The moment didn't last long.
But it was enough.
Kael forced the flame back—hard, breath shaking, body tense.
Lira didn't let go of him.
Not even when the heat spiked.
Not even when it hurt.
"Stay with me," she said quietly.
And somehow—
That worked.
The flame steadied.
Not gone.
But contained.
Kael pushed himself back to his feet, breathing hard.
Across from him, the figure watched with clear interest now.
Not testing.
Observing.
"You felt it," it said.
Kael didn't deny it.
"…Yeah."
The figure nodded once.
"Then you understand."
"No," Kael said. "I don't."
"You will."
The certainty in its voice was worse than any threat.
Lira stepped forward now, placing herself fully beside Kael.
Not behind him.
Not guarded.
Equal.
"We're done here," she said.
The figure's gaze flicked between them.
Then—
It stepped back.
The dark fire around it dimmed further.
"This was never a battle," it said.
Kael frowned. "Then what was it?"
A pause.
Then—
"A beginning."
The word settled into the courtyard like ash.
Heavy.
Unwelcome.
The figure turned slightly, as if preparing to leave.
But then—
It stopped.
And looked back at Kael one last time.
"There is something within you," it said. "Something even the Core does not understand."
Kael's chest tightened.
"What?"
The figure's fire flickered faintly.
Almost like anticipation.
"…Something that watches back."
Silence followed.
Then—
It was gone.
No explosion.
No blaze.
Just absence.
The courtyard remained frozen for several seconds after.
Then slowly—
Sound returned.
Movement.
Breath.
Riven exhaled sharply. "Yeah… I don't like that."
Kael didn't respond.
Because his focus wasn't on the courtyard.
Or the guards.
Or even Lira.
It was inside.
Where the flame had gone quiet again.
Too quiet.
And for the first time—
It wasn't the only presence he felt.
Something deeper had stirred.
And it hadn't spoken.
It had simply…
Noticed him.
- End of Chapter 37-