— The Origin Key

The air became thicker as the girl reached the barrier of the Void Gate. The shadows around her rippled, as if bowing. Even the System, Kaelen's cold, mechanical friend, paused.

[System alert: Core signature detected.]

→ Designation: "Origin Key" → System Response: Standby Protocol activated.

Kaelen's gaze narrowed, and his instincts sharpened like razors.

"You claimed you built the system. "Prove it.

The girl looked up. Her stare was ancient—older than time but stuck in a child's body. "You've already felt the cracks, haven't you?" she asked softly. "The system is evolving on its own. Paths show themselves without your input. "That's because it's incomplete."

She raised her hand, revealing a sphere of glitching shadow and light—raw code linked with magic. The system interface around Kaelen replied instantly.

[Link Established: System Core Interface]

[Welcome: Architect Access granted.]

The interface warped. Kaelen's vision was filled with previously unseen information—restrained skills, unlocked soul nodes, and path convergence branches.

His breathing slowed.

"You're telling the truth…"

She Who Remembers

They retreated to the war room beneath the Shadow Spire. Eira and Lyra stood guard while the girl, who named herself Nyx, sat at the obsidian table.

"The system you use was never meant to exist in this timeline," Nyx told you. "I made it accidently while attempting to recreate fate itself. However, it divided across timelines. "What you have is a shard."

Kaelen folded his arms. "And what are you?"

Nyx grinned softly. "I was a chronomancer." Until I broke the circle. Now I am just... A temporal refugee. And the last carrier of the entire Shadow Core."

A long pause elapsed before Kaelen inquired, "Why now? "Why bother showing up after all this?"

Nyx's eyes flashed with urgency.

"Because the Eclipse Protocol has begun."

[System Alert: Hidden Directive Unlocked — Eclipse Protocol Initiated.]→ A convergence of timelines and souls is accelerating.→ If left unchecked, Shadow Overlords will awaken from all fragments.

[Your soul is 81% synchronized.][Your existence is drawing them closer.]

The Threat Beyond Shadows

A map projection shimmered above them, depicting tear points in reality around the earth. Vel'darun was one. Another had opened in the Holy Kingdom. Far to the east, a new one had formed in the prohibited mountains of Azhir.

"These are breach points," Nyx clarified. "Each one connected to a 'you' from a different path. Some will become your allies. Others…" She paused.

"Will want me dead," Kaelen concluded.

"Or worse—they'll want to replace you."

Suddenly, the war chamber trembled. Cracks rippled across the ceiling like veins. Alarms sounded outside. A scout burst in, his eyes wild.

"Lord Kaelen! The Heaven breaker Paladins have broken through the outer wards! They are coming with a Divine Execution Order!"

Heaven breakers

The combat happened in an instant.

The golden-armored warriors descended on Vel'darun like celestial meteors. Their blades sliced through stone like silk. Holy fire fell from the sky.

Kaelen stood at the gates, veiled in shadow, with Eira and Lyra by his side. His soldiers began to falter as the majority of their abilities were rendered ineffective by divine magic.

But not Kaelen's.

[Shadow Sovereign Aura: Engaged].

→ Divine Suppression: 40% → Unique Trait "God bane" activated.

He moved like a phantom across the enemy lines, attacking from void to void. Every kill fueled his system. His arm became black with scorching runes.

[New Skill: Shadow Rend — Tier II] Tears penetrate magical armor. Can only be used with Sovereign Aura.

The paladins fell one by one, until their captain descended.

He was double Kaelen's size. His face glowed with divine light, and his wings were blinding.

"In the name of the Seraphim," cried the prophet, "you are condemned."

Kaelen just smiled.

"Then condemn me properly."

They clashed.

A Choice of Darkness

The conflict concluded in silence.

Kaelen stood, bloodied but alive, with his blade impaled in the Heavenbreaker Commander's chest. The holy fire vanished. The sky went grey.

Nyx returned inside the spire and waited.

"You're stronger than I expected," she acknowledged.

Kaelen caught her gaze. "Tell me what I need to do."

Nyx reached out and pressed the core fragment to his chest.

"The final path begins with severing the chain that binds you to this world."

"To truly ascend… you must give up your name."

Kaelen's shadow flashed behind him, extending and grasping for the ceiling.

[System Directive: Final Soul Trial Unlocked.]

→ Do you accept the Rite of Eclipse?