The western border city of Ashdrake looked like it was built to withstand a god’s tantrum.

Stone walls, scorched gates, and guard towers that still smoked from old wars.

Aria and Kael arrived under false names and cloaks of shadow.

Their destination: the Obsidian Hold—a prison buried beneath volcanic rock.

Because inside it, locked in a cell that was more coffin than room, lived a man once known as the System Prophet.

New Quest: Secrets Beneath Ashdrake

Target: Cell No. 99 – “Subject: Veyr”

Status: Former System Host (Alpha Class – Firebound)

Threat Level: Unknown

Risk: Very, very personal

They descended twelve levels in silence.

“Are you sure about this?” Kael asked.

“No,” Aria said. “But I need answers.”

The final cell opened with a hiss.

And there he was.

Skin like old ash, hair like white flame, eyes burning without light.

Veyr.

He smiled the moment he saw her.

“Ah… the girl who died and refused to stay that way.”

“Talk,” Aria snapped.

He laughed. “You have her eyes, you know. Yvonne’s. That same broken storm beneath the calm.”

System Echo Initiated – Psychic Residue Detected

Veyr still holds memory fragments of “The First System War”

Warning: His mind is corrupted. Direct link may cause identity bleed.

“I’ll give you what you want,” Veyr whispered. “But nothing is free.”

He held out a hand.

“Touch me, and I’ll show you where systems were born… and what they were truly meant to destroy.”

Kael stepped forward, blade drawn. “Absolutely not.”

Aria… stepped into the cell.

Contact Initiated

Linking Consciousness...

Firewall Breaking...

WARNING: Overload Detected...

She saw fire.

Endless, roaring fire—systems melting, screaming, eating each other.

Then… a throne.

Yvonne on it.

Holding a child made of pure code. Whispering to it.

“Burn them all. And start over.”

Aria screamed and tore herself away.

Smoke poured from her mouth.

Skill Line Unlocked: Firebound Core (Dormant)

Passive Gained: Flame Immunity + Ember Healing (Lv1)

System Assimilation Progress: 51%

Mental Stress: 89% (Rest recommended... but who rests?)

Kael caught her before she hit the ground.

“You’re insane,” he hissed. “You almost fried your brain.”

“I had to know,” she said, voice hoarse.

“What did you see?”

She looked at him.

“I saw her plan. And I saw something worse.”

She turned away from the cell, flames licking harmlessly at her skin.

“I’m going to need more power. And I can’t get there alone.”

She pulled a thin obsidian shard from her belt—a fire pact crystal. Forbidden magic. Bond-forming. Dangerous.

She held it out to Kael.

“Do this with me. Not as a prince. Not as a shield. As a weapon beside mine.”

Kael stared at the crystal. At her.

And then he took it.

New Pact Formed: Flamebound Vow – Kael + Aria

Effect: Shared resistance / temporary dual-cast access / emotional resonance increased

Warning: Link will strengthen with intensity of shared experiences (and feelings)

Pact Symbol: Flame sigil now glows faintly on both their right palms

They stood together, glowing in the half-light of the prison.

No crown. No court.

Just war coming—and two broken weapons about to be sharpened.

Chapter 16: The Spy, the Storm, and the City of Broken Crowns