The Ashen Peaks loomed like black teeth against the stormy sky. Rayon strode forward, coat brushing against jagged rocks, one hand still lazily in his pocket. The wind howled, carrying the faint hum of power from the Third Seal.
Ahead, the cavern of the seal yawned like a wound in the earth. Inside, a monstrous presence stirred, its energy rippling like a living storm. This was no ordinary guardian—it was the essence of the seal itself, a creature of fused shadows and raw, ancient power.
Vorthalaxis shifted on Rayon's arm, markings glowing faintly. "This one… is strong. I have felt nothing like it in decades."
Rayon smirked. "Then let's see what you've been hiding."
As Rayon entered, the temperature dropped sharply. Shadows twisted unnaturally, forming into a massive beast: four arms tipped with serrated claws, wings that sprouted like shattered glass, and eyes that burned with molten red light. Its roar shook the cavern, and the seal's energy pulsed in response, feeding its strength.
Rayon's silver eyes glinted. He didn't rush. Every movement was measured, every step deliberate. He let the beast strike first. Strings of black energy shot from his fingertips, wrapping around rocks, spikes, and the cavern walls, creating barriers and traps.
The creature lunged. Rayon dodged with ease, letting its momentum carry it into the cavern walls, twisting the space around it with subtle manipulations of his strings.
Erethon's voice echoed in his mind. "Remember. The seal holds power beyond imagination. One misstep and you'll become part of it. Do not underestimate it."
Rayon only smirked. "I like a challenge."
High above the peaks, Lazheron's eyes glimmered as he watched the battle through scrying sigils. One of the Awakened Circle's core members, Serik the Hound, was sent as reinforcement. A warrior whose strength rivaled the beast itself, moving faster than the eye could follow, blades glowing faintly with shadow energy.
Rayon didn't flinch. With a casual flick of his hand, he sent Vorthalaxis forward. The great serpent lunged at Serik, fangs bared, wings slicing the wind like blades. But the years of inactivity weighed heavily on the beast. Every movement was slower than it could be, every strike missing the precision it once held.
"I can't give it my all," Vorthalaxis hissed, black scales cracking faintly. "Not yet. I'd destroy half the world if I did."
Rayon narrowed his eyes. "Then finish it smart."
With a series of precise string manipulations, Rayon extended black threads to wrap around Serik, tugging subtly, forcing him into missteps, and allowing Vorthalaxis to land powerful strikes without overexerting himself. Within moments, Serik was pinned, struggling, but alive. Rayon walked up casually, hand still in his pocket.
"Stand down," Rayon said flatly. Serik's eyes widened as he realized the truth: the Fourth Seal's liberator was controlling the battlefield from the shadows.
Vorthalaxis hissed in relief as Rayon's strings steadied him. "Thank you."
Rayon smirked. "Don't thank me yet. There's work to do."
The beast inside the Third Seal roared in defiance, energy spiking like lightning. Rayon stepped forward, hands still calm in his pockets. The strings around the cavern thickened, wrapping around the beast's form, constricting it with invisible, unbreakable threads.
"Time to see what you're made of," Erethon whispered.
Rayon's eyes glinted silver. He pulled at the strings, bending the seal's energy into a cage. The cavern shook violently. Vorthalaxis roared in tandem, wings flaring, amplifying the pressure. The guardian could barely move, thrashing wildly, but Rayon's strings held firm.
With a final tug, the seal shattered. The cavern's energy surged outward, but Rayon's strings captured it, twisting it into a stable form. A shimmering figure hovered where the beast had been, eyes flickering with intelligence and fear.
Rayon glanced at it casually. "You're coming with me."
Vorthalaxis slumped beside him, exhausted. "I… I've not felt weakness like this in centuries."
Rayon extended a hand, letting the serpent coil around him, its black markings faintly glowing as the strings around the Third Seal's power stabilized.
"Rest," he said. "We'll rebuild you."
Erethon's phantom smirked from within his mind. "I'd say you made that look easy. The Circle is going to be very… interested in this one."
Rayon shrugged, hands still in his pockets. "Let them be interested. I'm not here to entertain."
The Third Seal's power pulsed faintly in Rayon's strings, alive and bound. Ahead lay the path to the next seal, but for now, he allowed himself a moment to observe the world around him: mountains, clouds, the distant glimmer of rivers.
The hunt had only just begun.