The dawn light filtered through the cracks in the orphanage walls, casting long, pale stripes across Kael's room. For once, the noise of the other children playing outside didn't bother him. The Hollow pulsed quietly inside his chest, a slow, steady rhythm that mirrored his heartbeat. It had grown stronger over the past two weeks, and with it, Kael's confidence. But he knew better than to mistake strength for safety.
Nyx, his newly bound companion, sat silently across from him, her cloak still absorbing the faint shadows around the room. Despite her deadly aura and calm precision, Kael had learned one thing about her almost immediately: she was cautious, calculating, and surprisingly loyal when trust was established. And he intended to use that loyalty wisely.
"I need to understand the Hollow better," Kael muttered, speaking more to himself than to Nyx. "Not just its capacity… but its limits, its compatibility with other forms of energy."
Nyx tilted her head slightly, the silver sheen of her eyes reflecting the weak morning light. "You intend to use it as a weapon."
Kael smirked. "Weapon? That's far too small a word. The Hollow… it's a system. I can grow, adapt, and become more than any mage, knight, or warrior in this world. Weapons are temporary. Systems last."
He rose, stretching his thin but hardened frame. The training of the past two weeks had left him stronger than the original child he had inherited, yet still fragile compared to other children born with mana or aura. The difference was simple: Kael had intelligence, memory of another life, and the Hollow. That combination made him dangerous.
"First things first," Kael said, pacing across the room. "I need more contracts."
Nyx's brow furrowed slightly. "You mean… like what you did with me?"
Kael nodded. "Exactly. The Hollow doesn't just store raw energy. It can store concepts, emotional and spiritual patterns, even latent skills. But to grow it… I need sources. Living sources, preferably skilled ones."
Her eyes narrowed. "You intend to target the strong? Dangerous humans?"
Kael shrugged. "Not yet. That comes later. Right now… I'm still a child in a world that underestimates me. But this world has plenty of resources I can exploit quietly. Weak assassins, careless mages, arrogant knights. Every person has something I can extract. Every soul has potential."
Nyx was silent for a long moment. Finally, she spoke. "You're methodical, I'll give you that. Most children with Hollow potential would either die or become monsters before they realized it. You… plan to survive."
Kael smiled faintly. "Survival is step one. Step two is power. Step three is strategy."
He walked over to the small, wooden desk by the window, the one place in the orphanage room that could hold a small journal. He had begun recording everything about the Hollow: every interaction, every energy fragment, every tiny observation about the spiritual systems he could sense.
He picked up the quill and started writing.
Observation #17: Aura fragments can be absorbed without killing the original source, if controlled carefully.Observation #18: Concept extraction requires the Hollow to be emotionally engaged with the target. Passive extraction is inefficient.Observation #19: Combining aura and concept fragments increases Hollow capacity exponentially. Must experiment carefully.
Kael paused. He had begun to see patterns, subtle but significant. If he carefully targeted the right combination of energy, he could grow the Hollow faster than the world expected. And in time, that growth would make him invincible.
Nyx shifted slightly, her voice cutting through his thoughts. "There's another consideration. The orphanage isn't isolated. Noble houses, guilds, and magical academies all have agents watching. If someone notices your… abilities, they may come for you."
Kael nodded slowly. "I know. That's why I train discreetly. That's why I test the Hollow quietly. And that's why we use shadows."
He gestured to Nyx. "Your presence here is perfect. Silent, unnoticed, but capable. Together, we're a single unit — one I can expand as I grow."
Nyx's expression softened slightly, but her eyes remained alert. "You'll push yourself too far if you're not careful. The Hollow is hungry… but overfeeding yourself with energy could damage your body or mind."
Kael's grin returned. "Don't worry. I learned the hard way. Every experiment will be measured, controlled. I will not die because I was greedy… not today, not tomorrow."
He stood and moved to the small courtyard behind the orphanage, where he had begun light physical training. His body had improved dramatically over the past two weeks — squats, fast walks, basic combat motions, meditation. But now, he needed to test the Hollow in motion.
Kael focused inward. The Hollow pulsed faster, stretching through his body like a black river. He visualized a single fragment of aura — small, bronze-level, damaged. He imagined it floating toward him, and then pulled it with precise control.
It worked. Slowly, carefully, the fragment was absorbed. The sensation wasn't pain, but it was… intimate. The Hollow seemed aware, reacting to his will, adjusting to his mental state. Kael's senses sharpened. He could feel every branch, every pebble beneath his feet, every subtle shift in the wind.
Nyx observed silently. "Impressive. You've stabilized it. But this is still a fraction of what the Hollow can do."
Kael exhaled. "I know. But progress is measured in fragments. Every fragment is a lesson. Every lesson is a tool. And tools… are power."
He walked toward the training dummies set up in the courtyard, shadowing a weak aura child who often trained there. He didn't plan to fight them. He needed only to observe, to understand, to test extraction methods.
Fifteen minutes later, he had acquired another small fragment — a child's fledgling aura combined with determination — without harming the boy. He noted it carefully in his journal.
Hollow capacity: 1.2%Stored resources:– Aura fragment (Bronze, damaged)– Corrupted Greed Core– Determination Residue (Child, minor)
Kael smiled faintly. "Every interaction teaches me something. Every fragment makes me stronger. This is the beginning."
He stood in the courtyard, the first light of the sun casting long shadows across the ground. For a child, he looked small and fragile. But within him, the Hollow pulsed like a black sun — slowly, steadily, infinitely.
Nyx stepped beside him, silent as always. And for the first time, Kael felt that the bond they had forged wasn't just about survival. It was about mutual advantage. Growth. Strategy. Power.
He lifted his gaze toward the horizon. The orphanage, the city beyond it, the mountains in the distance — all of it was just the beginning. One day, every source of power in this world would belong to him.
And Kael Veridian would be ready.
Hollow capacity: 1.2%Potential: Infinite
The game had begun.