Today.
For sixteen years, that single word had followed Kael Draven like a shadow.
Every child on Eryndor knew the importance of their sixteenth birthday.
It was the day their future was decided.
The day kingdoms discovered their next generals.
The day noble houses found worthy heirs.
The day ordinary people prayed for extraordinary destinies.
For Kael…
It was the day four ancient beings would finally reveal themselves.
“BIG BROTHER!
WAKE UP!” Noah launched himself onto Kael’s bed with enough force to qualify as a military assault.
Kael’s eyes opened immediately.
Years of living with Noah had conditioned him to wake up before impact whenever possible.
“Good morning to you too.” “It’s not morning anymore!” Kael frowned.
“What time is it?” “It’s been morning for six hours!” Right.
Thirty-six-hour days.
Even after sixteen years, his instincts occasionally defaulted to Earth.
Noah stood triumphantly on the bed.
“Mom says if you don’t wake up soon, she’ll feed your breakfast to Dad.” “That sounds less like a threat and more like an excuse to give Dad extra food.” “Dad agreed.” “Of course he did.” Noah gasped dramatically.
“BIG BROTHER!
YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE NERVOUS!” Kael blinked.
“Why?” “Because today is your awakening!” The five-year-old pointed accusingly.
“Normal people get nervous!” Kael sat up slowly.
“I’ve died once already.
Public speaking stopped frightening me years ago.” “…What?” “Nothing.” Noah narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
At times like these, Kael wondered if his little brother possessed some kind of truth-detecting Beast Soul.
“Anyway,” Noah continued, “I had a dream!” “Should I be concerned?” “Very!” Kael sighed.
“Let’s hear it.” “I dreamed you awakened a bunny!” Silence.
“A bunny?” “A giant bunny!” “That’s somehow worse.” “It had wings!” “That doesn’t improve the situation.” Noah folded his arms.
“You’re being very ungrateful.” “I apologize for not appreciating my future as a flying rabbit.” The boy nodded seriously.
“Good.” Kael laughed despite himself.
Mornings with Noah had become something of a ritual over the years.
The younger boy would say something ridiculous.
Kael would pretend to be annoyed.
And somewhere in the background, the Queen would quietly remind him how fortunate he was.
Protect him.
The voice was softer this morning.
Almost gentle.
Kael pushed the thought aside and stood from the bed.
Outside his window, New Haven City had already awakened.
The massive metropolis stretched across the horizon like something from a science fiction novel.
Floating vehicles moved between towering skyscrapers.
Citizens with avian Beast Souls flew through designated air lanes.
In the distance, he could see one of the city’s Beastification towers—massive structures designed to stabilize the energy barriers protecting the city during Eternal Night.
Beautiful.
Alien.
Home.
The realization still surprised him.
— Breakfast was unusually lively.
Marcus sat at the head of the table, pretending to read the morning news while repeatedly glancing in Kael’s direction.
Elara had spent the last thirty minutes trying—and failing—to convince herself that she wasn’t nervous.
Lyra, meanwhile, had chosen violence.
“You know, statistically speaking, you’re more likely to awaken something useless.” Kael took a sip of tea.
“Good morning to you too.” “I’m just being realistic.” “Translation,” Marcus said, “she’s jealous.” “I am not jealous.” “She’s jealous,” Elara confirmed.
Lyra nearly dropped her fork.
“I’m fourteen!” “And?” “I haven’t even awakened yet!” Marcus nodded thoughtfully.
“So you’re jealous.” “I AM NOT JEALOUS!” Noah raised his hand.
“I’d like everyone to know that I dreamed Big Brother would become a bunny.” Silence.
Elara blinked.
“A bunny?” “A giant one.” Marcus coughed into his tea.
Kael closed his eyes.
“I preferred it when this information remained private.” “It had wings!” “Oh, well, that changes everything.” Lyra immediately burst into laughter.
“Oh, that’s incredible.” Kael pointed at her.
“Remember this moment when you awaken a chicken.” “I’d still be more useful than a rabbit.” Noah gasped.
“STOP INSULTING THE BUNNIES!” For several moments, the entire table dissolved into chaos.
Marcus attempted to defend rabbits.
Lyra insisted they were weak.
Noah began listing reasons why rabbits were secretly apex predators.
And Elara quietly laughed into her tea.
Kael watched them.
Listened to them.
Memorized them.
He had developed that habit years ago.
Memorizing moments.
Because Ethan Cole had learned the hard way that happiness was temporary.
The Queen stirred.
They won’t leave.
You don’t know that.
I know humans.
Kael’s expression softened slightly as Noah climbed into his lap without warning.
“Big Brother?” “Yes?” “Don’t worry if you don’t get a cool Beast Soul.” “I’ll try not to.” “I’ll still think you’re awesome.” Something tightened painfully in his chest.
Sixteen years.
And somehow, Noah still had the ability to say exactly the wrong thing at exactly the right time.
“Thanks.” Noah nodded.
“Besides, if your Beast Soul is really bad, I’ll protect you when I grow up.” Marcus laughed.
“I thought I was supposed to protect everyone.” “Nope.” “And why not?” “Because Big Brother said being the oldest means it’s his job.” Every eye in the room turned toward Kael.
“…I may have said something similar.” Marcus smiled.
“I see.” “To be fair, he was four at the time.” “And?” “And I was trying to explain responsibility.” “Interesting.” Kael immediately recognized that tone.
It was the same tone Marcus used whenever he intended to embarrass someone.
“You know,” his father said casually, “when Kael was seven, he refused to sleep for three days after Noah was born.” Silence.
Kael slowly turned toward him.
“Excuse me?” “He kept checking to make sure Noah was still breathing.” “Dad.” “It was adorable.” “Stop talking.” “He even slept beside the crib.” Noah’s eyes widened.
“REALLY?!” “It was a long time ago.” Marcus ignored him.
“At one point, he tried moving his bed into Noah’s room.” Kael felt his soul attempting to leave his body.
“Father.” “And when we asked why, he said—” “‘I am begging you to stop.'” Marcus smiled.
“‘If something happens while I’m asleep, I’ll never forgive myself.'” The room fell silent.
Kael immediately regretted speaking.
Noah stared at him.
Then, without warning, the five-year-old wrapped his arms around Kael’s neck.
“I love you too, Big Brother.” The Queen became silent.
Completely.
Kael didn’t know why that frightened him.
— An hour later, the Draven family stood outside their home.
The streets of New Haven were more crowded than usual.
Today wasn’t only Kael’s Awakening Day.
Thousands of sixteen-year-olds across the city would undergo the ceremony.
Banners hung from every building.
«”THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM AWAKENS TODAY.”» Military personnel maintained order while news drones floated overhead, broadcasting live coverage.
Kael adjusted the collar of his jacket.
“Ready?” Marcus asked.
“No.” “Good.” Kael blinked.
“What?” “I wasn’t either.” Elara smiled.
“Your father nearly fainted during his awakening.” “I did not.” “You absolutely did.” “It was a tactical loss of consciousness.” “There is no such thing.” Marcus folded his arms.
“I disagree.” Kael couldn’t help smiling.
He had heard the story before.
Apparently, Marcus had awakened his Ironhorn Bison Beast Soul and immediately attempted to charge through a wall.
The wall had won.
“Big Brother!” Kael looked down.
Noah held something in his hands.
It was small.
Red.
And made from wood.
Kael froze.
A toy car.
For one terrible moment, he couldn’t breathe.
“It’s for good luck,” Noah said proudly.
“I made it myself.” The world seemed to grow quieter.
It wasn’t identical to Milo’s.
The shape was different.
The paint was uneven.
One wheel was slightly larger than the others.
But…
Kael slowly accepted the toy.
“Do you like it?” He couldn’t speak.
Not immediately.
The Queen whispered.
He remembered.
No.
Kael tightened his grip on the small wooden car.
We remember.
For the first time in sixteen years, Ethan Cole and Kael Draven agreed on something.
“Yeah,” he said quietly.
His voice sounded strangely distant.
“I really like it.” Noah grinned.
“Now you’ll definitely awaken something cool!” Kael laughed softly.
“Let’s hope so.” As the family began walking toward the Awakening Hall, Kael glanced toward the sky.
Two suns shone overhead.
One golden.
One silver.
For a brief moment, he wondered if Milo would have liked this world.
He thought he would have.
Especially Noah.
They probably would have become best friends.
The thought hurt less than it used to.
Maybe that was healing.
Or maybe it was simply time.
Ahead of them, New Haven’s Awakening Hall came into view.
The structure towered above the city like a cathedral built for gods.
Thousands of citizens had already gathered.
Some excited.
Some nervous.
Some terrified.
By the end of today, everything would change.
Kael looked down at the wooden car in his hand.
Then, deep within his soul, he heard four voices.
D-Rex.
Mosasaurus.
Quetzalcoatlus.
And the Queen.
Together, they spoke a single sentence.
«”The world is about to remember us.”» Kael raised his eyes toward the Awakening Hall.
For the first time in sixteen years, he felt afraid.
Not for himself.
But for what would happen if the world ever learned the truth.
«End of Chapter 3» readers please give me your feedback back it helps me improve my chapters