Chapter 3 — The Path to Atlantis
Ren woke up on the couch.
He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, still a bit lost.
Then it came back.
He turned his head.
Ayame was on the bed.
Sleeping.
Peaceful.
Like nothing had happened.
Ren got up slowly.
Walked over.
Stopped beside the bed.
Watched her for a moment.
It was still strange.
But… not bad.
Without thinking much, he gently ran his hand through her hair.
Soft.
Ayame moved.
Her eyes opened slowly.
She looked at him.
"Ren…"
He pulled his hand back immediately.
"Sorry."
She blinked, still half-asleep.
"You stayed there the whole time?"
"Slept on the couch."
She glanced in that direction.
"You could've used the bed."
"You were already using it."
A short silence.
She sat up.
Ran a hand through her own hair, like she could still feel his touch.
"I… don't remember falling asleep."
"It happens."
She nodded.
Looked around.
More calmly now.
More aware.
"This world is quiet in the morning."
"Not always."
"But it is now."
Ren didn't answer.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"I'll show you the outside."
She stood up without hesitation.
"Alright."
---
As soon as they stepped outside, Ayame stopped.
Ren walked a few steps ahead before turning back.
"What is it?"
She didn't answer.
Just looked.
Cars passing.
People.
Noise.
A car sped by.
She instinctively stepped back, getting closer to him without realizing.
"That's a car," Ren said.
"It doesn't use horses."
"No."
Another one passed.
She followed it with her eyes.
"They're fast."
"Not really."
She looked at him.
"For me, they are."
Ren didn't respond.
He just kept walking.
She followed.
---
"People aren't armed," she said.
"That's not normal here."
"So they don't expect to be attacked?"
"No."
She went quiet.
---
They passed by a store.
Ayame stopped.
"Ren."
"Yeah."
"These clothes…"
"What about them?"
"They're all different."
"People wear whatever they want."
She stared for a few seconds.
"So… they choose?"
"Yeah."
She nodded and kept walking.
---
At the crosswalk, she stopped again.
"Why did everyone stop?"
"Signal."
Ren pointed.
"Red means stop."
The light changed.
People started walking.
She followed.
"This world has many rules."
"It does."
"But no one seems worried about them."
"Because they don't need to think about them to live."
She didn't reply.
---
They passed a small park.
Kids running.
People talking.
Laughing.
Ayame slowed down.
"They look… calm."
"They are."
"…It wasn't like this at the temple."
Ren stayed silent.
"There was always someone watching," she continued.
"There is here too."
She looked at him.
"They just don't know it."
Ren didn't answer.
---
He stopped at a stand.
"Wait."
He came back with a small cup.
Handed it to her.
"Eat."
"What is it?"
"Pudding."
She took it carefully.
One spoon.
Paused.
Blink.
Another spoon.
"It's good."
"I know."
She kept eating.
Without stopping.
"You really like it."
"Yes."
"Not even trying to hide it."
"No reason to."
He let out a quiet laugh.
She finished it.
"Is there more?"
"Later."
---
They kept walking.
Slower now.
No rush.
"Ren."
"Yeah."
"This world… is different."
"I know."
"But… it's not bad."
Ren looked ahead.
"Yeah."
Time passed without them noticing.
The streets slowly changed.
Fewer people.
Stores closing.
Streetlights turning on, one by one.
Ayame stopped for a moment.
"It's darker."
Ren looked up.
"It's night."
"Night…"
She watched the lights.
"This world changes fast."
"You haven't seen anything yet."
They kept walking.
Now the street was quieter.
The sound had changed.
Lower.
More distant.
Their footsteps became clearer.
Ayame looked around again.
"It's too quiet."
Ren slowed down.
"…Yeah."
"Ren."
"I know."
The air felt different.
Heavy.
Wrong.
He stopped.
"You feel that?"
"Yes."
And then—
six figures appeared.
Spread out.
Surrounding them.
Ren pulled Ayame slightly behind him.
"How long have you been following us?"
One of them stepped forward.
"So… you're the host."
"Of what?"
"The tenth weapon."
Ren's expression hardened.
"I don't know who you—"
They moved.
No warning.
Too fast.
Ren barely dodged the first strike.
"Damn it!"
Another came from the side.
He stepped back.
Another was already behind him.
Surrounded.
"Ren!"
Ayame stepped in front of him.
She raised her hand.
The air trembled.
One of them slowed down—
for a moment.
But it wasn't enough.
"They're too fast…"
Another attack came.
She barely dodged.
A cut passed close.
Ren grabbed her.
"Move!"
Another enemy appeared in front.
No space.
No way out.
Ayame tried again.
Time slowed—
but broke.
The attack went through.
She stepped back.
They hit the wall.
Breathing heavy.
Trapped.
One of them stepped forward.
No hesitation.
Ayame moved to protect him—
But she wouldn't make it.
The attack came.
Straight.
Clean.
And then—
A sharp sound cut the air.
An arrow.
It hit.
One fell.
Silence.
Another arrow.
Another down.
Everything stopped.
Ren looked up.
A figure on top of a building.
White hair.
Bow in hand.
"You guys are way too loud."
Another shot.
The remaining enemies hesitated.
"Retreat!"
They vanished.
Silence returned.
Ren was still breathing hard.
"…who are you?"
The guy jumped down.
Landed without effort.
Put the bow away.
"Henry."
He looked at Ren.
Then at Ayame.
"And you two… are in trouble."
"Figured," Ren said.
Henry gave a small smile.
"No. That was just the beginning."
Ayame watched him.
"You know what I am."
"I know enough."
He took an envelope.
Tossed it to Ren.
Ren caught it.
Opened it.
"Scholarship…?"
"Atlantis."
"An academy?"
"Yeah."
Henry put his hands in his pockets.
"And the only place you won't die right now."
Ren looked at him.
"Why are you helping us?"
"I was told to."
Simple.
---
The station was old.
Silent.
The train looked out of place.
"Does this even work?"
"Get in."
They did.
The train started moving.
Slow.
It entered a tunnel.
Time passed.
"How long?"
"One hour."
"One hour in this thing?"
Ayame was looking outside.
"Ren…"
"I see it."
A light appeared.
The train came out.
And then—
the ocean.
And in the middle—
a city.
Massive.
Circular.
A castle at the center.
Ren went silent.
"…you've gotta be kidding me."
Henry leaned against the window.
"Atlantis."
Ayame spoke softly.
"This isn't normal."
"It's not."
Henry answered:
"This place exists in the limbo."
Ren frowned.
"Limbo?"
"Between the human world… and the spiritual one."
The train kept moving.
No other way out.
Henry spoke again.
"From here on…"
Silence.
"your lives change."
The train entered the city.
And Ren understood.
There was no going back.