CHAPTER 17, THE VESSEL'S AWAKENING
The night had fully descended.
The sky was completely black—no moon, no stars—only a suffocating darkness that pressed down on everything.
A cold wind moved through the rocky terrain, but it carried something more than just chill.
It carried presence.
Jay walked forward, the unconscious girl still in his arms. Her body felt light, but the energy around her was anything but. The dark veins spreading beneath her skin had reached her neck now, pulsing faintly as if alive.
Elara followed closely behind, her steps cautious, her staff glowing faintly.
"This isn't good…" she said under her breath.
Jay didn't slow down.
"I know."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
---
After some time, the mountains came into full view.
The Ashen Mountains.
Towering, jagged, and unnatural.
They looked less like mountains… and more like something waiting.
Watching.
The air here was heavier.
Breathing felt slightly harder.
Every step carried weight.
Jay finally stopped.
He carefully lowered the girl onto the ground and dropped to one knee beside her.
His eyes studied her face.
The veins were spreading faster now.
Elara stepped closer.
"If this continues… she's going to—"
"Die," Jay finished.
Silence followed.
Then—
A blue light flashed.
📜 SYSTEM ALERT
Host Nearby: Fragment Core Energy Detected
Distance: Very Close
Warning: Vessel Instability Increasing
New Objective: Reach Core Before Full Corruption
---
Jay's eyes narrowed.
"The Core… it's here."
Elara frowned.
"You mean—"
"The source of this corruption is nearby."
---
Suddenly—
The girl's body trembled violently.
Her fingers twitched.
Her breathing changed.
Then—
her eyes opened.
But they weren't normal.
They were completely black.
Empty.
Cold.
Elara stepped back instantly.
"She's awake—"
Jay shook his head slowly.
"No…"
"That's not her."
---
The girl rose slowly.
Her movements were unnatural.
Jerky.
Controlled.
As if something else was pulling the strings.
Then—
she looked directly at Jay.
And smiled.
A cold… twisted smile.
"You… came too late…"
Her voice echoed strangely.
Two voices.
One human.
One… something else.
Elara raised her staff immediately.
"Jay, be careful!"
---
Without warning—
The girl vanished.
FLASH!
She appeared behind Jay—
But—
Jay was already gone.
Both of them moved at the same time.
Teleportation.
---
They reappeared several meters apart.
Jay stood calmly.
"You can use it too."
The girl tilted her head.
"We… learn…"
---
Then—
Dark smoke began to spread from her body.
It poured out like mist—
thick and unnatural.
And from that darkness—
figures began to emerge.
One…
Two…
Five…
Ten.
Shadow creatures.
Elara's eyes widened.
"What are those?!"
Jay answered calmly—
"An extension of the fragment."
---
The shadows attacked.
Fast.
Unpredictable.
Elara reacted instantly.
"Arcane Blast!"
A burst of blue energy exploded outward, destroying several of them.
But more kept coming.
Jay stepped forward.
Then—
he activated it.
Hiddenness.
His presence disappeared completely.
The battlefield froze.
The shadows hesitated.
They couldn't sense him.
Couldn't track him.
---
Then—
FLASH!
Jay appeared in the middle of them.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Each movement precise.
Each attack lethal.
One by one—
the shadows fell.
---
But the girl remained.
Floating slightly above the ground now.
Her black eyes glowing faintly.
"You… are different…"
Jay walked toward her slowly.
"And you're weak."
---
Suddenly—
she rose higher into the air.
Dark energy burst from her body.
The ground trembled.
The air shook.
Elara shouted,
"Jay! She's connecting to the Core!"
---
Jay's expression didn't change.
"Then we end it here."
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Like a predator approaching its prey.
---
The girl raised her hand—
and a wave of dark energy shot toward him.
But—
Jay vanished.
And reappeared right in front of her.
Closer than she could react.
---
He grabbed her wrist.
Firm.
Unshakable.
"You're not taking her."
His voice was low.
Absolute.
---
For a moment—
her expression flickered.
The darkness wavered.
And deep inside—
a weak voice emerged.
"…help…"
Barely audible.
Barely alive.
---
Jay tightened his grip.
"I'm here."
---
Then—
he placed his hand against her chest.
Right where the corruption was strongest.
And—
the System activated.
📜 SYSTEM SKILL ACTIVATED
Ability: Energy Disruption
Target: Fragment Influence
---
A burst of light exploded outward.
The dark energy trembled violently.
The girl screamed.
The ground shook.
The air distorted.
---
For a few seconds—
everything blurred.
Then—
silence.
The light faded.
The girl collapsed.
Unconscious.
The black veins—
had slowed.
Not gone.
But weakened.
---
Elara rushed forward.
"How did you—"
Jay didn't answer.
His eyes remained on the girl.
"…This is only the beginning."
---
Far away—
deep within the Ashen Mountains—
something stirred.
A deep, ancient voice echoed in the darkness.
"…Interesting…"
---
Jay looked up toward the mountains.
There was no fear in his eyes.
Only one thing—
resolve.
---
"The real battle starts now."
---
— To Be Continued 🔥⚔️