The moment the word left his mouth, the darkness beneath his feet rippled.
Two towering figures silently emerged.
The Nether Sentinels stepped out from his shadow without making the slightest sound, their massive armored bodies appearing almost ghostly beneath the dim light.
Despite standing over ten feet tall, their movements were astonishingly silent.
Kael looked toward the hospital.
"My mother’s room."
"Protect her."
"Remain hidden unless her life is threatened."
The two Nether Sentinels bowed their heads in silent acknowledgment.
Without uttering a single sound, both of them slowly dissolved into flowing darkness.
Like living shadows, they slipped across the ground before disappearing beneath the hospital walls.
Kael remained where he was.
His connection with the Nether Sentinels allowed him to vaguely sense their movements.
They moved effortlessly through every shadow they encountered, passing unnoticed through hallways and rooms.
Within moments...
They arrived outside his mother’s ward.
The door offered no obstacle.
The shadows beneath it quietly stretched inward, carrying the two Sentinels inside.
After confirming her surroundings were safe, they each melted into the shadow cast beneath her hospital bed.
The connection stabilized.
Kael could faintly sense their presence resting there ready to emerge the moment danger presented itself.
Only then did Kael allow himself to relax.
"That’s one."
He turned around.
Now...
It was time to head home.
His figure vanished into the night once more.
Not long afterward, the familiar apartment building came into view.
Kael paused before the apartment building before making his way up the stairs.
Standing outside the apartment door, he listened carefully.
Silence.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Good.
Lyra hadn’t been awakened.
Slowly turning the doorknob, Kael eased the door open just enough to slip inside before quietly closing it behind him.
The apartment was dimly lit.
Only the faint glow of the city outside filtered through the curtains.
Everything was peaceful.
Kael didn’t linger.
He looked toward Lyra’s bedroom before speaking softly.
"You two."
The remaining Nether Sentinels stepped out from his shadow.
"Protect my sister."
"The same conditions apply."
The two towering guardians silently acknowledged the order.
Their enormous bodies dissolved into darkness before slipping soundlessly across the floor.
The shadows beneath Lyra’s bedroom door welcomed them without resistance.
Moments later...
Kael felt the familiar connection deepen once again.
The two Sentinels had already merged with Lyra’s shadow.
Just like her mother, they would remain concealed unless absolutely necessary.
Kael slowly let out a breath.
Only now did the final trace of worry inside him disappear.
With four Nether Sentinels protecting the two people most important to him...
Their safety was no longer something he needed to constantly fear.
Of course, no protection in this world was truly absolute.
But unless someone vastly stronger than Varek’s creations appeared...
Very few people would be capable of harming them.
Satisfied, Kael turned toward his own room.
The moment he entered, he closed the door behind him before dropping directly onto his bed.
His body immediately sank into the mattress.
Only now did he truly notice just how exhausted he had become.
The hours spent sparring with Varek had drained far more stamina than he initially realized.
His muscles felt heavy.
His eyelids even heavier.
As he lay there, another thought surfaced.
"Today’s the day..."
Ezra had invited both him and Lyra to participate in a Rift exploration.
Truthfully...
Kael had very little interest in going.
The monsters inside an ordinary Rift no longer held much value to him.
If not for Lyra...
He probably would’ve declined outright.
Still, he had already accepted the invitation.
Backing out at the last moment wasn’t something he intended to do.
His thoughts gradually slowed.
Sleep claimed him almost instantly.
...
The night quietly passed.
Before Kael realized it...
Morning had arrived.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
A series of energetic knocks echoed from outside his bedroom.
"Kael!"
Lyra’s cheerful voice followed almost immediately.
"Are you awake?"
Kael groaned.
He slowly pushed himself upright, rubbing his eyes as he glanced toward the door.
"I am now."
"Hehe, good."
Her voice remained just as lively as ever.
"Come out and have breakfast."
"We have to hurry."
"We can’t keep everyone waiting."
Kael let out a helpless sigh.
"Yeah, yeah."
"I’ll be there."
From the sound of her footsteps, Lyra happily skipped away from the door.
Kael shook his head with a faint smile.
Somehow...
He already had a feeling today wasn’t going to be peaceful.
After sitting quietly for another minute, he finally climbed out of bed before making his way into the dining area.
Breakfast was simple.
Nothing extravagant.
Just enough to fill their stomachs before heading out.
The siblings chatted casually while eating before Kael returned to his room.
He quickly freshened up, changed into his combat suit, and checked that everything he needed was in place.
Several minutes later, he stepped back into the living room.
Lyra was already waiting by the door.
The moment she saw him, she smiled brightly.
"Finally."
"Took you long enough."
Kael simply rolled his eyes.
"I’ve only been gone a few minutes."
"Still."
She opened the apartment door.
"Let’s go."
The two siblings left the apartment together before making their way downstairs.
After reaching the street, Kael booked a transit.
With everything finally in order...
It was time for the day to begin.
The transit moved steadily through the city, weaving through busy streets as it headed toward the destination Lyra had given the driver.
It was most likely the meeting point Ezra had sent her.
Kael leaned back in his seat and watched the scenery pass outside the window.
Neither of them spoke much during the journey.
Before long, the vehicle gradually slowed.
"We’ve arrived."
Kael stepped out alongside Lyra.
The first thing that greeted him was an enormous Rift suspended in the distance.
Its emerald surface churned endlessly, resembling a massive whirlpool carved into reality itself. Faint green light spilled from its interior, tinting everything around it with a strange glow.
The entrance area was packed.
Hunters in gleaming armor walked back and forth while teams gathered together before entering. Some were checking their equipment, others were discussing strategies, and several transport vehicles continuously arrived and departed.
Compared to both the Marsh World and Sand World Rifts...
This place was far livelier.
Kael quickly recalled the information stored in his memories.
The Verdant World.
A D+ Ranked Rift.
Under normal circumstances, neither he nor Lyra would have been allowed anywhere near its entrance.
Their ranks were simply too low.
However...
Ezra’s team possessed sufficient authority to apply for a team permit, allowing them to temporarily bring along a limited number of lower-ranked Awakeners.
That was the only reason the siblings were even standing here.