Kaelen and Seren sat quietly, each lost in thought as they processed everything Seth had just explained. Moments earlier, he had detailed the usual process of becoming a Bellringer—something that, until now, neither of them had truly understood.
According to Seth, there were only two known ways.
The first method was through ordination at a ritual site. These sites were scattered across the Deadzone, often buried deep underground or hidden within ruins. Seth and a few others had discovered one in the southern mountains, where they had obtained their own bells.
At these ritual sites, anyone seeking to become a Bellringer was required to make a sacrifice—a personal offering in exchange for the bell's power. These sacrifices varied from person to person: physical body parts, cherished memories, precious possessions, or even curses placed upon oneself. The greater and more meaningful the sacrifice, the stronger the resulting bell would be.
The offering was made to what Seth described as "creepy-ass priests"—corpse-like figures, male or female, who sat motionless within the ritual chambers. Despite their lifeless appearance, they seemed to possess a strange awareness and served as the conduits through which the exchange was made. They were also the ones who revealed much of what Seth and the others knew about the Deadzone, the Fallen, and the true nature of the bells themselves.
The second method was through inheritance. As long as both parties consented, a Bellringer could transfer their bell to a chosen successor. However, the successor was required to undergo the same sacrifice that the previous wielder had made.
Although the bell itself could be passed down, the power it had accumulated over time would diminish upon transfer, leaving only a faint echo of its former strength. The new bearer would have to rebuild that power on their own and build their own resonance with their bell.
What set Kaelen and Seren apart was their extraordinary circumstance. Although Seth had died before Kaelen, time flows differently within the Deadzone—he had already spent nearly two years there before the girls arrived. During that time, he had not only become a Bellringer but also witnessed many others undergo the same transformation. Yet none had achieved this after dying a second time and returning with the strange markings now etched across Kaelen and Seren's bodies.
Unlike ordained or inherited Bellringers, Kaelen—and later, as Seren revealed—bore a unique cost. Their price was not something they would face in life, but in death. If they died again, their souls would be sealed within their bells for all eternity—a second chance at life, granted in exchange for eternal imprisonment after death.
"What do you think?" Seren asked, perched at the foot of the bed.
"I don't know," Kaelen replied, sitting beside her and examining the runes covering her arms. "And that worries me. Our situation means there's no one we can turn to for answers. Honestly, we probably shouldn't tell anyone about it."
"Why?" Seren frowned, curiosity piqued.
"Because being rare attracts attention," Kaelen explained. "Seth might know, but he's not the type to spread rumors. At least, I trust he isn't."
Seren nodded, stretching as she stood. "I'll take your word for it. I'm heading back to my room to get some sleep."
"You just slept for a week, and you're still tired?" Kaelen teased.
"Sure am," Seren replied, waving lazily as she walked out.
Kaelen wasn't alone for long. A soft knock at the door preceded its opening, revealing Seth holding a small plate and a jug.
"Hey," he said, stepping inside. "I figured you might not have eaten."
He set the plate beside her—a serving of grilled meat and a jug of water. Kaelen blinked in disbelief. Food and clean water—things she hadn't seen since her arrival.
"How the hell did you find this here? Let alone meat?" she asked, quickly taking the plate and starting to eat.
Seth chuckled. "One of the Bellringers here can conjure water, so that's covered. As for the meat…" He paused, clearly holding back a grin. "We call it shroom meat."
Kaelen froze mid-bite, staring at him. "You mean the flesh mushrooms that grow everywhere? You could've warned me, damn it!"
Seth laughed, raising his hands. "Sorry, sorry. We pull that one on every newcomer. Gross as it looks, it's safe if you cook it right."
Seth leaned against the wall across from Kaelen. Though only a week had passed since she'd last spoken to him, she couldn't shake the feeling that, for him, it had been much longer.
"I'm surprised you still want to be associated with me," Kaelen said, absently poking at the fungal meat on her plate with her fork.
"What do you mean?" Seth asked, crossing his arms.
"I lied to you for three years straight," she said. "I never told you I was human. I let you build up a false image of me. And yet, here we are—you're not even the slightest bit upset?"
Seth was silent for a long moment before answering plainly, "No. I'm not. I'm sure you had your reasons. Technically speaking, you didn't lie—you just didn't tell me. And honestly, I've had a lot of time to think about it. I don't see you any differently now than I did back then—human or not."
"That certainly makes me feel slightly better," Kaelen said with a faint, uneasy smile. "Though I wouldn't have blamed you if you did hate me—especially since it seems you already knew about my history."
"What do you mean?" Seth asked, tilting his head.
"Back when I told Seren about my past," Kaelen began, setting her plate aside, "it slipped my mind that I never actually told you. But you didn't react at all, not even a little."
Seth chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "You really are as sharp as ever. Yes—I already knew about your past with Lukros. I found out sometime after you died. Despite me arriving in the Deadzone two years before you, I actually died fifty years after you."
Kaelen nearly choked on her food. "Fifty years!? How is that even possible!? And how do you still sound exactly the same?"
Seth leaned back slightly. "The easier question first. While we can be injured and even killed if our bodies are damaged enough, we don't really age like other races do. From birth to death, my voice—and my appearance—stay the same."
Kaelen frowned. The idea of an endless life sounded appealing at first—no aging, no decay—but the thought of true eternity turned it sour. Ferriths could live for hundreds of thousands of years, trapped in the same unchanging shell. Everyone they knew—friends, lovers, even enemies—would wither and fade while they remained.
"How do your people even handle living that long?" she asked softly.
Seth's tone flattened, his voice heavy with quiet resignation. "We don't," he said simply. "We just hope something takes us out first—or that we find the strength to do it ourselves."
Seth coughed, steering the conversation away from the somber tone. "As for your other question—honestly, I'm not sure. Most of us were sent here from different points in time, but all within roughly the same era—the twenty-fourth century. So far, I haven't met anyone outside that window, though I can't say for sure."
Kaelen leaned forward, her curiosity sharpening. "Then tell me—what happened after I died? If you lived fifty years longer, I doubt Lukros just let you rot in a cell. They're not exactly known for their patience."
"You'd be right," Seth said. "I wasn't imprisoned for long. About a year after your execution, a massive prison break was launched by an outside force—at the time, they were known as the Order of Soltheria. They carried out a full-scale assault and freed dozens of inmates, myself included."
Kaelen's eyes widened. "They attacked within Lukros borders? That's insane. It's one thing to ambush a patrol or raid an outpost, but to launch an assault that deep in their territory…"
Seth gave a small nod. "That's exactly what I thought. But the operation was a success—mostly. The Order wasn't just a rebellion; it was a coalition of defectors and dissidents from nearly every major nation. Saurathians from Grinowa, Ferriths from Helram, Elvians like Travis from Citrona, Valkyries from Sigrfold, and Mariths from Pelalora. All of them united by one thing—disgust toward their nations' failure to stand against Lukros's growing tyranny.
"In just a few years, that coalition evolved into the Nation of Soltheria, positioned directly east of Lukros—separated only by a massive fracture torn through the land between them. After I was freed, I joined Soltheria to repay the debt I owed them. It wasn't long before I learned about your past—during a mission assigned to me. I was tasked with infiltrating Lukros's central database and uploading classified military records to Soltheria's network. That was the mission where I died… and ended up here."
Kaelen took a moment to absorb everything. "So much has changed…" she murmured. "What was the situation with Soltheria before you died?"
"Not ideal, but it could've been worse," Seth admitted. "Soltheria had already become enemy number one to Lukros, but we weren't exactly on friendly terms with Sigrfold or Grinowa either. The main reason was our monarch, Velastra—half Valkyrie, half Saurathian. Both races despised each other, so her mixed heritage made diplomacy almost impossible. Despite that, she still managed to secure strong alliances with Helram and Pelalora.
"But who knows how much time has passed since then? For all I know, the entire balance of power could be completely different now. Not that it matters much—we're stuck here for now," Seth said with a shrug. "Still, if what that voice told you and Seren was true—about the Deadzone existing to forge warriors who'll protect Earth—then maybe there's a way out. I hope so."
He clapped his hands together, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "Anyway, I almost forgot why I came in here in the first place."
"It wasn't just to bring me food?" Kaelen asked dryly.
"That was part of the reason. Starting tomorrow, you will be joining our crew here and getting you up to speed on being a Bellringer."
"That easy?" Kaelen asked.
"Well, no," Seth admitted. "I'll be honest—down here, we've had some pretty unsavory experiences with newcomers recently. Humans and Demi-Humans alike. I'll spare you the details, but you're going to have to earn this group's trust. We've got about forty-two refugees here. Some human. Most Demi-Human."
"I thought Travis said all humans he came across were part of the Hunters?" Kaelen asked. "What exactly are the Hunters, anyway?"
"Bandits," Seth said plainly. "That's the simplest way to put it. They rob, kill, abduct—whatever it takes to survive. Most are human, though a few Demi-Humans work with them. Slaves, mostly, or the kind who've lost any shred of decency they once had.
"Technically, Travis isn't wrong," Seth continued. "Most of the humans we've run into eventually join the Hunters. But every now and then, a few defect—some by choice, others out of desperation. When that happens, we take them in, so long as they pull their weight and don't cause trouble."
"And how do you propose I earn their trust exactly?"
"Simple," Seth said. "Don't defect to the Hunters, and eventually you'll have it. I already trust you not to, and I'm sure Seren wouldn't either—but I can't speak for everyone else here."
Kaelen sighed. "That's a lot to take in. I can see why Seren went back to sleep."
"Sleep?" Seth chuckled. "I don't remember sleep meaning eavesdropping on our conversation in the hallway."
"Hey!" Seren called out from the doorway as she stepped inside. "The last time I left you two alone with Kaelen, she was just moments away from being strangled. You may trust her, but I'm not ready to trust you yet."
"Fair enough," Seth replied, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Kaelen turned to Seren. "How long have you been listening?"
"I never left," Seren said with a playful grin. "So, pretty much the whole time."
'Why are you so proud of that?' Kaelen thought, exhaling in disbelief.
Seth stifled a laugh. "You're awfully protective of someone you've known for less than a week, especially considering you were unconscious for most of it."
Seren quickly turned her head, attempting to hide the flush creeping across her cheeks. "We Saurathians are a warrior race," she defended. "We bond best through combat. Kaelen and I fought that Fallen literally to the death—so that makes us friends now."
Seren also knew that if Kaelen were untrustworthy, she could've left her to die to the emaciated Fallen when she'd had the chance. In the two days they spent together before being unconscious for a week, Kaelen had multiple opportunities to stab her in the back—and hadn't taken a single one. That alone said enough.
"Well, since you're both here," Seth said, pushing off the wall, "you'll meet with Aloura next. She'll show you around. Seren, you've already met her—she's the one who told you where Kaelen's room was."
"That tall Valkyrie with the long white hair?" Seren asked.
Seth tilted his head. "Tall? She seemed pretty average height to me. Maybe that's just because you're—"
He stopped as Seren's golden claws shimmered into existence.
"Finish that sentence. I dare you," she warned.
Seth chuckled and backed toward the doorway. "Alright, alright. I'll go get her," he said, slipping out of the room.
"I swear," Seren grumbled, crossing her arms. "If one more person calls me short, I'm going to lose it."
Kaelen chuckled. "Calm down, Seren. We shouldn't be picking fights with anyone here. One wrong move and we'll end up back in that old bell tower."
"I know, I know," Seren muttered, sitting down beside Kaelen on the bed. "I'm just irritated, that's all."
"Because you couldn't take your nap, or because he called you short?" Kaelen teased.
"Next time, I'll let them strangle you," Seren shot back.
"I'll just make sure there isn't a next time," Kaelen replied with a smirk.
A few moments later, the door creaked open again. Stepping inside was a woman of striking beauty, her silky white hair tied neatly into a ponytail. She stood a little shorter than Kaelen—about the average height Seth had mentioned earlier.
Her attire was refined and traditional: a flowing blue-and-white haori hakama that gave her a graceful, almost ethereal presence. But what stood out most were her eyes—pale and clouded, their color like frosted glass. As she entered, she turned her head toward Kaelen and Seren, though it was clear she wasn't looking directly at them.
'She's… blind?' Kaelen thought.
"Yes, I am," the woman said calmly, as if answering her thoughts directly.
Kaelen blinked, caught off guard. "Sorry—that's just not what I was expecting."
"Most wouldn't," the woman replied with a faint smile. "But don't worry, I know my way around well enough."
With a graceful motion, she offered a slight bow. "My name is Aloura Bryn Elihan," she said, her tone polite but assured. "And I welcome you both to Haven."