The morning light filtered through the trees surrounding Nova Academia, casting long shadows over the training fields. But within the academy's central hall, two figures stood in the dim light, their conversation hushed but urgent.
Raizen and Kaede stood near a table, the surface littered with maps, ancient texts, and sealed letters from distant lands. The world had grown quiet, but it was the kind of quiet before a storm—ominous and heavy.
Raizen's expression was serious, his brow furrowed in thought. "The weight of the world… rests on an 18-year-old boy," he said quietly, his voice low but carrying the gravity of his words.
Kaede's gaze never wavered as he adjusted the map before him. "Kael… the Last Will, the power that could balance or tear this world apart. He doesn't even know how far his strength can go."
Raizen's hand gripped the table's edge, the weight of his past heavy in his bones. "He's been trained to fight, to defend this world. But that's not all. This isn't just a war against corrupted beasts or rogue Wielders. It's much bigger than that."
Kaede met Raizen's gaze. "The fractures are growing, aren't they? And Kael is the key to keeping the balance. If he falters…"
Raizen didn't need to finish the thought. The silence spoke volumes.
"The power within him isn't just his," Raizen continued, his voice thick with concern. "It's a force older than time, bound by fate to his bloodline. He's not just fighting for his life, or even for his friends. He's fighting for the planet. The entire world is relying on him. He has no choice but to dedicate everything he is—his entire life—to protecting it."
Kaede's gaze softened, his voice quieter now. "But how much can one person bear? Kael's still so young. He's already carrying the weight of so much. He's lost his brother, faced battles no one should face, and now… the world is depending on him. Is it even fair to ask him to carry all of that?"
Raizen closed his eyes for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping the table as though seeking the right words. "When you're chosen for something like this, fairness isn't a question you can afford to ask. Fate has bound him to this path. But whether he succeeds or fails… that will depend on how far he's willing to go. How much he's willing to sacrifice."
Kaede's eyes were distant now, reflecting the burden of the choice Kael faced. "I trained him. I pushed him. But can I protect him from the weight of this? Can any of us?"
Raizen shook his head, his expression unreadable. "We can guide him. Support him. But this fight… it's his alone. And in the end, it will be Kael who decides what kind of world he wants to leave behind."
The room grew still. Neither Kaede nor Raizen spoke for a long moment, the silence a deep and heavy thing, filled with the unspoken understanding of the responsibility that had been placed on Kael's shoulders.
Outside the hall, Kael and his friends trained in the distance, unaware of the conversation unfolding in the shadows of the academy.
Kaede turned his gaze toward the window, where the sun was rising higher in the sky. "I just hope… he's ready."
Raizen's voice was soft, yet firm. "Ready or not, the storm is coming. And Kael will have to face it. We all will."