The training ground quieted after Zerrei's final resonance pulse.
The morning sun warmed the courtyard stones, but the air carried a strange tension — a feeling like the world itself was waiting.
Zerrei stood beside Lyra, tall and uncertain, one hand pressed to his chest as his glow flickered nervously.
"…cold," he whispered again.
Lyra held onto his arm.
"Is it getting worse?"
Zerrei nodded slowly.
"…closer."
Arden stiffened.
"The Creator?"
Zerrei swallowed — a motion that still looked unfamiliar on his carved face.
"…Master… searching."
Oren flinched.
"He can already feel the evolution?"
Zerrei's runes dimmed.
"…yes."
Lyra pulled him closer.
"We'll protect you. All of us."
Zerrei looked down at her.
For a moment, his expression softened into that new, fragile warmth he had only begun to understand.
"…Lyra warm."
Arden groaned.
"There he goes again—"
Oren elbowed him.
"Not now, Arden."
THE MANA SEISMOGRAPH
Oren hurried toward a device set on the guild wall — an ancient seismograph enchanted to detect unstable mana waves.
Its long crystal needle trembled.
Arden frowned.
"That thing hasn't worked in years."
Oren's face drained of color.
"It's working now."
The crystal needle jerked violently, etching jagged lines into the scroll beneath it.
Lyra's heart raced.
"What does that mean?!"
Oren whispered:
"It means something with immense mana is approaching…
from the East Forest."
Arden reached for his sword.
"How far?"
Oren swallowed.
"Too close."
ZERREI FEELS IT FIRST
Zerrei suddenly staggered.
His knees buckled.
Lyra caught him before he fell.
"Zerrei! What is it?!"
Zerrei clutched his chest harder.
"…pull…
…Master… calling…"
His glow darkened like a light drowning in ink.
Arden stepped beside Lyra immediately.
"We're not letting that bastard drag you again."
Zerrei shook his head, trembling.
"…not… obey…"
"That's right," Lyra said fiercely.
"You don't obey him anymore."
Zerrei leaned his forehead against hers, panting softly.
"…Lyra…
help Zerrei choose."
She held his face.
"You're choosing right now. You're staying."
He trembled.
"…stay."
THE SKY DARKENS
A deep, unnatural hum rolled over the rooftops.
Birds scattered.
Windows rattled.
The training ground shook.
The sky above the East Forest turned an unnatural gray — spiraling, twisting like liquid shadow.
Arden drew his sword.
"Oh hell—"
Oren took a step back.
"That's his mana storm."
Lyra held Zerrei's hand tighter.
"Is he this close already?!"
Oren shook his head.
"No. This is just the first wave of his presence."
Arden stared blankly.
"…that's just his presence? I give up."
THE SHADOW SIGIL
A black streak of lightning split the sky.
It hit the ground far beyond the trees—
KRA-KATHOOOM—!!!
The earth trembled.
Dust shot upward in a pillar of shadow.
Lyra gasped.
"Is he attacking?"
Oren's voice dropped to a whisper.
"No.
That was a sigil."
Arden frowned.
"A what?"
"A marker," Oren explained.
"A way for powerful mages or constructs to signal territory… or claim a hunting ground."
Arden's face went blank.
"So he just… staked the East Forest as his personal hunting area?"
Oren nodded grimly.
"Yes."
Zerrei trembled violently.
"…Master… here."
Lyra wrapped her arms around him.
"It's okay. Breathe—"
"…cannot… breathe…"
His glow flickered as invisible chains pulled at him — remnants of the Creator's control.
Lyra pressed her forehead to his.
"Zerrei, listen to me.
Look at me."
He forced his eyes open.
"…Lyra…"
"That's right. Focus on me. Not him."
His glow steadied just slightly.
"…warm…"
Arden looked away, muttering:
"I swear, at this point, Lyra could defeat the Creator just by hugging the puppet."
Lyra shot him a glare.
THE GUILD GATHERING
The guild horn blared twice.
Guild members rushed out into the courtyard — archers loading arrows, mages forming barriers, healers gathering near the infirmary.
Oren took command.
"All units — ready formation!
The Creator is marking territory and preparing an advance!"
One of the senior mages forced out:
"But he's not here yet, right?!"
Oren nodded.
"No — he's still a distance away. But he's preparing a ritual. Something big."
Arden scowled.
"How big?"
Oren's voice dropped to a whisper:
"Dungeon-awakening big."
The crowd erupted in panic.
Lyra held Zerrei tighter.
Zerrei whispered, terrified:
"…new dungeon… for Friezzar…"
Lyra gasped.
"He's preparing a place to take you."
Zerrei clutched her back.
"…Lyra…"
She stroked the carved hair near his neck to calm him.
"I won't let him. I swear."
Arden stepped forward, sword drawn, tapping its blade against the ground.
"Alright. Enough trembling. Enough panic.
We're not losing him."
He pointed at Zerrei.
"You — puppet. Vessel. Zerrei.
Whatever you want to call yourself."
Zerrei blinked.
"…Zerrei."
"Right. Zerrei. Listen closely."
Arden's voice softened into something almost brotherly.
"You're not alone anymore.
You protected us.
Now we protect you."
Zerrei stared at him —
a mixture of confusion and something like awe.
"…Arden… protect?"
Arden grinned.
"Damn right."
Zerrei looked down at Lyra's hand in his.
"…together?"
She squeezed it.
"Together."
His glow brightened again.
"…Zerrei not afraid."
Oren adjusted his gloves.
"He should still be afraid — the Creator is building something unnatural."
Arden glared.
"Let the puppet have his moment, Oren."
THE MESSAGE FROM THE EAST
A guild scout sprinted into the courtyard, panting heavily.
"GUILDMASTER—!!"
Oren turned.
"What is it?!"
The scout pointed toward the East Forest.
"There's… someone there—
at the edge—
waiting."
Arden tensed.
"The Creator?"
"No!"
The scout shook violently.
"It's… not him."
Lyra's heart raced.
"Then who—?"
The scout swallowed hard.
"He looks like… like Zerrei…"
Lyra went cold.
Arden cursed under his breath.
Oren nearly dropped his papers.
"Oh no…"
Zerrei's glow dimmed with dread.
"…another… vessel…"
The scout nodded, trembling.
"He's not moving.
He's just… staring at the town.
Waiting."
Arden clenched his teeth.
"Vessel Two…"
Oren shook his head.
"No. Vessel Two is dormant in containment."
Lyra went pale.
"Then… who?"
The scout whispered:
"He called himself Vessel Three."
Zerrei froze.
His glow extinguished into cold fear.
"…Master… made new…"
Lyra grabbed him tightly.
"Zerrei, look at me—"
His voice trembled.
"…Master… not come yet…
because he send Vessel Three…
to finish what Two could not."
Arden pointed his sword toward the East.
"Then we meet him."
Lyra held Zerrei's face firmly.
"No.
We learn.
We fight right."
Zerrei leaned into her touch.
"…Lyra… stay?"
She nodded.
"Yes. Always."
His glow brightened softly.
"…together."
But behind them, Oren's voice echoed with grim certainty:
"Gather your strength.
This is only the beginning."
And far in the East—
Another inhuman silhouette waited silently, runes glowing with ominous light.
Vessel Three had arrived.