Kai stood for a few seconds in the alley, breathing slowly, trying to convince himself that the city was still the same, that the heavy night hadn't swallowed everything. The smell of smoke, old grease, and garbage was stronger than he remembered, as if his senses had gotten sharper, and every distant noise seemed to echo deeper in his head. A siren wailed somewhere far off, muffled by the wind, and the glow of drones cut through the sky like silver scars, announcing that Solarius never slept.
His legs hurt in a strange way, a mix of exhaustion and contained energy, a restlessness impossible to explain. Zero was silent, just that cold presence in the back of his mind, monitoring everything, whispering recommendations from time to time. Kai rubbed his eyes, trying to organize his thoughts. The world seemed distorted, the lights more intense, the shadows deeper, and his own skin tingled with the pulse of his core, an irregular beat, always on the verge of bursting.
He tried to follow his usual route, crossing side streets, dodging debris on the sidewalk, stepping in puddles of dirty water. The few people out at that hour avoided looking at him, some even crossed to the other side of the street when they noticed his eyes shining in the dark, the strange way he walked. Kai realized he was more hunched over, trying to hide within himself, but it was useless: everything about him screamed difference. He felt the shadow glued behind him, following each step, as if it had a life of its own.
At the main avenue crossing, a group of older resonant scavengers gathered around a barrel burning old wood for warmth. They looked quickly, only to turn away right after. One of them muttered something Kai couldn't understand, but the tone was always the same—disdain, fear, or just that old urge to ignore what seems too wrong. The city had always been like this: those who don't fit in, disappear.
He crossed quickly, avoiding the patrol drone lights. One of them descended, hovering above the alley for a few seconds. The visor blinked, a beam of light sweeping the ground. Kai froze, feeling the shadow stretch, covering part of his body like a cloak. Instinctively, he held his breath, his muscles ready to run. The drone moved on, maybe fooled, maybe just indifferent to another lost soul on the streets. Zero spoke, almost as a compliment. "Camouflage effective. Emotional response: high. Suggest containment."
The way to the building felt longer than ever. The stairs creaked, the door to the cubicle opened with the same old squeak. Inside, everything was the same and different. Lina slept curled up, her face pale, hair stuck to her sweaty forehead. The room was plunged in shadows, the smell of sickness and mold mixed with the cold coming through the window cracks.
Kai dropped his backpack, the energy stones hidden among dirty clothes, and stood for a while, watching his sister. He wanted to say everything was okay, but didn't even know where to start. He sat next to the bed, running his hand through her hair, feeling her warm skin. Lina woke slowly, blinking, her voice hoarse like someone still halfway in dreams.
"Kai, is that really you? I thought you weren't coming back." She moved, coughing softly, her eyes trying to focus on her brother. "Is it night already?"
"Yeah, I got stuck in there. There was a problem in the Nexo. But I got out." He tried to smile, but fatigue weighed on his words. "Did you take your medicine right?"
"I did, but I was worried. You took too long. And…" Lina stared at him for a while, as if searching for something in his face. "Your eyes look weird, you know?"
Kai looked away, pulling the blanket to fix her pillow. "Just tired, Lina. I went too long without sleep. It'll pass tomorrow."
She didn't seem convinced, but didn't push it. She stayed silent, listening to the sound of the wind hitting the window. Outside, the city was still alive, sirens wailing, muffled conversations in the hallways, the world continuing in its usual twisted way.
Kai tried to relax, but couldn't. The core in his chest felt hotter, throbbing hard every time he looked at Lina. It was like the energy didn't fit inside him anymore. He sensed the shadow in the corner of the room, unmoving, waiting for a command. The feeling of being watched, even at home, was all too real.
"Are you really okay, Kai?" Lina suddenly asked, her voice soft. "You seem… different. It's not just tiredness."
Kai took a deep breath. He thought about telling the truth, but the words stuck. "I'm alive, Lina. That's what matters now. I just need to rest a bit." He forced a smile, trying to wipe the fear from his face.
Lina turned on her side, pulling the blanket up to her chin. The silence got heavier, but Kai knew it was better this way. Better not to scare the only person he still had left.
The night dragged on. Kai slumped in the chair by the bed, his body complaining but his mind refusing to switch off. Outside, the wind rattled the windowpanes, and every so often a drone buzzed too close, flooding the room with flashes of blue light. At some point, Lina fell asleep again, her breathing short but calm. Kai took the chance to close his eyes, but never truly rested.
Sleep came in bursts, bringing nightmares chopped into flashes. He saw the machine-meteor falling from the sky, metal tentacles spreading across cities, people turning into shadow and dust. He dreamed his hands were dissolving, turning into black smoke, slipping onto the floor. He woke sweating, feeling the core pounding, the shadow in the corner of the room moving, as if it would wake up along with him.
In one of those moments, he opened his eyes suddenly, his heart racing. The room was dark, only the street light coming in through the cracks. Lina slept curled up, but the shadow now seemed closer, almost touching the end of the bed. Zero spoke softly, inside his head, metallic voice far too calm for the moment. "Emotional oscillation detected. Recommend stabilizing heartbeat. Recurring dreams indicate adaptation process."
Kai sat on the edge of the bed, his breath ragged, trying to remember what was real. The images from the dream clung to his mind, the taste of rust in his mouth, the fear of dissolving at any moment. "Why is this happening to me?", he muttered, but didn't expect an answer.
Zero answered, in the same exact way as always. "Fusion advancing. Core unstable. Adaptation is necessary."
Silence returned, heavy, and Kai stayed there, watching the shadow move slowly, as if it breathed along with him. Little by little, he convinced himself that, no matter how bad it was, he had to endure. Lina depended on him. And now, more than ever, it was all or nothing.
By morning, Kai couldn't tell if he'd actually slept or just closed his eyes. His body hurt, his head was heavy, but the world outside called him again. Lina woke up early, looking at her brother with that silent suspicion. "Promise it's all going to be okay, Kai?", she asked softly, holding his hand.
Kai squeezed her fingers, trying to pass on some sense of safety. "I promise, Lina. I won't let anything bad happen to us. Never."
He knew it was a lie. But in that moment, it was the only truth possible.