Lyra's Change In Attitude

As Kairos and Damien left the garden, the air between them was noticeably lighter. Although Kairos's responses were flat and mostly monosyllabic, it was still an improvement—an olive branch of sorts.

"Did you like the sword?" Damien asked as they walked back home.

Kairos nodded. "It's good."

Damien smiled faintly, though he tried to hide how much that small acknowledgment meant to him. "I'm glad. You looked like you were getting the feel of it earlier. It suits you."

"Maybe," Kairos replied, his voice neutral.

Damien glanced at him, debating whether to press further. He decided against it. For now, even these small interactions felt like a win.

By the time they reached their modest home, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a soft golden hue over the house. The smell of food wafted through the air, mingled with the sound of cutlery clinking against plates. Inside, Reo was already seated at the dining table, eagerly digging into his meal.

"Welcome back," Lyra greeted warmly as she saw them enter. She stepped forward to kiss Damien on the cheek. "How was your walk?"

"It was good," Damien replied, his tone strained as his eyes flicked to Reo.

Kairos remained silent, stepping aside to lean against the wall. Lyra's smile faltered briefly as she noticed him but quickly returned to her usual composure.

"I'll go take a bath," Damien announced, heading toward their room. "Be back soon."

"Alright, honey," Lyra called after him.

Kairos didn't join the table, instead standing off to the side. Lyra's focus shifted back to Reo, who was regaling her with tales of his training session.

"Mom, you should've seen me today," Reo said between bites of food. "I practiced for hours, and guess what? I finally managed to control the wind! The whole training ground saw it!"

Lyra's eyes sparkled with pride. "Oh, my boy! That's wonderful! I knew you'd master it soon enough." She reached over to ruffle his hair, beaming at him.

Kairos stared at the scene for a moment before looking away, his jaw tightening.

When Damien returned, his hair still damp from the bath, he paused at the doorway to the dining room, surveying the table. Lyra and Reo were eating contentedly, but Kairos sat off to the side, the chair before him empty, no plate in sight.

Damien's brows furrowed. "Why isn't Kairos eating? Where's his food?"

Lyra glanced at him, her expression calm. "Oh, that. Reo practiced so much at the training ground today—he's even starting to master wind manipulation! All that hard work left him starving, so he ate his food and then Kairos's, too. I've already told Kairos to wait until we're done eating, and then I'll prepare something for him."

Damien's face darkened, his voice rising. "What?"

Lyra looked startled. "What's the problem, honey?"

Damien stepped closer to the table, his fists clenched. "The problem is that you think this is acceptable! How can you treat Kairos like this, especially now, when he needs us the most? You let Reo eat his food, and then you tell him to wait like he's some afterthought?"

Lyra blinked, surprised by the outburst. "Damien, calm down. You're overreacting. Kairos understands….."

"No, Lyra!" Damien slammed his hand on the table, causing the plates to rattle. "I will not calm down! Reo awakening wind manipulation doesn't make him special or different from Kairos. It doesn't mean Kairos deserves to be treated this way!"

Reo's cheerful demeanor faltered, and he looked down at his plate, frowning.

Lyra stood, her tone defensive. "Damien, you should be grateful! When Kairos lost his energy core, the Creators blessed us by choosing Reo! How can you not see this as a gift?"

Damien's hand slammed down again, this time with enough force to crack the edge of the table. "Quiet, Lyra! Kairos is a survivor—a strong boy who will achieve great things in the future. Have you forgotten that he survived that brutal attack? He was stabbed in the chest, left for dead, but he fought through it! And now you're neglecting him? How dare you?"

Reo looked up, his lips trembling. "Dad... I didn't mean to take his food. I was just hungry..."

Kairos, who had been silent throughout, finally spoke, his voice calm yet firm. "Dad, it's okay."

Damien turned to him, his expression softening. "Kairos….."

"It's okay," Kairos repeated, standing up. He placed a hand on Damien's arm briefly before letting go. "You can eat your food. I'll be fine."

"Kairos, wait..." Damien started, but Kairos was already walking toward his room.

Damien reached out as if to stop him, his hand hanging in the air. He let out a frustrated sigh as the door to Kairos's room closed.

"I've lost my appetite," Damien muttered, standing up.

Lyra grabbed his arm. "Honey, don't do this. Sit down and eat…."

Damien shook her off, his tone cold. "Don't, Lyra. Just don't." Without another word, he walked to their room and slammed the door behind him.

Reo, his pout returning, glanced at his mother. "Mom, can I eat Dad's food?"

Lyra smiled softly, brushing his hair back. "Of course, my boy. You've earned it."

Reo grinned, reaching for Damien's untouched plate.

Meanwhile, behind his closed door, Kairos sat on his bed, the sword his father had given him resting across his lap. He stared at it for a long moment, his fingers tracing its edge as a single thought echoed in his mind 'I'm still here.'

The soft rays of dawn filtered through the cracks in the small window of Kairos's room, casting muted patterns on the bare walls. Damien approached the door with a tray in his hands. The aroma of freshly cooked bread and stew wafted upward, but his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of his son.

He knocked three times, each tap echoing softly in the still morning air. "Kairos," he called out gently, waiting for a response. When none came, he knocked again, his voice firmer this time. "Kairos, it's your father."

Still no answer.

Sighing, Damien pushed the door open slowly, revealing the small, sparsely furnished room. The only thing of note was the bed pressed against the corner, where Kairos lay curled under a thin blanket. The boy's sleeping figure looked so peaceful yet fragile, a stark reminder of how much he had been through.

Damien stepped inside, carefully setting the tray on the ground since there was no table or other furniture. He straightened, his eyes softening as they lingered on Kairos.

Walking over to the bed, he crouched down and gently tapped Kairos's shoulder. "Kairos," he said softly. "Wake up, son."

Kairos stirred, his brows furrowing slightly before his eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times, his gaze focusing on Damien's face. "Father?" he mumbled groggily, pushing himself up on his elbows.

"Good morning," Damien said, offering a small smile. "Get up and take your bath. I brought you some food. Eat when you're done."

Kairos rubbed his eyes, still disoriented. "You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to," Damien cut in gently but firmly. "And after you're done eating, we're going to the Orindari Academy."

Kairos froze, his eyes widening. "What?"

Damien stood up, crossing his arms as he looked at his son. "You heard me. The Orindari Academy. I'm enrolling you today."

Kairos swung his legs off the bed, staring at his father in disbelief. "Isn't that the academy where people with energy cores are registered and trained? You know, before they're allowed to join Triad Supreme Alliance—TSA?"

Damien nodded. "Yes, it's where people with potential and magic are trained to harness their powers. It's also a place that opens doors—opportunities you can't find anywhere else. If you're accepted, it could elevate your way of living."

Kairos frowned, shaking his head. "But I don't have an energy core. I don't have any ability. Isn't that the whole point of the academy? Training those who do?"

Damien crouched back down to meet his son's gaze, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Listen to me, Kairos. We have some of the most powerful people in Orinthia who didn't start with an energy core. They're rare, yes, but they exist. And many of them have risen to heights no one thought possible."

Kairos hesitated, his expression conflicted. "But they're the exception, not the rule."

"That doesn't mean you can't be one of them," Damien countered, his voice steady and filled with conviction. "You love swords, don't you? Then train. Improve your physical strength, your endurance, your technique. Energy core or not, you can become someone extraordinary."

Kairos looked down, his hands resting on the edge of the bed. "It's not that simple," he murmured.

Damien gripped his shoulder a little tighter, his tone softening. "Kairos, not having an energy core doesn't define who you are. It doesn't make you less. You're still my son. And I will always want the best for you. Do you understand?"

Kairos looked up at his father, the doubt in his eyes slowly giving way to a flicker of hope. "You really believe I can do this?"

"I don't just believe it," Damien said, smiling. "I know it. You're stronger than you think, Kairos. You've already survived things that would've broken most people. This is just another challenge. And I'll be right here, every step of the way."

Kairos took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Alright. I'll get ready."

Damien patted his shoulder and stood up. "Good. I'll be waiting." He gestured toward the tray on the floor. "Don't forget to eat before we leave. You'll need your strength."

Kairos watched his father leave, the door closing softly behind him. A satisfied smirk suddenly appeared on his face. First step achieved.