The pressure didn't fade.
It grew.
Cold.
Heavy.
Wrong.
---
Kael couldn't move.
None of them could.
The air itself felt like it was pressing against their lungs.
---
Lyra's grip tightened on his sleeve.
"…it's here…"
---
The shadows at the edge of the garden shifted.
Not like wind.
Not like light.
Like something alive.
---
Then—
Lyra moved.
Fast.
Faster than Kael had ever seen.
---
"…no."
---
Her voice changed.
Calm.
Certain.
---
She raised her hand—
And the air collapsed.
---
A violent force shot forward.
Trees cracked.
The ground split.
The shadows tore apart.
---
*BOOM.*
---
Something was forced back.
---
A figure stepped out.
Cloaked.
Still.
Unshaken.
---
"…impressive."
---
The voice was calm.
Almost amused.
---
Kael's breath caught.
---
Before anyone could react—
The figure raised a hand.
---
Black mist exploded outward.
---
It swallowed everything.
The garden.
The sky.
The air.
---
"…Kael—!"
Mira's voice cut off.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
Screams.
---
Not outside.
Inside.
---
Kael's vision snapped.
---
He wasn't there anymore.
---
A memory.
Dark.
Broken.
Wrong.
---
"…no…"
---
Around him—
Everyone froze.
Shaking.
Trapped.
---
Everyone—
Except the Hybrids.
---
Lyra staggered—but didn't fall.
Her eyes sharpened.
"…mental interference…"
---
Mira's Hybrid grabbed her shoulder.
"…stay with me."
---
Ryden clenched his teeth.
"…what is this…?"
---
The mist moved like it was alive.
---
Lyra looked forward.
"…stop it."
---
The cloaked figure tilted his head.
"…or what?"
---
Lyra's eyes hardened.
"…we'll make you."
---
The Hybrids moved.
---
The world cracked.
---
Reality folded inward.
---
And suddenly—
They weren't in the garden anymore.
---
A broken dimension.
---
The ground floated in fragments.
The sky was layers of moving darkness.
Everything felt… wrong.
---
The mist lingered.
Thinner.
Controlled.
---
The cloaked figure stood before them.
---
Then—
He removed the hood.
---
A man.
But not human.
---
His eyes glowed faintly.
His presence heavy.
---
"…so you dragged me here."
---
His gaze locked onto Lyra.
---
"…interesting."
---
He raised his hand.
---
"…I am Zevran."
---
Energy gathered.
Dark.
Sharp.
---
"…a Magi Caster."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
He moved.
---
No warning.
---
Zevran vanished—
And reappeared above them.
---
A slash of energy dropped down.
---
*BOOM.*
---
The ground exploded.
---
"MOVE!" Mira shouted.
---
They scattered.
---
Ryden attacked first.
Lightning burst upward.
---
*CRACK.*
---
Zevran caught it.
Barehanded.
---
"…too raw."
---
He flicked his hand—
The lightning reversed.
---
Ryden was blasted back.
---
Mira attacked next.
Shadows surged.
Sharp.
Precise.
---
Zevran moved through them.
Effortlessly.
---
Then countered.
---
A pulse.
---
Mira was thrown back.
---
Lyra stepped forward.
---
Her power compressed the space around him.
---
Crushing inward.
---
Zevran paused—
Then pushed through it.
---
"…good control."
---
Ryden got back up.
Breathing hard.
---
"…he's not normal…"
---
This time—
They attacked together.
---
Lightning.
Shadows.
Pressure.
---
All at once.
---
Zevran raised both hands.
---
Everything froze.
---
Then—
Crushed.
---
The backlash threw them apart.
---
Silence.
Heavy breathing.
---
Zevran stepped forward.
---
"…you're not weak."
---
His eyes stayed on Lyra.
---
"…you're different."
---
Lyra didn't move.
---
"…stop the mist."
---
Zevran smiled.
"…make me."
---
Her power expanded.
---
Not outward—
Everywhere.
---
The dimension trembled.
---
Zevran stepped back slightly.
---
Mira seized the moment.
Shadows bound him.
---
Ryden struck.
Lightning hit directly.
---
Lyra compressed everything.
---
*BOOM.*
---
The space cracked.
---
Then—
Zevran stepped out.
---
Unharmed.
---
But impressed.
---
"…yes…"
---
His gaze locked onto Lyra.
---
"…a worldly opponent."
---
Lyra's breathing became uneven.
---
Zevran lowered his hand.
---
"…this ends here."
---
The dimension shattered.
---
"…for now."
---
Everything collapsed.
---
Reality returned.
---
The garden.
---
The mist disappeared.
---
Everyone gasped.
---
Kael blinked.
Confused.
---
"…what happened…"
---
Lyra staggered—
Then collapsed.
---
"LYRA!"
---
Kael caught her.
---
Mira dropped to one knee.
Exhausted.
---
Ryden leaned back.
Injured.
---
The Hybrids faded slightly.
---
Instructors rushed in.
Scientists followed.
---
"…what happened here?!"
---
No one answered.
---
Because no one knew.
---
Lyra and the other Hybrids were taken.
---
Kael watched.
Helpless.
---
---
Later.
Infirmary.
---
Lyra lay asleep.
---
Mira sat nearby.
---
Ryden leaned against the wall.
---
"…that thing wasn't normal," Ryden said.
---
"…no," Mira replied.
---
Kael stared at the floor.
---
"…he called himself a Magi Caster."
---
"…and he was a hybrid," Mira added quietly.
---
"…a male hybrid…" Ryden muttered.
---
Silence.
---
"…that shouldn't exist."
---
Kael's voice lowered.
"…he was testing us."
---
Mira looked at him.
"…you heard that too?"
---
"…yeah."
---
A pause.
---
"…what did you see?" Mira asked.
---
Kael hesitated.
---
"…I don't know."
---
And that was true.
---
Because whatever he saw—
His mind refused to keep it.
---
---
Elsewhere.
---
Scientists gathered.
---
"…human hybrids…"
---
"…they're beyond projections."
---
"…if she stabilizes…"
---
"…she becomes the key."
---
Silence.
---
---
The next day.
---
Class resumed.
---
Students gathered.
---
Kael sat with Mira, Ryden, and Lyra.
---
Then—
The door opened.
---
Zevran walked in.
---
Like nothing happened.
---
"…morning."
---
Silence filled the room.
---
Lyra tensed.
---
Mira's eyes narrowed.
---
Ryden blinked.
"…no way…"
---
Before anything else—
---
*BONK.*
---
Dr. Elara hit his head.
---
"…you are paying for the damages."
---
Zevran winced.
"…worth it."
---
She turned to the class.
---
"…this is Zevran."
---
"…a Magi Caster."
---
A pause.
---
"…and my hybrid."
---
The room froze.
---
"…WHAT?!"
---
Ryden almost jumped.
---
Zevran smiled slightly.
---
His eyes went to Lyra.
---
"…cute devil."
---
Lyra frowned.
"…don't call me that."
---
He chuckled.
---
Kael didn't react.
---
Because his mind—
---
Was already drifting.
---
Back to the mist.
---
To what he saw.
---
Something dark.
Broken.
Hidden.
---
Something he couldn't remember—
---
But couldn't forget.