I Can't Sense It.

A dull ache throbbed in Varek's body as his eyes fluttered open. The ceiling of his home came into focus, the warm glow of a lantern flickering softly in the corner.

He was in his bed.

The familiar scent of home surrounded him—cooked meals, old wood, and the faintest hint of herbs his mother always kept nearby. He blinked slowly, his mind foggy, trying to piece together what had happened.

Then, he noticed them.

His parents.

His mother was curled up beside him, her face tired, dried tears on her cheeks. His father sat on a chair beside the bed, arms crossed, breathing steady but deep—as if he had forced himself to stay awake until exhaustion finally claimed him.

Varek shifted slightly, and the faint rustle of the blankets stirred his mother from her sleep.

Her eyes snapped open instantly.

"Varek!" she gasped, sitting up. Relief flooded her face as she reached for him, placing a gentle hand on his forehead. "You're awake!"

Her voice was trembling, but full of warmth.

His father stirred at her voice, his eyes opening. He was alert immediately, his sharp gaze locking onto Varek as if checking for any sign of injury.

"You're awake," Thalion said, his deep voice carrying both relief and concern. He leaned forward. "Do you feel any pain? What happened? Are you alright?"

Varek sat up slowly, stretching his arms. His body felt strangely… normal. There was no lingering pain, no sign of the unbearable agony he had felt when the shadows entered him.

It was as if nothing had happened at all.

"I'm fine," he said casually, rubbing his head. "It's nothing. I feel completely normal."

His parents exchanged glances. His mother still looked worried, while his father's expression darkened slightly—like he wasn't convinced.

But Varek wasn't lying. He truly felt fine.

As if the Shadow Vault had never existed.

His mother let out a shaky breath, clearly relieved but still wary. "You collapsed in the forest, Varek. You were screaming," she said softly, brushing his hair back. "We thought something terrible had happened to you."

His father crossed his arms. "I saw it myself. Shadows were entering your body," he said in a serious tone. "That wasn't normal, Varek. What exactly happened out there?"

Varek hesitated. He remembered the cold presence of the Shadow Vault, the overwhelming pressure when he touched it, the way the mana felt as if it was tearing through him. But now, there was nothing. No lingering pain, no trace of the vault's presence.

He clenched his fists under the blanket.

Could he really tell them?

"...I don't know," he finally said, shaking his head. "I was just looking around the battlefield. Then I felt... something pulling me toward the forest." His voice remained steady, though he could feel his father watching him closely. "There was a vault. Not like the ones we use, not like the rich ones either. It was something else. A Shadow Vault."

His mother inhaled sharply. His father's face hardened.

"A Shadow Vault?" his father repeated, voice low.

Varek nodded. "I—I don't know why, but I felt like I had to open it. It was strong. Hard to open. And when I did, the mana—" He paused, his fingers unconsciously gripping the blanket. "It went inside me."

Silence hung in the air.

His mother placed a hand over her mouth, worry in her eyes. His father, however, was unreadable. He seemed deep in thought, his jaw clenched.

"...And now?" Thalion finally asked. "Do you feel different? Is the mana still inside you?"

Varek focused inward, trying to sense it. But unlike before, there was nothing. No shadows creeping inside him, no overwhelming presence. Just his own mana.

"I don't feel anything," he admitted. "It's like it disappeared."

His father exhaled through his nose. "Mana doesn't just disappear, Varek. If it entered you, then it's still there. You just can't sense it yet."

His mother squeezed his hand. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Varek forced a reassuring smile. "I really am. I feel... normal."

But deep down, he wasn't so sure.

His father watched him for a long moment before finally sighing. "If you say you're fine, then rest for now. But we'll talk about this later."

His mother nodded, though the worry in her eyes remained. "I'll make you something warm to eat." She gently patted his hand before standing up and heading toward the kitchen.

Varek leaned back against the pillow, exhaling slowly. His body felt light, as if nothing had happened—but he knew better. That vault wasn't normal. He could still remember the overwhelming sensation of its mana entering him, the pain, the sheer force of it. But now… nothing.

His father sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed. "Varek," he said after a moment. "Don't mention this to anyone. Not the vault. Not the mana. Nothing."

Varek looked at him, confused. "Why?"

Thalion's gaze darkened. "Because we don't know what it is. And if someone finds out you absorbed mana from an unknown vault, especially a Shadow Vault, they might see you as a threat."

A chill ran down Varek's spine. A threat?

"But I didn't do anything wrong," he argued.

His father's expression softened slightly. "I know. But people fear what they don't understand. And if that mana is still inside you, we don't know what effects it will have." He stood up. "For now, keep it to yourself. No one needs to know."

Varek hesitated but nodded. "Alright."

Thalion studied him for a moment longer, then turned toward the door. "Rest, Varek. If anything changes, tell me immediately."

Varek watched as his father left the room. His mother soon returned with a warm bowl of soup, smiling gently as she set it down for him.

"Eat slowly," she said. "You need to regain your strength."

Varek nodded and took the bowl, feeling the warmth seep into his hands. But as he ate, his mind kept drifting back to the vault.

If the mana was still inside him… when would he start to feel it? And what exactly had he taken into his body?