CHAPTER FOUR: BLOOD OF THE FORGOTTEN

The Training Grounds – Dawn in Aerilon

The morning mist clung to the training yard behind Nyssa's home as Kael rolled his aching shoulders. Lirya circled him like a silver shadow, her tail flicking in amusement.

Nyssa tossed him a wooden practice sword. "First rule: Don't die."

Kael (catching it clumsily): "That's your training advice?"

Talin (grinning from the sidelines): "Second rule: Screaming is allowed."

Before Kael could retort, Lirya pounced.

Wood clashed against claws as Kael barely blocked her swipe, the impact rattling his teeth.

Nyssa (dodging their scuffle): "Your stance is garbage. Feet wider. Feel the ground."

Kael (gritting his teeth): "Easy for you to say—you're not fighting a panther—"

Lirya (knocking him flat with a smug chuff): "Grrn." (Translation: "Pathetic .")

By midday, Kael was bruised, sweating, and—finally—landing a few decent strikes.

Nyssa (nodding approval): "Huh. Maybe you're not hopeless."

Inside, Mira hummed as she pulled a steaming starfruit pie from the oven, its crust shimmering with caramelized magic.

Kael (sniffing the air): "That smells exactly like my foster mom's apple pie."

Mira (pausing): "…Interesting. Starfruit only mimics flavors tied to memory."

A heavy silence fell.

Talin (blunt): "So your real family's dead, right?"

Nyssa (smacking his arm): "TALIN."

Kael (quiet): "Yeah. I never knew them."

Mira set down her knife. "Perhaps we should look."

After lunch, Mira led them to a weathered chest in the attic. Inside lay a book bound in pale leather, its pages etched with silver runes.

Mira: "The Coven's Chronicle. It records every bloodline tied to the Astral Regulator."

She flipped to a page—and froze.

There, in faded ink, was a family tree. At its base: "House Darenth". And at its end…

A single name: Kael.

Nyssa (sharp inhale): "The Darenths? But—they were the Regulator's first guardians. Veythus slaughtered them all before he turned on the Coven."

Kael (staring at his name): "Then how…?"

Mira (soft): "Someone hid you. Sent you through the Veil to survive."

A memory flashed—Kael, age four, waking in a Chicago alley with no past, just a crescent mark burning on his wrist.

Talin (leaning in): "So you're, like, magic royalty?"

Lirya (bumping Kael's hand with her head): "Mrrp." (Translation: "Explains why you taste important .")

The Chronicle revealed more:

The Darenths weren't just protectors—they were the only ones who could reforge the Astral Regulator.

Veythus didn't just betray the Coven—he made a deal with Hades to erase their bloodline.

And the "war against the giants"? A lie. Veythus was harvesting their magic to break the Veil completely.

Kael (voice raw): "He's not just conquering Eldryth. He's unmaking it."

Nyssa (gripping her bow): "And you're the only one who can stop him."

Outside, the wind howled—like the world itself was waiting.

Garrison Auto Repair – Midnight

The garage was eerily quiet, the usual hum of machinery replaced by the low buzz of fluorescents. Riley pushed through the side door, their breath fogging in the cold air.

Mack stood over his workbench, his usual gruff demeanor replaced by something darker. Spread across the grease-stained wood were pieces of warped metal, a shattered phone, and—most unsettling—a single black feather, its edges shimmering with unnatural violet light.

Riley (eyeing the feather): "Okay. What is that?"

Mack (grim): "That's the damn question."

He tapped the phone—Riley's stomach dropped when they recognized Kael's cracked case.

Mack: "Found it three blocks from here. Near the old train yard."

Riley (reaching for it): "That's Kael's—"

Mack (grabbing their wrist): "Don't. Touch it."

Riley froze. Mack's grip was iron-tight, his eyes locked onto his.

Mack: "Something's wrong with it. Watch."

He nudged the phone with a screwdriver. The screen flickered to life—but instead of Kael's lock screen, it showed a shifting void, a glimpse of floating islands, and for one heart-stopping second

A shadowy figure in onyx armor, its crimson gaze burning through the static.

Then the screen went black again.

Riley (whispering): "That's him. The guy from the security footage."

Mack (rubbing his jaw): "Yeah. And I think he's looking for Kael."

Riley slumped into a chair, their mind racing.

Riley: "So you believe me now?"

Mack (grunting): "Kid, I've believed you since you showed me that wall. I just didn't wanna say it out loud." He picked up the feather, turning it in the light. "This ain't normal. None of it is."

Riley: "You're weirdly calm about interdimensional monsters."

Mack (snorting): "I served in '91. Saw things in the desert no one'd believe. This?" He gestured to the feather. "Just another Tuesday."

A beat. Then—

Mack: "But here's what's got me spooked."

He pulled out a folded newspaper clipping—a report from two days ago:

"Mysterious Blackouts Spread—Witnesses Report 'Shadow Figures' Near Affected Areas."

The photo showed a streetlight bent into a perfect spiral.

Mack: "This was before Kael vanished. Whatever's happening… it's getting worse."

Riley's blood ran cold.

Riley: "The Veil's tearing. And if it goes—"

Mack (finishing their thought): "—More monsters would be coming for world."

They sat in silence, the weight of it pressing down.

Then Mack reached under the counter and slid something across the table.

A holstered pistol.

Mack: "You're gonna need this."

Riley (blinking): "I—what? Why?"

Mack (dead serious): "Because if he—" (pointing at the phone) "—comes through before Kael does? You're the only one who can stop him."

Riley stared at the gun. Then, slowly, he took it.

Somewhere, in the distance, thunder rumbled—though the sky was clear.