The night was calm.
The fire burned softly in the heart of the cave, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the rocky walls. The faint sound of crackling wood was the only noise that accompanied the two figures seated across from each other.
One was a man with a rough beard and weathered eyes—Chiron. His broad shoulders hunched slightly forward, the exhaustion of the day weighing visibly upon him. The other was a boy whose composure defied his age. White-haired, with faint purple hues shimmering within his irises whenever the firelight kissed them—Kai.
Neither spoke at first. The silence that hung between them wasn’t awkward; it was deliberate. Both understood that once the first word was spoken, their lives in isolation would be over.
“…It’s been twelve years,” Chiron fin
