Chapter:11.1-Restless Night

(The candle flickers, casting long shadows along the walls. The storm outside has calmed, but the air inside remains thick with something unspoken.)

Kael (frowning slightly): "So… that's it? Just a fairy tale?"

Old Man (chuckling, leaning back in his chair): "That's all it is, kid. Just a tale. Now, where can I rest?"

(Kael watches him for a long moment, his instincts still nagging at him. But with a short sigh, he stands and gestures toward a spare sleeping area near the fireplace.)

Kael: "You can sleep there. It's not much, but it's warm."

Old Man (grinning): "Warmth is all an old man needs."

(As the old man settles down, Kael moves to his own bed. He lies down, staring at the wooden ceiling, but sleep doesn't come easily. His mind keeps replaying the tale, the way the old man spoke of it—as if it was more than just a legend.)

Kael (thinking): "What the heck am I even thinking? Of course, it's just a story. Right?"

(He forces himself to close his eyes, but somewhere in the shadows of the night, unseen to him, a presence watches.)

Somewhere in the Distance…

(A cloaked figure stands atop a distant rooftop, staring in the direction of Kael's house. His armor, black as midnight, glistens under the fading rain. His crimson eyes narrow slightly, his mind calculating.)

(Varain, the Oathbound Shadow, watches.)

Varain (low voice): "He might be ready soon."

(Without another word, he vanishes into the night.)

Morning – The Old Man's Departure

(The first light of dawn peeks through the window. Kael stirs awake, stretching before glancing toward the fireplace.)

(The old man is gone.)

Kael (sitting up): "…Huh?"

(He notices something on the table—a small, folded piece of parchment. Kael picks it up and unfolds it.)

"You should follow the light, kid. Haha, gotta go soon."

Kael (frowning): "What the hell does that even mean?"

(As he stares at the message, something in his gut tells him—this is far from over.)

Next: Kael shares the story with Sun and Elyse. But before he can make sense of it, a new threat emerges…

(The castle's dining hall is alive with chatter and laughter. Plates clink, and the warm glow of torches illuminates the stone walls. Kael, Sun, and Elyse sit around a wooden table, mugs of beer in hand, enjoying the rare moment of peace.)

Sun (grinning): "So, let me get this straight. Some weird old man just showed up at your house, told you a bedtime story, then vanished at dawn?"

Kael (rolling his eyes): "When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

Elyse (raising an eyebrow): "Because it is ridiculous. You're telling me a guy who doesn't get wet in the rain just happens to stumble into your house?"

Kael (leaning back, thoughtful): "I know, it doesn't make sense… but something about him felt different. And that story—about the Absolute Fragment of Light and the Abyssal Void—it felt… I don't know. Important."

Sun (laughing, taking a sip of beer): "Or maybe you just had too much training and started hallucinating old men."

Elyse (smirking): "Or maybe Kael's just that lucky—random mystical strangers dropping cryptic messages just for him."

(They all chuckle, clinking their mugs together in a lighthearted toast. But a few steps away, someone else is listening.)

Alden's Silent Observation

(Standing slightly apart from the group, arms crossed, Alden listens quietly. The faint flicker of the torches casts shadows over his sharp features.)

(He watches Kael closely—not with suspicion, but with understanding. He's seen the signs before. He knows what it means when the Light begins reaching out to someone in mysterious ways.)

Alden (thinking): "The Light is trying to connect with him… in different ways. This isn't just chance."

(He exhales, taking a slow sip of his drink. Kael is changing—whether he realizes it or not. And soon, he'll have to come to terms with what he's truly capable of.)

Next: A sudden mission is given to Kael and his friends—but something feels off. Is this just another assignment, or the first step toward his true awakening?