Ravan's words had ignited a new courage within Kyle regarding his lineage. But the moment he tried to touch the next page of the ancient book, a horrifying wave of cold shot from his fingers straight to his heart. The pages hardened like iron, and a sharp black thorn emerged from between them.
"Stop!" Ravan's warning echoed. "The protection on this book is no ordinary magic. It measures the depth of your soul."
Kyle stepped back, staring at his trembling finger and the ring. "Why won't it let me go further?"
Ravan waved his hand through the air, summoning a hazy magical screen. Kyle's status appeared upon it. At the bottom, glowing in red letters, were the words: Corruption Meter: 6.5%.
"The secret to breaking the curse lies within the section connected to the Dark World," Ravan said gravely. "To unlock it, you must offer your blood to that thorn and channel the full magical power of the ring into it. But there is a condition… your soul's synchronization with Draken must reach at least 10%."
Kyle's eyes widened. "That means… I have to surrender another 3.5% of my soul to Draken's darkness?"
"Yes," Ravan replied coldly. "Once your Corruption Meter crosses 10%, your soul will be 'dark' enough for the book to acknowledge you. Right now, you are too pure, Kyle. The book does not consider you its own. You must embrace the pain and darkness Draken has endured for centuries."
Sweat drenched Kyle's body. He remembered the nightmares that had followed the last increase in corruption—the fear of losing control. Reaching 10% meant the path back would grow even more difficult.
He looked at the black book on the altar and then at the violet-glowing ring on his finger. On one side stood his purity—the last piece of himself he wanted to protect. On the other stood the knowledge without which he could never be free. "Isn't there another way?" he asked.
Ravan slowly shook his head. "Power always demands a price. The choice is yours—live safely as an ignorant human, or leap into the flames of destruction as a cursed guardian."
Kyle inhaled deeply. Sweat shimmered on his forehead, but the fear in his eyes had been replaced by resolve. "Draken… I'm ready for 10%."
Instantly, a burning sensation erupted in his chest. Blue lightning-like veins shot from his heart down into his arms. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest in agony. Before his eyes, the status window appeared once more:
Corruption Meter: 10% — Successfully Increased.
Kyle placed his hand into the mold where the ring fit. A tiny sharp spike pierced straight through the center of the ring and into his finger. A cry tore from his throat as blood streamed from his wound, dripping into the book's socket.
The pages suddenly fluttered with a strange golden and violet radiance. Ravan brushed his fingers across them, revealing maps and four glowing symbols.
"Look," Ravan said, pointing to a blurred illustration of a colossal warrior bound in chains while gods mourned around him. "Thousands of years ago, a catastrophic war erupted between gods and demons. Draken fought for the gods. But one of the gods' own companions betrayed them—unable to tolerate Draken's rising glory. That traitor conspired with a demon sorcerer named Malakor and sealed Draken within stone. Heaven descended into chaos."
When the gods discovered the betrayal, their fury was boundless. They captured the traitor and cast him into the deepest abyss of hell for eternity. But the sorcerer who crafted the curse escaped. And the true problem remained—Draken.
"The curse that sealed him was forged using Draken's own power," Ravan explained heavily. "Even the gods could not fully break it. The curse fused with his soul."
"Then… can he ever be freed?" Kyle asked.
"Yes," Ravan answered, locking eyes with him. "But the cost is immense. The gods found a way to weaken the curse. They divided Draken's infinite power into four fragments and scattered them across the most unreachable corners of the world."
"Draken's imprisonment is not a simple lock," Ravan continued. "It is a shattered existence."
He spoke the names solemnly:
The first fragment — The Heart of Valor.
The second — The Eye of Wisdom.
The third — The Soul of Resilience.
The fourth — The Breath of Justice.
"These are known as the Shattered Essence. Without reclaiming all four, Draken's power can never be restored—and the true seal of the ring will never open." He pointed to Kyle's ring, glowing faintly violet. "Whoever becomes Draken's Vessel must gather each fragment and merge them into this ring. Only then can he break the chains of the curse forever. But this is no ordinary journey, Kyle. It is a trial of your soul. Fail… and the remnants of Draken's power will devour you."
Kyle stared at the dim map where four distant points of light flickered in separate directions.
This was no simple quest. It was the beginning of a war. To restore the being the world had branded a monster, he would have to gather those scattered pieces and resurrect the Great Guardian.
Cliffhanger:–
"Friends, Kyle has endured the terrifying flames of 10% corruption—but can he truly find the four Fragments hidden in the world's most dangerous corners? Where are they… and what price will his soul have to pay to claim them? Will this journey forge him into a hero—or will he be lost forever in
Draken's darkness? Share your thoughts in the comments!"