Birthday Blues

Kyren finally found a place to rest his head. Even though he had just awakened and used his points to boost his mana pool, he couldn't maintain top speed for long—only in short bursts. He had pushed himself, burning through every last drop of mana just to see how far he could go. Four hundred yards. That was all. Then his legs gave out.

Mana Exhaustion.

The words flashed in his mind as he lay there, body heavy, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. So this is what happens when I waste my mana. A bitter lesson. He forced himself to think of drinking a mana potion, the system responding to his mental command. It wasn't instant. His mana trickled back slowly, but at least it was working.

By the time he could move again, night had crept in. He set up his tent beneath a rock overhang, just off the side of the road. The path he had spent days helping build stretched ahead, mostly open to the wild, but here and there, jagged rock walls loomed high. Some spots made his skin crawl, as if unseen eyes were watching from above. But tonight, he was grateful for the cover.

The fire had already been put out—no need to attract anything lurking in the dark. The scent of cooked panther meat still lingered, but Kyren barely noticed. Instead, his mind drifted to May 25th. His birthday.

Grandma Windy probably thought he was out celebrating. But she knew better—Kyren never cared for birthdays. Maybe it was because they reminded him of the past. His mother's warmth, the way she would fill the whole house with decorations, making him feel special. His father's forced smiles, extravagant gifts, and empty words. Which hurt more? Missing her love or remembering his lies?

But the thought that ached the most was missing the orphanage. Missing the way the kids would gather around a single piece of cake, off-key but full of joy, singing "Happy Birthday."

He closed his eyes, picturing their faces, imagining their excitement when they learned he had finally developed powers. They don't need to know about these screens or this system, he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. I'll keep that part to myself.

Sleep took him before he could think any further.