"What happened?" Kiaan slid through the crowd like a professional, his arms stretching out to signal, I've got this.
Kaia wasn't about to wait. She barged in, shoving a guy aside with her face—because who even needs hands?—and strolled in with her hands stuffed in her pockets. Yona and Kiki followed, looking equally unimpressed.
"Oh, it's you guys?" Luv sputtered, his voice high, trying to hide the fact that his clothes looked like they'd been through a blender. He threw his arms up defensively, crossing them like he was about to fend off a wave of bad decisions. "So, here's the thing…"
"We don't know this guy," Kiaan and Kaia said in perfect sync, turning their backs on him with synchronized eye rolls."Wait! I can explain!" Luv pleaded, his voice practically breaking. "Give me your clothes first!"
A few minutes later…The crowd had scattered, but not before Kiaan, in the most reluctant act of kindness, handed over his coat. Luv, now wrapped in it like a child playing dress-up, squinted at the sleeves. "Why's this one so short? Chang's was way more comfortable."
"Don't like it? Then you can give it back." Kiaan grinned, hands out like a thief."I was just kidding! Kidding!" Luv scrambled, slapping the coat away like it was the last piece of bread on a sinking ship.
Back behind them, Kaia and Yona exchanged glances, their voices low, but their judgment loud.
"Does this guy have no dignity?" Kaia whispered, her eyes narrowed to daggers. "Why's he like this every time I see him?"
"Shameless detective," Yona sighed, crossing her arms in disgust. "But honestly, this wasn't the vibe I got when I first met him."
"Shameless?" Kaia gave her a side-eye. "You didn't hesitate to throw that out there. Shouldn't he be with Meryt by now?"
Yona's eyes lit up like a switch had been flipped. "Wait… Speaking of Meryt," she leaned in, a little too eagerly, "I might've just discovered something."
"Oh?" Kaia raised a brow, intrigued despite herself. "Like what?"Yona bit her nails, looking like she was about to spill a juicy secret. "A little chat with Mr. Drama over there might confirm my theory."
"So you aren't telling me huh?" Kaia frowned.
"I'm not sure yet," Yona interrupted, cutting her off. "Just wait and see."
Yona then turned, calling out to Luv, who had been trying to subtly adjust Kiaan's coat.
"Hey, Fox!"
Luv, looking like he was ready to gossip, sauntered over, eyes twinkling. "What now? Got another question for me?"
"I need to ask you something. You cool with it, Kiaan?" Yona gave Kiaan a pointed look, one eyebrow raised.
Kiaan, already tired of the Luv Show, waved them off. "Let's go, Kiki. We'll ask around about anyone shady." He turned without waiting for an answer.
Kiki blinked, confused, but followed obediently. "Coming, Sir!"
Luv, a hand on his hip, smirked. "This better not be about Meryt—and please, don't make it about my fabulous torn clothes."
Kaia narrowed her eyes at him, internally questioning, What's there to explain? We already know you are a pervert.
"Let's find somewhere quieter," Yona muttered to the group, taking the lead.
***
[Luminous Cosmos; Apostle HQ]
"What do you mean?" Kyros snapped at the Cosmic Hollow, fists clenched like he was about to punch the air. His eyes burned with disbelief.
"This is critical information," the Hollow replied, undeterred, its voice steady. "You can't be recognized as a Splinter because your soul is incomplete."
The room went silent. The President blinked, trying to process the words. The shock was palpable. Even the air seemed to hold its breath. The Hollow went on, indifferent to the rising tension. "I don't even know why your soul is incomplete."
"I... I..." Kyros stammered, his mind racing for something, anything, to say.
"I didn't recognize you before," the Hollow continued, "because I didn't want to give you false hope. No matter how strong you become, how much you embody the essence of a Splinter, no matter how many past memories you inherit… No matter if you even become more powerful than the original sorcerers, there is no way an incomplete soul can destroy me. Even if you somehow managed to destroy me, your broken soul would destroy everything inside me. And then... no one to save us from the prophecy."
Kyros felt like a thousand blades pierced his chest at once. Every word, every sentence from the Hollow was an unrelenting strike. It wasn't just the content—it was the tone. The Hollow didn't care. Kyros, paralyzed, couldn't shake the gnawing sensation of rejection. Guilt gnawed at him, though he knew it didn't belong.
Sourav was the first to break the silence. "If he becomes strong like how you are describing, won't he be enough to save us from the prophecy?"
The Hollow scoffed. "The prophecy originates in a world that's already rejected, a world where not even a complete soul can enter. Certainly not a half-soul. Only what's inside me can cross into it."
Sourav turned to Kyros, his expression softening. "Kyros…" he whispered.
Kyros stood frozen, his body tense, struggling to process it all."I… I need some time," Kyros muttered, avoiding eye contact. With that, he turned and walked out, his footsteps heavy with something unspoken.
"Poor kid," the Hollow sighed, a rare note of concern in its voice. "I hope that wasn't too much for him."
"More than too much, Hollow," Sourav shot back. "If Kaia hadn't pushed you, you would've kept all that hidden, wouldn't you? There's something else going on with you. It's not just stubbornness. What do you sense in Kaia?"
The Hollow paused, as if considering its words carefully. "Nyxdith, you're astute. What I sense in Kaia is what I believe in Ananya."
Sourav scoffed as soon as Ananya's name left the Hollow's lips. "I wonder what she's feeding you." He shook his head and walked toward the door, clearly done with the conversation.
The Hollow chuckled to itself, a sly thought drifting through its mind. It's so easy to avoid a thousand questions when her name comes up.
***
Kyros stormed down the hallway, arms crossed, eyes locked on the floor. No way. No freaking way. His brain was on overdrive, and though he looked completely calm on the outside, inside, he was losing it. What the hell am I supposed to do with this? Is the Hollow playing some sick joke on me?
Before he could even process his next thought, something yanked at the back of his collar, dragging him into a dark room. The door slammed shut behind him with a thud.
"What—?" His voice was cut off as something tight wrapped around his mouth. He struggled against the ropes that suddenly appeared, binding him to a chair. Panic surged through him. Wait—what just happened? I can't use my magic!
A shiver ran down his spine when he felt a hand slide around his shoulder, curling around his chest. His body tensed, and a high-pitched eep escaped him, involuntarily trembling. His brain was frozen, trying to make sense of it all.
"Aren't you a little eager?" a smooth, feminine voice teased, one he didn't recognize.
Kyros' heart was in his throat. He twisted in the chair, trying to shake her off. No way. I already like Thalia! What the heck is this?! This really wasn't the kind of thing that happened when you finally gave your heart to someone, was it?
"Oh... let's see what we have here," the voice purred. Kyros' eyes widened as he felt her fingers curl around the button of his collar, slowly, dangerously, as she began to undo it.
No freaking way, Kyros thought, horror spreading across his face as he stared, helpless.