Sei stepped inside the cave's mouth, the stone edges lit faintly by the escaping moonlight. The deeper Sei moved, the lesser the light became; it was like the darkness stared back at him. Slowly, it grew completely dark, the air grew thick, filled with the scent of moss and old rocks.
He moved cautiously, his shoes brushing against the gravel and sand beneath.
The more he pressed deeper, the more silent it got. Nothing but the echo of his own footsteps greeted him.
But in the endless darkness, his eyes caught a faint shimmer of bluish-green light at a distance.
Having seen the light within darkness, Sei moved faster forward. The glow strengthened with each step. Gradually, the narrow path became wider and finally merged open into a greater chamber. The light was now clear. The chamber stretched far and wide and then separated into three smaller paths.
The bluish light filled the space in an eerie luminescence; it seemed like the walls themselves were glowing.
And within that glow, the mysterious man sat on a polished, seemingly flat rock. His hood was pulled over his face, hiding his features even in the lighting.
Sei gazed at the man. Neither spoke, and the moment of silence grew denser.
Then the man spoke, not in Sei's head but with his real voice.
"Sei Haswarth," his voice was clear, deep. "Why did you follow me this far?"
Sei stood tall without showing the unease and pressure he felt inside. "I want to know."
The man tilted his head slightly. "What answers do you seek?"
He spoke—he was not screaming, nor was his voice loud—but that calm voice felt like a monster was speaking. Sei felt the pressure of his presence.
Sei clenched his hands. "Tell me what you know. How do you know about me? And what is happening to me? Why can't I channel nature energy?"
The man laughed slowly, a muffled laugh like a whisper. "So many questions, aren't you a dumb one."
Then, without another word, he vanished. The air that was still until now stirred, scattering dust and gravel.
Sei took a step back instinctively, planting his feet into the ground and raising his fists, ready to fight—even if he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything.
Silence followed.
Then out of nowhere, like a ghost, the man appeared right in front of Sei's face. Close.
Too close.
Sei skipped a moment; time seemed to freeze. The man raised his hand and reached out to Sei's chest—a gentle tap.
Then a whisper rang out.
"Tell me... Sei, what do you know about yourself?"
The question felt like a weird sword being pushed down his heart—not physically, but through his memories.
Sei's eyes widened as panic surged.
He swung wildly—once, twice—but hit only air. His balance slipped, and he stumbled backward, crashing to the stone floor.
By the time he looked up, the man was back on the rock, still as before, like he had always been sitting there.
Sei's breath became heavy; he panted, his chest heaving. Through the small encounter, Sei got a little glimpse of his face. He was smiling faintly, an all-knowing smile. And down his left eye ran a thin, harsh scar—from brow to cheek—slashing through his calm appearance like a fracture in glass.
"Who the hell are you?!" Sei barked, rising to his feet.
The man folded his hands. "Who I am is irrelevant… until you understand what you are."
Sei shouted again, "Stop talking in riddles!"
The man didn't say anything; he just sat there, silent.
Sei opened his mouth to speak again, but all of a sudden, the air in the cave became heavy. It felt like the cave itself had become angry.
"Found you." A voice cracked through, cold and mocking.
Sei tried to turn, but it was like a paralyzing pressure gripped his limbs. He felt like the eyes of a predator were set on him, and he was the little prey.
The voice of boots echoed behind him. A man entered through the darkness. He wore a leather jacket and pants; scars ran down his hands and face. A venomous smile laced his features. Light streaks of lightning moved across his body as he moved.
He drew his sword in a single flash, streaks of lightning bursting out of it like water. His vision shifted to Sei like a snake aiming at its food.
"Is this boy a Void Vessel, the one talked about in legends?" he spoke, each word making Sei more and more curious.
Then the attack came without any warning. The man moved in a blur of motion like a comet, his sword slicing through the air itself, crackling with lightning, making the surroundings clearer. The ground beneath trembled with the sheer movement.
Sei turned, facing the man. Time seemed to slow down as the sword approached him. His legs didn't move. He tried to raise his hands and channel nature energy, but the man was too fast. Sei felt the sword pierce his chest before it even reached.
He was frozen in sheer terror.
But the sword didn't reach him—it stopped not with the CLANG! of another metal, but silently.
The mysterious man stood between Sei and the other man, his arm outstretched. He was holding the blade with his bare hand, and yet there was no blood.
The electricity that crackled around the sword dissipated into air like angry snakes.
The man laughed. "Such a weak kid. I never imagined the Void Vessel to be such trash."
The mysterious man didn't waver. He stood there, unmoving like a mountain. "How did you find me, Agrieth?" he asked.
Agrieth jumped back. "Oh, come on now. I am not blind, am I?" he chuckled. "And if it's true that this weak little boy is the legendary Void Vessel, then I need to finish my job."
"Return. I won't let you," the mysterious man said calmly.
In response, Agrieth smiled. A wild hum rippled in the surroundings. It was like he let loose his bloodlust-filled aura. The man didn't waver. He also let out a streak of powerful aura. The two collided, making the very fabric of reality tremble.
Sei watched it, powerless and paralyzed in the face of two monstrous beasts fighting. He could feel that he wasn't just outmatched—he was irrelevant in the face of what those two were.