The Six Shadows of Arven
Kael thought he was alone.
He thought Earth was his field of study, his to explore and claim.
But in the silence of space, another ship had followed the signal he left behind.
His rival.
His brother in evolution.
Arven Rhal.
Unlike Kael, Arven was not here to learn.
He was here to find—and erase.
1. The Basketball Player
Arven’s first disguise was Rico, a rival captain from a neighboring school.
Strong, proud, and fiery—the perfect opposite of Kael’s calm and curious Rion form.
> Arven (adjusting Rico’s form): “Hn. He’s built for dominance.”
He cracked his knuckles, staring into the locker mirror.
“This body knows how to lead. How to win.”
He smirked. “Kael… I’ll find you on the court.”
2. The Handsome Teen
Next, Arven scanned and replicated Eli, the soft-spoken but strikingly handsome student known for his cold charm.
Girls whispered when he passed. Boys tried to copy his style.
> Arven (testing the smile): “Expression: controlled. Heartbeat: calm.”
He leaned closer to the mirror, tilting his head the way Eli always did.
“Humans like what they can’t read. Interesting.”
He straightened his posture. “Perfect for hiding among them.”
3. The Jock
He found Mattheo, a wild, laughing jock who trained with Drex—the same boy Kael once mimicked.
It was risky, but Arven wanted proximity.
> Arven (grinning): “This one’s body moves fast. Muscles shaped by chaos.”
He threw a few punches, his reflection answering with energy.
“Perfect cover. Loud enough that no one asks questions.”
He laughed. “You can’t hide from me, Kael. I’ll be right next to you.”
4. The Influencer
To track Kael’s digital traces, Arven became Sky, a teen influencer who dominated social media with his vlogs and campus life videos.
Behind every smile, every clip, he watched.
> Arven (to the mirror): “Influence equals information.”
He adjusted Sky’s perfectly messy hair, holding up a phone camera.
“Smile. Click. Upload. Millions see the mask, no one sees the eyes.”
He smirked. “And Kael? You’ll follow me soon enough.”
5. The Close Friend
Then came the cruelest disguise: Lio, one of Kael’s closest friends in his human life as Nico.
He copied Lio’s voice, his gentle laugh, his familiar scent.
> Arven (quietly): “So this is what betrayal feels like.”
He blinked at the mirror, watching Lio’s warm expression stare back.
“You trust me, Kael. You shouldn’t.”
He exhaled, lowering his tone. “But maybe… I’ll understand you first.”
6. The Ordinary Handsome Boy
Finally, Arven chose Nick, a calm, everyday boy—handsome but unassuming.
He didn’t need attention now; he needed silence to observe.
> Arven (softly): “This face disappears in a crowd. Useful.”
He combed Nick’s hair aside, examining his reflection.
“The perfect shadow doesn’t make noise.”
His eyes glowed faintly. “And Kael… your light will always cast one.”
That night, Arven stood in front of six mirrors, each showing a different shape of him—strong, charming, loud, quiet, visible, and unseen.
> Arven: “You took six forms, Kael.”
He smiled coldly. “So did I.”
He placed a hand on the glass, the reflection flickering between faces.
“You wanted to learn humanity. I’ll make you face it.”
As dawn broke, both aliens—Kael and Arven—walked the same streets, wearing human skins, breathing human air.
Neither knew who the other truly was anymore.
But one thing was certain.
When they met again, it wouldn’t be as friends.
It would be as mirrors—each reflecting what the other had become.