The silence after the psychic backlash was profound. The air still hummed with the aftershock of the new, vicious law now woven into my being. Kairi remained on one knee, his head bowed, his breathing ragged. The cost of such a working was etched into the pallor of his skin, the tremor in his hands.The grim satisfaction of our successful defense warred with a hollow ache inside me. I had become a fortress, but the walls felt like they were closing in. I took a step towards him, my own body feeling alien and heavy."Kairi," I said, my voice softer than I intended.He looked up, his storm-grey eyes clouded with exhaustion and a deep, unspoken sorrow. In them, I saw the reflection of what I had become—a necessary monster, a living weapon he had helped create. He began to push himself to his feet, his movements slow and unsteady."I'm alright," he murmured, though the words were clearly a lie. He swayed, the immense drain on his spirit finally overwhelming him.Instinctively, I moved to
Last Updated : 2025-11-17 Read more