Kai would never be able to tell Aira how relieved he was to see that she was unharmed. If anything were to happen to her because of something that he wasn’t able to do, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. So, just to see her smile and safe from all possible danger was enough for him to smile as well. Though, he did raise an eyebrow or two at her(not at the same time) when she addressed the thing in his hand as a key. It was as if she knew what it was.

And only a moment later did Kai look at it and only did he realize that it felt really familiar to him. He didn’t know how to explain it, but there was something about the way it felt in his hand, the way he was holding it, and how it just seemed like he knew how to handle it that felt natural and as if he had been using it for years. Maybe it was just his experience with Struggle that was the reason for it. 

[color=20b2aa]“That has to be it,”[/color] Kai mumbled to himself, following Aira’s lead as the duo of friends would head back the way they came.

It wasn’t long until the sounds of the town would once again enter their ears. The second round of trains coming and leaving the station sounded off their engines, the ever-too-familiar horn going off. It was strange, but Kai actually missed hearing that. With everything happening from the dreams to the arrival of those little, black creatures, and then to the feeling that Kai couldn’t shake since then that he was being followed. 

As the two of them had gone by Alexander’s stand to get two large Berry Jelly hot dogs just like Aira promised they’d get, they walked around town. Kai glanced up at the sky, seeing it was cloudless and the sun was way high up there. A gentle breeze passed through, giving Kai and Aira a surprising chill, blowing their hair back just briefly. 

[color=20b2aa]“This breeze feels nice,”[/color] Kai noted, smiling at Aira.

They continued to walk down the center of town along the train tracks, most of their dogs having been consumed by their hungry lips. The entire time they did this, Kai had heard these whispers in the back of his mind. At first, they were faint and barely audible by him, but the closer they were to his house, the louder they became. It was at the point where he could hear the voice speak out to him.

[i]Kai! Run! They’re coming![/i]

Kai had stopped as soon as he heard the voice scream into his head. He looked around him, then as if time itself was an illusion and had escaped him, Kai was transported to his room, or so it seemed like he was. He looked out his window and what he remembered it being daytime, now the sun had already set. There was still light out, though not much. Most of what he saw, which was from the base of Sunset Hill and the entirety of the town. 

Kai didn’t understand any of this. How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was hearing that voice screaming into his head then turned around; and now, as he glanced around his room. For whatever reason, his first thought was that this was some sort of prank by his family.  Not a nice one, but he couldn’t help but go there. He was on edge and hearing screams from deeper in his house didn’t help quell that feeling. Quickly, he rushed out of his door and saw his little brother and mother. 

And it was the sight of the black creatures from before that put Kai even more on edge. TO make matters worse, he slammed the door when he came out and all of the twelve little shadow monsters that had cornered Kai’s loved ones in the kitchen had all turned their yellow, bug-like eyes on him. They wiggled away from his mother and brother, hugging to the ground as they reappeared just a few feet away from him. 

[color=20b2aa]“You want me, huh? For revenge?”[/color] Kai taunted them. He extended his dominant, left hand. Light surrounded it, shaping itself around his fingers and then extending in front of him. The same weapon from before was in his hand, held in the same reverse grip that Kai held it in before. [color=20b2aa]“Well, then come on!”[/color]

They weren’t very bright. They had come at Kai, which they had to know was a trick to lure them away from Kai’s family. Oh well, he simply had done what he did before. Kai lunged forward, the same unexplained skillset overtaking his mind and he spiraled forth, the blade held horizontally. Each time the weapon connected, a weird sound unlike any other that Kai heard before, was heard. It was like a hammer hitting a ball. This was heard several times - twelve, in fact - as a dozen, small clouds of shadow, followed by twelve hearts, faded into the air.

Kai rushed to his family’s aid, though it seemed like they fainted. [color=20b2aa]"Good, they’re safe. I better--”[/color] 

Kai was interrupted by the alarming screams of the townspeople. 

[color=20b2aa]“What’s going on around here?”[/color] Kai asked himself. [color=20b2aa]“Oh no, if they attacked my family, then that means..”[/color]

He wasted no time. He quickly made a beeline for Aira’s house, jolting through the front door. The sight he saw, however, was not one he had expected...