The Widowmaw's corpse lay still on the ground. Elian stepped up beside Kade, while Vox slumped on the carcass, breathing heavily. Euthy wiped her sword clean and sheathed it. They had actually done it.
A voice cut through the silence — familiar, mocking. "Well, well, well… you actually did it. Impressive." Crownface.
All three turned toward the black sphere hovering out of nothing. Kade stared at it without moving, though his gaze carried a sharpness that could cut.
"I didn't really think you'd make it… huh. I might be mean sometimes, but I reward those who are worth it."
With a clear pling, a floating display appeared in front of them, three artifacts spinning in view.
"These are usable artifacts. Each of you gets one — so choose wisely."
"Why do I have to share? I obviously did most of the work. Ha-ha-ha." Euthy shot him a look, thinly veiled disgust written across her face.
"Hey, girl… you wanna throw hands or what?"
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
You are rewarded for your unexpected triumph against {Widowmaw}.
Choose one of these artifacts:
{Lion's Strength}
{Hera's Ring}
{Null-Bind}
Kade ignored the squabble. He chose without hesitation. His cold stare met Euthy's for a brief moment — enough for her to know he hadn't picked blindly.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Artifact: {Null-Bind} obtained.
Can only be used upon confirmation from both sides.
Active time: 2 minutes.
Non-reusable.
"…Does it hurt?" Elian asked, nodding toward Kade's shoulder.
Kade stayed silent for a moment, then — almost thankful — said, "It's healing fast."
"Your soulbind thing isn't too bad… probably," he added awkwardly.
For Elian, it was the first vaguely positive thing he'd heard in a long while.
102 players remain, Kade noted.
He walked on without another word.Elian followed, quietly satisfied, fingers clutching Kade's shirt.
The forest was unnaturally calm. No screams. No crows. Just the sound of their steps, and Elian staring at the ground, lost in thought.
"Kade…?" he muttered.
"Yes? What is it, kiddo?"
"If this is all over… will we go different ways?"
"Obviously we can't, dummy. There's still this soulbind thing."
Kade remembered what Elian had told him when they first met. He crouched down so their eyes met.
"If you have nowhere to go… you can stay at my place. Until I feel like kicking you out."
Something flickered in Elian's eyes. Kade knew — this boy had nowhere to return to. No one to call family.
Elian slowly slipped a bracelet from his wrist — Greta's Protection. He held it out.
"Are you sure? You need it more than me.
"Elian nodded, cheeks reddening slightly."
"Okay… then I'll accept. But don't die, yeah?"
"Uhmm…"
From the shadows, far enough to remain unseen, Euthy followed.
They eventually found a sheltered spot, open only to the sky above. "We can rest here. Tomorrow will probably be a long day," Kade said.
He pulled something from his pocket. "Take this. Just got it from the spider. It alerts the other if one of us takes damage.
You just need to confirm — press no if you don't want to. Whatever."
Elian hesitated, then pressed
Yes.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Do you confirm the usage of {Null-Bind}?
Upon confirmation, the effects of the artifact will be activated.
Y/N?
A timer appeared. 2:00.
What for?
Kade's face changed — no warmth, no smile, nothing.
"I told you not to like me… didn't I?"
[SYSTEM INFO]
{Null-Bind} — Artifact — Rare
Effect: Negates any active ability.
Condition: Target's confirmation required.
Duration: 2 minutes.
Single use.
It happened fast. Too fast.
A whisper of steel.
A clean strike.
The head rolled.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Activate {Gluttony} on target: Elian (player #085)?
Y/N?
Then Elian's body changed.
It shone — fractures spreading from the cut, spiderwebbing downward through his body — until he splintered into particles of light.
They didn't drift away.
They stayed on the ground, like glass marbles softly glowing.
Kade's eyes narrowed. This was not what he had expected. But the message was still there, waiting in front of his eyes.
He picked
Yes.
Simultaneously, something moved toward him from the shadows.
Euthy.
Even her face showed surprise.
Then Kade's vision filled with red alerts, all flashing the same warning:
[ALERT MESSAGE]
Target from unexpected realm.
[ALERT MESSAGE]
Target from unexpected realm.
[ALERT MESSAGE]
Target from unexpecxted realm.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he thought.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Gluttony: TARGET locked — Elian (player #085)
Emotional resonance: High-grade
Efficiency: Very low
Target's real body inaccessible.
Reward pending.
Kade looked at Euthy. She seemed to know something — she wasn't her usual stone-faced self.
"What is going on? You seem to know."
"You must be crazy. You just killed him."
"I know," Kade said, straight-faced — though a single small wrinkle hinted at something else.
Euthy held her blade up, tense and waiting, not quite committing to an attack — the gesture more question than threat.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Pending complete:
• Perception +3
• Intelligence +3
• Agility +2
• Strength +2
New Aspect Unlocked: Gluttony — Emotional Scenting (subtle)
A warm bloom spread through Kade, brief and intoxicating. He inhaled, and the boy's trust came with it — bright, naive, like the scent of clean soap. It settled behind his ribs, useful and horrible all at once.