The Grandmaster's Reincarnation

The night was too quiet.

Even with the campfire crackling, the usual sounds of the forest—crickets, rustling leaves, distant animal calls—were gone. It was as if the world had decided to hold its breath.

Kael sat near the fire, staring into the flames. His fingers curled and uncurled as he tried to ignore the strange feeling crawling under his skin.

That voice.

That place.

The chains snapping.

It had felt too real. And worse, it felt like something had been set free.

"Can't sleep?"

Kael blinked and turned.

Verrian stood there, arms crossed, watching him with that same unreadable expression.

Kael sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah. Something like that."

Verrian was silent for a moment before stepping closer. He crouched beside the fire, gaze locked on the flames. "You saw something, didn't you?"

Kael's fingers tightened.

This again.

Ever since the fight with Riven, Verrian had been watching him.

Waiting.

And Kael knew why.

Because he wasn't the same anymore.

Not completely.

Kael exhaled slowly. "I don't know what I saw." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.

Verrian studied him, his silver eyes sharp in the firelight. "Lies won't help you here."

Kael clenched his jaw.

Verrian's gaze lingered a moment longer before he sighed. "Whatever it was, don't ignore it. Things like that… they always come back."

He stood up and walked away, leaving Kael alone with his thoughts.

And the fire flickered.

For a brief second—he saw the chains again.

Then they were gone.

A Hidden Path

The next morning, the group moved deeper into the forest.

Their destination: the Ruins of Elaris.

The map Verrian had obtained pointed to an old pathway, hidden beneath years of overgrowth. It was a place forgotten by time—and for good reason.

Seraphina kept a sharp eye on the surroundings, her bow ready. "Something feels off."

Darian, walking ahead with his usual lazy grin, chuckled. "Everything feels off when you're walking into cursed ruins."

Kira, who had been quiet most of the journey, finally spoke. "It's not just that." Her eyes scanned the trees. "There are no birds. No animals."

Vale frowned. "That's never a good sign."

Kael could feel it too.

That same pressure in the air. Like something was watching.

Then—a snap.

Everyone froze.

Verrian held up a hand. "We're not alone."

The group immediately shifted into battle stances.

The bushes rustled.

And out of the shadows, figures emerged.

The Watchers

They weren't human.

Their bodies were cloaked in darkness, shifting like smoke. Their eyes—glowing red slits.

Seraphina cursed. "Shadow Wraiths."

Kael's heart pounded. "What the hell are Shadow Wraiths?"

"Spirits of the damned," Kira said coldly, stepping forward. "Drawn to places of power. Places like Elaris."

The Wraiths moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

They blurred through the trees, aiming straight for the group.

Seraphina's arrows pierced the air. Darian's daggers flashed as he twisted through their ranks.

Verrian's sword sliced through shadows.

But the Wraiths didn't die.

Kael slashed one in half—only to watch it reform instantly.

"They're not staying down!" Vale shouted, backing up.

Kael gritted his teeth. Then he saw it—

The Wraiths were drawn to him.

More than anyone else.

Like they knew.

Like they could sense what was inside him.

A Wraith lunged—Kael instinctively reacted.

And then—

The world shifted.

The Chains Return

Kael wasn't in the forest anymore.

He was back in the darkness.

The chains floated around him.

And in front of him stood the figure from before.

It was closer now.

Its white eyes locked onto his.

"You are awakening."

Kael's chest tightened.

The chains rippled, moving like living things.

"You do not yet understand… but soon, you will."

Kael felt something grip his mind.

A whisper echoed through his skull.

And suddenly—

He understood.

Back in the Battle

Kael gasped.

The moment he snapped back, his body moved on its own.

His sword glowed.

Not with normal light—but with something deeper.

Something ancient.

The Wraiths froze.

For the first time, they hesitated.

And then Kael slashed.

The blade cut through them like fire through paper.

No reforming.

No regeneration.

Just erased.

One by one, the Wraiths vanished into nothing.

The last one shrieked before dissolving into the wind.

Silence.

Everyone turned to Kael.

His sword still glowed.

His hands didn't shake anymore.

And deep down—he knew.

Something inside him had changed.

Again.

The Aftermath

Darian let out a low whistle. "Well. That was new."

Seraphina exhaled, lowering her bow. "What the hell was that?"

Kael couldn't answer.

Verrian, however, was staring at him. Hard.

Kira's voice was quiet. "That power… it wasn't yours before, was it?"

Kael swallowed.

He didn't respond.

Because he didn't know what to say.

All he knew was that something was waking up inside him.

And whatever it was—it wasn't going to stop.

Not now.

Not ever.