When the vital energy of kindred pnets, located in different pnes, enters into resonance, a temporary pce of perdition is created—where everything that enters is turned into pure energy. This energy completely dissolves at the end of the resonance, erasing all traces of those unfortunate enough to have been dragged into it, leaving behind only a void that will never be remembered.

  The Valley of Absence—that was the name given to this pce in a distant past. Few have ever defied their inevitable fate and managed to escape from this space. Those beings, who burned through all their luck just to return home alive, are the only witnesses to the existence of this cursed nd. However, those poor souls never regained their peace of mind, forced to live with a deep-seated fear etched into their consciousness—a tormenting memory that reminded them, day after day, just how powerless they truly were.

  As hundreds of energy-born beings vanished into nothingness, dragged away by the nd they inhabited—disintegrating at an arming rate—thin chains shot through the void like meteors. Without slowing down, they unched themselves toward a lone entity, who, unaware of the chaos around them, walked at an unhurried pace.

  The chains found their target and coiled tightly around it. Then, as if an incomprehensibly powerful titan stood at the other end, they retracted, vanishing into the void as swiftly as they had arrived. In their departure, they took their captive with them… and an unexpected soul—one lucky enough to have been caught by mistake, purely by a twist of fate.

  The return journey sted but an instant and, as they neared their destination, all the chains dissolved into a dense, gray mist—all but one. This mist enveloped the intended target of the journey, holding it firmly, shielding it from harm. The other being, however—the one who had, by sheer luck, escaped the Valley of Absence—was cast into an unknown pce. Now, its fate depended solely on luck.

  A fsh streaked across the sky at an almost imperceptible speed, descending upon the ruined city. Upon touching the ground, it merged with the lifeless body of a young man who y beside a dragon hatchling.

  A brilliant glow engulfed the pce, its light pulsing in the darkness like a heartbeat, alerting the creatures roaming the prairies. When the radiance finally faded, the man’s body—once devoid of life—now breathed softly, as if merely asleep, with no trace of what had just transpired. ???

  *Ssshhhh... Chirp-Chirp... Rustle...*

  My mind slowly emerged from its lethargy, guided by the gentle whispers of nature—a harmonious melody that starkly contrasted with the oppressive silence of my apartment, where, fearful of running into a daring burgr upon waking, I used to barricade myself behind locked doors and windows, as if my little refuge were a fortress.

  Intrigued by the unusual sound, I opened my eyes immediately, only to be assaulted by a whirlwind of questions. The first thing that caught my attention was Kairon’s body, lost in a deep sleep. His face, serene and adorned with a faint smile, reflected such genuine satisfaction that I couldn't help but wonder what kind of dreams were wrapping around him. I had no idea what the young one was dreaming about, but his peaceful rest was proof that, in his mind, something truly pleasant was unfolding.

  Surprised, I jumped to my feet, and for a moment, my mind went completely bnk—I even forgot that by waking up so abruptly, I had nearly fallen from a height that would have been unquestionably fatal.

  Before me, the vast pin—once empty—now pulsed with life. Hundreds of animals and birds moved across the horizon, but whether it was due to my lingering confusion, sheer astonishment, or simply my nearsightedness, I couldn’t recognize a single one. They were strange figures, creatures that didn’t match anything I had ever seen before. They all seemed to belong to another world, as if the very nd had birthed unknown beings—inhabitants of a reality that, until that moment, had been completely inaccessible to me.

  *Swish-crack*

  A sharp pain shot up my leg, spreading through my entire body and momentarily clearing my muddled thoughts. Slowly, like an outdated robot, I turned my head in search of the culprit—only to find myself staring into a scaly face brimming with indignation. Although, really, I should have been the one upset, considering I was the one who had just taken the hit.

  —What the hell is wrong with you?

  —Grahk-Grahk!

  —You hit me, and yet you’re the one who's angry?

  “Grahk!” A guttural sound escaped his throat as he fpped his wings, his tail swaying through the air like a whip.

  I knew him well enough to tell he was upset about something; however, this wasn’t the time to deal with his tantrums. My head was still trying to piece together what was happening, while a sense of unease began to take root in my chest.

  I "should" have woken up in my room—yet here I was, staring at an angry, out-of-his-egg Kairon. That, combined with the animals I could hear and see outside the city, the gentle wind brushing against my skin, and, most of all, the oppressive feeling in my chest, drained away any joy I should have felt at witnessing such a long-awaited event. In its pce, I was left with the same nervous dread you get when your mother goes to school to check your grades.

  Everything was completely different from the quiet pce I was used to, and the unease in my gut only grew stronger with every passing minute.

  —Grahk!

  —Enough, I’m not putting up with your tantrums. Just come with me—we need to find out what’s going on.

  If you have questions, seek answers. I couldn’t just stand there like an idiot; I had to figure out what had caused this change and put an end to the growing unease in my chest. With that in mind, I quickly climbed down from the tower—only to realize my companion had decided not to follow me.

  “Shraa!” Kairon snorted as he saw me returning for him, clearly displeased with my attitude.

  —What are you standing there for, you little scker? Let’s go —I said, ignoring his compints —We’re a team, and as such, we have to stick together. That way, if something happens, we can watch each other’s backs.

  This time, Kairon decided to follow me, though he kept a certain distance, still snorting in evident displeasure.

  Even though my steps were hurried, I wasn’t reckless—I moved with caution. First, to check if the pce had changed in any way, and second, because I feared some wild animal might be lurking among the trees. However, after a quick survey, I found nothing unusual within the city walls; everything was just as I remembered.

  Standing at the city gate, I watched the small animals moving in the distance while bearing the weight of Kairon on my shoulders—he had grown tired of flying. I let my thoughts wander as a nervous tension, not unlike that of a young man meeting his girlfriend’s parents for the first time, built up inside me.

  For over three months, like a loop, I had been having the same dream. It may not be right to say this, but in a constantly changing world, where, no matter how much you pn for the future, everything can go to hell at any moment and you have to be resilient enough to adapt, this pce had become a refuge—a pce that, no matter what happened, remained the same.

  But now, faced with the strange sight before me, an indescribable sense of unease crept through my body. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the sudden change or the fact that now the loop seemed to be unfolding normally. I’ve always prided myself on being the kind of person who, despite life’s ups and downs, manages to stay calm. And yet, at this moment, I couldn’t control the pounding of my heart.

  —Grah? —Perched on my shoulders, Kairon tilted his head slightly, watching me with curious eyes—tinged with a hint of concern, as if he could sense my change in mood.

  —It’s fine. It’s just a lot to take in all at once —I said, pointing toward the vast prairie while stroking his head —Come on, let’s see if we can get a closer look at those animals and figure out what’s going on.

  Honestly, I had little to no expectation of actually discovering anything, but even knowing that the outcome might be a failure, it was still better to try. I mean, at this point, my options were either to do nothing and wait for nightfall or to kill myself in an attempt to wake up.

  But I quickly shook my head, dismissing the thought. Until I was certain of what was happening, it was best not to do anything reckless.

  I took a hesitant step beyond the safety of the ruins. I had tried to take that same step several times before, always failing. But this time, instead of waking up like I usually did, I simply crossed the threshold.

  There was no joy on my face. Instead, a chill ran down my spine, leaving me frozen in pce.

  Kairon, oblivious to the storm of confusion in my head, soared into the sky, enjoying the breeze, his wings beating gently as I remained trapped in my own thoughts.

  —Grah-grah!

  Kairon’s cheerful growls snapped me back to reality. I took a deep breath in and then out, letting the fresh air calm my nerves. Maybe I was just being unnecessarily paranoid. Pushing all the bad thoughts aside, I took a step forward with ease.

  It was strange, but only my companion and I were near the city. With nothing but a few scattered rocks on the ground, I wasn’t worried about an animal catching me off guard at that moment—which was a mistake.

  Despite having decided to venture into an entirely unknown pce, filled with creatures whose danger I couldn’t gauge, and most of all, with my mind still clouded by confusion, in an act of infinite wisdom, I chose to distract myself by watching Kairon soar through the sky, happy and carefree.

  *BAM!*

  The animals couldn’t hide from my sight, but in the same way, I wasn’t hidden from them either.

  One moment, I was looking up at the sky with a dumb smile on my face, and the next, I was on the ground, writhing in unbearable pain, with several broken ribs and struggling to force air into my lungs. I didn’t even have time to identify the creature that had brought me agony before the pain and ck of oxygen dragged me into unconsciousness.

  The bckout sted only a brief moment, and slowly, my senses began to return. Still dazed by the immense pain, I could hear Kairon’s roars in the background, mixed with the squawks of another creature. Then came the agonized wails of an animal, and finally, the pce fell into a deathly silence.

  Lying face-down on the ground, uncertain of what was happening beyond my limited view, I tried to move despite the pain, but it was impossible. Even the slightest attempt sent fresh waves of agony through my body. On top of that, I feared that if I made a sound, I’d alert my attacker, and it would strike me down once again.

  *Fwip-fwip*

  —Grah-grah!

  A familiar fpping sound, followed by Kairon’s worried growl, brought a sliver of peace to my soul. With careful movements, fearing he might hurt me further, my companion turned me onto my back. I was grateful from the depths of my being for that simple gesture—at least now I could breathe with less difficulty.

  However, the air that entered my lungs wasn’t fresh or revitalizing. It was thick, foul, saturated with the unmistakable stench of blood. I couldn’t tell if it was mine or that of the one who had just drawn their st breath.

  —Grah-grah!

  I wanted to tell him I wasn’t as bad as I looked, but when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. It seemed the air in my lungs was barely enough to keep me conscious.

  The st thing I saw before my vision completely blurred was Kairon dragging my body back to the city as if I were nothing more than a sack of garbage. Fortunately, the ground was free of rocks or debris—it felt like being dragged across the grass of a soccer field. So, all things considered, the ride was more rexing than expected.