The forest wind whispered as Rayon and Vorthalaxis moved eastward, the serpent coiled around his arm, black markings glinting in the moonlight. Erethon drifted in the corners of his mind, voice playful but sharp.
"You know what the Awakened Circle is doing," Erethon teased. "They've already sensed the Fourth Seal's release. Their pieces are moving."
Rayon didn't answer. His gaze scanned the horizon, sharp and calculating. The wind carried the faintest vibrations of power—strings stretching across the world, faint but alive.
Far to the south, deep beneath the ruins of a sunken citadel, Severin's hands hovered over an ancient obsidian seal. His fingers traced the sigils, black energy crawling over his skin like crawling insects.
The seal pulsed violently as he muttered incantations in a voice low and unyielding. "Wake, slumbering shadow. Serve the world you've been locked from."
The monolith cracked. Dust and sparks of silver-blue energy spilled into the air. Within the fractured seal, a creature stirred: the 10th Seal had awakened. A massive form of shifting shadows and jagged bones, eyes like molten amber, bound by energy stronger than most could touch.
Severin stepped back calmly, hand still pressed on the monolith. "Rise," he whispered. "But remember your place. I will not be your master, only your guide."
The creature opened its mouth, a roar that cracked the surrounding stone and shook the deep tunnels. Yet it bowed, acknowledging Severin as its liberator.
"The 10th Seal," Erethon's voice murmured inside Rayon's mind, "broken by someone who is… not your enemy. But keep watching. These awakenings shift everything."
In the golden hall of the Awakened Circle, Lazheron and his council convened. Six figures, each a master of observation and combat, their eyes reflecting faint sparks of cosmic awareness.
"The Fourth Seal has been broken," Isaleth said, voice echoing softly. "The Fourth. Vorthalaxis moves with someone capable. The world's threads are tightening around him."
Rovan the Steel-Seer nodded. "And Severin has broken the 10th. Whoever wields that power now—he is no enemy to balance, but the stakes are shifting. All hands must move."
Lazheron's gaze hardened. "Good. The world is testing itself. The Circle will act to contain the ruptures. Interference may be necessary at the Third and Fifth Seals. Prepare heralds. Let no one underestimate the player of the Fourth Seal."
Asha of the Void Choir spoke quietly, eyes scanning a map of currents and ley lines. "Do we strike first?"
"No," Lazheron replied, voice sharp. "We observe. The player may be foolish—but not weak. Let him expose the threads of the world first."
Back atop the cliff, Rayon rested one hand on the edge, eyes focused. Vorthalaxis shifted slightly on his arm, tail flicking, marking pulses of energy that spanned far beyond the horizon.
"The next target," Erethon whispered, "isn't random. The Third Seal lies west, hidden beneath the Ashen Peaks. Its guardian is ancient, and its power rivals mine when I am freed. You'll want it before the Circle or the others intervene."
Rayon smirked faintly. "The Third Seal, huh? Sounds like it wants to see me."
"And beware," Erethon added. "It's not just a beast. It's a nexus of power, a storm condensed. One misstep and even your strings may snap against it."
Rayon's silver eyes flickered with purpose. "Then I'll go prepared."
Vorthalaxis hissed softly. "I will follow you anywhere."
"Don't get sentimental," Erethon grumbled. "He's not yours. He's ours. And don't think your little serpent is the only ally in this game."
Rayon chuckled. "Then let's see what else this world has to offer."
As Rayon prepared to move toward the Ashen Peaks, far-off continents stirred. The Awakened Circle dispatched scouts, flying beasts, and shadowy heralds toward the Third Seal's domain.
Severin's newly awakened 10th Seal pulsed with a strange resonance, a distant vibration that Rayon could feel faintly through his strings. His mind registered it as both a warning and a beacon.
Erethon's voice was playful, tinged with dark amusement. "Do you feel that? Every step you take, the world shifts. Every seal you approach, the air changes. You're no longer a wanderer. You're a force."
Rayon smirked, tightening the coils of Vorthalaxis around his arm. "Good. I like being a force."
The ocean wind howled around them, carrying distant cries of awakening. The world was moving, threading itself toward chaos—and Rayon was already pulling on the strings.