Nam's body floated in a void—neither dark nor light, neither cold nor warm. Around him, strands of energy wove and twisted, each thread pulsing with memory, emotion, destiny.
He wasn't dead.
He was between.
A voice—calm, ancient, neither male nor female—echoed in his mind.
"The Catalyst has accepted his burden. The reckoning begins."
Suddenly, the threads surged toward him. Each one entered his body—painful, brilliant, overwhelming. He saw centuries of wars, forgotten gods, forbidden rituals, lives unlived.
And then—his own core ignited.
The seal on his chest—one he never knew he had—shattered. From within, a symbol burned into existence: a serpent devouring the sun.
Lan, standing on the shattered platform outside the Abyss Gate, felt her heart seize. She stumbled, grabbing Bao's arm.
"He's... changing," she whispered. "It's not just him anymore."
From the Abyss, a column of light erupted, tearing through the heavens. The crystal sphere inside the chamber shattered into dust. In its place stood Nam—eyes glowing silver, hair rippling with energy, an aura so ancient it made time slow around him.
But he wasn't alone.
Behind him, a shadow emerged, vaguely humanoid but composed entirely of screaming souls and swirling fire.
Bao's voice trembled. "That's... the Forbidden Power. The one the texts said must never awaken."
Nam raised his hand.
The shadow obeyed.
"I understand now," Nam spoke, his voice layered with echoes. "This world was built on lies. Balance is not peace—it is control."
Lan stepped forward, desperate. "Nam! Please! You're still you, right?"
His gaze softened—but only for a moment.
"I was never just me."
Suddenly, the earth cracked.
From deep within the continent, ancient seals began to break—pillars of light shooting skyward from long-forgotten ruins. The air vibrated with the hum of awakening.
Across the realm, scholars and sages turned pale.
"It has begun," whispered the Grand Oracle from her tower. "The Catalyst has embraced the Forbidden Path."
And far, far away—in the silent ruins of the First City—a long-dead king opened his eyes.