Dawn seeped through the crumbled arches of the ruin, painting the stone in pale gold. Kael stirred, the stiffness in his body greeting him before the light did. He blinked against the morning haze, his eyes falling first on the fire's ashen remains, then on Null.
The man sat with his back against a broken column, posture loose, face detached as though he hadn't slept a moment. His usual smirk was gone, and in the quiet of the morning his pale features looked less playful and more profoundly alien. His eyes flicked lazily toward Kael when he stirred, then drifted back to the horizon, as if Kael were nothing more than part of the scenery.
Kael's body ached with a deep, bone-weary pain. He sat up, his broken wrist sending a sharp protest up his arm. He ignored it, pulling a strip of dry, salted jerky from his pack and chewing on it mechanically.
"I suppose this is where we part ways," Kael said after a moment, his voice raspy.
"Suppose so." Null's gaze remained distant.
Kael frowned. 'What happened to him? Is he depressed?' It was strange, seeing such an expression on the usually carefree guy. But then again, who in this world was truly normal? Especially the Burdened…
His eyes lingered on Null a moment longer before he shook his head. 'A broken world, full of broken people.'
The bitter thought clawed at him, but Kael forced it down, pushing it to the back of his mind.
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Where will you go?"
"East," Null said simply.
Kael almost choked on his jerky. He let out a harsh, disbelieving laugh. "East? Don't tell me you've gone mad. Nothing out there but tainted ground and ghosts. It's a graveyard for the Burdened."
Null tilted his head, expression unreadable. "I didn't say I'd be entering. There's… a rift along the border. Something I intend to find." His tone, though light, carried a strange weight.
Kael frowned but let the topic drop. His own path was far clearer and far less dangerous. Oasis. The Tier Two sanctum. A large city and the promise of safety at least compared to this wasteland. It was one of the first sanctums humanity had ever conquered, a place that symbolized survival itself. If he could just reach Oasis, he'd have time to breathe and plan his next steps. He had important decisions to make.
His gaze shifted back to Null. "And if I need that favor I mentioned?"
For the first time that morning, Null's mischievous smirk returned. "Oh, it's very simple. When the time comes, go somewhere quiet, close your eyes, and say my name three times."
Kael scoffed. "Right. And a fairy will grant me three wishes?"
The smirk vanished, replaced by an unnerving seriousness. "No," Null said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "But I will know. And I will find you."
Kael stared, a chill running down his spine that had nothing to do with the morning air. 'He's serious.' The sheer abnormality of it was staggering.
"Is that… a normal ability for a Burdened?"
"No," Null said simply, his smirk fading into something more ambiguous. "Just me."
Kael studied him, unease gnawing at the back of his mind. At this point, he had no idea what Null's true nature was. The boy was unnaturally strong for a Burdened, and he seemed to wield multiple Authorities, something no normal one should. Typically, a Burdened awakened a single Authority tied to their Law at each rank. 'Just how many Authorities does this guy have…?'
After packing what's left of his supplies, Kael exhaled through his nose, tightening the straps on his pack. Then he said with a carefree smile, "Well… guess this is it. Although our time together was short, I hated every moment of it."
Null's lips curved into a faint smile, the kind that never quite reached his eyes. "Why, thank you. Stay alive out there, Ash."
Kael gave him one last look, searching for some trace of sincerity behind the boy's mask. Finding none, he shook his head and turned away, exiting the building. The ruins stretched westward, the faint outline of Oasis somewhere beyond, and he forced his steps in that direction without looking back.
Only when Kael's silhouette had vanished into the haze did Null stir. He rose slowly, brushing the dust from his coat, and stepped out of the crumbled ruin into the open air. The morning was sharp and quiet, the silence pressing against the broken stone around him.
Null walked a few paces into the open, then tilted his head toward the sky. High above, a faint, watchful eye seemed etched into the heavens, veiled by the morning light.
A shadow flickered across his face as his expression hardened, and he muttered, 'Ah, how I loathe this. '
****
The capital was alive.
Cobblestone streets bustled with vendors calling out their wares, bright canopies stretching overhead like sails of every color. Children darted between carriages, their laughter ringing over the steady hum of voices. Musicians strummed along the corners, weaving cheerful notes into the air already thick with the smell of roasted bread and spices.
Aeris walked silently through it all, her cloak flowing around her steps. Her masked face betrayed nothing, but her amethyst eyes traced the scene with a quiet, gnawing disgust.
'How strange,' she thought. 'Out there, in the wastes, they live like corpses, starving, clinging to life with hands too frail to grasp it. But here… here they laugh. They smile. They sing as if the world is not crumbling around them.'
The contrast was sharp. She could almost taste the difference in the air itself. No matter how many times she saw this place it never failed to unsettle her.
Her pace never slowed, her boots clicking softly on the polished stone road as she passed through the crowd. No one dared step too close. Perhaps it was the mask. Perhaps it was the quiet gravity she carried, like a blade held in a sheath.
She reached the end of the avenue and stopped.
The street opened into a broad plaza, dominated by a towering golden statue at its center. Sunlight glinted off the polished metal, casting long shadows across the cobblestones.
The statue depicted a beautiful woman clad in gleaming armor, her serene face turned toward a hopeful sky, as if untouched by suffering, radiating a calm perfection that felt unreal. At its base an inscription was carved in bold letters: "In Humanity We Rise, Through Unity We Endure."
Aeris' eyes lingered on the polished statue, and for a brief moment, a shadow of sorrow crossed her masked face, quickly replaced by contempt. She looked from the polished statue to the bustling crowd around it, laughter and chatter filling the plaza, she shook her head and continued her march.
At the far end of the plaza, a wide avenue stretched onward, flanked by high buildings of polished stone and timber, their facades carved with intricate patterns that caught the sunlight. Balconies overhung the street, draped with banners and flowering vines, while the occasional fountain or stone bench broke the march of cobbles.
Before her stood a cathedral. Its pale walls rose high, gilded spires glinting in the sun. The stained glass shimmered with colors that seemed too vibrant for this world. The wide steps leading to its doors were swept clean, lined with blooming flowers and polished lanterns.
For a moment, Aeris simply stood at the foot of the stairs.
The people around her passed by, smiling, carrying baskets of fruit or bouquets of flowers, bowing lightly as they crossed into the sanctuary. Their serenity was almost contagious.
Almost.
'A sanctuary for the privileged,' Aeris thought, eyes narrowing behind the mask. 'Built on the bones of those who will never set foot here.'
And yet… her steps carried her forward, one after another, until she reached the grand doors of the cathedral. The ancient wood groaned as they swung open, revealing a vast interior bathed in soft, filtered light. Stained-glass murals adorned the domes, depicting scenes of peace and harmony: gentle rivers, soaring doves, and figures in quiet meditation, all painted in colors so vivid they seemed to hum with life. The walls were etched with delicate patterns that caught the light like threads of gold, creating an atmosphere both reverent and alive.
At the far end, an altar rose on a raised dais. Upon it, a brazier burned with a steady, pale white flame, its light reflecting a complex symbol etched into the metal: two semicircles, one inverted over the other, their ends intertwining to form a harmonious, eye-like shape. At its very center, etched with meticulous detail, stood a slender tree with branches of gold leaf that seemed to dance in the fire's glow.
A figure stood before the flame, clad in pristine white robes that shimmered faintly with the morning light. He turned as Aeris entered, revealing a handsome face framed by wheat-blond hair and calm blue eyes. A neatly kept beard traced his jaw, and his expression radiated a serenity so complete it seemed to illuminate the very air around him.
With a fluid motion, Aeris removed her mask. Her white hair turned raven black, cascading over her shoulders like a river of midnight, catching the cathedral light. Her amethyst eyes softened into pale lavender, sharp yet gentle, revealing both youth and an uncanny depth. High cheekbones and a defined jaw lent her a striking elegance, her pale skin almost luminous in the gentle glow of the altar light, framing her sharp, feminine features perfectly.
She sank into a low, respectful bow, her head bowed. "Peace be upon you, Your Eminence," her voice, clear and soft, echoed slightly in the quiet space.
He replied, his voice as gentle as the midnight breeze, "And may serenity guard your path, Aeris." Then a warm smile spread across his face, gentle yet commanding, and the light around him seemed to grow, bathing the cathedral's interior in a soft, almost tangible glow.
"Raise your head, child," he said kindly. "How have you been?"
Aeris replied, her voice calm and measured, "I'm fine, Your Eminence, and you?"
He gave a gentle nod, eyes crinkling slightly with the same warmth she had always known. "I am well, as ever," he said, though his gaze lingered on her.
The Eminence's gaze softened, studying her with quiet understanding.
"Aeris… are you still uncomfortable here at the capital?"
Her expression faltered for the first time. She lowered her eyes, voice quiet but steady.
"Yes."
He tilted his head slightly, as though he had expected that answer. His voice remained gentle.
"Is it the city that weighs on you… or perhaps that statue in the plaza?"
Aeris' shoulders stiffened. Her eyes flickered with unease before hardening again.
"The statue does trouble me," she admitted at last, though her tone carried more disdain than sorrow. "But it is not only that."
The Eminence inclined his head slightly, his voice low and soothing.
"Do not carry it alone, child."
Her breath trembled faintly as she looked past him, toward the glowing flame.
"Every time I see this place I wonder… what are we fighting for? Is there truly peace in this world? And if there is, do we even deserve it? This city has the capacity to shelter countless souls who die needless deaths out there in the ruins, yet bound by greed we deny them. We let them perish."
For a moment the Eminence was silent, as if weighing her words with care. His eyes softened, though his tone held a quiet gravity.
"There will always be more lives than walls to contain them. And even if we opened every gate, some would still be left outside. It is a bitter truth, Aeris… but mercy, when stretched thin, can collapse into ruin. To preserve a sanctuary, boundaries must exist."
Aeris' voice cut in, sharp and trembling with restrained fury.
"And who decides? Who chooses who gets to live and who dies? These so-called heroes? The strong, who watch the weak wither and do nothing?"
She drew a slow breath, then her words turned colder.
"It is the hypocrisy of those we call heroes that grates on me. They claim to protect, yet countless innocents perish while they turn away. They speak of justice, yet let the weak suffer. And humanity… some face the worst of fates while others live long and comfortable. They pity each other, yet cling to a facade of happiness and safety. They speak of humanity while watching their kin die, they speak of peace while sowing death."
The pale flame of the brazier flickered, shadows bending along the cathedral walls. The Eminence regarded her quietly, his expression neither condemning nor surprised. His voice, calm but weighted with sorrow, broke the silence.
"Aeris, my child… your anger is not misplaced. You are young, and you see the world in its harshest colors. You are destined to carry truths few could bear. We call ourselves the keepers of peace, but there is no such thing as absolute peace and harmony. Even the deities themselves failed to bring it. How then could we mortals ever hope to?"
He lingered for a moment and said softly,
"Aeris… that burden will weigh heavier with every truth you uncover. But remember this, my child"
At last, he inclined his head, voice calm but edged with certainty.
"—the facade of safety is what keeps us sane, while the cruelty is what keeps the world moving."
Aeris was silent for a long moment, the truth of his words settling like a weight in her chest, a truth she could not accept, even if she understood its logic. The anger was still there, but her respect for him was greater. She finally bowed her head again, her voice softer, laced with regret for her tone, if not her sentiment.
"Forgive me, Your Eminence. For my… display."
"There is nothing to forgive, child," he said, his warmth returning like the sun from behind a cloud. "Your compassion is not a flaw. It is a testament to your spirit. But even the strongest spirit must rest. Go. Recuperate. Your duties will await you."
"Thank you, Your Eminence."
Aeris replaced her mask, her hair flowing back to its stark white, her eyes shifting to amethyst once more. With a final, respectful nod, she turned and left, the great cathedral doors groaning shut behind her casting the room in silence.
The Eminence stood alone before the pale flame, his serene expression slowly fading into one of profound weariness. He looked up, as if he could see through the vaulted ceilings and into the heavens beyond.
"So much fire in her," he murmured to the silent cathedral, his voice barely a whisper, heavy with a burden only he seemed to carry. "And so little time before she draws Their gaze. Forgive me, Aeris… but you can't change it. Not yet."