Night had fallen over Kuoh with an unnatural heaviness.

  It wasn’t raining.

  It wasn’t truly cold.

  And yet the air seemed full…

  of something.

  Kaelan was running.

  Not because he wanted to train.

  But because if he stood still for one more second, it felt like his breathing would shatter inside his chest.

  His sneakers struck the empty asphalt.

  The street was deserted.

  Yellow streetlights slid past on either side like tired, blurred beacons.

  The more his lungs burned, the more he wanted to keep going.

  Because while he ran, he didn’t think.

  And if he stopped thinking…

  maybe he wouldn’t remember.

  But it didn’t work.

  Because the Resonance did not need permission.

  THM.

  A single beat.

  And the image returned.

  A child.

  Bound.

  Staring at a holy sword that shone too brightly.

  His mouth open in a scream that had no sound.

  Kaelan clenched his teeth.

  —What is this…? —he spat between breaths.— This isn’t mine!

  He turned down a side street.

  Old vending machines.

  A flickering lamppost.

  Wet asphalt reflecting light like a dirty mirror.

  His breathing grew rough.

  His head heavy.

  The lamppost flickered again.

  And with it, another fragment.

  "Be happy. God has chosen you."

  Kaelan grabbed onto a rusted railing and leaned forward, gasping as if he were about to vomit again.

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  —No… —he muttered.— I don’t want to see this.

  The vision did not answer.

  It simply continued.

  White light.

  Screams.

  Bodies falling.

  Chains closing around small wrists.

  A priest with empty eyes.

  And the sword.

  Always the sword.

  Shining like a judgment that allowed no appeal.

  The emotional weight crushed him.

  THM.

  THM.

  THM.

  The Resonance beat as if trying to synchronize with something that did not belong to it.

  Kaelan squeezed his eyes shut.

  —Get out… —he whispered.— It’s not mine. I’m not him.

  THM.

  The response was immediate.

  Firm.

  Negative.

  And then something broke.

  A dry internal sound.

  Like glass shattering.

  Kaelan dropped to his knees on the asphalt.

  —Ngh…!

  Both hands flew to his head.

  His vision blurred.

  A thin thread of blood ran from his nose.

  Another, finer one, from his right ear.

  —What… are you doing…? —he gasped.— What are you trying to…?

  The Resonance trembled.

  But it was no longer chaotic.

  It was different.

  Deeper.

  More alive.

  Kaelan lifted his gaze, forcing himself to think.

  —I’m not Kiba… —he whispered.— I didn’t live that. I have no right to feel it like he does.

  THM.

  There was no agreement.

  The air vibrated around him.

  And something moved at the edge of his vision.

  Kaelan froze.

  A presence.

  Tall.

  Dark.

  Standing atop a half-constructed building.

  It had no clear form.

  Only unstable outlines.

  Like a man made of shadows that did not belong to that place.

  His blood turned cold.

  —Who…? —he whispered.

  The figure did not answer.

  The Resonance did.

  THM.

  Strong. Sharp.

  Kaelan stepped back, breathing unevenly.

  The silhouette leaned forward slightly.

  Not threatening.

  Not curious.

  Evaluating.

  And then…

  it disappeared.

  Not in smoke.

  Not in light.

  It vanished as if it had never been there.

  Kaelan collapsed against a wall, trembling.

  —What the hell… was that…?

  It wasn’t Kokabiel.

  It wasn’t Vali.

  It wasn’t Raynare.

  It didn’t smell like Heaven.

  Nor Hell.

  Nor the Grigori.

  It was something quieter.

  Older.

  More attentive.

  Something that didn’t fit into any of the factions Kaelan knew.

  Something that should not be in Kuoh yet.

  The Resonance vibrated, tense.

  THM.

  The beat was different now.

  Smaller.

  Tighter.

  As if whatever lived inside him had also shrunk…

  trying not to draw attention.

  As if it had recognized the intruder.

  And did not want to be recognized in return.

  The lamppost flickered one last time.

  Kaelan wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand and pushed himself up against the wall.

  —Shit… —he whispered.— I can’t keep going like this.

  He inhaled deeply.

  —I can’t carry other people’s trauma. It’s not my story.

  He paused.

  A broken laugh escaped his throat.

  —I’m just an extra…

  The sentence died on its own.

  Because it wasn’t true.

  The Resonance had not beaten in imitation.

  It wasn’t overflowing empathy.

  It was response.

  One echo recognizing another echo.

  Kaelan lifted his gaze toward the empty building.

  There was nothing there.

  And yet…

  he knew.

  Whatever it was, it would come back.

  He swallowed.

  —Fine… —he said.— I won’t fall apart this time.

  He forced his body to move.

  His legs trembled when he resumed jogging, but he was no longer running from Kiba’s pain.

  He was running from the premonition that something that should not exist…

  had found his trail.

  Then something moved among the shadows.

  Kaelan stopped.

  A small white cat watched him from the edge of the street.

  Round eyes.

  Alert.

  Not frightened.

  Curious.

  The Resonance vibrated faintly.

  Not from danger.

  From something warm.

  Unexpected.

  Kaelan smiled, tired, and clicked his tongue softly.

  —Hey…

  The cat hesitated.

  Then stepped forward cautiously.

  Kaelan lifted it carefully.

  —You know… —he murmured, stroking its head— you look a little like Koneko.

  The cat purred.

  Warm.

  Real.

  Kaelan’s chest loosened for the first time all night.

  —Need a place? —he asked.— Want to come with me?

  The meow was soft.

  Affirmative.

  Kaelan tucked the cat against his chest.

  —Alright… come on.

  And so, with one less tremor in his soul and one more in his arms, he went home.

  The Resonance, for the first time in hours, did not beat in warning.

  It beat…

  to accompany him.