Ser Elyos hit the ground hard, skidding across the dirt and crashing through a twisted tree.
His armor sparked. His sword flickered.
Riku hovered above him, cloak of shadow curling like smoke around his limbs, eyes glowing with ghostlight. His new form was fast—unnatural—like he wasn't entirely bound by the rules of flesh anymore.
Specter Pulse whispered in his mind: Drift. Phase. Devour light.
Elyos groaned and rolled to his knees, staring up at Riku with blood on his lips.
"…What did you choose?" he growled.
Riku's voice echoed, distorted by shadow. "A path you can't cleanse."
Elyos surged up—but Riku vanished.
Reappeared behind him.
CRACK.
A shadow-wrapped kick sent the knight flying again.
But before Riku could finish it, Elyos dropped something—a glowing white gem.
It exploded in a burst of holy light.
Riku hissed, shadows burning, and phased away just in time.
When the light cleared…
Elyos was gone.
Riku collapsed beside a tree, gasping. His body trembled—not from injury, but from the transformation still settling in. His fingers occasionally faded into smoke and snapped back. His feet barely touched the ground.
The Specter Pulse was powerful. But cold. Alien.
"I need to know more," he muttered. "What other powers exist?"
Hours later, Riku returned to Greyhollow—Valen was waiting, leaning on her sword.
She stared at him for a long moment. Then:
"You died again."
Riku nodded. "I had to. Ser Elyos came for me."
Valen's expression tightened. "Then you're lucky you're still breathing. That one doesn't lose."
"I didn't win. I escaped."
He clenched his hands.
"But I let go of the sword. And now I'm something else."
Inside the Nightbinders' chamber, Valen pulled down a scroll and unrolled it on the table.
"This is what the Goddess doesn't tell you. There are six Blessing Paths—and every reborn falls into one of them based on their death choices."
She pointed at each one in turn, marked by glowing emblems:
🔥 1. Phoenix Path – Rebirth through pain.
You rise stronger after every death. Wild and unstable powers. Powers tend to be raw, elemental, and personal.
— Traits: Fire, Vengeance, Life-Burst
🕊️ 2. Seraphim Path – Divine order and clarity.
Chosen by those who seek justice, discipline, or power through control.
— Traits: Light, Flight, Radiance, Healing
🕷️ 3. Abyss Path – Shadow, illusion, and the unknown.
Your powers embrace the void. Intangibility, fear, and chaos.
— Traits: Phasing, Ghostwalk, Reality-Break
🦍 4. Titan Path – Power through sheer might and will.
For those who reject magic in favor of unstoppable strength.
— Traits: Earth, Size Shift, Weapon Mastery
🧬 5. Chimera Path – Hybrid, unstable evolution.
Each death gives you part of a power, stacking weirdly over time.
— Traits: Mutation, Dual Forms, Adaptive Reflex
🧠 6. Oracle Path – Knowledge, fate, and time.
Sacrifices direct combat power for world-bending utility.
— Traits: Telepathy, Future Glimpse, Memory Rewrite
Valen traced a circle around the Abyss Path.
"You've crossed into shadow. You can't go back to Phoenix. That power is lost to you now."
Riku clenched his jaw.
"So I can only go forward. Power by power. Death by death."
Valen nodded slowly.
"And if you keep switching too often... your soul might fracture. There's a reason most of us break after our second or third rebirth."
Riku stared at the scroll, fists tight.
"So the real choice isn't just the power I want… it's the Path I want to follow."
The door slammed open.
A bloodied scout staggered in. "Valen! The Cleansers—they've breached the eastern outpost! They're burning the mark flags!"
Valen cursed and drew her blade. "They're hunting another Reborn."
Riku stood. "Then I'm going with you."
"You sure, Specter?"
He nodded.
"I'm done waiting. I want to know who else walks these paths."
End of Chapter 7
Chapter 8 next, where Riku and Valen face off against another Reborn—one following the Chimera Path, with a body constantly mutating during battle?