.
He let the fire rise.