beneath the open sky of Solara Magna. He pulled his hood low, using the afternoon crowd as the best camouflage. The world here was starkly different from The Undercroft. White marble buildings towered, adorned with gleaming gold carvings. Clean stone streets were filled with nobles, wealthy merchants, and Holy Knights patrolling with pride.
But to Nihil, this grandeur was oppressive. The air was thick with the faint energy of Blessings, a constant pressure that made him uneasy, as if in a room with thin air. Every Holy Knight he passed made his skin tingle.
He followed the map from Elara's letter. The location was a smart and bold choice. Not a dark alley or secluded ruin, but the Grand Solara Magna Observatory, an ancient magnificent building with a giant crystal dome. Once a center for astronomical and astrological research, it now functioned more as a museum and quiet tourist spot. A neutral public place where open combat would instantly draw the entire city's attention.
Nihil entered the echoing main hall. In the center, a massive brass and crystal solar system model rotated slowly, powered by ancient magic. Light from the crystal dome above illuminated the dancing dust in the air. Only a few scholars and tourists were scattered in the vast hall.
And there, standing alone before the giant planetarium model, was a woman.
She wore a practical yet elegant deep blue traveling cloak. Her silver hair was neatly tied back. She carried no visible weapons, and her posture was calm and confident. When she turned, her sharp blue eyes met Nihil's, showing she had sensed his presence from the start. She was Elara Moonveil, alone as promised.
Nihil approached cautiously, maintaining a safe distance. Silence enveloped them, broken only by the planetarium's low hum.
Elara was the first to speak, her voice clear and straightforward. "The residual radiation from your ability has no half-life," she said, as if continuing an ongoing conversation. "It doesn't decay or fade. It just... ceases to exist. This is an anomaly directly contradicting the First and Second Laws of Magical Energy Conservation."
This statement put Heze on high alert within Nihil. This woman was no ordinary mage. She was a scientist.
"Such knowledge," Nihil replied, his voice flat, "can be dangerous to possess."
"Knowledge is never dangerous. Only ignorance is," Elara countered. She took a step closer, her gaze intense. "I won't waste your time, Mr. Nihil. I know who you are, or rather, what you are. You are a manifestation of a fundamental principle that has only existed in theory. A Void Singularity bound to a biological vessel."
She paused, letting her words sink in. "I want to study you. Not as a test subject in a cold laboratory, but as a research partner. I will grant you full access to all of the Dimensional Guild's archives on Void anomalies, the history of the Nocturne lineage, every text we've found regarding the `Shackles of Nihility`. I will give you answers."
"And in return?" Nihil asked.
"Data," Elara answered without hesitation. "Allow me to observe and measure your energy output in safe and controlled conditions. Let me understand the rules of your power. Every time you use your abilities, you create invaluable data. I want that data."
This was the most unexpected proposition. Not a request to serve. Not a threat. But an offer of intellectual partnership.
"How can I be sure you won't betray me when I'm vulnerable?" Nihil voiced his logical doubt.
"Trapping you would be inefficient and counterproductive," Elara explained, her tone like a professor lecturing. "First, the fight in the forge proved you are extremely dangerous when provoked. Second, killing or imprisoning you would destroy the only research subject I have. My best interest, logically, is to ensure your survival, safe operation, and willingness to cooperate. Your death is the greatest loss to my research."
Her logic was flawless. Heze couldn't find any flaws in it.
To demonstrate her good faith, Elara reached into her pocket and produced a small black crystal that seemed to absorb surrounding light. "This is a token of good faith. A `Null-Capacity Condenser`. A device from another dimension. It doesn't generate energy, but it can absorb and condense the excess Nihility energy passively leaking from your body due to the curse."
She placed it on the railing between them. "This will help you stabilize your `Void Sync` and gradually increase your maximum capacity. Consider it... an advance. Proof that I am more interested in your progress than your destruction."
Nihil stared at the black crystal. It felt... familiar. Cold. Silent. Like a part of himself. The system in his mind immediately reacted.
`[Foreign Dimensional Artifact Detected: Null-Capacity Condenser.]`
`[Function: Stabilizes and absorbs residual Nihility energy to improve Capacity efficiency.]`
`[Compatibility with Nihility Code: 98.7%]`
`[Integrate with system? Y/N]`
The choice was now his. Trust this strange scientist and integrate the foreign device into the core of his power, or reject it and continue to walk alone in the dark. His decision would determine the path of the story going forward.
Nihil gazed at the black crystal for what felt like an eternity. Heze's logic weighed the probabilities. The risk of betrayal was ever-present. Yet, the risk of remaining ignorant about his enemies and himself was far greater. Elara had offered the one thing he truly needed: data.
He took the crystal. It felt cold and oddly reassuring in his hand.
"Very well," said Nihil.
Within his mind, he selected 'Y'.
`[Initiating integration of Null-Capacity Condenser... Synchronizing with Nihility Code core...]`
`[Process...]`
`[...Integration complete.]`
An unexpected sense of relief washed over him. The constant pressure behind his eyes, the low hum of his curse, had lessened. It felt like a overheated machine finally receiving a cooling system.
`[Maximum Capacity increased: 18 -> 25]`
`[Void Sync stability increased by 7%. Passive progression rate of the curse reduced.]`
The change was tangible. He looked at Elara, and for the first time, there was a flicker of recognition in his crimson eyes.
Elara smiled, this time genuinely. The small instrument on her wrist flashed, showing the change in Nihil's energy signature. "As I thought. The stabilization effect is a success."
Their fragile alliance was formed, not on oaths or friendship, but on the foundation of logic and mutual benefit.
"Now, for our first exchange," said Nihil. "I need information. Three things. Umbra Venari. House Nocturne. And a group called the Cult of Nullity."
Elara nodded, ready. She touched the device on her wrist, and a blue holographic screen appeared between them, visible only to the two of them.
"Umbra Venari," Elara began, displaying an image of Tarek Mornhall. "Their local leader is Tarek. Psychological profile: arrogant, vengeful, and now personally obsessed with you after you injured him. He won't attack you directly again. He'll be more cunning. Based on their union's operational patterns, he'll likely try to use poisons, sabotage, or attack people who've interacted with you to draw you out. The Dwarf blacksmith is in great danger."
Nihil's mind immediately turned to Thorek. He had to warn him.
The screen changed, showing the raven symbol of House Nocturne. "House Nocturne hired Tarek through an intermediary," Elara continued. "A legendary contract killer known only as `The Silencer`. No one knows their face, gender, or affiliations. They are a ghost. Perfect for jobs requiring absolute secrecy. They are your greatest current threat because you'll never know when or how they'll strike."
Lastly, the screen displayed a strange symbol: a spiral leading to a black point at the center. "The Cult of Nullity. This is the most intriguing and dangerous for you," Elara's tone became more serious. "They are not worshippers of nothingness like you. They are remnants of the `Forgotten Sovereign`'s devotees, an ancient god of darkness and silence. Their texts misinterpret nothingness as their sleeping god. They believe you are a holy avatar sent to `awaken` it. Their rituals are extremely dangerous and unstable. If they capture you, they might attempt a sacrifice ritual that could destroy you and unleash an entity that should remain sealed."
This influx of information overwhelmed Heze. His enemies now had faces, methods, and motivations. He was no longer blind.
As Nihil and Elara concluded their meeting and parted ways, neither realized they were not entirely alone.
From behind a marble pillar in the upper gallery, Velka Nocturne had witnessed nearly the entire conversation. She had come to the Observatory after reading that her cursed ancestor, Lyraxis, often spent time here, gazing at the stars. She hoped to find clues but instead found her brother.
She saw it all. The silver-haired woman spoke with Nihil not as a monster, but as a colleague. The artifact she gave. The holographic screen displaying information.
Velka felt her world turned upside down once more. The situation was far more complex than a mere family curse. There were powerful factions involved, factions that seemed to know more about Nihil's condition than her own family. Fear and urgency gripped her. She couldn't approach Nihil now, not with this mysterious woman who was clearly a step ahead of her.
She had to find her own way. She needed her own allies.
Her thoughts turned to the rumors she had heard from the servants. About a legendary informant in The Undercroft who knew everything. Someone called "The Weaver". It was an enormous risk for a noble's daughter, but Velka knew she had no other choice.
Nihil left the Observatory, his mind filled with new data, new threats, and new possibilities. The crystal in his pocket felt slightly warm, a reassuring presence. The alliance with Elara was a gamble, but a necessary one.
His steps now had a clearer purpose. He knew who his enemies were. It was time to understand them more deeply. And the best place to start was with the most existential and least understood threat.
He would investigate the Cult of Nullity. He would find out where they hid. The hunt had begun, but this time, he held the map.