Mirae Walkers

Chapter XV

Keoni was sweaty, overwhelmed, and most importantly: in horrible pain. Her thoughts were all jumbled and Kaedin was just trying to explain what happened. Their words seemed a bit less jumbled than normal, and for a first, what they were saying actually made sense. Keoni figured they had plenty of time to think.

"Your Mir-Link was about to sever." Kaedin sighed. "Caste saved your life."

"Now we're even," Keoni mumbled. Her face was numb. She did, however, know that Caste took shelter in her home and she let him, possibly saving his life from the Quuarks actively hunting for them.

"Keoni... That was a whole two weeks ago." Kaedin said worriedly. It was a little annoying how they could hear her thoughts.

"Y'know, you have to keep your mind clear and your balance in check when you're in Limbo, especially when a Mir-Cognate isn't using their magic to keep your condition stable. Otherwise, everything in your Mir-Link starts going crazy, like what happened just now."

Keoni already understood that from hearing Caste explain it to Ryley. She changed the subject a little. "Kaedin, you've been acting strange."

"Says the person who almost died by acting differently."

Keoni shrugged off their odd behavior. If anything, she could ask Qaye later about it, or to see if it was normal.

She moved on again, ignoring her existing headache. "So explain to me the whole light/dark thing again. About emotions and stuff."

Kaedin brightened up. "Light thrives in peace, and dark thrives in chaos. Dark can get out of hand, especially when you're so exposed to it. In the Mirae, it gets very uncontrollable, which is why Mir-Cognates are so 'calm' all the time in the Mirae. In the Physical World, calmness can get out of hand. Someone who is too peaceful cannot be reached, or touched, which is why Phys-Conidae are so emotional. It's natural."

They motioned between the two 'worlds' with their hands, then closed them together. "In Limbo, the two must harmonize. If they do not, you can either get too emotional or too serene, which is what can kill you."

"People in the Physical world aren't always too emotional, Kaedin." Keoni told them, to which in response, they shrugged.

"People in the Mirae world aren't always too calm, Keo... Tejh." They settled down onto the ground. "Now, how are you feeling?"

"I..." Keoni reached up to rub her head. The aches in her body were slowly, very slowly starting to fade away. She was still overheated and she felt like she was going to throw up, but it was subsiding, ever so slightly.

"Good." Kaedin said, not letting her finish. "Just keep relaxing. Let your Mir-Link return its balance."

"Kaedin, leave Keoni alone. I know you're talking to her." Caste said from across the room. Kaedin gasped and ducked.

"They're fine." Keoni muttered the best she could. Although, it was strange why Kaedin was so afraid of Caste all of a sudden.

Did something happen while I was knocked out? Keoni thought, trying to make sense of everything. Everything was still off.

Kaedin slowly rose back up to check and see if Caste was still looking in their direction. "Can you put me back into the Rune please?" They whispered.

"Why are you so afraid of him?" Keoni asked, not listening to their request. She wanted to know exactly what was so scary about the Mir-Cognate.

"His... strong magic fluctuations... ummm. Mess with the Rune. My head gets this really fuzzy feeling and it's not... not great." Kaedin stuttered." They twiddled their thumbs.