The moon hung low and swollen over Karsen, casting an ethereal silver light across the broken rooftops and narrow, winding streets. The city, scarred by years of clandestine wars and whispered betrayals, pulsed quietly beneath the veil of night — a fragile web of power, fear, and fragile alliances.
Beneath the crumbling façade of the city's ancient library, hidden behind a false wall, a small chamber breathed with the scent of musty parchment and burning incense. Shelves bowed under the weight of forgotten tomes and scrolls, their faded inks chronicling secrets that time had tried to bury.
Mira sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, her slender fingers tracing the elegant script of an ancient grimoire. The book's pages whispered stories of the Binding Orders — long-lost factions that had wielded contracts forged in blood and soul, weaving power from sacrifice and loyalty. Yet alongside the ornate calligraphy, scrawled warnings trembled like shadows: "Power exacts a price. The unbound become the enslaved."
Her silver eyes gleamed with determination and worry as she closed the book slowly.
A soft knock echoed through the chamber's stillness.
Maro stepped inside, his dark hood concealing much of his expression, though the tight line of his jaw betrayed tension.
"You're digging too deep," he said quietly, voice rough like gravel. "The past is a graveyard. Not all who wander there return sane."
Mira looked up, her gaze steady and unyielding. "Knowledge is our greatest weapon. To fight the darkness swallowing Karsen, we need to understand it — not bury it."
Maro's eyes flickered with something like admiration — or maybe sorrow. "Cyr's power grows, yes. But with every chain broken, another binds tighter. The system isn't just a tool. It's a shackle, a curse, and a mirror. He's losing himself piece by piece."
Before Mira could reply, the chamber's heavy door creaked open. Cyr stepped inside, his cloak stained from the day's battles, exhaustion lining the sharp planes of his face. His eyes, though tired, burned with fierce resolve.
"I need to know who we're truly fighting," Cyr said, voice low and heavy. "The Syndicate's just a symptom. The factions, the politics… none of it explains the darkness threading through it all."
Maro's gaze darkened as he crossed the room. "That darkness is older than anyone alive — older than the Binding Orders themselves. It feeds on betrayal, thrives on sacrifice. It's a living thing, and it's coming for you."
Mira closed the ancient grimoire with deliberate care, the faint sound echoing in the quiet room. "Sometimes, the only way to fight that darkness is to bind yourself to a greater vow. To accept the chains willingly and wield them as weapons."
Cyr swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her words settle in his chest.
As if in response, the system interface flickered to life in his mind — a new contract shimmering faintly within the holographic web.
[New Contract Unlocked: "Vow of the Silent Blade"]
Effect: Enhances stealth and agility drastically.
Cost: Accelerated mental fatigue and risk of dissociation.
Restrictions: Requires active suppression of personal domain visibility.
He hesitated, weighing the price against the necessity. The Vow promised power in shadows, a whisper of unseen influence, but the mental toll was no trivial matter.
Maro watched him carefully. "Every vow binds you tighter. Every choice has a price, Cyr. But sometimes, the cost is worth the power to protect those you care about."
Mira stepped closer, voice soft but resolute. "We don't have much time. The Selection Trials are being expedited. The factions will come hunting for those marked by cursed contracts — and Karsen won't survive the fallout."
Outside, the city's restless streets hummed with unseen movements. Cloaked figures slipped through alleys, whispers exchanged behind closed doors, and the delicate balance of power shifted toward chaos.
Cyr's mind raced, the threads of loyalty, power, and sacrifice intertwining like the bindings he wielded. Trust was scarce, danger constant, and every step forward a gamble.
The bonds forged in shadow would either save them — or shatter everything.
End of Chapter 17