The ground trembled, a low guttural rumble growing into violent tremors as something immense tore through the shattered stonework. Crumbling walls collapsed into heaps of rubble, and ancient pillars groaned under the unseen weight. Then it emerged into the clearing: a grotesque tapestry of bone and putrescent flesh, stitched together with thick, black sinews that pulsed with unnatural life. Each step the abomination took cracked the parched earth, leaving trails of acrid smoke curling from the fissures. Its roar ripped through the stillness of the night, a jagged, discordant sound that clawed at Kael's very bones and made his chest constrict in primal fear.
The roar split the humid air, shaking loose fragments of masonry from the crumbling arch of the ancient gateway. Emerging from the deep shadows, the monster was even more horrific up close. Its bulk was colossal, its hide a patchwork of calcified plates and rotting skin. Dozens of eyes, milky white and feverishly red, flickered across its malformed head, each one radiating a cold, insatiable hunger.
Kael's breath hitched in his throat. He could barely stand, his broken wrist throbbing, the revolver feeling like a lead weight in his trembling hand. 'Damn it… I don't have the strength left for this.' His vision swam, the edges blurring. The pain from his wrist, the exhaustion from the previous battles, and the sheer terror of the creature before him finally coalesced. A wave of dizziness washed over him, his knees buckled, and the humid air seemed to thicken, suffocating him.
Null, however, merely tilted his head, his pale grey eyes studying the monstrous arrival with an almost clinical curiosity, like a child examining an unusual insect. Then, with a movement so swift Kael's already failing vision couldn't properly track it, Null stepped forward.
One moment Null was idly brushing dust from the sleeve of his makeshift tunic, the next he was standing a disconcerting meter away from the beast's snapping, ichor-drenched jaws, as if he had simply skipped the distance.
'W-what the hell'
The creature reared back, its many eyes widening, a high-pitched shriek tearing from its multi-hinged throat. Kael instinctively braced himself for a brutal clash, the start of a drawn-out, desperate battle…
But the world tilted violently. A black tide rose in Kael's vision, swallowing the monstrous form, Null's pale figure, the crumbling gate. His legs gave out completely, and he crumpled to the dusty ground. The last sensation he registered was the rough stone scraping against his cheek before darkness claimed him.
****
When Kael regained consciousness he was someplace else, his head throbbing with a dull ache. The air was warmer now, carrying the comforting scent of woodsmoke. His eyelids felt heavy, gritty. He blinked them open, his vision blurry at first, then slowly focusing on the flickering orange glow dancing on the rough-hewn stone walls around him. He was inside a small, partially collapsed building, a makeshift campfire crackling merrily in the center of the dusty floor.
Null was sitting cross-legged opposite him, calmly poking at the flames with a thin piece of metal.
"Ah, finally awake," Null commented without looking up, his voice devoid of concern. "Well, you're welcome."
'Ah? Did I faint in front of the monster?' The thought was unpleasant. 'In front of this lunatic of all people.' He glanced at Null with frustration. 'I might be dead if not for him.' Kael was grateful, however it was soured by the bitter taste of his own weakness. 'Damn this body,' he thought, his fists clenching so hard his knuckles ground against the dirt floor.
He took a slow, deliberate breath, forcing himself to calm down. 'Let's analyze the situation now,' Kael thought as he pushed himself up onto his good elbow, a groan escaping his lips. "Where are we?" He squinted, trying to get his bearings. "And why is there a fire? That'll draw everything for miles!"
Null finally glanced up, a faint, knowing smirk playing on his lips. He held up a small, intricately carved piece of obsidian that seemed to absorb the firelight. "A little trinket of concealment. Keeps the nasties from noticing our little gathering. Consider it another one of my… persuasions."
He returned his attention to the fire. "As for where… somewhere a little less exposed than your grandstand at the gate. You wouldn't want to get eaten in your sleep, would you?"
He did not answer ,Kael stared at the flickering fire for a long moment before his voice came, low and hesitant. "That thing… the monster. What happened to it?"
Null let the trinket fall back into his palm with a soft clink. His expression didn't change, but his tone was edged with a dry amusement. "You fainted. I wasn't in the mood to fight while dragging dead weight, so I took you and left. Simple enough."
Then, as though remembering something amusing, Null suddenly turned toward him, grin sharp in the firelight. "I must say, though… fainting right in front of me? Bold choice. Almost touching, really. You trust me that much?"
Kael's frown deepened, heat prickling at his ears. "Don't flatter yourself," he muttered, dragging himself up against the wall. "You said yourself, didn't you? Trust gets you killed."
Null nodded slowly. For a brief second, his playful smirk vanished, replaced by a distant, unreadable expression, as if he were recalling a memory from a very long time ago.
After a moment of silence, with only the crackling of the fire between them, Null spoke again, his tone laced with that familiar dark amusement. "So, it seems we are even, wouldn't you agree? You saved me from those delightful shackles, and I, in turn, prevented you from becoming a rather unappetizing snack."
Kael's exhaustion finally gave way to a flash of anger. He pushed himself up further, wincing at the pain in his wrist. "Even? You think we're even? I was only in that mess in the first place to get you out! You were the target! I wouldn't have been anywhere near those Burdened or that… that thing if it wasn't for you!"
Null's grin lingered, but his eyes narrowed with curiosity. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.
"So then… what is it you actually want from me?"
Kael hesitated, the words bitter on his tongue, but he forced them out. "You're strong. Stronger than me. All I need from you is a favor… and some information."
For a heartbeat, silence stretched between them, broken only by the pop of the firewood. Then Null barked a laugh, sharp and mocking.
"A favor and information? My, my, Ash… how greedy. You faint in front of me, rely on my hospitality, and now you're already making demands?" He tilted his head, smile turning razor-thin. "Don't you think that's asking a bit too much?"
Kael let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. "Hardly worth saving your life."
Null arched a brow, clearly entertained. "Oh? Then what is it that you want to know, little savior?"
Kael met his gaze, steady despite the gnawing ache in his chest. "I want to know how you awakened. How you became… a Burdened."
For the first time, Null's playful smile faltered, just slightly, but enough to notice. He leaned forward, eyes glimmering with something sharper, more dangerous than mockery. "Now that," he murmured, voice dropping into something low and unreadable, "is a very curious question to ask."
Null turned away from the fire, his smile fading as he exhaled a long sigh. "If you're asking me this," he said quietly, "then you aren't selected by a Law yourself."
Kael stiffened at the remark, a prickle of unease tightening in his chest.
Null didn't give him time to answer. "Like many others, I was simply chosen. When you reach partial resonance with a Law, you can swear a vow, you pay the price it demands, thus becoming a Burdened." His voice was calm, tinged with a faint melancholy that seemed wholly out of place on him. The flames reflected in his pale eyes as he added, almost idly, "It's common knowledge."
Kael's brow furrowed. Something about the way he said it didn't sit right, but he forced the thought aside. Now wasn't the time.
Kael leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Resonance? What's that supposed to mean?"
For the first time, Null actually blinked, his head tilting as if he hadn't heard right. Then, to Kael's irritation, a slow grin spread across his face. "You're serious." He let out a short laugh, sharp and incredulous. "Saints above… you don't know anything, do you?"
Kael scowled, but Null raised a finger in mock patience, twirling the bit of metal in his hand. "Resonance," he said, savoring the word. "To speed up ascension and keep your power from tearing you apart, you perform rituals. Symbolic acts that align the nature of your Law. It's different for each person, you'll know it when you reach that stage."
He lingered for a moment, then added, "Without partial resonance, you can't ascend."
Kael digested that. "Then does that mean there's such a thing as full resonance?"
He smirked again, tilting his head. "Who knows?" he said lightly.
Kael frowned at the vague answer, but decided to let it go. After a few moments of silence, Kael decided to ask the thing he was most curious about.
He hesitated, then asked the question gnawing at him. "If you're this strong… how did they even manage to chain you? The three Burdened back there shouldn't have been enough."
Null's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. He tilted his head, his pale hair catching the firelight. "Three?" His voice dripped mockery. "There were seven."
The fire popped, and for a moment, Kael swore the air grew colder. Null's eyes glimmered, faint and cruel. "The charms were the real nuisance. Slowed me down. Otherwise… well…" He let the words trail off, a razor edge of malice in the silence.
Kael stiffened. 'Seven.' He glanced at the boy across the fire, suddenly aware of how thin the line was between ally and executioner.
Strangely, the realization didn't surprise him, but he decided not to pry any further. Null's tone hadn't exactly invited more questions. He would've liked to know the real reason why this lunatic had been chained up in the first place, why anyone would go through the trouble of capturing someone like him, but he was already pushing his luck. Best not to test it further.
Instead, he leaned back against the cold stone wall, the firelight painting his face in restless shadows. Neither of them spoke again, the silence broken only by the steady crackle of the flames.
Outside, the ruins lay bathed in silver light. Three moons hung high above, their glow spilling across shattered stone and tangled roots, softening the scars of the broken place. The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of grass and earth. They let their bodies rest, the peace fragile but enough, and the ruins finally felt still.