The soft creak of the old wooden floor echoed faintly beneath their feet. One by one, they stepped into Saori's home—quiet, tired, and carrying the weight of everything they'd just faced.
Jasmine was the first to enter, her arms folded, eyes scanning the room with cautious calm. Behind her, King stepped in, silent and steady. Then came Sol, Shin, Amelia, Hiroshi, Arisu, Mio, Saki, Izumi, Tasuya, Aisa, Yumi, and Akira—each face marked by exhaustion and quiet concern.
The house smelled faintly of herbs and warm tea. It was peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
In the far room, Ryker lay still. Bandages wrapped his body like armor of white. His breaths were slow, but steady.
No one spoke for a moment.
They simply gathered—around the low table, near the walls, by the windows. A heavy silence lingered, filled with unspoken thoughts, questions, and a growing sense that what they'd just survived was only the beginning.
The wind blew gently outside. Within the safety of Saori's home, for the first time in a long while, they were all together again.
But peace… was temporary.
A sudden gasp shattered the silence.
Ryker's eyes snapped open—wild, unfocused, and burning with something feral. Before anyone could react, he bolted upright and lunged.
Aisa turned just in time to see him.
Too late.
With unnatural speed, Ryker grabbed her and sank his teeth into her neck.
"Aisa!" Yumi screamed.
Blood splattered. Aisa froze in shock, eyes wide as Ryker bit down like a starving animal. Everyone around them jolted in disbelief, paralyzed by the chaos unfolding.
"RYKER!!" Sol roared.
He dashed forward and pulled Ryker off, wrestling him away. As he yanked Ryker back, a piece of skin tore from Aisa's neck—blood smeared across Ryker's lips and chin.
The room fell into stunned silence.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Sol shouted, his voice trembling.
Ryker didn't answer.
His chest heaved. His eyes were distant—glazed, confused… empty.
"Hah… hah… hah…" he panted, like something inside him was clawing to get out.
Then, as quickly as it began—his body went limp.
Ryker collapsed into Sol's arms, unconscious once more.
The others stood frozen, horror etched on every face. Aisa clutched her neck, blood seeping through her fingers, her breath shaky.
No one spoke.
But one thought passed silently between them all:
Something was terribly wrong.
The room was thick with tension. No one spoke at first—just the distant hum of wind outside and the metallic scent of blood in the air.
"Tch… What the fuck is going on?" Sol muttered, still shaken, fists clenched.
Shin stepped forward, confusion and anger burning in his voice. "Why? Why would Ryker do something like that?"
Celica crouched beside Aisa, her hands trembling over the wound. She tried to summon her healing magic again—but nothing came.
"I'm sorry, Aisa… I can't heal you. I used everything I had on Ryker," she admitted, voice low with guilt.
Aisa held her hand against the injury, blood still trickling between her fingers. But her eyes were calm.
"Don't worry," she said quietly. "I'll be fine."
Yumi knelt beside her, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry too… I didn't expect—he's never—"
Jasmine stepped back, arms folded, eyes cold. "There's something weird going on with Ryker. That wasn't him… or at least, not the Ryker we knew."
Sol's jaw tightened. "No matter what it is… I'll beat it out of him if I have to."
Aisa looked up, her voice sharp. "No."
Everyone turned to her.
"Why?" Celica asked, almost incredulous. "Why are you still on his side after this?"
Aisa's gaze didn't waver. Blood on her neck. Pain in her body. But her eyes were fierce.
"Because he's my team leader," she said. "And I won't lose him. Not to this. Not to anything."
Ryker's eyes fluttered open.
The ceiling above him blurred in and out of focus. His breath caught. A sharp sting tore through his head. He sat up slowly—then suddenly lurched forward.
He vomited onto the floor.
"Ryker!" Celica rushed to his side.
Ryker gripped his head, groaning. A thunderous pounding echoed in his skull, like someone was slamming a hammer inside his brain.
"Ryker, what's happening?" Celica's voice was trembling now.
Sol stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed, expression unreadable—but his voice came hard and demanding.
"What the hell were you doing to Aisa?"
Ryker looked up, dazed. "What… do you mean?"
"You bit her," Sol said bluntly. "You attacked Aisa and bit her neck."
Ryker's eyes widened in disbelief. "I… I did what?"
He turned his head slowly, looking toward Aisa. She sat on the couch, silent, her neck wrapped in a fresh bandage. Blood still stained her collar.
"I don't remember," Ryker said, shaking his head. "I swear—I have this splitting headache. Everything's just... blank."
Celica placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with worry. "Something's not right with you, Ryker. That wasn't normal."
Ryker clenched his fists, trying to focus through the pain. The memory—the sensation—was missing. But something inside him felt off. Foreign.
"Aisa…" he whispered, guilt flooding his voice. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Aisa looked at him calmly. "I know."
The room fell silent, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on everyone like a storm on the horizon.
Night
The wind whispered through the trees as the moon cast a pale glow across the forest. Shadows danced over the path Aisa walked, her steps silent but steady. She wore a dark cloak, the hood pulled low over her head, concealing her face from the watching woods.
She approached an old wooden house hidden deep in the forest—a place forgotten by most. Vines had grown up its sides, and the windows were long shattered. But Aisa didn't hesitate. She slipped inside and moved quickly, knowing exactly where to go.
Around the back of the house, behind broken fencing and a patch of dying flowers, sat an old stone well. Moss covered its edges, and it looked as though it hadn't been used in years.
Without a moment's pause, Aisa climbed over the edge—and jumped.
She dropped into the darkness.
Her body disappeared into the shadows of the well… but she didn't fall far. A soft thud echoed moments later. She stood up, brushing herself off.
At the bottom of the well, there was a stone wall. She pressed her hand against a specific brick.
Click.
A passage opened.
A narrow corridor stretched forward, dimly lit by ancient blue crystals embedded in the walls. She walked through it, heart racing with every step.
At the end was a metal door. She opened it slowly.
Inside was a secret chamber. Cold. Silent. But not empty.
Chains hung from the ceiling. Strange runes glowed faintly across the stone floor. And in the center—bound by glowing restraints—was a boy.
Pale. Eyes closed. Breathing faint.
Aisa stepped closer, her hand trembling.
"I'm here…" she whispered, falling to her knees beside him. "I'm coming, Kael. I'll save you…"