Xin woke to darkness. No gold light. No blue light. Just black.
He sat up. He was not in his room. He was in a cave. Cold. Damp. Silent.
"Ren?"
No answer.
"Ember?"
A voice behind him. "They cannot hear you."
Xin turned. A figure stood in the shadows. Tall. Thin. No features. Just a shape.
"Who are you?"
"The one who has been watching. Since before the Forge. Since before Kai. Since before everything."
"You are the source before the source."
"I am the watcher. I do not create. I do not destroy. I just watch."
"Why am I here?"
"Because you are the first person in ten thousand years to interest me."
---
The figure stepped forward. Its face was blank. Smooth. Like a statue.
"You have broken every system. The old source. The new source. The Forge. You even broke Kai."
"Kai broke
