Chapter 4: The Watchers in the Dark

Kael's heartbeat thundered in his ears. The two figures standing before him radiated danger—not the reckless kind of the bounty hunters he had just killed, but a cold, calculating threat.

The hooded man observed him with a quiet amusement, while the silver-haired woman's violet eyes held an unreadable intensity.

"Come with us," the man repeated. "And we might just help you survive your own curse."

Kael's grip on the Voidfang Dagger tightened. His instincts screamed trap. But if they knew about his fractures, about what was happening to him—

That information was worth everything.

"Give me one good reason," Kael said, his voice steady despite the tension clawing at his throat. "Because right now, I'm considering walking away."

The hooded man chuckled. "And go where? The entire capital is hunting you. You won't last the night without allies."

Kael hated that he was right.

A sharp silence settled between them. Then, the silver-haired woman sighed.

"Enough talking," she said, stepping forward. Her eyes bored into his. "Either trust us, or we'll knock you out and take you anyway."

Kael tensed.

A threat.

His fingers twitched around the dagger, ready to strike—

Then the system pinged in his mind.

[New Quest: Choose a Path]

[Option 1: Trust the Watchers – Gain access to hidden knowledge.]

[Option 2: Fight and Escape – Face unknown consequences.]

Kael inhaled deeply. He wasn't used to playing anyone's game but his own. But right now, he needed answers more than he needed pride.

He sheathed the Voidfang.

"Lead the way," he said, voice like steel.

The hooded man grinned. "Smart choice."

The Watchers' Den

The city streets blurred into a maze of back alleys and hidden tunnels as Kael followed his mysterious guides through the slums. They moved too efficiently—silent, controlled, as if they had walked these paths a thousand times.

Finally, they reached what looked like an abandoned chapel, its stained glass shattered, ivy creeping up its cracked stone walls.

The hooded man knocked once, then twice—a rhythm.

A door within the wall slid open, revealing a passage leading underground.

Kael's stomach twisted.

A hidden base.

The woman motioned for him to enter first. Kael hesitated but stepped inside, descending the stone steps into the depths below the city.

The air grew colder. The tunnel opened into a vast underground hall, lit by flickering blue lanterns.

And dozens of eyes turned toward him.

Men and women clad in dark armor, their faces veiled in shadow. They stood in silence, their presence unnerving.

The hooded man stepped forward, raising his hands.

"Brothers, sisters," he said, his voice echoing in the chamber. "The Fallen Prince has arrived."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. Some eyes narrowed in suspicion, others in recognition.

Kael's entire body screamed tension.

He had walked willingly into a den of wolves.

The silver-haired woman turned to him, arms crossed.

"Welcome to the Watchers," she said. "The last remnants of the Ardent Empire's shadow."

Kael's breath caught.

The Watchers.

A faction not from the game.

Something had changed.

Something big.

The Weight of a Name

"Start talking," Kael said, forcing his voice to remain calm. "Who the hell are you people?"

The hooded man pulled back his cowl, revealing sharp features, a thin scar running across his jaw, and dark, calculating eyes.

"My name is Varian," he said. "Former spymaster to the Ardent Empire."

Kael's mind reeled.

The spymaster? He had no memory of him in the original game.

"And her?" Kael jerked his chin toward the woman.

"Selene," she answered simply.

No titles. No explanation. Just Selene.

Kael studied her. She held herself like a warrior, and her gaze held something… unsettling.

Varian's eyes glinted. "We were the Emperor's hidden hands. We controlled information, assassinated threats, ensured the empire's stability from the shadows."

Kael folded his arms. "Then where the hell were you when it all collapsed?"

A muscle in Varian's jaw tightened. "Betrayed. The same as you."

The words rang true.

Kael exhaled slowly. He needed information—and these people clearly had a lot of it.

"So tell me," he said, voice sharp. "What do you know about my power?"

Silence stretched between them.

Then, Selene stepped closer.

"Your Fractured Sovereign System," she said, her violet eyes locked onto his. "Do you think it's a blessing?"

Kael hesitated.

She leaned in slightly.

"It's not," she said. "It's a death sentence."

End of Chapter 4