The ruins ended, and the city began.
Kael stood on the edge of a broken ridge, his two followers flanking him — Elira silent and watchful, Amaris still recovering from her ordeal, though a growing light had returned to her eyes.
Below them, nestled between shattered mountains and twisted ravines, was a city surrounded by old storm wards and thorned barriers. Tall towers of dark metal pierced the sky, and red-glassed windows glowed from within like watchful eyes.
No banners. No divine emblems.
And more importantly—no godly aura.
[Location Identified: Hollow's Vein – Population 17,200]➤ Status: Independent Zone➤ Pantheon Control: None➤ Faith Level: 0.01% (Scattered)➤ Threat Level: Moderate
[Optional Objective Unlocked: Influence or Subvert Hollow's Vein]
Kael studied it in silence.
A city with no gods… in a world ruled by them?
That made it valuable.
And dangerous.
"We're going in," he said.
The Entrance
A group of black-armored guards met them at the outer gate — their armor devoid of symbols, their weapons well-maintained.
"State your name and alignment," the captain barked. She was tall, gaunt, with one mechanical eye that flickered as it scanned them.
Kael smiled faintly. "Pilgrims. Escaped from Veilshade's fall."
That wasn't even a lie.
The captain narrowed her gaze, then looked to Elira. "She has a mark."
"She was blessed by dusk flame priests before they were slaughtered. It's fading now."
[Skill Used: Voice of the Hollow God (Passive Influence)]➤ Success➤ Guard Captain Suspicion Reduced by 60%➤ Entry Granted
"Don't cause trouble," the woman muttered. "And don't talk about gods. Not here."
The City
Hollow's Vein was unlike any place Kael had seen in either life.
There were no altars. No prayer halls. No temples. Instead, mechanical prayer-dampeners lined every street — humming softly to nullify divine frequencies. People here dressed in muted tones, eyes hollow, movements robotic. The smell of fear was masked by machinery, but it lingered.
They weren't free.
They were hiding.
"What is this place?" Elira whispered.
Amaris answered, voice low. "A city that cut itself off from the divine war a hundred years ago. When the Hollow Flame massacred six pantheons during the eclipse purge, the survivors built this place. They swore off gods… all of them."
[New Lore Fragment Obtained: The Godless Pact]➤ Effect: Certain skills disabled within city limits➤ Divine Core Suppression: -50% Sync Rate while inside
Kael felt it. His connection dimmed. His presence shrank.
But his influence didn't.
Because fear ruled here. And fear… was his domain.
They took shelter in a derelict inn near the underdwell — the poorest quarter.
The innkeeper was half-mad, rambling about "the coming night without stars" and "eyes beneath the steel sewers." Kael paid him in relic shards and offered no prayers.
He couldn't.
Not here.
Even the system was silent, its interface sluggish as if strangled by anti-divine machinery.
Yet Kael didn't panic.
He observed.
Learned.
This was a city without gods — which meant its people had no miracles, no blessings, no protections.
They were vulnerable.
And desperate.
The False God
That night, whispers reached Kael's ears through shadow-links Elira cast between walls.
A name.
A title.
"The Marrow King."
A self-proclaimed sovereign who ruled Hollow's Vein from beneath the central spire. Not a god — not really. A man who claimed to wield divine marrow stolen from the corpses of dead pantheon vessels. He used it to mutate, to grant favors, to control.
And worse — he collected children with soul-glow.
"Divine children," Amaris whispered. "He captures them… drains their marrow into machines. That's how he keeps the faith dampeners running. He burns stolen god-blood."
Kael's silence was absolute.
The Marrow King had built a kingdom by murdering gods and weaponizing their remains. Not through devotion or faith — but through butchery.
It wasn't just blasphemy.
It was competition.
[System Alert: Divine Hostility Triggered — Marrow King]➤ Hidden Quest Branch: "Sever the Spine"➤ Reward: Divine Marrow Core + Unique Cult Upgrade Path
Kael stood slowly.
"You two. Rest here," he said. "I'm going hunting."
The Underworks
The entrance to the underworks was guarded by thugs wearing grafted armor — flesh and metal fused together. They didn't ask for names, only tolls.
Kael gave them none.
He simply walked through.
[Skill: Sovereign Mark — Applied (Mental)]➤ Result: Induced madness in two targets➤ Mental Collapse: 12 seconds➤ Door: Unlocked
He stepped into the darkness below.
Here, the divine dampeners flickered.
The light was red.
The walls breathed.
Dozens of pale children were locked in iron cells — their veins glowing faintly, eyes wide with terror. Machines around them pulsed with tubes, draining their life into vats of burning marrow.
And at the center stood him.
The Marrow King.
He was tall and hunched, bones wrapped in metal, face hidden behind a gilded mask that wept blood.
"You're not from here," he rasped.
Kael didn't answer.
"You smell of old gods," the Marrow King said. "I've skinned ten like you. Don't test me."
Kael stepped forward.
"You are not a god. You are a parasite."
"And you," the King hissed, "are already dead."
[Boss Encounter Triggered: Marrow King — Tier B (Enhanced)]➤ Fight Type: Restricted Divine Zone➤ Special Mechanic: Bonecraft Constructs + Soul Drain Fields
Kael raised his hand.
"I am Kael Varian, Shadow God Reborn."
The lights shattered.
The children screamed.
And the war in the underworks began.