Morning air cut through the garden.
Cold. Quiet.
Cain stood at the center of the stone circle.
The wooden blade moved.
Step.
Turn.
The edge cut through the air,
And stopped.
His arm froze for a fraction.
Cain lowered it.
"…Not yet."
He reset his stance.
Again.
Step.
Turn,
A light set of footsteps approached.
"Wait, wait… let me try again!"
Elina ran into the training circle, slightly out of breath.
She quickly took the stance.
Too quickly.
Her footing slipped.
Her balance broke,
Cain moved.
His hand caught her wrist before she hit the ground.
Elina blinked.
Then laughed.
"I almost got it that time."
"You leaned too far."
"Oh."
She straightened, more careful now.
Took the stance again.
Tried,
Still failed.
But not as badly.
Elina smiled.
"I'm improving."
Cain stepped back.
"Again."
She nodded seriously.
Tried once more.
---
"Oi."
The voice cut through the air.
Elina turned.
Cain didn't.
A boy walked into the garden like he owned the place.
Relaxed. Easy. Smirking.
Rei.
His eyes landed on Cain.
Then shifted.
Elina moved without thinking.
She stepped back,
and stood behind Cain.
Rei raised an eyebrow.
"…You serious right now?"
He walked closer, grin widening.
"She's tiny, bro."
Pause.
"You already got Liora and Aera around you… now this too?"
Silence.
Cain looked at him.
Flat.
"Shut up."
Elina tilted her head.
"I don't even know what that means…"
Rei snorted.
"Good. Stay that way."
Another set of footsteps followed.
Slower.
Aera.
She stopped a few steps behind Rei.
Didn't speak.
Her eyes stayed on Cain.
Watching.
---
Rei grabbed a wooden sword from the rack.
Spun it once.
"Alright then."
He pointed it at Cain.
"Show me."
Cain didn't move.
"I can't."
Rei grinned.
"Yeah, right."
He stepped in.
Fast.
The wooden blade came down.
Cain moved.
Block.
Turn.
Step.
Rei pressed forward.
Another strike.
Cain deflected.
Clean.
Sharp.
Then,
A pause.
Too small for most.
Not for Rei.
His blade stopped mid-swing.
The air stilled.
"…That wasn't you, was it?"
Cain didn't answer.
Silence.
Aera stepped forward slightly.
"You're… forcing yourself."
Her voice was soft.
But steady.
Cain's grip tightened.
"I'm fine."
Aera didn't reply.
She just watched him.
Something felt off.
She couldn't explain it.
---
At the edge of the garden path,
Liora stood.
Not above.
Not distant.
Right there.
She had seen everything.
Rei's attack.
Cain's hesitation.
Elina hiding behind him.
Aera stepping forward.
Her gaze lingered on Cain.
A moment longer than before.
Then shifted.
---
Rei clicked his tongue.
"Man… you got weird."
He tossed the wooden sword back.
"Come on, kid."
He waved at Elina.
"Let's leave this guy to his suffering."
Elina hesitated.
Looked at Cain.
Then nodded.
She followed Rei,
but glanced back once.
---
Aera didn't move.
Not immediately.
She looked at Cain.
Wanted to say something.
Didn't.
"…Don't overdo it."
That was all.
She turned.
Walked away.
---
Now,
Only two remained.
Cain.
And Liora.
Silence sat between them.
"You haven't rested properly."
Her voice was calm.
Cain didn't look at her.
"I'm fine."
A pause.
She didn't believe it.
"…Don't collapse in my mansion."
She turned.
Walked away.
---
Cain stood alone again.
The wooden blade lifted.
Step.
Turn.
The motion flowed,
For a moment,
Perfect.
Then it broke.
He lowered the blade slowly.
"…Close."
---
Night.
Silence filled the room.
Cain slept.
---
White.
Endless.
Still.
The space stretched in every direction.
The man sat there.
Unmoving.
Calm.
Cain stood in front of him.
Waiting.
Watching.
Nothing moved.
Nothing spoke.
Then
A faint sound.
Cloth shifting.
The man adjusted slightly.
This time
His head tilted.
Just a little.
Not enough to see his face.
But enough.
He was aware.
The white space trembled.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Cain's eyes opened.
The room returned.
But his gaze stayed still.
For a moment
He didn't move.
"…He moved."
A quiet breath left him.
That had never happened before.
This wasn't just a dream anymore.