The Reveal

The sun hung high in the late-morning sky, casting long streaks of light through the open shutters of Elijah and Maya's workshop. Inside, the rhythmic clanging of metal tools, the hum of compressors, and the occasional spark of welding danced through the air. The garage smelled like oil and hot steel — a familiar scent for both siblings, one that spoke of long days and longer nights.

Elijah, a tall, broad-shouldered man in his late twenties, stood over a busted hover-bike engine, grease smeared across his forearms. His younger sister, Maya, perched on a stool nearby, goggles on her forehead as she soldered a circuit board with sharp, precise movements.

"Alright, next customer's gonna want that air board before sunset," Elijah muttered, tightening a bolt with a grunt.

"Yeah, yeah," Maya replied, not even looking up. "If you stop breaking your own tools, we'd be ahead of schedule."

A low chuckle escaped him. "Tools break. Machines break. People break. That's life."

"Deep," Maya deadpanned, rolling her eyes.

The workshop door buzzed open, and a man in dusty overalls stepped in, waving. "Morning, Elijah. My board's acting up again. Think you can—"

"Leave it by the rack, Tony," Elijah called over his shoulder. "We'll have it humming by tomorrow."

Customers streamed in and out throughout the day, and the siblings worked in perfect sync. Maya handled the electronics — nimble fingers dancing over wires and chips — while Elijah handled the heavy-duty mechanical repairs. The work was demanding, but in Red City, it paid enough to keep the lights on.

Yet, no matter how busy they were, their minds kept drifting to the hooded boy they'd met yesterday.

By the time evening rolled around, business slowed. The hum of machinery faded, leaving only the faint ticking of cooling metal. Maya peeled off her gloves and tossed them onto the counter. "Finally, a break," she sighed, wiping sweat from her brow.

Elijah nodded, though his expression was thoughtful. He'd been quiet most of the afternoon, and she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"You're still thinking about him," she said flatly.

Elijah didn't deny it. "Something's… off about that kid."

"Yeah, no kidding," Maya muttered. "Shows up out of nowhere, hood pulled low, drops mayanium like it's pocket change. Either he's rich, crazy, or…" She trailed off, and Elijah finished the thought.

"…dangerous."

They exchanged a look — unspoken agreement passing between them. It was time to talk to him.

---

They walked toward the small corner of the workshop where they'd let him stay. Kael sat there quietly, leaning against the wall, hood still up, as if he'd been waiting.

"Yah done?" His voice broke the silence, smooth and calm, carrying a weight that made the air feel heavier.

Maya blinked, slightly startled. "We're just… less busy," she answered, trying to sound casual.

"Oh…" Kael tilted his head slightly, like he was analyzing her words. "Got anything for me?"

Elijah stepped forward, dragging over a stool before sitting down heavily. His sharp eyes locked on the boy. "Who are you, really? And where did you come from? You're an elemental, aren't you?"

For a moment, Kael said nothing. Then, a small, almost amused smile curved his lips.

"Well," he said slowly, "my name is Kael. Where I come from… doesn't need to be known. And yes," his tone dropped just a fraction, "I am an elemental."

Maya tilted her head, brows furrowed. "Kael…" she repeated. "I've never heard of any elemental named Kael. Not in this city. Not anywhere."

"And that hood," Elijah added, his voice rougher now, "you've been keeping it up since you got here. If you're gonna stay under my roof, at least let us see the face of our… sudden tenant."

"Tenant who tried to threaten us," Maya added sharply, crossing her arms.

Kael chuckled, low and smooth. "Hey, you're accusing me wrongly," he replied, leaning back lazily. "And… are you sure you want to see my face?"

Maya scoffed. "What kind of question is that? What, are you Medusa or something?"

Kael's smirk widened just slightly. "Okay."

The workshop grew silent as Kael slowly reached up, fingers hooking the edge of his hood. Time stretched thin — every sound outside seemed to fade as he pulled the hood back.

The first thing they saw was his hair — long, impossibly silky strands of deep blue, flowing down his back like liquid midnight. The front was heavy, thick locks falling over his face, concealing his eyes completely. Beneath the cascade of hair, his skin glowed faintly under the workshop lights — smooth, jade-like, almost unreal.

For a moment, Maya and Elijah just stared.

He was… beautiful. Not the kind of beauty they'd ever seen — sharp, ethereal, the kind that didn't belong in a place like Red City. And yet, there was something wrong, something unsettling. The way his hair obscured his eyes made him look almost eerie, like a phantom wearing the shape of a man.

Maya finally broke the silence. "…Wow," she breathed, then frowned sharply. "Hey, you. Why is your hair unkempt like that? Can you even see?"

Kael tilted his head slightly, lips quirking into a faint grin. "Point of correction," he said, voice smooth as silk, "my hair isn't unkempt. It's just… too long. Too voluminous."

"It's unkempt," Elijah said flatly, arms crossed.

"Agree to disagree," Kael replied with a shrug.

For a moment, the tension in the room eased, replaced by a strange, almost awkward quiet.

Then Kael leaned forward, his tone suddenly casual. "When are we going home? I mean, to my rented apartment? I did pay a wholesome amount of three million dollars."

The siblings blinked.

"Three… million?" Elijah repeated slowly, almost choking on the words.

Maya's jaw dropped. "Three. Million. Dollars?"

Kael tilted his head again, confused by their reactions. "Is that… not enough?"

Elijah stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Kid, do you even know what you just handed us? Those mayanium stones you dropped — even the smallest one goes for three hundred thousand United Nations dollars. And you gave us ten."

Maya's mind raced. Ten stones. That was more money than they'd ever seen in their lives.

The realization hit her like a lightning bolt. Her eyes widened, suspicion curling in her chest.

"…Did you steal them?" she blurted out, voice sharp.

Kael blinked once. Then, slowly, a small smile tugged at his lips — not amused, not offended, just… unreadable.

"Does it matter?" he asked softly.

The siblings froze.

Something in his tone — calm, unbothered, but carrying an undercurrent of danger — told them that Kael wasn't someone to push too far.

Maya swallowed hard, glancing at her brother. Elijah didn't speak. He just studied the boy for a long moment before finally sighing.

"Alright," Elijah muttered. "Fine. But keep that hood up outside, you hear me? Red City eats quiet kids alive. And whatever you are… you're better off unnoticed."

Kael inclined his head slightly, like a king humoring a servant. "Understood."

The conversation ended there, but as the evening settled and the city lights flickered to life, both siblings found themselves replaying the moment in their heads — the boy

with the blue hair, jade skin, and eyes they still hadn't seen.

Who exactly had they let into their lives?

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