Soren slowly awoke from his slumber. The night had faded, replaced by the soft glow of dawn breaking over the horizon. Before him lay the clearing — or rather, what was left of it. The ground was carved out into a perfect, circular depression, as if something had swallowed the entire patch of forest. Not a single tree or blade of grass remained. The sight left him stunned.
He raised a trembling hand to his chest, feeling the emptiness of his mana reserves. His magical energy, the very source of his power, was dangerously low. The exhaustion he felt was overwhelming, a deep and heavy drain that explained why he had collapsed. Overexertion — mana depletion — the silent enemy he hadn't fully anticipated.
With effort, Soren pushed himself up. His body ached, but his mind was sharp enough to remember why he needed to move. Lyra would be worried if he stayed out too long. He needed to get home, to reassure her that he was alright before the morning fully arrived.
Gathering what strength remained, he set off toward his home, the weight of the clearing's destruction and his depleted mana heavy on his shoulders.
---
Lyra woke gently to the cheerful chirping of birds welcoming the new day. Slowly, she rose from bed, carefully smoothing her hair and adjusting her clothes. She tidied her bed a little, though only lightly — her body was still weak from illness.
Stepping out of her room, she saw her brother Soren in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. Their small cottage was simple; the kitchen flowed directly into the living area without any partitions. Since Lyra was weak, her room was on the first floor to avoid climbing stairs, while Soren's room was upstairs.
"Already awake?" Soren greeted her warmly.
"Isn't it too early to start cooking?" Lyra asked.
Soren hesitated, unwilling to admit that he cooked early because his mana was low and he needed energy from food. "I have to leave early for the academy," he replied instead.
"Oh, I see," Lyra murmured.
After finishing cooking, Soren turned off the stove and watched Lyra head to the bathroom. This was his chance. Born blind, Soren never kept a mirror in his own room. Quietly, he slipped into Lyra's room and, using his mana sense, located the mirror. Standing before it, his heart pounded fiercely.
He slowly opened his left eye.
A soft humming filled the air — a faint echo of energy. And there it was: his left eye... he could see. A single tear rolled down from the glowing red eye, emotion overwhelming him. Who was this person reflected back? A tall, slender young man with short, slightly long black hair and sharp eyebrows. Everything felt unfamiliar. For the first time, he saw his own face.
"First, accept my gift." he remembered the commanding voice of the demon, just before it vanished — the one who had given him this blessing.
No one would guess that Soren, blind since birth, would regain sight thanks to a demon. A demon of darkness had gifted him light. The irony was not lost on him. But he no longer cared if it was a demon or not — he was deeply grateful for this gift.
After these thoughts, he opened his right eye.
It was a dull gray, hollow and empty — the mark of blindness. He realized his left eye was different: red and glowing with an eerie light. If that being was truly a demon, then this left eye must be a demon's eye.
His thoughts were interrupted by a voice. "Brother?"
Startled, Soren quickly closed his eyes and turned around.
Lyra stood in the doorway, blinking in confusion. "Brother, what are you doing in my room?"
Soren stiffened slightly, then turned around with an awkward smile. "Ah, I was just checking… to see if your room was messy."
Lyra frowned, a little offended. "Seriously, do you think I'm that sloppy? I'm not gross, you know."
Soren chuckled nervously. "Right, right. My mistake."
The tension quickly melted into something lighter — a familiar warmth between siblings.
"Lyra," Soren said gently, walking toward her and taking both of her hands in his. "Can I ask you something? Will you close your eyes for a moment? Just for a few seconds. Don't open them until I say so."
Lyra tilted her head, curious. "Why? What is it?"
"It's nothing. Just trust me, okay?"
Though she raised an eyebrow, Lyra eventually gave in and shut her eyes. "Fine, but this better not be some weird prank…"
"Promise," Soren said softly.
As soon as Lyra's eyes closed, Soren opened his left eye again.
That gentle, low humming sound returned, resonating like a whisper of power in the air. Lyra heard it too, faint but noticeable — but she said nothing. She knew her brother wouldn't ever do anything to harm her.
Soren stared at her, wide-eyed.
So this is you, Lyra… My little sister.
He took in every detail — her soft features, her gentle expression even with her eyes closed, the slight tilt of her head that showed trust and vulnerability. She looked fragile, yet strong in her own way.
"You're beautiful," he whispered, almost inaudibly. "My sister… you're truly beautiful."
He reached up and gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear with trembling fingers, as if sealing the image into his memory.
Lyra shifted slightly at his touch, flustered. "B-Brother… What are you doing?"
Soren didn't answer — he simply wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace.
"You can open your eyes now," he murmured.
Lyra blinked as her eyes opened, looking up at him with suspicion. "What was that all about? You're acting really weird this morning."
Soren smiled as he pulled away. "Can't I ask for a little support from my little sister once in a while?"
She pouted. "You're being dramatic."
"Maybe. But let's go have breakfast — I need to leave for the academy soon," he said, steering the conversation away with ease.
And just like that, the moment passed — but the image of Lyra stayed vividly within his newfound sight.