The world around them twisted for a heartbeat before reforming into something darker.

  The Hollow Vale instance was vast, an underground ruin swallowed by age. Cracked stone corridors wound through moss-covered chambers lit only by flickering torches. The faint echo of dripping water filled the air.

  They had barely stepped inside when a shriek split the silence. A swarm of cave bats burst from the ceiling, their eyes glowing crimson as they dove toward them. Behind them, smaller reptilian whelps scuttled from the shadows, hissing.

  “Hostiles!” Ava barked, swinging her axe up.

  Kyo raised his staff, firing off a bolt of green light. The blast hit one of the bats dead-on, sending it crashing into the wall but another darted past his guard, claws scraping across his shoulder.

  He staggered, trying to cast again, but one of the whelps lunged at his legs.

  Ava moved without thinking. She shoved Kyo out of the way, taking the blow herself, her armor scraping against stone as the creature’s claws raked across it. She grunted, twisting, then buried her axe into the whelp’s skull with a single, brutal swing.

  “You’re too close for ranged combat!” she shouted over the noise. “Keep your distance!”

  Kyo spun, firing another spell point-blank at a bat trying to latch onto her back.

  “I’m trying!”

  The explosion sent dust raining from the ceiling. Miles hid behind a pillar, watching wide-eyed but silent as they fought side by side rough and uncoordinated, but effective.

  Ava slammed her axe down, cleaving through the last whelp just as Kyo sent a pulse of light that vaporized the final bat midair.

  [COMBAT COMPLETE]

  [Enemies Defeated: 4 Cave Bats | 2 Cave Whelps]

  [EXP Gained: +480]

  [Loot Acquired: Bat Wings x3, Whelping Meat x2, Minor Mana Shard x1]

  Kyo let his staff drop to his side, the light dimming. “Guess that’s something,” he muttered.

  Ava wiped her axe clean on the hem of a fallen banner, her tone dry. “Yeah, dinner and potions. Not bad for the first combat. If it's all like this it‘ll be smooth sailing.”

  Miles peeked out from behind the pillar. “You can really eat whelp meat?”

  Ava cracked a small smile. “If you cook it long enough and don’t mind the smell.”

  Kyo gave her a side glance, half-smirk tugging at his mouth. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  They looked around listening for any more hostiles. Only the faint echo of dripping water remained.

  Kyo was breathing hard, the adrenaline still pounding through him. Ava leaned on her axe for a moment, then looked up at him, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth despite the exhaustion.

  “You fight like a mage who skipped basic training,” she said, catching her breath.

  Kyo shot her a glare. “And you fight like someone who’s trying to get herself killed.”

  “Please,” she scoffed, straightening. “If I wanted to die, I wouldn’t have bothered pushing you out of the way.”

  He hesitated, something almost like guilt flickering behind his eyes. Then he exhaled, looking away. Miles peeked out from behind the pillar, eyes wide with awe.

  “You two were awesome!”

  Ava grinned and knelt to ruffle his hair. “See? Told you I was a warrior.”

  Kyo sighed, rubbing his shoulder where the bat had scratched him. “We’ll rest in the next chamber. There’s probably more of them deeper in.”

  Ava nodded, glancing around the ruined hall. “Good call. I’ll scout ahead.”

  “Stay where I can see you,” he muttered.

  She flashed him a faint smile, the first real one he’d seen from her. “You’re getting better at giving orders.”

  He didn’t answer, but the corner of his mouth twitched before he turned toward the next corridor.

  And for the first time since entering the Vale, it felt like they were starting to fight together, not just survive side by side.

  They pressed deeper into the Hollow Vale ruins. The air grew cooler, thick with the scent of damp stone and moss. Their footsteps echoed softly off the walls, mingling with the distant drip of water.

  Faded murals lined the corridor, their paint long flaked away. Once, they must have told stories of the goddess mentioned in the quest but now, only fragments remained.

  Kyo held a small orb of light in his hand, illuminating their path. Ava walked beside him, axe at the ready, her green eyes scanning every shadow. Miles followed close behind, trying to step only where they did.

  After the last fight, they’d fallen into an uneasy rhythm, Ava taking point, Kyo watching their flank, and Miles in the middle where both could reach him. It wasn’t trust, exactly, but it was starting to feel close.

  The corridor opened into a vast chamber, lit by faintly glowing runes carved into the floor. A broken throne sat at the far end, vines twisting through its cracks.

  “This’ll do,” Ava murmured. “We can rest here for a while.”

  Kyo nodded, but his gaze lingered on the runes. Something about them pulsed faintly, almost imperceptible, like an echo of a heartbeat.

  He crouched beside one, tracing it with his fingertips. “These aren’t decorative,” he muttered. “They’re connected to something deeper in the system. Maybe the Wyrm’s lair.”

  Ava leaned on her axe. “You think we’re close?”

  “Close enough that the system’s warning us,” Kyo replied, eyes narrowing. “Stay sharp.”

  He stood, brushing the dust from his gloves and that’s when it happened.

  The rune beneath his boot glowed bright red. A split second later, a click echoed through the room. Ava’s eyes widened. “Kyo, move!”

  He barely had time to look down before she tackled him to the ground, hard. The air left his lungs as a dozen stone spikes shot up from the floor where he’d been standing, stabbing through empty space with a hiss.

  They hit the ground together with Ava on top of him, her palms pressed against his chest, her breath hot against his neck. The sound of the trap resetting faded into silence.

  For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Kyo blinked up at her, stunned. Her pink hair had fallen loose, brushing across his face, and her eyes were only inches from his. For the first time, he noticed how bright they were, green, flecked with gold near the center.

  His pulse stuttered.

  “You okay?” she asked softly, voice rough from adrenaline.

  Kyo swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. “Y–Yeah. You?”

  She nodded, still catching her breath. “You’re lucky I have good reflexes.”

  “I… noticed,” he managed, trying not to stare. That’s when Miles’s voice broke through, small but very clear:

  “Uncle Kyo, are you the princess now?”

  Both of them froze.

  Miles stood a few feet away, clutching his wooden staff with a proud grin.

  “Because Aunt Ava just saved you! That makes her your knight!”

  Ava burst out laughing. A real, unrestrained laugh that echoed through the stone hall. She rolled off Kyo, still chuckling, one hand pressed against her side.

  Kyo groaned, covering his face with his hands. “He’s never going to let that go, is he?”

  Ava smirked, brushing dust from her armor. “Doubt it, princess.”

  Kyo shot her a glare that didn’t quite hide the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

  “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

  “Maybe a little,” she admitted, still grinning.

  Miles skipped closer, eyes bright with amusement.

  “You two are funny. I think you like her, Uncle Kyo.”

  Kyo turned bright red. “Miles!”

  Ava’s laughter doubled, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Careful, little mage,” she teased, ruffling his hair. “Your uncle might banish you to bed early for that.”

  Miles giggled, hugging her arm. “You wouldn’t let him!”

  Kyo sighed, trying to look stern and failing miserably. “I’m surrounded.”

  “By your knight and apprentice,” Ava said with a smirk. “Could be worse.”

  Kyo gave her a long, exasperated look but his expression softened. For the first time since Thane’s death, the air around them didn’t feel suffocating. For a moment, it almost felt like they could breathe again.

  Kyo ran a hand through his short, snow-white hair uneven and slightly tousled, the kind of style that looked like it hadn’t been trimmed in months but somehow still fit him. Under the soft glow of the campfire, his dark gray eyes looked stormy, ringed with exhaustion.

  They’d made camp near the base of the cracked throne, where the stone floor was smooth enough to sit. The fire burned low and steady, its light reflecting against Ava’s armor and the faint pulse of runes along Kyo’s staff. Miles slept between them holding onto both of their capes, small and peaceful, the rise and fall of his chest a quiet comfort amid the ancient silence.

  Ava watched the fire for a while before speaking softly. “ Why do you guys never eat? This is the second time I’ve seen you guys set up camp and no food.” Kyo looked at her almost as if she was crazy. “You don't need to eat in this world. Your body is in cryo stasis in the real world, the computer is making sure your body is getting vitamins and nutrients while you are part of the game. Why in gods would I waste money for food if I don't need it?”

  Ava looked at him annoyed “ Because it reminds us we are human! What happens when we get back to reality and your ass isn't eating because you are so used to a computer feeding you. And nothing can beat biting into a warm piece of bread! It makes it all worth the gold. No wonder you're cranky all the time! You don't enjoy the things that made us human just because you don't have to.. Is that why you also don't sleep much? You know sleep is a necessity and makes it feel more real.”

  Kyo gave a faint huff of amusement, eyes half-lidded. “Not much time for sleeping lately.”

  “And before all this?” Ava asked, still annoyed but more curious on how much discipline he must have.

  He shook his head. “Even then. I worked in system maintenance, debugging neural syncs, monitoring data transfer stability. We were told it was a global preservation initiative.” He rubbed his temple, voice quiet. “I didn’t realize I was helping build the cage we’d all get locked in. My main focus was providing for my family”

  Ava glanced at him, her expression softening. “Did you have a wife or girlfriend before this? Is that why you worked so hard?” Kyo’s face flushed “ What!? Where did you get that information from?! No wife.. No girlfriend either.. My studies and work were my life.. My family needed the money. My mom was sick all the time and my father was never home because he was working all the time.” Kyo sighed, “That caused my sister to drop her dream of traveling to become my mothers caretaker so our father could work without worry. But that never fixed the money problem and I saw how hard my sister and father worked so I decided I could too and I did.. I made a name for myself. Thanks to my mentor.”

  Ava looked at him softly “You were one of the beta testers, right?”

  “Yeah, my family and I were. The government wanted family groups to test multi-link compatibility.” His tone lowered, rough with memory. “But the system failed. I remember fragments, screaming, code surging, their bodies flickering between sync and disconnection. Like their minds were being split apart.”

  He stared into the flames, his jaw tight. “Only Thane, Miles and I made it. The system shredded the rest of our family before I could even do anything.”

  Ava’s hand twitched slightly, like she wanted to reach for him but didn’t. “I’m sorry, Kyo.”

  He didn’t respond right away. Then, quietly: “You said your father was part of the project?”

  Ava nodded, hesitating. “Yeah. His name was Ren. Ren Alestair.”

  The stick in Kyo’s hand dropped into the fire with a soft hiss. His eyes widened.

  “Ren Alestair?” he repeated, almost in disbelief. “As in… the Ren Alestair?”

  Ava blinked. “You knew him?”

  “Knew him?” Kyo let out a short, breathless laugh. “He taught me! He was my mentor during my university internship. The only reason I even graduated. Ren was… a genius. The kind that made everyone else feel two steps behind but still made you want to keep up.”

  Ava’s eyes widened in awe. “You really knew my dad…”

  Kyo nodded, a small, fond smile breaking through the exhaustion. “He used to stay after hours running code drills with me. Once spent six straight hours explaining recursive loop encryption because I couldn’t wrap my head around it.” He laughed softly, shaking his head. “He believed in the sync system not as a weapon, but as salvation. And he always talked about you.”

  Ava’s breath hitched slightly. “He did?”

  “Constantly,” Kyo said. “He said his daughter was the only person he trusted to understand why the system mattered.” He looked toward her, “He was proud of you, Ava. Really proud. How you followed the family legacy of going into the military. How you were determined to make a name for yourself instead of having it handed to you. He said we would make a really good couple since we were so similar." Kyo felt his face heat and stopped talking, realizing the last part was something private between the two men.

  “Uhh what I meant was that we would make good friends! Not anything else” he rubbed the back of his head embarrassed.

  She didn’t reply right away. Her throat tightened, and she blinked a few times before managing, “He was the best… I am glad someone else got to see that before they killed him.”

  The fire crackled quietly between them.

  Kyo’s voice softened. “Ava… I am sorry”

  She looked up, meeting his gaze across the flickering light. “No need to apologize. Thank you for seeing who my father really was and not what others labeled him as. He deserved better.”

  Their eyes lingered for a moment. A quiet understanding passing between them, something unspoken but steady.

  Then Ava gave a small, tired smile. “He’d be glad to know you are here in the game to make sure nothing bad happens, not to mention find ways to manipulate the game. I have seen some of your spells, they don't look exactly right if you know what I mean.” Kyo let out a genuine laugh

  “He’d probably scold me for being sloppy with my code,” Kyo muttered, smirking faintly.

  That earned a soft laugh from her, one that eased the tension in his shoulders.

  Ava’s eyes widened in awe. “You really knew my dad…”

  Kyo nodded, a small, fond smile breaking through the exhaustion. “He used to stay after hours running code drills with me. Once spent six straight hours explaining recursive loop encryption because I couldn’t wrap my head around it.” He laughed softly, shaking his head. “He believed in the sync system, not as a weapon, but as salvation. And he always talked about you.”

  Ava’s breath hitched slightly. “He… did?”

  “Constantly,” Kyo said. “He said his daughter was the only person he trusted to understand why the system mattered. He was proud of you, Ava. Really proud. How you followed your family’s military tradition, but still wanted to make a name for yourself. He even joked that we’d make a great couple since we were so similar.”

  Kyo froze, realizing what he’d said. “Uh I mean, good friends. That’s what I meant.” He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks faintly flushed.

  Ava chuckled quietly, though her eyes softened. “He was the best… I’m glad someone else saw that before the world turned on him.”

  The fire crackled quietly between them.

  Kyo hesitated, his eyes tracing the firelight flickering across the stones.

  “You know,” he said quietly, almost to himself, “It’s strange. If things were different, if you weren’t a Red player I think we might’ve actually been friends after all this.”

  Ava’s smile faltered. “If I weren’t a Red,” she repeated softly, like testing the taste of the words.

  He looked up, startled. “That’s not- I didn’t mean-” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just meant once we finish this, everyone goes back to their normal lives. And it’s not like you couldn’t come to the living zones, it’s just not normal for Reds to do that. To be accepted, I mean. You know how people are. We’re from different worlds. Not that it’s a bad thing, but we knew going into this that our partnership was only temporary.”

  “Right… temporary.” Ava turned back to the fire, the glow catching in her eyes. “Back to how it’s always been.”

  The warmth between them cooled into silence, not awkward, just quietly painful.

  Kyo shifted, clearing his throat like he wanted to say something more but thought better of it. Instead, he leaned back against the cracked throne, eyes unfocused on the fire. The flicker of regret in his expression lasted only a second before exhaustion pulled at him.

  Ava watched him from the corner of her eye. He didn’t mean it cruelly, she knew that. But knowing didn’t make it hurt any less. Somewhere between the fighting, the missions, and the quiet nights like this, she’d started to believe they were building something that could outlast the game.

  Maybe that was her mistake.

  Kyo’s head tilted slightly to the side, his white hair falling over his brow as his breathing deepened. He’d fallen asleep sitting up, his staff resting loosely against his leg. In the wavering firelight, he looked younger, almost peaceful, like the walls he carried had finally fallen, if only for a moment.

  Miles stirred beside him, mumbling softly before rolling closer, one small hand brushing against Kyo’s sleeve. Kyo didn’t move. The contact just made him look even calmer.

  Ava swallowed the lump in her throat and turned back to her axe, the rhythmic scrape of the whetstone grounding her in the quiet. The sound filled the space his words had left empty.

  She should’ve rested too. She told herself that over and over. But her thoughts kept circling back to him and to what he’d said, and what he hadn’t.

  “Temporary,” she whispered under her breath, testing the word the way he had once tested hers. It stung just the same.

  Her gaze lifted to the faint runes carved above the throne, glowing softly against the cracked stone. Her father’s voice echoed in her memory, steady and certain:

  “Never stop protecting what makes you human.”

  Ava tightened her grip on the axe handle, the edge gleaming faintly in the firelight. She looked back at the two sleeping beside her; one a child who had lost too much, the other a man who refused to let himself want anything real.

  “I won’t,” she murmured to the fire.

  And for the first time since entering the game, she couldn’t tell if she was protecting them or if holding onto them was the only thing keeping her human.

  Hours slipped by quickly. The fire had burned down to a slow ember, casting dim light across the cracked chamber. Faint wisps of smoke curled lazily into the still air.

  Ava stood near the far wall, her axe gripped loosely in one hand, breath steady as she moved through light combat drills. Each swing sliced through the silence with a faint whistle more meditation than training. The rhythmic motion kept her focused, grounded. But her mind still raced.

  She’d made up her mind sometime during the night: it would be easier and safer if she kept her distance. The dull glow of the firelight brushed against her armor, tracing the faint scars etched along her arms. She exhaled, pivoting through another clean strike, when a soft groan broke the silence behind her.

  Kyo sat up slowly, rubbing the side of his neck. His short white hair stuck out in every possible direction, his cloak tangled around one leg. His gray eyes were bleary, unfocused.

  Ava paused, lowering her axe. A small smirk tugged at her lips. “You’re finally awake. We need to get moving, we've got, what, twenty hours left to retrieve the stone and reach the northern gate?”

  Kyo blinked, still half-asleep. “Sorry I didn’t mean to doze off. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt safe enough in this game to sleep.”

  “Well, don’t get used to it. It’s only temporary.”

  The words came out colder than she’d intended.

  Kyo flinched, the warmth in his expression fading. “Right,” he murmured.

  Ava turned away quickly, tightening the strap of her gauntlet. She didn’t want to see the look on his face or the hurt she knew she’d caused.

  Behind her, Kyo exhaled quietly, then turned toward the boy beside him. “Come on, buddy,” he said softly, brushing the sleep from Miles’s hair. “No more breaks. Time to get your dad back, yeah? We’ve kept him waiting long enough.”

  Miles rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses and yawned. “Okay…” His gaze darted around, searching then panic flickered in his small face. “Where’s Ava?”

  Kyo smiled gently. “She’s right over there, practicing her swings. See? Even pros still train.”

  Miles blinked, watching her with sleepy admiration. “She’s really cool,” he whispered.

  Ava caught his gaze and forced a small smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Good morning, little mage,” she said softly. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

  But she didn’t wait for him to grab her hand this time. She turned and started walking toward the next corridor, her steps echoing against the stone.

  Miles looked at his uncle, worry creasing his brow. “Did you guys fight? She looks sad, Uncle Kyo.”

  Kyo followed Ava’s retreating form, his chest tight. “We’re fine, buddy,” he said quietly. “She probably just didn’t sleep well.” But even as he said it, he knew that wasn’t true.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  He adjusted the strap of his pack, checking the faint glow of his spell rings before catching up. “The map says it’s up ahead left passage.”

  Ava stopped in front of a massive door. Its metal surface was scarred and weathered, the old warning sign above it slashed through and replaced by crudely carved words:

  Heed my warning; do not enter.

  The silence that followed was thick, uneasy. Ava rested a hand on the door, her jaw tightening. “Guess we’re going the right way,” she muttered.

  The moment Kyo stepped through the barrier, the world twisted around him, the air humming like a charged circuit.

  The chamber stretched wide and circular, its stone walls etched with ancient runes that pulsed faintly under a low-hanging veil of fog. The silence was heavy, broken only by the steady drip of water from the ceiling and the quiet hum of energy building beneath the floor.

  Ava stood a few paces ahead, her hand resting lightly on her axe, posture alert but distant. Miles hovered close behind Kyo, wide-eyed as he took in the eerie blue glow.

  Then the seal behind them snapped shut with a flash of light.

  “Instance locked,” Kyo muttered, scanning the glyphs forming above the doorway. “No exit until the encounter’s cleared.”

  “Then let’s clear it,” Ava said flatly.

  Before he could reply, a deep, metallic groan reverberated through the hall. The runes flared to life, flooding the chamber in light.

  A figure began to form at the center, tall, spectral, armored head to toe in flickering blue flame. A tattered banner hung from its spear, symbols rippling across the fabric like shifting code. When it spoke, its voice was distorted and ancient, vibrating through the floor.

  “The trial of the Hollow Vale only those of one soul may pass.”

  Kyo’s pulse jumped. “That’s not in the quest data.”

  “One soul?” Ava echoed, frowning. “What the hell does that mean?”

  Before either could answer, the guardian moved.

  It was fast, faster than the system should allow. Its spear sliced through the air with a shriek, slamming into the stone where Ava had stood a second before. She rolled clear, sparks flaring as the blade scraped her pauldron.

  “Miles! Behind that pillar, now!” Kyo barked, raising his staff.

  He fired a burst of energy but it fizzled out before impact.

  “Immunity phase,” he hissed. “Why isn’t it taking- wait it’s reading our combat sync ratio?”

  “Speak common, mage!” Ava snapped, swinging her axe to deflect another blow.

  Kyo gritted his teeth. “It means it’s immune unless we fight together!”

  Ava’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. The guardian lunged again, the ground trembling beneath its armored steps.

  Kyo fired a volley of arcane bolts, trying to pull its attention, while Ava charged in from the flank, bringing her axe down with a sharp, echoing crack. The strike hit true but the creature didn’t even flinch.

  [SYNC FAILED – DAMAGE RESISTED]

  The warning flashed crimson across Kyo’s vision.

  Before he could react, the runes on the walls pulsed violently, and a shockwave exploded outward. The blast hurled them both off their feet.

  Kyo hit the ground hard, pain flaring up his side. “We’re out of sync,” he groaned. “It’s adapting to us.”

  He forced himself up, recalibrating his aim. “Ava! Again on my mark!”

  She lunged forward, swinging as he fired but the spell struck half a second too early, disrupting her timing and sending her stumbling into the stone floor.

  [SYNC FAILED – TARGET ADAPTING]

  The guardian turned toward them, runes burning hotter with every failed attempt.

  Kyo’s stomach dropped. This wasn’t just a fight. It was testing them. Testing whether two people who’d stopped trusting each other could still move as one.

  Ava snarled, barely dodging the counterattack. “You’re throwing off my rhythm!”

  “I’m trying to keep you alive!” Kyo shot back, frustration spiking.

  Ava’s jaw tightened, anger bubbling to the surface. “Oh right keep your little Red player alive, just long enough to get what you want!”

  She swung again, fury driving her aim wide.

  Kyo clenched his teeth, trying to match her erratic tempo. “What the hell is your problem? We were fine yesterday!”

  “NOTHING!” Ava roared.

  Her grip faltered. The guardian’s spear slammed into her side, the blunt end catching her mid-turn and sending her sprawling. She hit the ground hard

  Miles’s scream echoed. “WHY ARE YOU GUYS FIGHTING?!”

  Kyo’s head whipped toward him just in time to see the boy bolt past, tears streaking his face.

  “Miles!” Kyo lunged, but the child was already sprinting toward Ava.

  “We gotta save her! She needs us!”

  “Miles, no! Get back!” Kyo’s voice broke into a shout, panic cutting through the chaos.

  The guardian turned, its burning eyes locking onto the boy. It swung its spear, the edge glowing like molten glass.

  “MILES!” Ava’s cry tore from her throat, blood streaking the corner of her mouth.

  She threw herself forward, ignoring the pain, charging straight into the strike. Kyo’s staff blazed with fire, his strongest spell yet.

  Steel met flame.

  The explosion hit like thunder.

  [SYNC RATE: 43% → 67%]

  The guardian reeled, spectral armor cracking under the combined force.

  Ava met Kyo’s eyes across the flames. For a heartbeat, all the anger and hurt dissolved leaving only instinct and trust. She gave a single nod.

  “Again.”

  Kyo nodded back. “Right.”

  They moved as one. Spell and steel. Breath and timing. Rage and control.

  [SYNC RATE: 67% → 84%]

  The guardian screamed, its spear slamming into the floor. A wave of red flame burst outward, grazing Ava’s side. She stumbled but didn’t stop.

  “You’re hurt-” Kyo started.

  “Focus!” she barked.

  He obeyed. Channeling the last of his mana, Kyo’s staff flared white-hot. Ava mirrored his movement, pulling her axe high and driving it forward with everything she had. Their attacks landed in the same heartbeat.

  The guardian shattered.

  The explosion ripped through the chamber, a rush of wind and heat scattering the fog. The walls trembled as blue flame dissolved into sparks.

  Then came the chime of the system- clear, mechanical, and almost mocking.

  [50,000 EXP Distributed to Party]

  [PARTY SYNC COMPLETE - NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED]

  [“DUAL SOUL LINK” - When Kyo and Ava fight within 20 meters of each other, their magic and physical attacks merge, gaining elemental amplification and shared defensive bonuses.]

  Kyo’s eyes widened. “That shouldn’t even be possible.”

  Ava frowned. “Dual Soul Link?”

  “It’s a co-ability,” he said, scanning the translucent code strings flickering in front of him. “I don’t even know where this came from but as long as we stay close, we’ll share the same buff.”

  Miles looked between them, clearly lost but grinning anyway. “That’s good, right? It means you’re friends now?”

  Neither of them answered. The silence that followed was thin, fragile like one wrong word could shatter it.

  Ava broke eye contact first. She pushed to stand, but pain seized her side and forced her down to one knee. Blood seeped through the cracks in her armor, dark against the steel.

  Kyo was at her side before he realized he’d moved. “You’re bleeding,” he said, breathing unsteady.

  “I noticed,” she muttered, pressing a hand against the wound. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  He reached into his pouch, pulling out a potion. “You saved him again. Thank you. I-”

  “That’s what soldiers do,” she cut in, voice flat.

  She pulled one of her own potions free, downed it, and pushed herself upright with her axe as leverage. Without waiting for him, she started toward the opposite door.

  Kyo opened his mouth. “Ava, I-”

  “Don’t,” she said quietly, not looking back. “We both said things we didn’t mean. It doesn’t matter now.”

  “It matters to me.”

  That made her stop. She turned just slightly and met his gaze for the first time since the fight. His gray eyes were raw, tired, but sincere.

  Before she could answer, a faint click echoed through the chamber.

  All three froze. Ava glanced down. A crimson rune glowed beneath her boot.

  The floor flared with concentric sigils that expanded outward in an instant. A blinding pulse erupted beneath them.

  [INSTANCE WARP ACTIVATED: BOSS ZONE - “ECHO OF THE FALLEN”]

  The world twisted; wind howling and light fractured.

  And in the next breath, they were no longer standing in a quiet ruin but inside a cavern so vast it felt endless.

  The world solidified around them; molten stone, broken runes, and a pulsing light that beat like a heart beneath their feet. The air shimmered with heat, ash swirling through a cavern that stretched endlessly into darkness.

  Kyo steadied himself, one arm around Miles. His interface flickered violently before stabilizing, lines of text scrolling faster than he could read.

  [OBJECTIVE UPDATE: Retrieve the Resurrection Stone to restore Thane’s life signature.]

  [Warning: Entity link detected - The Dread Wyrm guards the boundary between life and code.]

  Ava exhaled slowly, eyes scanning the molten fissures cutting through the ground. “So this is it,” she murmured. “The place between life and death.”

  A deep rumble rolled through the cavern, resonant, alive. The ground trembled, and from the far shadows, the creature began to emerge. Miles ran behind Ava, grabbing her leg and shaking in fear. Ava stared down the beast.

  Scales black as voidlight scraped against the rock. Veins of crimson fire ran beneath the surface like liquid magma. Its wings unfolded from the dark and skeletal form, wreathed in flame and its eyes burned with molten gold.

  The Dread Wyrm.

  A guardian of the undercode the digital boundary where souls lost in the neural net were said to linger.

  Kyo’s breath caught in his throat. “Ava this isn’t just a boss. It’s the system’s reaper, a very intelligent core of Project Eden. I think your father worked on this himself.”

  The Wyrm lifted its head, voice echoing like thunder in a collapsing sky.

  “You trespass upon the boundary. To pull a soul from the silence, you must offer one in return.”

  Miles clutched Kyo’s leg. “Uncle Kyo, it's talking about Papa.”

  Kyo’s heart twisted, but he forced his voice steady. “I know, buddy. Stay behind me.”

  The Wyrm’s molten eyes flared brighter. “The gate between life and loss opens only for those bound by one soul. Show me what ties your spirits together.”

  Runes flared beneath their feet blood-red rings spinning outward in perfect symmetry.

  Kyo’s interface blared warnings.

  The Wyrm’s eyes looked at Kyo, scanning him.

  “Kyo Izen. Sync 100%. Caucasian. Six feet tall. Weight: 185. Age: 26. Student in a prestigious school with a scholarship in coding and programming. Ah by the infamous Ren Alestair, my creator. He taught me everything I needed. He spent hours talking to me for me to study humans, to have compassion as the system’s reaper. I wonder how upset he would be to see you did freelance work, it looks like. You helped a lot of bad people get away with bad things. You covered their crimes for money. How is it that your name isn’t red? Perhaps you were never caught? Or did you frame an innocent to save your own skin, like a coward?”

  Kyo stepped back, a little shocked. “What is this? Why do you have some background software?”

  The Wyrm laughed.

  “Fear not, Kyo. I have met much worse. It looks like the more I look into it, Ren knew. He was the one covering up your messes. I don’t think you deserved his mercy. Maybe I should teach you the lesson he didn’t. I was made the way I was purely to make a decision, if the person deserved to be revived. There are only so many souls the system allows resurrection. But if your soul is unworthy by the actions you caused in this world, then be prepared to meet the Maker.”

  Kyo was frozen in shock, never expecting the wrong deeds he did to ever surface. He thought he was going to take those actions to the grave, and knowing his mentor knew and covered him while he had been treating his daughter like a criminal shattered him.

  Ava yelled, “That’s enough! We don’t have time for this! Thane needs us. I understand why you don’t get a lot of company, but-”

  The Wyrm turned to her.

  “Patience, child. I will get to you.”

  Miles moved in front of her. “Leave them alone! He’s my Papa! They’re just helping me get him back!”

  His eyes watered as the Wyrm studied him. “The innocence of a child never ceases to amaze me.”

  He scanned Miles.

  “Miles Riven. Sync 75%. Caucasian. Four feet tall. Weight: 50. Age: 7. An elementary schooler. You were given an award for good behavior. Good for you, little one being a kind person is important. I see that you have lost both your parents, your mother at the beginning of Eden, and your father to bandits. You have been through a lot, yet you still stand here. While you are stronger than most, that doesn’t justify resurrection for Thane. He owed a lot of money to the loan sharks. He had several debts totaling fifty thousand, with no intention of paying that back.”

  Miles looked at the monster, tears already falling. “I don’t care what he did! He was my Papa and he did everything he could for me!”

  The Wyrm sighed.

  “Yes, child. But doing something wrong for a good reason doesn’t make it right.”

  Ava swooped up Miles. “That is enough! You think you’re so perfect?! Newsflash, you were created to be perfect by imperfect people! The person you praise so much has a red name! He was condemned by the world! He wasn’t perfect! Just like you just admitted, he covered up Kyo’s wrongdoings!”

  The Wyrm’s eyes widened.

  “SILENCE. HOW DARE YOU SPEAK SUCH ILL OF A MAN THAT GAVE ME LIFE.”

  He locked his eyes with Ava’s.

  “Ava Alestair. Sync 100%. Caucasian. Five foot six. Weight: 175. Age: 24. You were a soldier. Had secured a place in a military division known as Valkyrie Ops. Your tactical brilliance and unwavering resolve earned you the callsign ‘Mercy’ among your squad. You became one of the youngest operatives to complete over two dozen successful missions. You were Ren Alestair’s daughter. He was quite proud of you. He told me I was to protect you. Why do you have the red name, my child?”

  Ava looked away. “I don’t need handouts from my father… He and his offspring were marked red due to what he found out about the corruption for Eden.”

  The cavern fell silent, save for the slow, rhythmic beat of the molten heart beneath their feet. The Dread Wyrm studied Ava for a long moment, the firelight rippling across her armor and the small child held tightly against her chest.

  When it finally spoke, its voice softened still vast and echoing, but carrying a surprising warmth beneath the thunder.

  “Ren Alestair was many things… but a traitor, he was not. He sought to purge the corruption that poisoned Project Eden to protect humanity from itself. The world branded him a criminal because they feared what he uncovered.”

  A faint shimmer pulsed through the Wyrm’s core less anger, more sorrow.

  “And you, his daughter, to see you marked for his courage is an outrage.”

  Ava’s breath caught. She had expected condemnation, not compassion. “You… praise him? After everything they said he did?”

  “He gave me life,” the Wyrm replied. “But more than that, he gave me purpose. I was not made to destroy Ava Alestair. I was made to judge justly and to uphold the ideals he feared the world would forget.”

  Its molten gaze lowered toward the boy clinging to her armor, his face half-hidden against her shoulder.

  “That purpose endures to protect the innocent.” The great creature’s tone darkened, not in menace but in gravity.

  “Yet even innocence is bound by consequence.”

  Ava tightened her hold on Miles, feeling his small heartbeat flutter against her. “When you scanned him earlier,” she said quietly, “you said he was only synced at seventy-five percent. What does that mean, when we leave Eden?”

  The Wyrm’s eyes dimmed.

  “It means the link between his consciousness and his body is unstable,” it said. “He was too young when the neural interface took hold. His mind adapted faster than his flesh could endure.”

  Ava’s voice wavered. “So what happens to him?”

  The Wyrm hesitated, its massive head bowing slightly as if paying respect to the truth it carried.

  “When he is removed from Eden, there is a twenty-five percent chance his body will not awaken. In your terms… he may be pronounced brain-dead.”

  Kyo’s head snapped up, shock tightening every line of his face. “Wh- what do you mean? How do we fix it?!”

  The Wyrm met his gaze steadily.

  “You cannot fix what is incomplete. But there may be balance.”

  Heat rippled through the air as it leaned closer, voice dropping to a low, deliberate hum.

  The Wyrm’s molten eyes flickered as it spread one massive wing. A gust of hot wind swept through the chamber, and Thane’s soul crystal lifted from Kyo’s hands, trembling in the air.

  With a gentle flick, the Wyrm released a current of energy that made the soul shimmer and twist until a spectral shape began to form.

  It was Thane bluish gray, translucent, his features soft and calm. He smiled faintly at Kyo and stepped forward.

  Kyo stood frozen, eyes wide, every breath caught in his throat. When Thane reached him, the specter wrapped his arms around him in a quiet, weightless embrace.

  For a moment, Kyo didn’t move, then his hand rose, trembling, almost as if to hold on but he couldn’t. He just watched, silent and stunned, understanding what his brother-in-law was doing.

  Thane turned toward Ava, his expression kind, and then to Miles. He opened his arms, and the boy didn’t hesitate.

  “Papa!” Miles cried, running from Ava’s grasp and leaping into his father’s arms. “I didn’t think I’d see you again! If you were in Uncle Kyo’s bag this whole time, we didn’t have to do all those scary things to get you back!”

  Thane laughed softly, the sound distant, echoing like wind in a canyon. He cupped the back of his son’s head. “I have to go Miles but just know I will always be with you. Be good for your uncle, he'll need your help keeping him in line.”

  Miles shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. “No! You can’t go again!”

  Thane’s smile wavered, but his voice stayed gentle. “Please understand, son. As a father, I’ll always make sure you’re safe before all else. You have your whole life ahead of you, live it to the fullest, and follow your heart. If you do that, I’ll always be proud of you. Your mother and I will be in the sky, watching you.”

  Miles clung to him, sobbing, until Thane’s body broke apart into a swirl of blue light. The lights circled the child, shimmering around him like fireflies before slowly sinking into his body.

  The Wyrm’s deep voice rumbled, reverent and final.

  “He is now at one hundred percent. The child is safe from danger. You no longer need to remain here. If there is nothing else, I will end this instance.”

  A soft chime echoed through the chamber.

  [ QUEST UPDATE – Resurrection Attempt: FAILED ]

  Miles stumbled toward Kyo, crying uncontrollably. Kyo dropped to his knees, pulling the boy into his arms, trying his best to comfort the only family he had left. His own eyes burned, but no tears came.

  Ava turned back to the towering Wyrm. “Thank you for your help,” she said quietly. “Do you have a name?”

  The Wyrm inclined its head. “Ren named me Broderick, ‘Brother’ in the old Norse tongue.”

  Ava managed a faint smile. “Then, since he created you, I guess that makes you my brother too. Thank you, Broderick.”

  Broderick blinked, almost taken aback by the word. He’d been called many things by mortals but never brother. Something in the name stirred a feeling he hadn’t known he could feel.

  Ava adjusted herself shifting her feet. “I’ve been in this game for almost fifty years,” she said softly. “You’re the first NPC that has ever seemed sentient. Is there a way to see what happens to the body after the computer disconnects from the pod?”

  Broderick tilted his head, intrigued and moved.

  “I believe I can access that data. But why would you wish to see it? It will not be a pleasant sight.”

  Ava’s eyes were steady. “I know it won’t. But I need to see the real world. It’s been such a blur I need a reminder to keep going, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  Broderick studied her for a long moment, then nodded. Something in her expression reminded him of Ren of that same quiet resolve when his hope had begun to fade. With a flick of his wing, a shimmering screen materialized before her.

  The feed stabilized on a lifeless Thane lying inside his cryo-pod. For a moment, there was nothing else. Ava exhaled, her throat tightening. She was about to turn away until muffled voices drifted through the feed.

  “Oh, look! Another sucker died in the game.Thank god, I was getting tired from all the work. We're gonna need all the help we can get.”

  The pod’s lid hissed open, revealing a bleak but changed world. The skies were no longer black; the air looked breathable. Real, living people stood around the pod without masks or suits.

  Ava gasped. Kyo rose quickly, moving beside her. “What the hell?”

  The voices continued, callous and tired.

  “He’s dead-dead. Must not have synced fully. Dante said some of them might come out brain-dead. Strip the body of his possessions and clothes, then go back to work.”

  They watched as two workers lifted Thane’s body away, the screen fading into static.

  The silence that followed was heavier than anything Broderick had conjured.

  Ava stood frozen, her reflection still flickering in the fading light of the screen. The static finally died away, leaving only the soft crackle of molten stone beneath them.

  Kyo was the first to move. He stepped closer, eyes still fixed where Thane’s body had vanished. His jaw tightened, the muscles in his neck visibly tense. “That wasn’t supposed to be possible,” he muttered. “They said the atmosphere was toxic, that humanity was gone.”

  Broderick’s massive head tilted, his molten eyes narrowing in something that almost resembled confusion.

  “That is… strange,” the Wyrm rumbled. “The outside world was declared uninhabitable for another six hundred and fifty years. The global simulations confirmed it. There should be no life out there and certainly not unprotected.”

  Ava’s brow furrowed. “So that’s what my father meant.” she whispered. “He said the data was wrong, that Project Eden wasn’t salvation, it was containment.”

  She turned back to the dimming holographic haze, her voice barely above a breath.

  “And didn’t that guy say Dante? Like Dante Dominion, the world leader who forced Eden into existence? Others voted for Mars but he fought like hell to bring this project back.”

  Kyo’s expression hardened. The heat from the lava pits reflected in his gray eyes as he clenched his fists. “All I know,” he said grimly, “is we need to get the hell out of this game.”

  He looked around the cavern, the glow from the molten veins painting sharp shadows across his face. “Fifty years is too damn long if you ask me.”

  Broderick’s wings folded, the sound like rolling thunder.

  “Then perhaps it is time you learned what still binds you here,” the Wyrm said. “Project Eden was built to preserve humanity but perhaps not in the way your kind believed. I would recommend going to where the world leaders reside”

  Ava exchanged a long, uneasy look with Kyo. The realization lingered heavily between them. If people were alive outside then maybe everything they’d been told was a lie.

  The molten light flickered softly around them, painting the air in shades of red and gold. For a long moment, no one spoke.

  Ava looked from Kyo to Broderick, her jaw tightening as the silence stretched. Then she took a slow breath and stepped forward, extending her hand toward the great dragon.

  “Do you want to come with us?” she asked. Her voice was steady, but gentle. “It doesn’t look like your job is even needed anymore. People don’t come here to be judged, they come here to be used. You could actually help the human race with your knowledge of code, and everything my father taught you.”

  Broderick’s massive head tilted, molten eyes widening. Shock flickered in his expression.

  “Leave this place?” he rumbled softly. “I have never done so. I was created to guard the boundary between life and code. I do not think people would take kindly to a being like me walking among them.”

  Kyo crossed his arms, glancing up with a faint smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Technically,” he said, “mages and warlocks can have familiars. If you can shrink yourself down, we could pass you off as one. Besides-” he gestured around the glowing cavern “has anyone even been here before us?”

  Broderick’s molten gaze lowered in quiet thought. “No,” he admitted. “You three are the first. That’s why it was nice, just having a conversation.”

  He turned back toward them, expression softening and paused.

  All three of them stood there now: Ava with her hand extended, Kyo beside her doing the same, and little Miles clutching tightly to Kyo’s leg, his small arm reaching out with determination.

  The Wyrm blinked, visibly moved. For a being forged of fire and judgment, the gesture was something foreign, yet undeniably human.

  For a long heartbeat, the chamber was still. Then Broderick’s wings shifted, and light rippled across his massive form. His flames folded inward, his silhouette shrinking in a swirl of blue and gold until the great dragon was replaced by a smaller, ethereal version of himself no taller than Ava’s waist, his wings flickering softly like candlelight.

  Broderick’s new voice was quieter now, almost warm.

  “Then… perhaps it is time I see the world my creator believed in.”

  Ava smiled faintly, lowering her hand but keeping her gaze on him. “Welcome to the team, Broderick.”

  Kyo glanced down at Miles, who peeked up from behind his leg with wide eyes. “You hear that, buddy? We’ve got a dragon on our side now.”

  Miles grinned weakly, still sniffling. “Then we can’t lose.”

  Broderick turned toward Kyo, his eyes narrowing slightly. “If I am to accompany you, there must be a contract,” he said, his tone suddenly formal. “A familiar bond will allow me to leave this instance and remain stable in your realm.”

  Kyo nodded, raising his staff. “Then let’s do it properly.” He drew a glowing rune in the air, its shape forming into a circle that hovered between them. Broderick extended one claw, pressing it into the rune. The circle flared, light spilling across the cavern walls as the pact sealed.

  When the glow faded, Broderick looked at him, his expression sharp and unreadable.

  “This is only temporary, mage,” he said sternly. “This partnership is for Ava and for Ren, not for you. I do not yet know how I feel about you.”

  Kyo blinked, taken aback, then gave a faint huff of amusement. “Fair enough. You’ll warm up to me eventually.”

  Broderick snorted, wings flicking once. “We shall see.”

  Ava shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips as she looked between them. “You two sound like you’ve known each other for years already.”

  For the first time since the trial began, the tension in the chamber eased. The air felt lighter.

  And for a fleeting moment, amid the fading glow of the molten walls, they didn’t feel like broken players trapped in a dying game.

  They felt like a team.

  The glow of their new contract still shimmered faintly between Kyo’s fingers when the ground beneath them gave a sudden lurch.

  A low hum rippled through the air followed by the sharp ping of an alert.

  [ SYSTEM NOTICE: PRIMARY ENTITY SIGNATURE “THE DREAD WYRM” MISSING FROM ZONE. INSTANCE INTEGRITY COMPROMISED. ]

  [ FORCED EJECTION IN 5… 4… 3… ]

  Kyo’s eyes widened. “Uh oh looks like the system didn’t like that you quit your job, Broderick.”

  Broderick blinked, startled. “I am what?”

  The floor split open with streaks of white light. Lines of code spiraled upward like chains snapping free, and the molten cavern began to unravel.

  Ava grabbed for Miles as the ground trembled beneath them. “What’s happening?!”

  “Instance collapse!” Kyo shouted. “Hold on!”

  Without thinking, he moved, pulling Ava and Miles into his arms, shielding them both as the chamber disintegrated. His cloak flared from the sudden wind, wrapping around them like a barrier. Miles buried his face in Kyo’s chest while Ava held onto his arm, the three of them pressed together as light consumed the space around them.

  The sound grew deafening, metal, wind, code, and flame all collapsing into one blinding flash.

  Broderick’s smaller form flared beside them, wings curling protectively over the trio as the last line of code shattered.

  The world snapped.

  Cool air rushed in where heat once burned. The three of them stumbled forward, landing hard on cracked stone outside the ancient ruin. Moss clung to the weathered steps, and morning light poured through drifting mist.

  Kyo groaned softly, still half-crouched, his arms still instinctively around Ava and Miles. When he realized, he blinked and slowly loosened his grip.

  “You two okay?” he asked, voice low.

  Ava nodded, catching her breath. “Yeah I just wasn’t expecting that.”

  Miles peeked up from Kyo’s cloak, eyes wide. “We’re back?”

  Kyo glanced around, taking in the broken archway and the faint pulse of the exit rune behind them. “Yeah, buddy. Looks like the system kicked us out the second Broderick stopped being part of the dungeon.”

  Broderick hovered nearby, his smaller wings flicking sparks in mild irritation.

  “It seems my absence destabilized the environment. How inconvenient.”

  Kyo gave him a look somewhere between amusement and exasperation. “You think?”

  Broderick huffed. “Had I known leaving my post would collapse the spatial boundary, I might have given you warning.”

  Ava laughed quietly, brushing dust from her armor. “Well, we’re out now and together, that’s what matters.”

  Miles nodded, still holding onto Kyo’s sleeve. “Papa kept his promise. He kept us safe.”

  Kyo’s expression softened. He patted Miles' head gently. “Yeah, kiddo. He really did.”

  The morning sun broke fully through the clouds, washing the ruins in gold.

  Ava looked toward the horizon, her voice calm but steady. “Then let’s not waste what he gave us.”

  Broderick fluttered beside her, the sunlight catching along his metallic wings.

  “Where to now?”

  Kyo adjusted the strap of his staff and glanced at the faint glow of his system map.

  “Anywhere but here,” he said. “We need to get resituated. I have no clue where leadership resides, and I’ll need some time to figure that out.”

  Broderick nodded thoughtfully. “I can help with that.”

  Miles yawned, rubbing at his eyes as he leaned against Kyo’s leg. The motion tugged at Ava’s chest, a pang of guilt settling in as she watched him fight to stay awake. He hadn’t had a proper night’s rest since this nightmare began.

  Then again none of them had.

  Ava glanced at Kyo, his posture heavy but still guarded, and then at Broderick, whose faint glow dimmed under the morning light.

  “Let’s find somewhere safe to rest first,” she murmured. “We’ll figure everything else out after.”

  Kyo gave a tired nod, and Broderick didn’t argue.