The vault trembled with unseen pressure as the voice echoed again, cold and sharp as obsidian.
"Hello, Reaper."
Asher gritted his teeth. "Who are you?"
The jagged red crystal pulsed, and a spectral figure flickered within — a shadow with molten veins, eyes like burning coals. Its form was humanoid, but its presence was wrong — too large, too ancient.
Elira floated to Asher's side, soullight trembling.
"Asher…" she whispered. "That's no ordinary soul remnant. That's a named one."
Emilia stared, her legs trembling. Liaen, still kneeling, was chanting softly in his native Elven tongue, attempting to shield their minds from the crystal's whispers.
The entity in the crystal leaned forward.
"You don't remember me. But I remember you. I remember your blade, the fire in your soul when you slaughtered my kin. You were called the Reaper of Soul War."
Asher's heart dropped.
"I was never given that name," he muttered.
"No," Elira said, her face pale. "You earned it."
Years ago, Asher had fought in one of the darkest campaigns ever recorded — the Soul War, a conflict hidden from most of the world, waged in the shadow of history.
Monsters had grown smarter, more coordinated. Some began wielding soul techniques — ones forbidden to humanity. The war ended only when powerful adventurers like Asher led suicide squads into forbidden zones and sealed the worst of the threats away.
This crystal… was one of them.
"You were the one who sealed me," the entity snarled. "But you left a piece behind. I've fed on it. Grown. And now, the veil is thin. You've returned, and so has your guilt."
Asher stepped forward, gripping the hilt of his soulblade.
"What do you want?" he demanded.
"Freedom. And the pleasure of devouring everything you love."
Elira moved to stand between Asher and the crystal.
"Back then, we had allies. A full regiment. Sealed this thing with ten high priests. Now? We're just three—"
"Four," Emilia interrupted.
Everyone turned to her. Her voice was steady. Her eyes weren't glowing, but there was something alive behind them. Something fierce.
"I'm not letting it touch him. Or anyone else."
The crystal laughed. "You'll all break. Eventually."
Back on the surface, Valenira slammed her fist into her desk as the soul sensors flared red. The crystal had fully awakened — that shouldn't have been possible. Not without help.
Kael entered silently behind her.
"You're not surprised," she said.
Kael shrugged. "I've been listening to its voice for months. It's been whispering through cracks in the veil."
"You knew this was happening?"
Kael grinned. "Of course. But if I told you, I'd be thrown in a cage with it."
Valenira narrowed her eyes. "What are you really after?"
Kael leaned against the wall, his tone unusually serious.
"That thing is connected to the Cult of Shattered Names."
Valenira froze. "They've been silent for years…"
"Too silent."
Below the Academy, Asher raised his blade, soul energy wrapping around the steel like mist.
"Elira, can you suppress the seal's tremor?"
She nodded. "For a moment. But not for long."
"Then hold it."
Liaen, finally recovering, raised his bow. "We can't kill it," he said. "But maybe we can re-chain it."
Emilia stepped forward. "What if I can distract it?"
"Elira—" Asher began.
"She has to choose this," Elira said quietly.
Emilia stood before the crystal, breathing hard. "You said you feed on guilt? Fear? Then feed on mine."
The crystal pulsed. "You're full of it."
"Then come and take it."
The crystal flared — soul tendrils lashed out toward her.
Asher moved in an instant. His blade sang, slashing through the tendrils as Elira screamed, pouring her energy into the seal.
Liaen fired glowing arrows — they embedded into the crystal's chains, reigniting forgotten wards.
The light grew — fierce, pure, and blinding.
The crystal screamed.
And then… it went dark.
They collapsed in a heap at the threshold of the vault, panting, bleeding, alive.
Emilia trembled, her fingers still glowing faintly.
Liaen whispered a prayer of thanks.
Elira floated near Asher, her form unstable from the exertion.
"You okay?" Asher asked.
"I will be," she said. "But that thing… it's just the beginning."
Asher looked down the dark corridor.
"We've stirred something ancient."
Emilia nodded. "Then we'd better learn to fight it."
Asher met her gaze. "Together?"
She gave a tired smile. "Together."