The courtyard was finally quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence that came after chaosbut didn't feel like peace.
Adrian sat on the cold stone steps, his head lowered, his breathing slowly returning to normal. His body felt heavy, like every ounce of strength had been drained from him.
The mark on his wrist still pulsed faintly.
Slower now.
But still there.
Still watching.
Still waiting.
"…I almost lost it again," Adrian muttered.
Kai stood a few steps away, his back turned, his shoulders tense.
"You didn't," he replied.
Adrian let out a dry laugh.
"That's not the point."
Kai didn't answer.
That bothered Adrian more than anything.
"…Kai."
Still silence.
Adrian frowned.
"…Why aren't you saying anything?"
Kai finally moved.
But instead of coming closer
He walked further away.
That made something in Adrian's chest tighten.
"…Hey."
Kai stopped.
But didn't turn.
"I told you not to fight," Kai said quietly.
Adrian blinked.
"What?"
Kai's voice hardened.
"You're not ready."
Adrian stood up slowly.
"And doing nothing is better?"
Kai turned this time.
His expression was different.
Colder.
"You don't understand what you're dealing with."
Adrian frowned.
"Then help me understand!"
"I am helping you," Kai snapped.
The words hit harder than expected.
Adrian stared at him.
"…That's not what this feels like."
Silence.
The tension between them thickened.
Riven, watching from a distance, sighed quietly.
"…This should be interesting."
Adrian took a step forward.
"No, tell me the truth. Why are you acting like this?"
Kai didn't respond.
Adrian's voice rose.
"You keep holding back!"
Kai's eyes darkened.
"And you keep rushing in without thinking."
"Because I don't have time!" Adrian shot back.
The mark pulsed.
Reacting.
Kai noticed.
His jaw tightened.
"That's exactly why you need to stop."
Adrian shook his head.
"No. That's exactly why I can't."
The shadows around them flickered slightly.
Unstable.
Emotional.
Kai exhaled slowly.
"…You're going to destroy yourself."
Adrian's chest tightened.
"…Then tell me how not to."
Silence.
Kai looked away.
That was it.
That was the moment something snapped.
Adrian let out a frustrated breath.
"…You don't trust me."
Kai's head turned slightly.
"That's not
"Yes, it is," Adrian cut in.
"If you did, you'd stop treating me like I'm going to break every second."
Kai stepped closer.
"That's because you are."
Adrian froze.
The words landed like a blow.
"…Wow."
Kai realized it immediately.
But it was too late.
Adrian laughed softly.
"Good to know."
Kai reached out slightly.
"Adrian
Adrian stepped back.
"Don't."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Painful.
Adrian looked down at his wrist.
The mark glowed faintly.
"…Maybe you're right."
Kai frowned.
"What?"
Adrian's voice dropped.
"Maybe I am already breaking."
The shadows around him stirred again.
Darker this time.
Kai's eyes widened slightly.
"…Adrian."
But Adrian didn't look at him.
"…You said it yourself," Adrian continued. "I'm merging with the Void."
A pause.
"So what's the point of pretending I'm still normal?"
"That's not what I meant," Kai said quickly.
Adrian finally looked up.
His eyes
For a second
Were darker.
"…Then what did you mean?"
Kai didn't answer.
Because the truth was
He didn't know how to say it.
Adrian let out a slow breath.
"…You're afraid of me."
Kai's chest tightened.
"No."
But the hesitation before it
Said enough.
Adrian smiled faintly.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
"…Yeah."
The mark pulsed.
Stronger.
The shadows deepened.
Kai stepped forward.
"Adrian, listen—"
"I'm tired," Adrian said quietly.
Kai stopped.
"…Of what?"
Adrian's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Of fighting something I don't understand…"
A pause.
"…And feeling like I'm doing it alone."
That hit harder than anything.
Kai's expression shifted.
"…You're not alone."
Adrian shook his head slightly.
"…Then stop pushing me away."
Silence.
Kai looked at him.
Really looked this time.
At the exhaustion.
The fear.
The frustration.
And something else—
Something fragile.
Something he hadn't noticed before.
"…You don't know everything about me either," Kai said finally.
Adrian frowned.
"…What does that mean?"
Kai hesitated.
Then
"…I've seen this before."
Adrian's breath caught.
"…What?"
Kai's voice lowered.
"…Someone like you."
The air shifted.
Riven straightened slightly.
"…Kai."
Kai ignored him.
Adrian stepped closer.
"…What happened?"
Kai's eyes darkened.
"They lost control."
Adrian's chest tightened.
"…And?"
Kai didn't look away.
"I was the one who had to stop them."
Silence.
Adrian felt his stomach drop.
"…Stop… them?"
Kai's voice was quiet.
"But you know what that means."
Adrian's heart pounded.
"…You had to kill them."
Kai didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
The silence said everything.
Adrian took a slow step back.
"…So that's it."
Kai frowned.
"That's not
"You're waiting," Adrian said.
His voice shook slightly.
"…Waiting for me to turn into something you have to destroy."
Kai stepped forward quickly.
"No."
Adrian shook his head.
"But you think it might happen."
Kai stopped.
Because again
He couldn't deny it.
And that silence
That hesitation
Hurt more than any answer.
Adrian looked away.
"…I get it."
Kai reached out again.
"Adrian
But Adrian stepped back.
This time
Further.
"…I need some air."
Kai's hand froze mid-air.
"…Don't go alone."
Adrian gave a faint, tired smile.
"When do I ever listen?"
And before Kai could stop him
Adrian turned.
And walked away.
The shadows around him followed.
Closer than before.
Darker than before.
Kai stood still.
His chest tight.
Riven walked up beside him.
"…You really messed that up."
Kai didn't respond.
His eyes remained fixed on the direction Adrian left.
"…I know."
Riven crossed his arms.
"You going after him?"
Kai didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Because no matter what happened
No matter what he feared
There was one thing he knew for certain.
He wasn't going to lose Adrian.
Not like last time.