Next morning.

  Sitara woke up in her room and suddenly remembered what had happened last night.

  A sudden feeling of loneliness rose in her heart.

  Her hands began to tremble.

  A memory came rushing back.

  She was alone.

  Without form.

  Without light.

  Without Zaraf.

  The feeling grew heavy inside her chest.

  But she didn’t cry.

  She held it in.

  (In order to become part of brother’s world… I need to stay strong…)

  She slowly stood up, making her decision to let Zaraf go with a smile.

  Yet her hands were still trembling.

  She stepped out of her room and looked around.

  “Brother…?”

  No answer.

  She moved through the house.

  When she went to look for Zaraf—

  He was not there.

  Silence.

  She checked again.

  The training area.

  The kitchen.

  The hallway.

  Nothing.

  The house was empty.

  Her breathing began to grow heavy.

  Her chest tightened.

  Her hands started to sweat.

  She tried to think.

  But she couldn’t.

  Everything felt like it was closing in on her.

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  A wave of loneliness.

  Cold.

  Heavy.

  Endless.

  Her vision shook.

  She was about to break.

  Then—

  Ding.

  The sound of the doorbell.

  She froze.

  Hope.

  Her thoughts slowly returned.

  She rushed to the door and opened it quickly.

  “…Brother?”

  Silence.

  It wasn’t Zaraf.

  It was Arks.

  “Zaraf told me to take care of you,” Arks said gently.

  “And… to tell you that he will come back… when the time comes.”

  She stood still.

  Those words echoed inside her.

  Then she remembered his promise from last night.

  Silence filled the space between them.

  Arks looked at her with worried eyes, ready to support her.

  For a moment, it seemed like she might break.

  Then—

  Something changed.

  A small light.

  Her eyes slowly began to shine.

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  (So… you want to test me.)

  (I don’t know why you left without telling me…)

  (But I will hold on until you come back… and make me part of your world.)

  Her fingers tightened.

  The trembling stopped.

  When she opened her eyes again, they were steady.

  “I want to become stronger,” she said.

  “I want to be independent.”

  She looked at Arks.

  “So… please teach me cooking… and magic.”

  Arks paused.

  (I thought this would be hard for her when Zaraf asked me to take care of her…)

  (But… it looks like that was the right decision.)

  A small smile appeared on his face.

  “It’s not a problem,” he said.

  “Just prepare yourself.”

  “I’ll make you a completely different person.”

  “And when he comes back… we’ll shock him.”

  His eyes were filled with confidence.

  Sitara looked at him.

  For a moment, she said nothing.

  Then—

  She smiled.

  A small, determined smile.

  “Let’s do that.”

  “It’s time to surprise him.”

  Morning light slowly filled the house.

  And this time—

  Her hands were no longer trembling.

  At the HQ

  Birds were singing.

  Captain Shin stepped out of his room.

  As he walked through the garden, he noticed a young boy standing near the edge.

  The boy’s hair was black.

  His eyes were the same.

  He looked… sleepy.

  Shin walked over and stood beside him.

  The boy noticed him.

  “You’ve come, Captain Shin.”

  Shin glanced at him.

  “Looks like you’re not happy with your freedom.”

  The boy lowered his gaze.

  Then looked up at the sky.

  “What is there to be happy about?”

  “Every other reincarnation is receiving training from Creators…”

  “Yet I’m here… spending time with birds.”

  He looked at his hands.

  Silence.

  Shin smiled.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve already called a Creator who can take you as his student.”

  “He doesn’t have a student yet.”

  The boy looked at him.

  “…Doesn’t have?”

  “You mean—?”

  Shin smiled slightly.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m talking about the last Creator.”

  “The Creator of Protection.”

  The boy’s eyes widened.

  “He’s the legend who saved all reincarnations and stopped the Visitors’ leader.”

  “But I heard no one has seen him since that battle.”

  Shin looked at the sky.

  “Looks like he’s become an old legend.”

  “But he’s coming back.”

  “Soon.”

  “And he’ll become your mentor, Hussen.”

  Hussen took a deep breath.

  “He better be good enough.”

  “I have my own reasons to become stronger.”

  Shin chuckled.

  “Don’t worry.”

  “Oh, and there’s another child.”

  “His name is Clay.”

  “He’ll be training with you.”

  Hussen froze.

  “W–what?”

  “You’re giving that Creator two reincarnation students?”

  “Yes.”

  “And he’ll shape both of you into the best.”

  Hussen sighed.

  “As you say.”

  “But if he doesn’t meet my expectations…”

  “I’ll leave.”

  “As you wish.”

  Hussen turned and walked away to find Clay.

  But on his way—

  He bumped into someone.

  He looked up.

  And froze.

  He didn’t recognize the man.

  But—

  Emotionless eyes.

  A cold face.

  Cold.

  A heavy pressure filled the air.

  Hussen couldn’t move.

  The aura around the man… was unstable.

  The man didn’t even look at him.

  He simply walked past.

  Leaving nothing behind but silence.

  “H–who was that…?”