Iron in the air.
I sat by the ocean.
The waves rolled endlessly, a low hum beneath the wind. The dread that was once heavy on my chest barely touched me now. Its presence was still there, lingering like a memory—but I no longer feared it.
There was a reason I was brought here.
The Hex had always been mysterious—always in mysteries and riddles, still . But it had never reached out like this… not to anyone. Not to humans.
So why me?
I didn't know the answer, but I felt it getting closer—like a voice at the edge of a dream, waiting for me to listen.
"Ren," I called softly.
A shadow formed beside me, and Ren stepped out of it without a sound. He always came when I called—without hesitation.
I looked at him closely. He hadn't gained any new traits, no sudden breakthroughs or flashes of power. But still... something about him felt different. Stronger. More alive.
I smiled. "Ren, is there… anything weird about me?"
His calm expression froze. Then he burst into laughter, smiling wide. "Master, you are the very definition of weirdness."
I stared at him, offended but also slightly amused. "You didn't have to say it that seriously."
"But it's true," he said, still grinning.
There was a pause. The wind picked up, brushing against us both.
"Ren," I murmured, "thank you."
He looked at me, his smile softening. "I should be the one thanking you."
He knelt beside me—not as a servant, not as a shadow, but as someone who meant every word.
"You gave me a chance to live. A real life. One I wanted. Thanks for letting me stay by your side… because you'll always be my master."
I didn't respond immediately. I just looked at the ocean again.
The waves kept crashing, as they always had. But for the first time in a while, I felt steady—like even if the world fell apart again, I'd still have someone beside me in the silence.