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Chapter 5: Fragments of the Fallen
The city of Hollow Light was silent for the first time in weeks.
Smoke curled from collapsed buildings. Spirit Warriors moved through the rubble, their armor cracked, their eyes distant. The rain had started again — a thin, metallic drizzle that made every surface gleam like silver glass.
Kai sat beneath the half-fallen arch of a tower, the dim glow of his interface hovering over his palm.
> [System Diagnostics: Partial sync detected.]
[Neural strain 82%. Recommended rest: 72 hours.]
He exhaled slowly. Even breathing hurt. His ribs felt bruised, his pulse erratic. The surge of power from before was gone, leaving behind only the ache of emptiness.
Lira stood nearby, her armor unsealed, her hair damp from the rain. She was talking quietly to a medic drone — one of the few still functional — before glancing back at him.
"You shouldn't be sitting up yet," she said.
He looked up. "You said the same thing last night."
"Because you still shouldn't be sitting up." She knelt beside him, checking the faint traces of glowing code that still ran along his forearm. "It's fading. That's good. I've seen warriors lose themselves completely after activating unknown protocols."
Kai flexed his hand, watching the last threads of light sink into his skin. "It didn't feel like I was losing myself. It felt like… something was waking up."
Lira's expression hardened. "Don't get addicted to it. The Code changes people. It gives power, yes, but it takes pieces of you each time — pieces you might not get back."
He nodded faintly but didn't answer. Because deep down, he already knew he'd press that button again if it meant surviving.
She stood, scanning the broken skyline. "The Commander wants to see you once you can walk. Something about the aftermath data. And your… 'override'."
"Sounds serious."
"It is."
She turned to leave, but hesitated. "Get some rest, Kai. The storm's over — for now."
When she was gone, Kai leaned back against the cold metal wall. The rain fell harder, tapping against the remnants of the arch. He closed his eyes, half expecting the system's voice to speak again.
Instead, he heard another one.
A faint whisper.
A sound like a door creaking open in his mind.
> [Dimensional Store initializing...]
[Emotional Data detected: Fear – 47 units. Regret – 29 units. Resolve – 16 units.]
[Conversion possible.]
He opened his eyes instantly. "Wait—what?"
Before him, light pooled in midair, forming a translucent hexagon filled with rippling code. Symbols rearranged themselves, forming what looked like a marketplace — shelves upon shelves of items that pulsed faintly like living things.
He could feel them calling to him.
> [Dimensional Store | Access Granted.]
[Items available:]
Fragment of Motion — increases speed by 5%. Cost: 10 units of Fear.
Echo Blade Core — restores durability and syncs with Dimensional Code. Cost: 20 units of Regret.
Spirit Nexus (Seed) — unlocks emotional resonance network. Cost: 50 units of Resolve.
Kai stared at the display, then muttered, "It trades… emotions?"
[Affirmative.]
[The stronger the emotion, the greater the value.]
He scrolled further, curiosity growing with every item that appeared — wings formed from memories, armor that fed on pride, talismans woven from despair. Every line of text seemed alive, whispering promises.
"Can anyone else access this?" he asked.
> [Negative.]
[Dimensional Store bound to your Code signature. Unauthorized entry impossible.]
That realization hit hard.
Whatever this thing was, it belonged solely to him.
He hesitated only a moment before selecting Echo Blade Core. The instant he confirmed, warmth flooded his palm. A small orb of blue energy materialized and sank into his sword, sealing the cracks that had appeared during battle.
It gleamed with faint circuitry now, humming with new resonance.
Kai smiled faintly. "Guess that's what shopping therapy looks like here."
A sound behind him made him turn.
Mira — a young Spirit healer with ash-grey eyes — stood there holding a half-crushed ration pack. "Talking to yourself again, Kai?"
straightened. "No. Talking to the air."
She raised an eyebrow. "That's worse."
Mira sat beside him, offering him part of the ration. "Eat. Commander's orders. Said you'll need energy soon."
"Soon for what?"
She looked away. "You'll see."
They sat in silence for a while, the rain pattering softly. Mira hummed a low tune — something old, echoing like a lullaby.
When she finally spoke again, her voice was quieter. "They're saying the storm yesterday wasn't natural. That something inside Hollow Light triggered it. Some kind of hidden Code awakening.
hand froze mid-bite. "And what do you think?"
She turned to meet his eyes. "I think you know more than you're saying."
He didn't deny it — and she didn't press.
Instead, she stood, brushing off her cloak. "Whatever happened out there… you scared them. Even the higher ranks. Be careful."
"Of what?"
She gave a faint, almost sad smile. "When power shows itself, the world starts watching. And not everyone watching is human."
As she walked away, the air shimmered faintly again. His interface flickered to life on its own.
[New Objective Unlocked: The Observer's Mark.]
[Unknown entity has taken interest in your Code signature.]
Kai's heart skipped. "What…?"
Then, faintly, like a whisper carried on the storm's tail, came a phrase that wasn't the system's.
You pressed continue… but you never asked who built the game.