I am the Only Son of Nyx

Kai stared ahead.

He decided to check on Layra, yet he wasn’t expecting anything.

Of course, he knew things were bad—but he had seen Layra at her worst. He had seen her on the brink of collapse and almost turned feral. No matter her condition, he was certain that he wouldn’t be surprised.

But he was wrong.

The Golden Forest stored the mana ores inside their trees.

Across from him—the cloaked figure was axing down a tree. Each swing thudded against the hard bark. Layra was completely covered from head to knee by the rough brown cloak—even then, Kai could still tell that it was her.

However, the contrast was too much for him, and he couldn’t help but glance at Namira to confirm.

"Are you sure that’s her?"

"It’s her. I’m certain. Even if you do get close, I recommend announcing yourself first."

"As long as it’s her, then it doesn’t matter. Let me handle the rest. Go back or wait, do whatever you wanted to do."

Kai waved his hand dismissively and approached.

Meanwhile, Layra kept axing the tree.

Behind her, there were more than a hundred tree stumps from her work these few months. She had taken down a lot, starting from the edge of the cliff and moving inward. Now, she had a clear view of the waterfall to the left and the cloudy drop underneath.

Every time she was tired, she could soak in the scenery and rest.

Nature is the medicine of the soul, and she really believed it now.

Thud—!

Layra bit her lower lip and dropped the axe.

She was halfway through cutting the golden tree but forced to stop when she felt pain.

She looked down at her hands.

Unfortunately, the right glove had ripped on the palm area—and the force from hacking the golden tree left a cut there. Layra went to her leather bag nearby while taking off the ripped glove, squatted down, and wrapped a bandage around the cut.

Once she was finished, she stood up again and looked up to the sky.

It was already nighttime, and the sky was at its most beautiful state.

No stars. No clouds.

Just the night sky and the glowing crescent moon above.

"I wonder what you’re doing right now..." She muttered inwardly.

The sound of a branch breaking seeped into her eardrums.

Almost instantly, with an unnatural reflex, Layra summoned a bow made entirely of light and drew the string. A buzzing arrow made of mana manifested as she took aim, sharply searching for any movement behind the treeline.

Her bright amber darted to the right. Movement.

She released without hesitation.

The arrow streaked forth with a tail of light like a comet tearing through the dark.

Clang—!

A frown formed on Layra’s face when the figure approaching her easily deflected the arrow like it was nothing. She drew again and fired three consecutive arrows. Each one blasted even faster than the previous one.

Instead of blocking them, the figure made a sidestep like a phantom, hiding behind a tree.

Layra drew again, and her frown deepened when the figure was nowhere to be seen.

Assuming her target still lurked behind the tree she’d locked onto, she murmured something under her breath. Two miniature suns materialized in the distance. She fired two arrows right at them, and when they struck the orbs of light, they ricocheted sharply.

Both arrows curved around to bury themselves in the back of the tree from two angles.

No scream. No groan. Nothing.

Just then, she heard the sound of a whistling wind.

In the nick of time, she ducked down, avoiding a needle-like dark projectile.

She snapped upright, string already drawn—then froze. The figure stood directly before her. She didn’t know how, but he was in front of her now. Instinct took over. An orb of light flared into existence at her feet.

She fired into it, and the arrow ricocheted upward, streaking straight for the figure’s chin.

Despite the sudden attack, the figure tilted his head back and avoided the arrow.

Layra drove her foot into the figure’s stomach, forcing him backward a couple of steps. At the same time, she drew her dagger and struck with swift finality. She was an archer, but she was no less lethal up close.

Many of her enemies had learned that the hard way.

Now, the figure would learn that, too.

But the figure caught her wrist before the dagger could slice his neck open.

"You’ve gotten a lot stronger since we last met, but those ricocheting arrows are a problem. Had I underestimated you even a little bit, that’ll get me for certain."

"What...?"

Layra was taken aback.

From the way this man was talking to her, it seemed like he knew her. She stared into the dark eyes behind the mask, and then looked down at his uniform. It was only then that the realization dawned on her mind.

"Oh? Seemed like you hadn’t forgotten about me."

"K-Kai...?"

"Yes, it’s me. I was waiting for you to come by. Since you hadn’t, I decided to come to you."

Realizing that it was Kai, Layra immediately threw her face to the side and stepped away.

Not because of the same reason as Namira and Aaran earlier.

This was different.

"How did you get here? Why did you come without telling me? No—Are you even allowed to leave your academy? Do not risk yourself to meet me like this. Go back before you get into trouble."

Kai paused for a second.

Even as Layra told him to leave, he could see the truth she couldn’t hide easily. Both her hands were trembling. Her shoulders were shaking. She was drowning in emotion. She was afraid, but it was not of being seen with him.

Or afraid that he would be punished for coming here like this.

It was because of something else.

And Kai already knew the reason.

He approached her again.

Layra raised her hand, gesturing for him not to get close. "Stay back. Don’t come close."

Kai stopped only for a second before continuing forward. Layra tried to retreat, but her body gave out after three steps, rooted in place—as if held by invisible chains. When Kai stopped a few inches away, towering over her, she still didn’t move.

Couldn’t move.

Just kept her head down, refusing to make eye contact.

Kai pulled her hood down, revealing her bleak orange hair that was slightly unkempt.

He reached up and lifted her chin with careful fingers, coaxing her gaze toward his—but her hand caught his, trembling. Still hesitant. Still afraid. His voice remained strong. "I’ve already seen you at your worst. What’s there to be afraid of?"

"But I still don’t want you to see me like this. I don’t want to spoil your memories of me."

"As long as it’s not your own desire to spoil those memories, then it’s fine. Let me see it."

Feeling the resistance fading from Layra’s hand, Kai pushed forward.

He made her look into his eyes, and he looked into hers.

But what stared back at him were not two bright amber pearls that he was used to seeing.

"Deep breath."

Kai waited until she drew a deep breath to fill her lungs, then lifted her pale mask away. When her face came fully into view, there was no reaction on his face. Not even so much as a mere twitch.

Just a calm gaze.

But inside, his blood was boiling to the point that it was hard to hide his heavy breaths.

Her right eye was damaged—the iris still burned bright amber, but the sclera had gone black. Dark veins spread around it, and the ones facing away from the center spread even further—crawling across her skin like cracks in stone, claiming nearly half her face.

And they looked painful.

"It’s okay..." Layra averted her gaze. "I know I looked hideous."

Kai smiled behind his mask. "Is this why you didn’t visit me? Because of your look?"

"One of the reasons, yes."

"Do you really think I’d be disgusted? You really looked down on me."

"What? It’s not like th—"

"You still looked beautiful, Layra. Dare I say you looked more—how do I say this, relatable? You had no flaws before. I’m slightly overwhelmed back then since you’re too pretty. At least now you have a flaw."

Slowly, Layra looked up to look at his eyes again.

She didn’t bother to hide her surprise.

"Besides," Kai gathered the stray strands of her hair that were blocking her face and tucked them carefully behind her ear. "Other than the eyeball itself, a little makeup could still easily hide the black veins. Don’t you think?"

Layra’s expression fractured.

She tried to hold it in. She tried with everything she had.

Every wall she had built, every sleepless night she had spent staring at the ceiling and telling herself she was strong enough to endure. But his words slipped through the cracks like water, and she found herself unable to hold it in.

Her eyes went glassy; the light behind them wavered.

And then the first tear formed on her impaired right eye.

It welled slowly, and then it fell.

It slid down her cheek in a single, silent track, and where it passed, it left a red trail like blood. It looked like a wound opening. Perhaps it was. And once that tear slid down, the unbreakable wall she had built crumbled.

Layra’s face crumpled, and the sound that escaped her was a raw, unguarded sob.

One that tore from the deepest chamber of her chest.

She threw herself at Kai.

Her body slammed into his—with the desperation of someone drowning. She buried her face against his chest as if she could hide from the world in the shelter of his arms. Her trembling fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, knuckles white.

"I thought you were dead."

The words came muffled and broken.

"I thought we would never meet again."

Layra wept like a child. Unrestrained and unashamed. Her breath came in ragged, hiccupping gasps. She pounded a fist against his chest, not to hurt him, but because the sheer frustration had nowhere else to go.

Because she was so scared.

Because she had waited and wondered and imagined the worst a thousand times.

Kai wrapped his arms around her and held on. He didn’t tell her it was okay. He just held her, one hand pressed flat against her back, rubbing slow, steady circles into the space between her shoulder blades.

Even when she hit him, he only pulled her tighter.

And in his embrace, her sobs only grew louder.

He rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes.

Kai’s hug assured her that she was no longer alone. He was here now, and he would help her as long as she asked. For now, he let her weep. He let her soak his shirt—and clutch his body and break apart completely against his chest.

Once she collected herself, he gently had her look up to him again.

"Tell me what happened."