*Chapter 14: "The Blood Moon Rises"

The Sleeper's roar shook the earth beneath our feet. Its massive form, a grotesque fusion of shadow and bone, towered over us, the Blood Moon's crimson light reflecting in its hollow eyes.

**SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:**

**CRITICAL WARNING**

**BLOOD MOON SYNCHRONIZATION: 27%**

**SLEEPER'S INFLUENCE INCREASING**

The runes on my arm burned hotter, spreading toward my chest. Veythari pulsed in my grip, its crimson veins flaring as if answering the creature's call.

"Leo!" Kaela shouted, her staff blazing with arcane energy. "We need to—"

The Sleeper moved faster than anything that size should. Its clawed hand swiped through the air, sending Garrick flying into a tree. Ryn barely rolled out of the way as another strike cratered the ground where she'd been standing.

Lyra's arrows peppered the creature's body, but they passed through its shadowy form like it wasn't even there. "Nothing's working!"

I tightened my grip on Veythari. The sword hummed in response, the runes on my arm glowing brighter.

*"Only the Unbound can wield the blade..."*

The realization hit me like a lightning strike.

"Get back!" I shouted, charging forward.

The Sleeper turned its hollow gaze on me, and for a moment, I felt its will pressing against mine—an ancient, hungry presence trying to worm its way into my mind. The runes burned white-hot, my vision swimming with flashes of memories that weren't mine:

*A crumbling city under a red sky. A seal breaking. A voice whispering in the dark.*

Then Veythari struck true.

The blade sank into the Sleeper's chest, and the creature *screamed*—a sound that wasn't just noise but something deeper, like reality itself tearing. The crimson veins in the sword flared, drinking in the darkness, and the Sleeper's form began to unravel.

But as it dissipated, its final whisper slithered into my ear:

*"You cannot kill what is already dead, Unbound. The seal weakens. We will meet again."*

Then it was gone.

Silence fell over the clearing. The Blood Moon's light dimmed, though it still hung heavy in the sky.

I collapsed to my knees, Veythari clattering to the ground beside me. The runes had stopped spreading, but they still pulsed faintly under my skin.

Kaela was at my side in an instant, her hands glowing with healing magic. "Leo! Are you—?"

"I'm fine," I lied, my voice hoarse.

Lyra yanked me to my feet, her grip bruising. "No, you're *not*. That thing spoke to you. What did it say?"

Before I could answer, the ground trembled again—but this time, it wasn't the Sleeper.

From the forest's edge, a figure emerged. Cloaked in silver and blue, their face hidden beneath a hood, they moved with unnatural grace.

"The Archivists," Garrick breathed, his sword still raised.

The figure stopped a few paces away and pushed back their hood, revealing sharp elven features and eyes that gleamed like polished steel.

"You are running out of time, Unbound," they said, their voice calm but urgent. "The seal is breaking. And if it shatters completely, the Sleeper will be the least of your worries."

**SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:**

**NEW QUEST: "THE CRUMBLING SEAL"**

**OBJECTIVE: SEEK THE ARCHIVISTS AT ELDRIN'S SPIRE**

**WARNING: BLOOD MOON SYNCHRONIZATION HOLDING AT 32%**

Ryn groaned. "I *hate* prophecies."