The rain had stopped, leaving the city drenched in a cold, metallic sheen. Rayon walked along the rooftop where Kaeltherion was still bound, black strings coiling like living serpents around him, pinning him to the wet stones. The man's chest rose and fell rapidly, sweat mixing with rainwater, his shadowy aura flickering erratically.
Vorthalaxis circled Rayon's arm, scales glinting faintly in the dim light. Erethon's voice whispered in Rayon's mind, sardonic and gleeful.
"Oh, this is going to be delicious. Watch him unravel."
Rayon smirked faintly. Hands still in pockets, he tilted his head, letting the strings tighten slightly, sending small shocks of pain through Kaeltherion's body without leaving permanent damage. "Relax," Rayon murmured softly. "I'm not going to kill you… not yet."
Kaeltherion's eyes flicked around wildly. "W-what do you want from me?!" he stammered.
Rayon's smirk widened. "I want… the truth. Every secret you carry. Every whispered lie you've ever told. And I want it clean… or your mind will remember it wrong. Permanently."
Rayon let his Hollow Strings weave subtly into Kaeltherion's nervous system, sensing every fear, every suppressed memory, and amplifying it. The shadows surrounding Kaeltherion writhed unnaturally, responding to the strings as though they were extensions of Rayon's will.
Erethon: Perfect… he's molding him like clay.
Kaeltherion gasped, the first flickers of terror breaking through his trained composure. Memories he had buried, moments of fear and failure, flashed vividly—all magnified and replayed in his mind.
Rayon leaned closer, voice calm, almost teasing. "You thought you were strong. You thought you were untouchable. But even before you struck… I knew. I always know."
Kaeltherion screamed internally, feeling his own shadow strike at him, unaware it was him controlling it. His every defensive maneuver had been anticipated, manipulated by Rayon's strings.
Rayon continued, calm as ever, hands in pockets. "Tell me about the Awakened Circle. Their heralds. Their plans. Their hierarchy."
Kaeltherion's voice cracked. "I-I can't… you'll—"
Rayon's strings flicked violently, forcing him to kneel against the wet rooftop. Pain and fear cascaded over him in waves. "Oh, you can. You will. Because if you don't… every fear you've ever had will become real. Every nightmare you've locked away… alive. And I'll enjoy watching you dance with them."
For hours, Rayon pressed, twisting every memory, amplifying every regret, manipulating perception. He forced Kaeltherion to relive failures and betrayals, making him doubt his own mind, until the man's psyche began to fracture. Sweat, rain, and blood mixed as Kaeltherion's composure shattered completely.
Erethon: Yes… perfect. He'll never look at shadows the same way again.
Finally, Kaeltherion gasped, trembling violently. "Alright… alright! The Circle… they're not just a group of powerful Awakened! The Forsakens—"
Rayon's smirk widened faintly. "Go on."
Kaeltherion swallowed hard, shaking. "The Circle… they were created to monitor the Forsakens. To control them. To prevent them from rising. But the Forsakens… they have ranks, layers. And some… some are older than anyone can imagine. They've been pulling strings behind the Circle for centuries. There are… thirteen of them. And each has a seal tied to a catastrophe… a world-altering force. If even one breaks loose… chaos beyond measure."
Vorthalaxis hissed softly, eyes glinting. Erethon's chuckle was dark, knowing.
Erethon: He knows… but he has no idea how little he knows.
Kaeltherion continued, trembling. "And the Circle… they don't see everything. The Forsakens… the true ones, the hidden ones… some are bound by bloodlines older than this city… older than civilization itself. If a Herald touches a seal without permission… without knowing… the backlash… it's catastrophic. The ones above me… they've been waiting for something like… you."
Rayon's violet eyes narrowed. "You're saying they've been waiting… for me."
Kaeltherion nodded violently. "Y-Yes… and they're aware. They've felt the Hollow Strings… the power that binds reality itself to you. You… you're… a predator among predators. They can't touch you unless you allow it."
Rayon leaned in, voice low, almost playful. "Interesting. But what about you? You've been hiding, spying, playing hero for your masters. Tell me… do you think they care if you die?"
Kaeltherion whimpered. "N-no! They… they… I—I'm just a tool!"
Rayon's smirk deepened. "Exactly. A tool. And tools… are disposable. But useful tools… they break easier when they understand their weakness."
Rayon pressed the strings subtly into Kaeltherion's mind again, replaying failures, amplifying doubts, and twisting perceptions until the man's knees hit the wet stone, shaking violently. His memories of loyalty, of pride, and of power fractured under the precise manipulation.
Erethon: He'll never be the same… and he'll never admit it.
Finally, gasping, drenched, and trembling, Kaeltherion whispered, "Okay… okay… I'll tell you everything."
Kaeltherion spilled the names, the ranks, the bloodlines, and the layers of the Forsakens. He explained the thirteen seals and what lay within each—cosmic forces, ancient monsters, and entities capable of reshaping reality. Some were bound by pure bloodlines, others by forbidden artifacts, and a few… by willpower alone.
He confessed about the Awakened Circle's hierarchy, the heralds, and the layers of spies and manipulators, revealing how intertwined the Forsakens and the Circle truly were. The information was staggering. Rayon absorbed every word without emotion, yet every detail added depth to his map of power, a blueprint for his next moves.
Erethon: Finally… clarity. Now you know exactly what game you're playing—and whose strings you can pull.
Rayon released Kaeltherion, letting him slump forward, exhausted and broken in mind, spirit, and body. Vorthalaxis hissed faintly, coiling around Rayon's arm, black markings glowing.
Erethon: He's fragile now. But useful. Keep him alive… he'll be a perfect map to their world.
Rayon's violet eyes glinted faintly in the lamplight. "Remember this moment," he murmured, voice calm, almost seductive. "You survived, but you will never walk without fear again. Your masters… your precious Circle… your little Forsaken toys… they'll all pay attention now. And I'll enjoy every second."
Kaeltherion could only nod, unable to form words, tears mixing with rain, a man shattered beyond repair.
Rayon turned, coat trailing in the wind, hands in pockets. The city of Veylport was alive with shadows, and the chessboard had grown exponentially.
Erethon: Oh, this is going to be fun. Very… very fun.
Rayon's smirk widened faintly as he glanced at the horizon. The first pieces were moving. The seals, the Forsakens, the Circle… and the chaos that would follow.
And in the distance, the city whispered—Veylport would not sleep peacefully for long.