The air inside the Vault felt… off.
Kai didn't know if it was nerves or something more sinister. Since tapping into the Talnari Ghost Market, his earnings had skyrocketed—but so had the sense that something was watching. Still, he wasn't about to stop. Traders didn't earn sovereignty by playing it safe.
Ghost Auction Settled.Items Sold: 15CU Gained: +267Reputation: +3 (Unknown Network: The Pale Listeners)
"The Pale Listeners…?" Kai muttered.
He tried accessing more info—but it was locked. A red glyph flickered briefly: a stylized ear surrounded by thorns.
Not creepy at all.
Cracked Coordinates
With the latest CU windfall, Kai upgraded his data decryptor. The Tier-2 crystal finally spat out its last layer of hidden info: a full coordinate.
Location Unsealed: Vault-SR-A33-Λ / Status: Broken Seal / Ownership: Deceased Trader – Sovereign Rank
This wasn't just an abandoned station—it was a former Sovereign's personal vault.
Kai's heart pounded. Most Sovereigns disappeared without a trace. Their death vaults, if found, were treasure troves of rare items, relics, and elite system permissions.
"This could be it," he whispered. "My foundation."
Journey to the Vault
Kai spent over 70 CU prepping a stealth expedition package:
Riftwalker Drone (Long-Range Capable)
Encryption Spoofer Mk-II
Personal Firewall Tether (Anti-Backtrace)
One-use Reclamation Spike
He launched the drone into Sector SR-A33, through a faded warp gate that blinked with unstable light. After 43 minutes of dead silence, a signal returned.
Connection Stable. Environment Hazardous. Vault Detected. Entry Point Fractured.
Kai dove into the feed.
The screen showed a shattered metal fortress floating in orbit over a dead gas giant. The vault's exterior bore charred sigils, but one faintly flickering symbol confirmed it: the Sovereign Seal.
And scrawled beside it, half-erased by burns, was a name.
"Zael of the Obsidian Ledger"
Inside the Broken Vault
Through the drone, Kai accessed the inner chambers. Inside was wreckage, but not useless wreckage—fragmented data drives, sealed crates, and a power core still semi-functional. One chamber was particularly interesting: it pulsed with light, as if resisting time itself.
Sovereign Memory Core Detected – IncompleteStatus: Partially CorruptedContents:— Galactic Route Templates (Level 4)— Trade Relics: [Obsidian Ledger Core]— Legacy Contracts (1 Usable)
Kai nearly dropped his tablet.
Legacy Contracts… They allowed the bearer to take on a trade agreement left behind by a dead Sovereign—potentially accessing forbidden goods or abandoned realms.
"Jackpot."
But as he tried to initiate the download, an unexpected prompt appeared.
Warning: This action will trigger Sovereign Echo Protocol. Proceed?[Yes] [No]
A Sovereign Echo? That meant part of Zael's consciousness might still be lingering, programmed to defend his secrets—even from beyond the grave.
Kai hovered over "Yes."
"This could make me… or erase me."
He clicked it.
The Echo Awakens
The Vault's screen distorted. Then came a sound—low, gravelly, synthetic.
"...You are not of my Line. Nor my Guild. Explain your right to touch what remains of Zael."
Kai kept his voice calm. "I am a Trader. Rank Three. I activated this Vault under legal recovery protocol."
"Legalities are for the living," the voice hissed.
Then silence.
The vault glowed. Kai's systems sputtered. A force tried to eject his connection, but his firewall tether held.
After 30 full seconds of digital warfare, the screen settled.
Echo Test Passed. Claim Granted.You are now recognized as:— Heir of the Obsidian Ledger (Provisional)— Access Level Raised: Sovereign Fragment Tier— Legacy Route Unlocked: Shattered Driftways— Cosmic Relic Acquired: [Miniature Ledger of Debts]— Legacy Contract Available: "Trade the Eternal Debt"
Kai slumped back, drenched in sweat.
He had done it.
He hadn't just found riches. He had inherited a legacy.
Kai Zareth has claimed part of a Sovereign's broken vault, passed the Echo Test, and earned access to ancient trade routes long sealed off. New dangers await, but so does opportunity.
His next step: Fulfill the legacy contract, unlock the Shattered Driftways, and discover what a Sovereign once called "the debt that built an empire."
Status Panel:
Trader Rank: 3
CU Balance: 290
Credits: 75
New Access: Ghost Market – Talnari Reach, Shattered Driftways
Legacy Item: Miniature Ledger of Debts
Reputation: Whispered Trader (+1 Pale Listeners, +1 Unknown Sovereign Remnants)
Sovereign Path Progress: 27%
Warnings: Active Surveillance – Origin Unknown
Unlocked Feature: Legacy Contract (1 Available)
Title (Provisional): Heir of the Obsidian Ledger