Ren placed the stone tablet inside his drawer and closed it.
He stood there for a moment, hand resting on the wood.
"I'll tell Mom in the morning," he told himself.
Not now.
He lay down and forced his eyes shut.
Sleep came unevenly.
⸻
When Ren woke up, the house felt empty.
Not quiet.
Empty.
"Mom?" he called.
No answer.
He walked into the living room.
His mother was on the floor.
Her eyes were rolled back. Her body was still, twisted slightly as if she had collapsed mid-step.
Ren stopped breathing.
"…Mom?"
He ran to her and dropped to his knees, shaking her shoulders.
"Wake up. Please."
Nothing.
Her skin was cold.
His chest tightened until it hurt. Thoughts scattered. Reality refused to settle.
"No… no… no…"
He stumbled back, his eyes landing on his bedroom.
The drawer.
Ren rushed in, pulled it open, and grabbed the stone tablet.
His hands were shaking.
"Was it you?" he whispered. "Did you do this?"
He threw the stone.
It hit the wall and fell to the floor with a dull sound.
Ren rushed back to his mother and tried again—shaking her, calling her, begging.
"Please… wake up…"
His legs gave out.
He fell backward, landing hard on both arms.
Pain shot through them.
Then heat.
Ren screamed as a burning sensation spread beneath his skin. He looked down and saw small flame-shaped marks appearing on both forearms, faint but alive.
He didn't understand them.
He didn't care.
He crawled back beside his mother and stayed there.
Crying.
For a long time.
Eventually, exhaustion pulled him under.
He fell asleep beside her.
⸻
When Ren woke again, the light outside had changed.
Nothing else had.
He stood up slowly.
Wiped his face.
"I'll find the cause," he said quietly. "No matter what."
Ren buried his mother in the backyard with his own hands.
When it was done, he knelt in front of the grave and prayed in silence.
⸻
That's when he felt it.
Not sound.
Presence.
Ren turned.
Two suspicious figures stood nearby.
One was calm—too calm. A girl. Her movements were smooth, controlled, precise. Like water flowing exactly where it wanted to go.
The other was a boy.
Sharp. Restless. Aggressive.
Fast.
Everything about him felt sudden—like thunder waiting to strike.
Ren stepped back. "Who are you?"
They didn't answer.
They moved.
The boy was on him in an instant. Too fast to react.
Ren struggled, but he didn't know how to fight what he didn't understand. The girl moved only when necessary, guiding, correcting, making sure he couldn't escape.
Ren's strength faded.
The world tilted.
Darkness rushed in.
⸻
When Ren opened his eyes, the air was cold and damp.
He was in a shady cave, hidden deep beneath the earth.
Someone was sitting in front of him.
An old man.
Calm. Still.
Behind him stood two more people, silent, watching.
Their presence was heavy.
Crushing.
Ren tried to move.
Couldn't.
The old man looked at him slowly.
And smiled.