A strange dream.
Kai found himself standing alone.
A desert stretched endlessly in every direction.
Golden sand.
Ancient ruins.
Broken stone structures buried beneath dunes.
The remains of something old.
Very old.
---
He looked down.
His body was covered by desert clothing.
Cloth wrapped around his face.
Protective eyewear.
Travel gear.
Yet somehow—
It felt natural.
Like he had worn it before.
---
Kai walked.
The wind howled.
Sand drifted through the air.
Eventually—
He reached the center.
A massive crater.
No.
Not a crater.
---
The aftermath of an explosion.
The entire landscape had been torn apart.
Destroyed.
Buried beneath centuries of sand.
Kai stepped closer.
Then froze.
His hand.
Magic circuits glowed beneath his skin.
Faint.
Blue.
The same kind Alice said Brennan once had.
Kai stared.
Then heard footsteps.
---
He turned.
And saw himself.
Another Kai.
Same height.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Magic circuits covered his body as well.
The two stood there.
Staring.