Chapter 7

Kusho sat on the floor of his room, legs crossed in quiet thought. A candle in front of him, dimly lit. 

Caelen lay on the bed, flipping a painted river stone in his palm.

"Should we meet our new member?" Caelen asked, without looking.

Kusho nodded. "The card poeny chose someone."

"Yeah," Caelen murmured. "Strong bond. Innocence in will. That makes three now."

Kusho didn't speak; his eyes stayed on the candle.

Caelen glanced up. "You're sure it was Seren who mourned you?" reading his thought

"Yes."

"She thinks you're dead. Perhaps she didn't believe in the sealing process."

"I know," Kusho said nothing more. He leaned forward and lit the candle with a whisper of will.

"The Garden blooms."

Silver thorns bloomed around them in slow motion. The Garden of Night stood still, as though holding its breath. The candle Kusho lit now burned softly in the center of the stone table. 

Kusho sat in silence, his two hands on his knee.

Caelen arrived second, stepping into place and leaning against the nearest stone vine.

"So I finally met this place. Such a beautiful one."

Moments later, the third ripple arrived.

Eden appeared with a sharp intake of breath, stumbling forward barefoot. His hair was a mess, his eyes wide and gray-blue like stormlight. He looked around, taking everything in: the field of thorns, the unnatural sky, the flickering candle.

"Where... where am I?"

Kusho didn't answer immediately. He simply looked up.

Caelen stepped forward instead. "Easy, kid. You're not dreaming. But also... You kinda are."

Eden blinked. "What is this place?"

"The Garden of Night," Caelen said. "A space between spaces. A meeting place for those bonded by the Circle of Thorns."

Eden instinctively checked his fingers. The peony card disappeared, now forming a ring on his finger. 

"Peony," he said slowly. "That's... me? A-and what's that?"

"It chose you," Caelen said. "The card. The role. You didn't volunteer, but you saw something in you and chose you."

Eden rubbed his temple. "I—wait. Who are you two?"

Caelen gave a grin. "Caelen, immortal pain in the ass. And that," he pointed to Kusho, "He is the founder, or to make it easier, our leader."

Kusho inclined his head slightly.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Eden asked, a bit disarmed.

"He doesn't have to," Caelen said.

Eden hesitated. "I'm Eden. Eden Deroy. I live near Saint-Hilaire. With my grandfather."

Kusho nodded once. "It's good to meet you."

Eden glanced around. "So... why me?"

"Because you didn't ask to be chosen. And that's exactly why you were," replied Kusho

"I can... do stuff with water," Eden said carefully. "Small stuff. Rivers react to me. I don't really get it."

Kusho finally spoke. "Then we'll help you understand."

Eden sat down slowly at the edge of the stone table. "And what is this Circle, really?"

Caelen gestured around. "Fifteen seats for fifteen souls. Each is bonded to a symbolic flower. Each with a different theme. The Circle doesn't rule like a kingdom; we protect and intervene in moments when a story might break."

"Story?"

Caelen smiled. "The world isn't made of truth and facts. It's made of meanings. There is an infinite number of layers stacked on each other. But there are main ones, like this world, it's called the Mortal Vein. Above it, the Dream Fold, where emotion and memory blur. Beyond that? The Realm, an ever-expanding infinity of infinities, a space so endless it devours the meaning of space itself."

"What's the Realm?"

"That's where all the weird 'things' come from. Entities like angels, demons, vampires, saints, titans, werewolf, and their Lords. They fight there over meaning itself. The Realm is alive. And it's watching."

Eden looked down at his new ring. "And you're saying I'm part of that now?"

"Partially," said Kusho.

Eden looked up at him. "Can this help me find out what happened to my parents?"

Caelen stopped flipping his stone.

"People said they vanished in a storm. I always thought... something wasn't right about it. If I'm part of this now, can I find the truth?"

Kusho didn't look away. "Yes. In time."

"And my grandpa?" Eden asked. "Will he be safe?"

"We'll make sure of it," Caelen said, softer than before.

Eden looked at the flame. "Okay. Then I'm in. Not because of destiny. But because I want to find answers."

Kusho nodded again. He extended his hand across the candle. Eden looked at it, then slowly placed his own on top. Caelen followed, their three hands stacked above the flickering flame.

The candle burned a little brighter.

"You are the third member," Kusho said. "More will come. Some may bring danger. Some will bring hope."

Caelen added, "For now, just breathe. And don't lose that stubborn edge of yours. You'll need it."

Eden smirked slightly. "So I'm stuck with you guys, huh?"

"'I'm afraid so," Caelen said, a smug face forming.

They sat in stillness for a while. Then Kusho leaned forward and gently pinched the flame out with two fingers.

The Garden dissolved into darkness.

And they were gone.

Kusho stood by the now-dark candle.

"I'll go see her," Caelen said. "Seren deserves to know. You want me to say anything?"

Kusho thought for a moment. "Tell her... I remember the song."

Caelen nodded once. "She'll understand."

He opened a breach, silver light crackling at the edges.

He stepped through.

Caelen emerged into the Realm.

He realised he was not near the Empyrean Empire. Not even near its borders. 

He stayed for a moment next to a river that flowed black water.

"Of course," Caelen muttered. "Nothing's ever simple here."

He sighed, then focused.

His body lifted.

"Time to fly."