The storm born reincarnation

As my new fond existence expanded, my perception stretched to the outermost edges of the storm cell, enveloping me in its vast, untamed power. It felt incredible—intoxicating.

I breathed in the mana coursing through the storm, its raw energy rushing into me, filling me. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Greed overtook me, and I drew in the mana with a ravenous hunger, like a starving infant desperate for sustenance.

The storm intensified, its winds howling in harmony with my desire. My awareness spread further, merging with the storm's boundless energy. It was bliss, pure and unbridled, a sensation so overwhelming that it consumed me.

Then, the temptation struck again. The world blurred into a cloudy haze as my fragile, newly formed core struggled to maintain control. My will wavered, fraying like a thread pulled too tight. I could feel myself slipping, my power spiraling out of my grasp.

The storm roared, chaotic and distorted, yet beautiful. The larger it grew, the more mana it pulled to me, feeding the endless loop of power and pleasure. It felt too good, too perfect to stop. I didn't want to control it anymore.

My consciousness flickered, and for the first time, I couldn't find a reason to fight it.

Bliss overtook me, and everything went dark.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, a sound like two synapses sparking in unison, jolting a memory back into place. It was the beginning of my second year, yet another sleepless night that had me wandering the campus under the stars. I eventually drifted into a restless sleep in a field near Hall Hall—one of my favorite places to read and escape.

When I woke up, he was there, lying next to me, his ocean-blue eyes staring directly into mine.

I shot upright, startled, my heart racing. "Hey! Can I help you?" I blurted out, a little flustered.

The stranger tilted his head, a mischievous smile curling on his lips. "Yeah," he said with a soft laugh. "I've seen you fall asleep out here a few times. Thought I'd give it a try myself."

"Have you been spying on me?" I asked, my tone sharp but edged with confusion.

"No," he replied, still grinning. "Just…curious."

He leaned in slightly, and I instinctively scooted back. My eyes flickered over him—athletically built with a certain elegance, slightly wide hips for a guy, long brunette hair that caught the faint moonlight.

"Curious about what?" I muttered, still off balance. I wasn't used to strangers approaching me so directly, much less striking up conversations like this.

"I don't even know your name," I said, narrowing my eyes, still unsure what to make of this stranger lying beside me.

"Right, right!" he said with a bright, almost disarming smile. "How rude of me. My name's Keegan. Keegan Blair. I'm a psychology major, with a minor in philosophy. And you are?"

"Xavier," I replied hesitantly. "Aerospace major, with a minor in mechanical engineering." I paused, still trying to process his sudden appearance. "It's…nice to meet you, Keegan. I guess."

He chuckled, his laugh light and contagious. "Well, 'I guess' is better than nothing. So, Xavier, do you always nap in random fields, or was I just lucky to catch you tonight?"

"I come here pretty often," I said, leaning back slightly, still trying to gauge his intentions. "But if it was lucky for you to find me… well, I guess we'll see."

Keegan's smile widened, an easy confidence radiating from him. "Mysterious, I like it. Keeps things interesting."

I raised an eyebrow at his casual demeanor. "And what exactly do you find so interesting, Keegan?"

He tilted his head, pretending to think for a moment. "Oh, you know, the usual. The stars, the quiet, the strange engineer who naps in fields." He grinned mischievously, then added, "Maybe I just like puzzles."

"Puzzles?" I echoed, my tone skeptical.

"Yeah. Figuring people out, what makes them tick. You could say it's my passion." His voice softened as his gaze flicked to the sky. "But don't worry—I'll only solve you if you let me."

"'Scarfing I said with a teasing smirk. "Wanna-be psychologist, huh? So, tell me, Stalkerologist, what do you think of me?"

Keegan laughed, the sound light and unguarded. "Stalkerologist, huh? That's a new one. Alright, let's see…" He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as if inspecting me.

"You're the type who overthinks everything," he began, his ocean-blue eyes locking onto mine. "You're always trying to solve problems, but you don't give yourself much credit when you do. You probably spend more time looking at the sky than at people because the sky makes more sense to you. And… you're uncomfortable with this conversation because you're not used to being the one in the spotlight."

I blinked, momentarily thrown off. "That's… a lot to unpack."

He shrugged, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I could be completely wrong. Maybe you're just a guy who naps in fields because you're lazy. But…" His grin widened. "I don't think so."

"With a light chuckle," I said, "Nope, you got me. Low-key impressive."

Keegan's grin widened as if he were proud of himself, but I wasn't about to let him have the last word. "But," I added, leaning back with a smirk, "you're not the only one who can read people."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Alright, let's hear it. What do you see when you look at me?"

I gave him a once-over, taking in his relaxed posture and the playful glint in his eyes. "For starters, you're the kind of person who enjoys pushing boundaries, just to see how far you can go before someone pushes back. You like to make people laugh, probably because you know how much it sucks to feel alone. And—" I paused for effect, watching his expression shift, "—you're not as carefree as you let on. There's something you're running from, or maybe toward. Hard to say which."

His smile faltered for just a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Not bad, Xavier. Low-key impressive yourself," he said, mirroring my earlier tone.

I shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. "Told you.

Keegan studied me for a moment longer, his gaze thoughtful. "Maybe this won't be the last time we talk," he said, his voice softer now.

"Maybe," I replied with a small smile. "We'll see."