The chamber beneath the Headmaster's Sanctum groaned with the weight of ancient magic. The Obsidian Gate, now fully ajar, pulsed with an unnatural light that painted the stone walls in hues of violet and black. From within the Gate came a sound—no, a presence—like the heartbeat of a dead god, steady and terrifying.
Valerian stood still, his breath caught in his throat. The Hollow Flame had spoken. Not with words, but with a voice that echoed inside his soul.
"You are mine."
The air around him rippled with heat, and shadows danced across the floor. Something massive and formless loomed beyond the veil of the Gate. He could feel it watching him—judging him—as if it knew every secret he'd buried, every doubt he tried to hide.
His body tensed. The medallion around his neck began to tremble, reacting violently to the proximity of the Hollow Flame. And still, he stood—frozen between defiance and despair.
"Why was I made?" Valerian whispered, his voice trembling. "Who created me?"
The Gate shimmered, and for a brief moment, images flashed through his mind:
—A robed figure, face hidden in shadow, carving ancient runes into the air.
—Chains forged from celestial fire, binding something vast.
—A child wailing inside a ritual circle of blood and ash.
—A hand offering a flame, and another slamming a gate shut.
The vision vanished, and the Hollow Flame's presence surged again, deeper, more demanding.
"To serve. To burn. To open the way."
A wave of pressure burst from the Gate, knocking Valerian to one knee. The medallion flared hot, and searing pain raced through his skull. Memories—fractured, foreign—shattered across his consciousness like glass.
[System Warning: Host Psyche Integrity Falling. Initiating Emergency Reinforcement.]
Then he heard another voice.
His own.
But deeper. Timeless. As if an ancient version of himself still lived, watching from beyond the veil.
"You can fight it. Say the word."
Valerian gritted his teeth. The pain was unbearable. Blood dripped from his nose, and his vision blurred. Behind him, the vial still rested—silent, tempting. A quick answer to all his questions.
But something in him rebelled. He wouldn't be a puppet.
The fire he needed wasn't in the bottle. It was inside him.
He clenched his fists, rising with slow determination. His eyes burned with a strange silver-blue hue. The medallion pulsed in response.
Then the system chimed:
[New Command Phrase Detected: EMERGE.]
[Initiating Soul Core Unseal: Phase One. Warning—Power Output Unstable.]
Valerian inhaled sharply—and roared the word from his chest:
"EMERGE!"
The world exploded.
A shockwave erupted from his body, shattering the obsidian altar and blasting runes from the chamber walls. Lightning forked through the stone ceiling. The very air twisted and screamed.
From Valerian's shadow, something began to rise.
It unfurled like liquid night—tall, armored in spiked obsidian with a burning core of flame in its chest. Its face was a reflection of Valerian's own, hollow-eyed and silent. Yet it bowed before him like a knight before his king.
A summon.
His first.
[System Update: Shadow Entity Created – Name: Umbra. Class: Wraith Knight. Loyalty: Absolute. Duration: Permanent.]
Umbra stepped forward, placing itself between Valerian and the Gate. The Hollow Flame surged, sending out tendrils of darkness to smother them both.
But Umbra raised a hand. The shadows crashed against it—only to be consumed. Umbra absorbed the onslaught, converting it into flame, then blasted it back with a roaring burst of void fire.
The Hollow Flame shrieked.
The Gate convulsed.
A deep, grinding noise echoed through the chamber as the massive black door began to close—slowly, reluctantly, as if fighting against some unseen force.
Valerian staggered, dropping to one knee. His body trembled from the overload. But the medallion no longer burned. It hummed—steady and loyal.
Umbra turned back, kneeling beside him like a silent guardian.
Then—footsteps. Echoing through the sanctum.
Mila.
She arrived breathless, her eyes widening at the destruction—the scorched walls, the cracked stone, the summoned knight cloaked in living shadow.
"You did it," she whispered, her voice filled with awe and fear. "You actually—what the hell are you?"
Valerian met her gaze. His expression was blank, eyes glowing faintly. "Something new. Something... dangerous."
She knelt beside him, one hand on his shoulder. "You stopped it. The Gate... it's not sealed, but whatever was coming through—it's wounded. You bought us time."
He nodded slowly, then looked again toward the Gate. Though closed, it still pulsed faintly—alive.
"Not enough," he said. "It'll try again. And next time, it won't hesitate."
[System Alert: Hollow Flame Retraction Confirmed. Dormant Phase: 72 Hours. Soul Core Synchronization: 18%. Additional Summons Locked. Continue Progression.]
Mila helped him to his feet, and together, they ascended from the chamber, Umbra silently following behind.
---
Three Days Later
Word of what had occurred beneath the Sanctum spread like wildfire, though no one could confirm the details. The Headmaster tripled the guards. Classes were suspended. And in the silence that followed, rumors swelled.
Some said a portal to hell had cracked open.
Others said a student had survived it.
Valerian kept to himself. He trained harder than ever, sparring with Umbra in secret chambers, pushing himself until his muscles failed. Each day, the system gave him quests—brutal, unforgiving, but tailored to make him stronger.
[Daily Quest: Defeat Three B-Class Summoned Shades. Penalty: System Lockout for 24 Hours.]
[Daily Quest: Meditate While Overloading Soul Core. Penalty: System Shock Feedback.]
He completed every task.
Seraphine appeared once at his door, but didn't speak. She simply handed him a note.
> "When the time comes, I will stand beside you. But do not make me regret it."
Then she walked away, leaving behind only her scent and the soft echo of her footsteps.
Mila stayed close, sparring with him, arguing with him, forcing him to rest when he pushed too far.
"You're changing," she said quietly one night as they sat beneath the old Academy tree. "You walk like someone who's seen death."
Valerian stared up at the stars. "I think death saw me first."
She didn't laugh. Neither did he.
---
The Night Before the Second Awakening
Valerian stood on the training ground, Umbra beside him. The stars above burned with an eerie intensity, and the wind whispered of something ancient returning.
He clenched his fists, the medallion against his chest still warm.
[System Objective Updated: Challenge the Hollow Flame Before the Next Awakening.]
[Bonus Objective: Uncover the True Purpose of Your Creation.]
[Time Remaining: 69 Hours.]
His path was no longer uncertain.
He wouldn't run.
He wouldn't hide.
He would fight.
And this time, the Hollow Flame would remember his name.