Rai: Dark & Light

A Cold Presence

Rai sat in the clearing, legs crossed, eyes closed, breathing steady.

He was supposed to be focusing on his training, on extending his energy beyond his fingertips.

But then—a shiver ran down his spine.

Something was wrong.

A cold, sharp presence pierced through the air like a dagger. It was distant, but it was strong—unnatural.

Rai's breathing hitched. What is that?

It wasn't just an energy signature. It was death.

The presence lasted only a second, but in that brief moment, something—or someone—had been cut down.

Then… silence.

A heavy, hollow stillness settled over the forest. As if life itself had been erased.

Rai opened his eyes, heart pounding. His gaze darted toward the trees.

What the hell was that?

He scanned the clearing, but everything was the same. Nothing had changed. The forest remained still, the wind whispering through the leaves.

Yet… his instincts screamed.

Something had just happened.

But where? And to who?

He swallowed hard, trying to shake the unease from his bones.

Focus. I need to train.

And so, he forced himself to push it aside. For now.

Vael Returns

Thirty minutes passed.

The eerie feeling hadn't faded completely, but Rai tried to ignore it, focusing instead on extending his energy.

His progress had been slow, but at last—he had managed to extend his energy five centimeters beyond his palm.

Just as a flicker of pride settled in his chest, he heard footsteps.

Rai turned.

Vael had returned.

A large beast was slung over his shoulder, its weight seemingly nothing to him. He walked toward the clearing with his usual calm, casual expression, as if he had just finished a peaceful afternoon stroll.

Rai, still catching his breath from training, perked up instantly.

"Vael! Look!"

He lifted his hand, showing the faint energy stretching from his fingers—barely visible, hovering in the air like mist.

"I got it to extend five centimeters!"

Vael raised an eyebrow, setting the beast down with a dull thud. He studied the energy, watching it flicker—unstable, but controlled.

"Not bad," Vael admitted. "Five centimeters is good progress."

Rai beamed, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"But," Vael continued, "that's only the beginning. Now, I want you to take it further."

Forging the Blade

Vael stepped closer, arms crossed.

"Energy extension is important, but in battle, raw energy isn't enough. You need to be able to shape it."

Rai's excitement dimmed slightly. "Shape it?"

Vael nodded. "Every warrior needs a backup plan. If your weapon breaks, you should be able to create one from your own energy. That's what we'll work on next."

He gestured toward Rai's glowing hands. "Try forming a blade."

Rai's brows furrowed. "A blade? Like… an actual sword?"

Vael smirked. "Or a dagger, a spear, whatever works. It doesn't have to be perfect—it just needs to be sharp. Focus on compressing your energy into something solid."

Rai clenched his fists, staring down at his hands. A blade, huh?

Vael grabbed the beast from the ground, throwing it over his shoulder again.

"I'll make dinner. You meditate and figure it out."

And just like that, he walked off toward the tavern, disappearing inside.

A Missing Piece

Rai exhaled, closing his eyes.

He tried to focus, to push aside the eerie feeling that had lingered in his chest since earlier.

But something still didn't sit right.

His senses had never picked up something that sharp before. That strong. That… final.

And now, as he sat there, a new realization crept into his mind.

His gaze flickered toward the tavern, where Vael had just disappeared inside.

His eyes narrowed.

No blood.

Not a single drop on his cloak, his hands, or even the beast itself.

Vael had just carried a freshly killed animal, yet there were no visible wounds. No slashes, no punctures, no mess.

It was as if it had just fallen dead.

Rai's fingers curled into his palm.

And suddenly, it clicked.

The sharp energy he had sensed earlier. The cold stillness.

His breath hitched.

What if that had been Vael?

His heart pounded in his chest.

Who… is he really?