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Chapter Five: The Scribes' Judgment
The walk to the inner chambers felt like a slow descent into something Ryan wasn't prepared to face. The Scribes of Fate surrounded him and Liana on all sides, their silver masks reflecting the torchlight in cold, distorted shapes. Every step echoed through the marble corridors, each one heavier than the last.
Ryan kept his injured arm close to his body. The black cracks beneath his skin pulsed faintly, spreading a little farther each time his heart beat. He clenched his fist to hide the trembling.
Liana walked beside him, her jaw tight with anger. "They're treating you like a criminal," she whispered. "You didn't do anything wrong."
He wished he could believe that.
The Scribes stopped before a tall set of doors carved with spiraling runes. They swung open silently, revealing a circular chamber lit by floating orbs of pale light. At its center stood a stone table etched with the symbol of the Mirror—an unblinking eye surrounded by twisting threads.
A man waited there.
His mask was gold, not silver. The markings on it were intricate, almost alive. His presence filled the room with a quiet authority that made Ryan's stomach twist.
The High Scribe.
"You caused quite the disturbance," the High Scribe said, his voice calm but sharp. "Step forward."
Ryan obeyed. Liana stayed close, refusing to let go of his arm.
The High Scribe studied him for a long moment. "Ryan Hale. The boy without a fate."
Ryan swallowed. "Yes."
"And yet," the High Scribe continued, "the Mirror reacted to you. It showed us something impossible. A fate broken. A fate rewritten."
Liana stepped forward. "He didn't do anything wrong! The Mirror—"
"Silence."
The word struck the air like a blade. Liana flinched but didn't back down.
The High Scribe turned his masked gaze back to Ryan. "Tell me. What did you see when you collapsed?"
Ryan hesitated. He couldn't reveal the system. He didn't even understand it himself.
"I… don't know," he said. "Everything went dark."
"A lie," the High Scribe said softly.
The runes on the walls glowed faintly, responding to the tension in the room.
"You touched something," the High Scribe continued. "Something no mortal should reach. The Mirror showed us a glimpse—threads of destiny unraveling."
Ryan's breath caught.
The High Scribe stepped closer. "Breaking fate is impossible. Yet you did it."
"I didn't mean to," Ryan whispered.
"That is irrelevant." The High Scribe raised a hand. "Your existence threatens the balance of the world. A being without fate… capable of severing the threads of others…"
Liana grabbed Ryan's hand. "You can't punish him for something he didn't choose!"
The High Scribe ignored her. "We will conduct a full examination. If you are a danger, we will contain you."
Ryan's blood ran cold. "Contain…?"
Before he could finish, a sharp chime echoed inside his mind.
[Emergency Quest Activated]
[Escape the Scribes]
[Failure Consequence: Imprisonment]
His pulse spiked.
Another line appeared:
[Corruption Level: 5%]
[Warning: System instability increasing]
Pain shot up his arm. He gritted his teeth.
The High Scribe extended his hand. "Do not resist."
Ryan stepped back instinctively.
The Scribes moved to surround him.
Liana's eyes widened. "Ryan—!"
The system flashed again:
[Skill Unlocked: Fate Distortion (Lv. 1)]
[Effect: Temporarily disrupts fate‑based magic]
Ryan didn't know what that meant.
But he knew he had no choice.
The Scribes lunged.
Ryan raised his hand.
A pulse of blue energy burst outward, shattering the runes and sending the masked figures stumbling back.
The chamber shook.
Liana grabbed his wrist. "Run!"
Ryan didn't hesitate.
Together, they sprinted toward the exit as alarms echoed through the Hall of Fates.
And behind them, the High Scribe whispered:
"…The Fatebreaker has awakened."