Chapter 5: A Pact in the Shadows

The night's silence was thick, broken only by the occasional flicker of dying embers in the air. The Riftborn entity was gone, its presence erased, but the weight of what had transpired still lingered.

Ezren let out a slow breath, his heartbeat steadying. His fingers twitched as he flexed them, the sensation of wielding the Shadow's power still fresh in his mind. It had responded to him—not just as a tool, but as if it had been waiting for him to call upon it.

He turned toward Seraphine.

The woman had yet to sheath her sword, her golden eyes still fixed on him. But her expression was no longer one of mere caution—it was curiosity, intrigue, and something deeper.

Finally, after what felt like minutes of heavy silence, she lowered her blade.

"I should introduce myself properly," she said, her voice carrying a composed weight. "Seraphine Vael, Independent Awakener. Rank: Gold."

Ezren's brow furrowed slightly. Gold-ranked? That meant she was leagues above most Awakeners in this region. The sheer skill she had displayed in battle already hinted at that, but knowing her rank confirmed it.

Seraphine tapped the air in front of her, and a faint shimmer of blue System energy gathered at her fingertips. A second later, a translucent window appeared before her.

[Request: Add "Ezren Veydrion" as an Associate?]

Ezren's System window flashed in response.

[System Notification: Awakener Seraphine Vael has sent you an Associate Request.]

[Accept / Decline?]

Ezren hesitated for a brief moment before choosing [Accept].

The instant he did, new information appeared before him.

---

[Seraphine Vael – Awakener Profile]

Age: 24

Rank: Gold

Affiliation: Independent

Realm of Awakening: Astra Lumina (Celestial Battlepath)

Core Ability: [Astral Blade: Manifest and wield celestial-forged weapons, enhanced by light and void energy.]

Unique Trait: [Eye of Divination: Perceives anomalies and irregularities in fate-bound entities.]

---

Ezren's eyes narrowed.

Astra Lumina? He had never heard of that Awakening Realm before. Most Awakeners he had encountered had affinities with elemental forces, reinforcement techniques, or basic system-granted abilities.

But this—this was something beyond that.

Seraphine watched him, amusement flickering in her gaze. "Surprised?"

Ezren looked up. "You're not from this region, are you?"

She smirked slightly. "You could say that. My Awakening didn't happen within the standard realms people know. The Astra Lumina is… different. Rare." She crossed her arms. "And something tells me your Awakening isn't exactly 'normal' either."

Ezren exhaled. He could feel her golden gaze piercing into him, as if she was looking through the surface of his being. The words "fate-bound entity" in her status lingered in his mind.

So she had noticed it too.

The Shadow within him.

Seraphine didn't push the question. Instead, she leaned against the wooden post of her house. "You handled yourself well against that Riftborn creature."

Ezren frowned. "That's what you called it?"

She nodded. "I've only seen them a handful of times. They don't belong to this Realm—or any Realm, for that matter. They're a product of something… beyond."

Her words sent a chill down his spine.

Ezren had thought this was a normal monster-infested hunting ground. But if beings like that could just appear…

The world was far more dangerous than he had assumed.

Seraphine seemed to read his thoughts. "That thing wasn't a natural occurrence. Something is stirring." She tapped her sword hilt. "And I intend to find out what."

She turned her gaze back to him. "You intrigue me, Ezren Veydrion."

Ezren raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you sent the Associate Request?"

She smirked. "Partially. But also because… I think our paths will cross again."

Her golden eyes glowed slightly as she spoke. "Your existence isn't ordinary. And I suspect you'll be at the center of whatever's coming."

Ezren clenched his fists slightly. He wasn't sure if that was a warning or a prediction.

But Seraphine wasn't wrong.

The Shadow within him, the Riftborn entity, the way his power had responded instinctively—nothing about him was normal anymore.

And the world was starting to notice.

Seraphine sighed. "It's late. You can rest here for the night, but you'll have to decide where you're headed next."

Ezren glanced toward the sky. The rift had disappeared, but the unease remained.

He had come to this region to grow stronger. To survive.

But now…

Now he needed to find answers.