I wasn't searching anymore.

I was being pulled.

Something tugged at me, quiet, patient, like a thread of fate wound tight around my chest.

I didn't resist the feeling but followed it instead.

The vault had thousands of artefacts. Each one was stored in hex-sealed containers, floating glyph boxes, or heavy rune-inscribed stone slabs. But this one? It was hidden.

Behind one of the false walls that looked like stacked tomes, the air shimmered for just a second longer.

Mana distortion.

I narrowed my eyes and pushed my hand through it.

The illusion melted instantly, revealing a small shelf, untouched by time, cloaked in pure, static magic. A single scroll floated mid-air, held by invisible energy, bound in threads of violet string and sealed with the mark of a broken crown.

My throat tightened.

I didn't recognise the seal, but I knew it.

I had seen it, in the dreams, etched into the Hollow King's throne.

I reached out, and the moment my fingers touched it, the scroll opened on its own.

Not a paper scroll—no. This was something else entirely. Mana-ink unfolded into holographic script, ancient symbols dancing through the air in spirals as a voice echoed softly within the vault.

"To my daughter—born in war, hidden in peace."

I froze.

That voice.

It was the one from my dreams.

"You will not remember me. You must not. Memory is a danger and our identity is a target." n

"But blood remembers...and blood will always return."

The script shifted again, turning into a slow swirl of images: a woman—horns shaved down, crying as a child was taken from her arms. A planet shrouded in fire. Armadas of ships crashing through space.

"The humans feared what they could not understand. They called us monsters. We tried to reason. We failed."

The voice paused.

"And I—your father—could not protect you from their hatred. But I could steal you away from it."

"You were born with more potential than even I had. A child of convergence. But that power would doom you. So I sealed it. In blood. In time. In fate."

The scroll flared brightly, pulsing in rhythm with my heartbeat.

"You are not a weapon."

"You are not a symbol."

"You are my daughter."

The next words burned themselves into the air in front of me:

If you have found this, then the blood has accepted you.

And the seal is breaking—

***

-----------------

"Bear's power now touches the threads of fate. He's blocked out the gods. He's stopped them from interfering. Even the High Divines can't push their will inside the system without hitting a wall."

I swallowed. Hard.

"That's insane. If the gods can't interfere, then—"

"Then chaos follows," he finished. "Unchecked. Bear wants a perfect stage. A place where William can play king…or god."

"…So, what are you doing here?" I asked. "Why come to me?"

His eyes finally gleamed through the black.

"Because you're not just a player anymore, Noah. You're something else. Something that doesn't follow the new rules."

"Me?" I laughed bitterly. "I'm just some half-awakened kid with a broken system and a snake in his head."

"Exactly," he said. "You're the only thing in this world Bear didn't plan for."

I went quiet.

That felt like pressure on my shoulders. Not the good kind.

He wasn't hyping me up. He was warning me.

"You need to be ready," he added. "When the Hollow Weapon shows up… things will shift. That item is Bear's last test. If William takes it—everything breaks."

"Why not just destroy it?" I said quickly. "You're here now. You've got power again, right?"

Jormungandr actually chuckled, but it was… sad.

"You think I haven't tried? Bear's locked me in your mind space. This is all I have left. A whisper of my soul. Even now, I'm speaking only because Damien's asleep."

Wait, what?

I blinked. "He put Damien to sleep?"

"No. Damien let himself sleep. He's hiding. Even he's afraid now."

I didn't have a response to that.

"Noah," Jormungandr said, his tone colder now. "Bear's playing a dangerous game. If William gets what he wants…there will be no balance, no system, no rules."

The mist started fading.

"I'll return when I can. For now…watch Sia. Watch the girl. She knows more than she lets on."

"What do you mean? About what?"

But Jormungandr was already gone. The darkness faded, and with it, the weight lifted off my chest. My mind felt like it had just been hit by a storm, even though the world around me remained quiet.

I blinked again, and suddenly—"Hey," Dario nudged me. "You okay? You spaced out."

I looked around.

The next orb was rising. Something silver. Probably the next item.

Sia was still leaning forward, calm as ever.

But I noticed it now.

Her hand was clenched a little too tightly.

Her leg kept tapping softly.

Her expression hadn't changed, but her eyes—they weren't focused on the orb.

They were… annoyed.

Like someone who wanted to scream but had to keep smiling.

I wasn't sure what was going on in her head…

…but now I was damn sure it wasn't something small.

***

The bidding for the silver orb started.

Voices echoed through the hall, numbers climbing slowly. I barely heard them. My attention was locked on Sia.

Her eyes didn't shift. Her lips didn't move. But the tension in her shoulders said more than words ever could.

Something was bothering her—no, someone.

Mr. Lapui's voice boomed again, "Sold for 210,000 credits to the VIP on the fifth floor!"

The crowd cheered lightly. Another orb shattered. Another puff of glowing dust. But I still wasn't looking at the stage.

I leaned a little closer to her.

"You okay?" I asked quietly.

Her eyes flicked toward me for just a second. "Fine," she said, too fast, too flat.

Right. Fine.

And I'm the Pope.

I was about to push more when Seraphina interrupted. "Pay attention," she whispered. "Next item might be important."

Mr. Lapui stepped forward with an almost rehearsed smile. "Now, ladies and gentlemen… the fourth item of the night."

A heavy golden orb rose into the air. Not glowing this time—shimmering. The light from the chandeliers bent strangely around it.

"This," Lapui announced, "is the Aegis Pendant. An artifact from the pre-cataclysm era.

When the user is in mortal danger, it creates an orb around him/her and teleports them to one of the predetermined safe places, thus saving them from sudden death. Recharge time: 14 Days."

The audience murmured. Even I felt a spark of interest. That kind of defence could turn a battle around.

"This," Lapui continued, "is a priceless survival tool. Bidding starts at 700,000 credits."

That meant one thing—this wasn't something the auction house could replicate. A true relic.

The bids started flying fast. One million. One point five. Two million.

Dario gave a low whistle. "This one's gonna hurt someone's wallet."

But as the numbers climbed, I noticed Sia's hand relax slightly. Almost…relieved.

It hit me then. She wasn't worried about the pendant. She was waiting for something else.

Her eyes kept drifting to the auction list displayed faintly above the stage. I followed her gaze.

There it was. Lot #7.

The Hollow Weapon.

***