It began with a whisper of metal. Not speech. Not sound. Just the feeling of something sharp and ancient watching from the shadows. The name Vessa gave him—Serei—looped in Ryon's mind like a riddle with no answer. > "The mute girl with iron eyes. She was never supposed to exist." Now he had to find her. Before the Matriarch noticed he was looking. The Girl Who Didn't Speak It took hours of subtle questioning—faking errands, wandering training halls, even sneaking into the servants' registry—but finally, he found her. She stood by the western wall, tending to the forge gardens—plants used in rune-burning and magical alloys. Her hands moved with precision. Her posture, still and contained. Her hair was short, black, clipped at the neck, and her eyes— Her eyes were not eyes. Forged. Smooth like obsidian steel, reflecting light like mirrors and shadow at once. And she watched him long before he approached. > System Alert: Ghost Thread Confirmed Classification: Experimental Soul / Rejected Candidate Emotional Status: Suppressed Voice: Removed (Sealed by Command Spell) Soul Integrity: Shattered (Restoration Possible) Ryon approached slowly. She didn't flinch. Just tilted her head, blinking once. He raised a hand in greeting. "I'm not here to hurt you," he said. "…Do you understand me?" A pause—then a faint nod. Her hands moved. Sign language. Serei's eyes narrowed. Her hands moved again: > "That's a mistake." A Language of Silence She turned and walked away. Ryon followed. They ended up beneath the old aqueduct arch, where vines grew like falling swords. It was a quiet place. Forgotten. There, she knelt beside an old rune stone, fingers tracing shapes across the moss. Ryon sat near, keeping his distance. "Why are you hidden?" he asked. She looked up sharply. Then made a long, slow motion: > "Because I was born wrong." Ryon frowned. "What does that mean?" Serei touched her throat. Then formed her hands into a tiny cage. > "They made me. Then feared me." > System Surge: Unstable Soul Detected Thread Reconnection Available Required Trigger: Memory Touch or Shared Vulnerability Suggested Action: Reveal your true name "My name isn't just Ryon," he said quietly. "Not in full. I was once called Ryon Dareth Eluin. Son of a broken mage. Brother to a soldier who died in fire. I don't know why I'm alive." Serei didn't move for a long time. Then reached out, placed a hand on his chest— And released a pulse of soft heat from her palm. Ghost Thread Activated Bond Progress: 0% → 9% Voice Seal Reaction: Shaking Emotion Detected: Hope New Quest Unlocked: "Give Her a Voice" Required: Break Command Seal, Restore Soul Anchor Reward: Soul Thread Full Link – Serei As the sun dipped low, Serei turned to leave. But before she did, she pointed at his chest… then at her own… and made a slow circle motion between them. Then she vanished through the arches. Leaving Ryon with nothing but silence—and a warm pressure blooming behind his ribs. She was not like the others. Not wild like Kaela. Not proud like Avelyn. Not sweet like Mirela. Not fierce like Seyna. She was empty—but somehow still whole. He wasn't just here to survive anymore. He was here to heal what the South tried to forget.