The String

Kael's eyes slowly fluttered open.

The soft rustling of leaves, the faint murmur of running water… It was familiar.

He tried to sit up, but pain lanced through his body. Everything felt sore—tightly wrapped in bandages. His limbs trembled from exhaustion.

Still, he managed to push himself up and looked around. Somehow he felt dejavu about it.

Beside him Lumino look at him with a shimmered eyes, "are you feeling alright?"

Kael's heart dropped. A rush of embarrassment flooded his brain as flashes of his most humiliating moment resurfaced.

What the hell was that earlier?! I passed out from a nosebleed?! Seriously?!

Get it together, Kael!

"I'm fine," he grumbled, avoiding eye contact. "Just… a little lightheaded."

Alira popped into view with a mischievous grin, her mouth covered to muffle her giggles.

"Didn't expect that much of a shock would knock you out cold."

Kael shot her a death glare. You wicked, scheming little witch.

"You should focus on resting, Kael. Don't push yourself."

"I told you, I'm fine," Kael grumbled. "Just a little dizzy earlier…"

Alira snickered beside him again. The witch was enjoying this way too much.

"Well then, sit tight. I'll go look for something edible. I'll cook for you!" Lumino offered, standing up swiftly.

"You don't have to—" Kael tried to protest, but Lumino had already vanished with a light pop, teleporting away.

"Teleporting again," Kael muttered. "Guess the potion's time is almost up... And—wait, is he wearing different clothes?"

"For your mental health, I made sure he changed," Alira whispered beside him with an impish smile.

Kael stared at her. "You. This is your fault."

He pinched her cheek without mercy.

"Ow—ow ow ow! Hey!!"

"This is your idea of post-trauma entertainment?!"

"I needed something fun!" Alira laughed, even while being suffocated in a headlock. "Besides, you're the one who got the bonus!"

"There was no bonus—!!" Kael growled, tightening his grip.

"Kael! Let me go! I can't breathe!"

She elbowed him hard. He let go, coughing, and the two ended up in a disheveled wrestling heap.

Just then—

"I'm back! I caught a rabbit—"

Lumino's voice broke off mid-sentence.

He stood frozen, eyes wide at the sight before him: Alira sitting on top of Kael, mid-slap, while Kael clutched her waist with one hand and protected his face with the other.

"…What are you two doing?" Lumino asked, voice stiff. "…Am I interrupting something?"

"WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING!!" the two shouted in unison. 

Alira leapt off and fixed her hair in flustered silence. Kael scrambled upright, red-faced and grumbling.

Lumino frowned, disappointment flickering across his face, though he masked it quickly.

"I… found a rabbit. I'll start cooking now."

He turned and began setting up the fire, working quietly. Kael lay back down, uneasy.

Can he even cook? Kael thought nervously. He wanted to check, but also didn't want to make Lumino feel worse.

Meanwhile, Alira was already pulling out a mirror and fixing her hair.

"You go check on him," Kael grumbled.

"Why me?" Alira shot back. "He's not a child."

"Also, why do you talk to me so casually? I'm older than you."

"Like I care."

Before Alira could reply, an explosion erupted behind them.

"WHAT THE—?!"

Kael jumped to his feet. Alira was flung backward by the blast, landing in a heap.

Smoke billowed. Kael ran toward the fire, panic setting in.

He saw Lumino crouched behind a light shield, covered in soot.

"I may have… miscalculated the fire intensity." Lumino muttered.

Alira stormed over, coughing. "WHAT IN THE LITRUISH'S NAME—WERE YOU MAKING A BOMB?!"

Lumino looked away, ashamed, as Alira lectured him.

"Out of the way. I'll cook," Alira declared confidently.

Kael scoffed. "And you think you can do better?"

"Just watch," she smirked. With a few flourishes and a whispered spell, she conjured several dishes that looked and smelled heavenly.

"You used alchemy," Kael accused.

"Maybe. But would you eat that thing he made?"

Kael shuddered. The memory of the charred… whatever-it-was made his stomach churn.

"You win."

"It looks delicious!" Lumino beamed, already digging in.

Alira blinked. Then realized—Lumino must have been starving. He hadn't eaten a proper meal in at least two days, and neither had she.

She sat beside him without another word, joining him in the meal.

Kael watched the two of them for a while, then shook his head.

A small smile crept onto his lips.

"…Hey! Save some for me, dammit!"

And just like that, the three sat around the fire, laughter echoing through the trees as steam from warm food curled into the air, and—for the first time in a while—peace settled over them like a soft blanket.

Night had fallen.

Above them, the sky stretched wide and endless, glittering with stars like scattered diamonds on velvet. The air was cool, calm, and carried the faint scent of woodsmoke from the dying fire.

Kael and Alira sat beside it, leaning back against their packs, locked in yet another petty squabble.

"I'm telling you, that constellation looks like a dragon," Kael insisted, pointing to the sky.

"That's not a dragon, that's clearly a goose," Alira countered with confidence, hugging her knees. "See that shape there? That's the beak."

Kael gave her a deadpan look. "You really think the cosmos made a goose?"

"It's a celestial goose. Ever heard of symbolism?"

"Symbolism my ass. It's a dragon."

Lumino chuckled quietly, lying on his side near them, listening. His laughter danced softly on the wind, bridging their silliness with a warmth he hadn't felt in days.

But behind his smile, his gaze drifted upward, distant.

The stars above were beautiful. But tonight, they were heavy.

As Kael and Alira continued their playful arguing, Lumino fell silent.

His mind wandered—back to the battle with Drakeflamish, to the terrifying surge of power he had unleashed. His body had moved on instinct… but that power hadn't felt like his.

It had felt… ancient. Raw. Endless.

Something woke up inside him that night.

He saw flashes—fractured memories of a time he didn't understand. A place that felt familiar but out of reach. Words from his grandfather echoing once more:

"Lumino, remember—your power is never stronger than when you use it to protect."

'why did i remember something like that, i don't remember grandpa ever said something like that before.'  said Lumino in his head.

Eventually, Alira's yawns grew more frequent. She curled into her blanket and mumbled something about making sure Kael didn't hog all the covers, then quickly drifted off.

Kael followed not long after, mumbling a tired complaint about Lumino being too quiet. But Lumino stayed awake, lying on his back, then eventually sitting up as restlessness crept over him.

He stared at the stars again.

The weight of everything pressed down on him—the strange thread between him and Kael, the evolution of his magic, the memory he couldn't grasp, and the fear that he had become something… inhuman.

Then—

"Can't sleep?"

The voice broke his spiral like a stone in still water.

Lumino flinched, caught off guard. He turned—Kael wasn't asleep after all. He sat up slowly, his expression unreadable in the dim firelight.

"I just… don't feel like sleeping," Lumino admitted, hugging his knees close.

Kael didn't sit. He remained standing, looking down at Lumino.

"You don't have to think so hard about everything."

Then, gently, he placed a hand on Lumino's head.

Lumino looked up at him—surprised, almost fragile under Kael's palm.

"You're not… even a little suspicious of me?" Lumino whispered.

"You hated me at first. You almost slit my throat. And I… I really am suspicious. I mean, what kind of person can suddenly manipulate dimensional space and time? I literally rewound your body like a goddamn time machine. My own wounds vanished. Like none of it ever happened…"

He lowered his gaze, voice trembling.

"Isn't it dangerous to bring someone like me along? Someone who doesn't even understand what he is?"

Kael interrupted. Quiet, firm.

"I don't care."

Lumino blinked, confused. "…What?"

"I don't care if you're suspicious, dangerous, or even the one who got us trapped with that damn Orb. I'm done doubting you." Kael leaned closer, eyes unwavering. "So quit looking like a kicked puppy. I'm never pointing my blade at you again. Never."

Lumino bit his lip, his throat tightening. He turned his face away, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, Kael… I'm so, so sorry."

Kael smiled, the edge of his lip tugging up as he ruffled Lumino's hair again—rougher this time.

"You idiot. You don't have to apologize."

And just like that, something inside Lumino finally unknotted.

He leaned into the warmth of Kael's presence and, for the first time in days—maybe weeks—his body relaxed.

That night, Lumino finally slept.

And for the first time in a very long time, he dreamt of nothing at all.

Their journey resumed—this time with an extra member trailing behind.

Kael threw a glance over his shoulder at Alira, who was panting hard, her hands resting on her knees. Meanwhile, Lumino strolled a few steps ahead, unbothered, as if this three-hour trek had been nothing more than a morning stroll.

"I… hosh… I can't… walk anymore. Let's stop, please," Alira huffed, her face pale with exaggerated exhaustion.

Kael sighed, wiping sweat off his brow. "You're kidding. You've only been walking for three minutes. You spent the entire time before that floating on one of your flight spells."

"Well, my spell's worn off now, and walking is overrated!" Alira shot back, pouting.

Lumino turned, offering a soft smile. "If it's that hard, I can carry you on my back."

Kael whipped his head toward him, eyes wide. "You're seriously offering to carry this walking complaint machine?"

Lumino nodded with a faint chuckle. "She's tired. It's only fair if it means we can keep moving."

Kael shivered slightly. How much stamina does this guy have…?

"Out of my way," Alira muttered, shoving Kael aside as she pushed past. "Enough chit-chat. Look—" she pointed ahead.

Kael and Lumino followed her gaze.

The dense forest opened to a sunlit expanse—a vast grassland, dotted with cattle grazing lazily under the open sky. The breeze was soft, and for a moment, everything seemed… peaceful.

"I think we're near the city," Lumino said quietly.

"City?" Kael perked up. "Perfect. Food, water… maybe even a bed."

Alira chuckled under her breath. "The city I was born in. But…" her voice lowered, and she looked at them with an eerie grin.

"Like you said… Letruish is abandoned now. Which means my hometown's a ghost town."

Lumino's face paled slightly. He unconsciously reached out and grabbed Kael's sleeve.

"You sure know how to kill the mood," Kael muttered. "So, your hometown, huh? Any regrets?"

Alira gave a soft snort. "After living this long? Anyone I knew is long dead."

Lumino bit his lip, a shadow of sadness flickering in his eyes.

"Well, no use standing around," Alira said, stepping ahead with a flip of her hair. "Let's go."

"Alira!" Lumino called after her. "If… if you hadn't been stuck in Mideway for centuries… how old would you be right now?"

Alira smirked without turning back. "Tsk. You really shouldn't ask a lady her age. But if you must know… maybe twenty-seven."

"Oh…" Lumino nodded.

Kael quirked a brow. "Huh. You're younger than me." 

"Hey! I'm still technically older, so show some respect!" Alira snapped.

Kael snorted in amusement.

They both turned to Lumino.

"And you?" they asked in unison.

Lumino blinked. "I'm twenty-five."

Alira's mind: 'I thought he would be younger.'

Kael's mind: 'He's younger…?'

"Why are you two staring at me like that?" Lumino asked, raising a brow.

"Let's just… keep walking," Kael muttered.

As they crossed the open fields, Lumino glanced at the herds of grazing cows.

"They're pretty big," he commented.

Kael studied them with genuine curiosity. "So, this is a cow…"

"You've never seen a cow before?" Lumino asked, incredulous.

Kael shook his head. "Back home, all our food production is synthetic. Genetically modified livestock, grown in labs to mimic the same nutritional value. We don't breed animals anymore."

"You've… never tasted real beef?" Lumino asked, eyes wide.

Kael shrugged. "We eat synthetic beef. Perfectly designed by the Food Resource Association."

Lumino frowned in disbelief. "That's… honestly sad. In my village, cows were everywhere. My grandfather made the best beef dishes. I… ate it almost every day."

His voice faltered at the last word.

Alira chimed in, sighing dreamily, "I've been locked away in Mideway so long… I forgot what real beef even tastes like."

"I'll have Grandpa cook for you—"

Lumino stopped mid-sentence.

The realization hit him like a stone in his gut. He would never taste his grandfather's cooking again.

Kael noticed the shift in his expression.

"…I could cook something for you," Kael offered quickly. "Might not be the same, but… who knows. Could be close."

"You? Cook?" Alira scoffed. "Is that even grammatically correct in a sentence?"

Kael smirked. "I'm good with a sword. How hard can a knife be?"

With that, Kael darted toward a nearby cow.

In a swift motion, his sword flashed—neatly butchering the beast in one clean strike. His follow-up knife work was precise, professional even. Alira gawked, slack-jawed.

"Kael's cooking is actually really good," Lumino whispered to Alira.

Soon after, a fire crackled, and the scent of roasting beef filled the air.

Kael handed Alira and Lumino their portions.

Alira took a bite—and her soul nearly ascended.

This is masterpiece… she thought. I'm glad I'm still alive.

Lumino smiled softly as he ate, savoring every bite.

But when Kael tasted his own cooking—

His eyes widened. This is… nothing like the synthetic crap! What an incredible taste. Absolute amazing!

Without a word, he stood up abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Lumino asked.

"I'm getting more," Kael said darkly, a mischievous grin forming on his face.

He dashed off toward the herd, eyes gleaming with predatory intent. (*Kael already drink Alira potion before. Make the thread still intact. But not pulling each other about 3 hours)

Alira, meanwhile, was now gently sniffing her steak like it was a rare treasure.

Lumino blinked at the sight of them both, then chuckled softly. I think I already scared before even going to the town.