The wind changed before Zephyr appeared. The next... pressure. A shift in the atmosphere, like the gods were holding their breath. The group was camped near the ruins of an old tower — their third relocation in five days. Tension buzzed through the air like static. Hana’s army hadn’t moved. But the party had splintered further. Lira no longer slept near the others. Elira sharpened her blade every hour. Yulia barely spoke unless spoken to. Virela... watched them all with increasing amusement. He was unraveling in quiet, dangerous pieces. That’s when he walked into the firelight. Golden armor. White hair glowing like starlight. A calm smile that could gut a nation. "You look worse than usual," Zephyr said casually, hands behind his back. Lira reached for a knife. Virela actually clapped. Yulia’s eyes widened. Elira stepped between him and Kai. "You’re not welcome here." His eyes locked on Kai. "I didn’t come to fight," he said. "I came to talk." "And I should listen to you... why?" Zephyr smiled faintly. "Because, Hero, I know what your system won’t tell you." [System Alert: Zephyr Alarion Initiates Pact Dialogue] Intent: Strategic Alliance (Temporary) Risk Level: Catastrophic Do you wish to hear him out? Because the truth was simple: He was out of answers. And Zephyr never asked questions he didn’t already know the answers to. Ten Minutes Later – Alone at the Edge of the Camp Zephyr leaned against a fallen column, arms crossed. Kai stood across from him, barely containing the pulse of mana trembling in his core. "You’re dying," Zephyr said bluntly. Kai didn’t flinch. "That’s not news." "Not physically," Zephyr clarified. "But spiritually. Every time you suppress your power, every time you refuse to fracture someone else... the gods take a little more from you." "And eventually, they’ll take everything." "What do you want, Zephyr?" "I want to save the world." Kai laughed, bitter and sharp. "You’re the one breaking it." "No," Zephyr replied softly. "I’m breaking you. Because you’re the key." [System Conflict Detected: Diverging Hero Protocols] Hero: Kai Veyron – Alignment: Fracturing Hero: Zephyr Alarion – Alignment: Reclamation Zephyr tossed something at him. Black. Faintly humming. Kai caught it, reluctantly. "A tether stone," Zephyr said. "Created from a divine shard. If you bind your core to it, you’ll gain stability. You’ll stop burning out." "...What’s the price?" Zephyr’s eyes glittered. "Once it’s activated, the gods lose access to your emotional matrix. You’ll be... invisible to them." "That sounds like a good thing." "It is," Zephyr said. "For about six days." "You’ll start becoming something else." The kind that wraps around decisions like a noose. Kai’s hand tightened around the stone. "No," Zephyr agreed. "You’re weaker. Softer. Human." "But I’m offering you something no one else will: a way out. A choice. A chance." Zephyr paused at the edge of the clearing. "Think quickly, Hero. Because your next burst will kill one of them." And then he was gone. [System Update: Forbidden Pact Option Unlocked] Item: Tether Stone of the Forsaken Accepting will remove divine safeguards Gain: Stability + Immunity to Dream Trials Lose: Emotional Feedback & Morality Buffs Do you wish to activate? Y/N Kai stared at it long into the night. Because Zephyr was right. The next burst might kill someone. And if it came down to losing himself... or losing them... He didn’t know which was worse. That night, someone crept close to his tent. A shadow paused, watching him. Latest content publıshed on nοvelfire.net Then left a sealed letter at the flap. Kai opened it at dawn. Inside, written in soft script, were just two lines: "Don’t take the stone." "I already chose to fall for you — not the god inside you."