eclipsed Fate

Kaito kept his stance firm, the branch clenched tightly in his hands. The man before him exuded an unsettling presence, like he knew far more than he should. His tattered robes hung loosely around his lean frame, and his piercing green eyes never wavered from Kaito's.

Lysaria shifted behind him, her breath uneven. "Who are you?" she demanded.

The man chuckled, stepping closer with deliberate slowness. "Names are fleeting in a world that resets," he mused. "But if you must call me something, you may refer to me as Varian."

Kaito's fingers twitched. "You know about the cycle."

Varian's smile deepened. "I know more than you can imagine."

The air between them grew heavy, a palpable weight pressing against Kaito's chest. He had met no one else who acknowledged the cycle before—no one except Lysaria, and even that was still uncertain. But this man... he spoke with absolute certainty, like he had seen everything unfold countless times.

Lysaria took a hesitant step forward. "Then tell us how to break it."

Varian sighed, shaking his head. "If only it were that simple." He turned his gaze toward the burning village in the distance. "Each time you shift, the world reshapes. What you think is progress might only be another link in the chain."

Kaito swallowed hard. "Then what's the point?"

Varian looked at him sharply. "The point, boy, is to learn. To see beyond the surface. To understand what binds you to this cycle before you can sever it."

Frustration bubbled within Kaito. He had struggled through death after death, clawing for even the smallest shred of control, and now he was being told he still didn't understand enough? His fists clenched. "Then help me understand."

Varian studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Very well," he said. "But be warned, knowledge comes at a price. Are you prepared to pay it?"

Kaito exchanged a glance with Lysaria. They had no choice.

"Yes," he said, his voice steady. "Tell me what I need to know."

Varian's expression darkened, the green in his eyes swirling like shifting tides. "Then listen carefully, Harbinger of Ruin. The real battle has yet to begin."