The aqueduct tunnel smelled like wet stone and old metal. Water trickled through the narrow channel, just enough to cover their footsteps as Kael led Lira deeper underground.
He kept one hand on his sword and the other on the torch. The flame flickered with every breath of cold air.
Behind him, Lira stayed close. She hadn't said a word since they left the manor. Her silence wasn't just fear—it was shock. Kael didn't blame her. He was barely holding himself together too.
"We're almost out," he said quietly, trying to sound calm.
No answer.
The tunnel curved ahead. Kael turned left. He remembered this path—his father once used it to sneak into the city during a lockdown. These tunnels weren't just for water. House Viremont built them for secrets.
But something felt wrong.
Kael stopped. His chest felt heavier, like the air had thickened. Not just the air… something else. A strange pressure.
He had felt this before—twice. Once during his Awakening, and once when a dungeon appeared near their estate five years ago.
It was happening again.
Dungeon bleed.
Kael's hand tightened around his sword.
Dungeon bleed happened when the energy from a dungeon leaked into the real world. It was mana, magic power, but wild and dangerous. It made people sick. It changed animals. Sometimes it even caused new dungeons to form.
After the first Break, about twenty years ago, the world had changed. Dungeons used to be rare, hidden places. Now, they appeared anywhere. Cities. Fields. Even under noble homes.
That's how industry grew. People started using dungeon materials to power machines—trains, phones, even cars. But mana was still unpredictable. Too much of it, and the land warped. People too.
Kael kept walking, slower now. Every step pulled him closer to the strange energy.
The tunnel opened into a small chamber. The stone walls were cracked, and water dripped from above. At the far end, glowing blue mist flowed out of a split in the wall.
A rift. It was the start of a new dungeon.
He raised his torch. Mist curled away from the light.
Behind him, Lira whispered, "Kael… I feel something. Like… a hum."
He looked back. Her pendant—his mother's last gift, was glowing again. It pulsed gently, like a heartbeat.
He turned to face the rift. Shapes moved inside it—shadows without bodies. One of them stepped forward, dragging darkness behind it.
It wasn't a person. It wasn't even fully real.
But it had eyes.
Two blue lights stared out from its face. Then Kael heard a voice. Not out loud. Not with his ears.
"You are not ready. But you will be."
Kael froze. The voice came from inside his mind—deep, echoing. It didn't sound human.
What is that thing?
"You carry the hunger. The devouring force. When it begins, you must choose: feed, or be fed upon."
Kael didn't understand the words, but they sent a chill through his spine.
Lira grabbed his arm. "Kael—your eyes. They're glowing."
He blinked. His vision blurred for a second. Everything felt sharp and alive. The mana in the chamber was moving, but it wasn't random.
It was drawn to him.
He felt something inside him react. A pressure in his chest—like something waking up after a long sleep. It wasn't painful, but it was… heavy. Powerful.
Is this the Devour class? he thought. Is it starting now?
The rift pulsed one last time.
Then it vanished.
The mist was gone. The pressure disappeared. The shadow with blue eyes faded into nothing.
Kael stood still, waiting to make sure it was over.
Lira stepped closer. "What just happened?"
He turned to her. "I don't know," he said. "But we need to keep moving."
They followed the tunnel to the end. The outer gate was old and rusted, but Kael knew the trick to open it. Three knocks, two taps, twist the bolt sideways.
It creaked open slowly.
Outside, the early morning light spread across the hills. Mist covered the ground. The city was far in the distance, quiet and untouched.
They were free.
Lira stepped into the light. Her face was pale, but steady.
Kael looked back at the tunnel.
He felt different now.
That voice… it knew what I was. It called me a devourer.
His hand went to his chest. The strange power still pulsed there, like a second heartbeat.
Whatever's inside me—it's waking up. And I don't think I can stop it.
He looked down at his sister, then up at the sky.
He didn't know what came next.
But he knew what mattered.
Protect Lira. No matter what.