Jason stirred, his head still resting on Maggy’s leg. The warmth of her fingers combing through his hair was soothing, almost enough to lull him back into unconsciousness. Almost.

  Then, he heard her whisper.

  “You’ve always been weak... you always will be.”

  Jason’s breath caught. His eyes remained closed, but his body tensed ever so slightly.

  “Once he's recovered... I’ll leave him,” Maggy continued, her voice barely above a breath. “I can't keep burdening him with my weakness.”

  The words cut deeper than any blade. Jason had known that pain—the quiet agony of never feeling enough, of believing you were a burden. It had haunted him for years, its grip never fully loosening. And now, Maggy… she was drowning in the same doubt. He wanted to reach out, to tell her she was wrong. But exhaustion dragged him down, his thoughts slipping beneath its heavy tide before he could act.

  The morning air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of smoldering embers from the dying fire. Jason stirred, his senses slowly coming back to him. For the first time in what felt like days, he noticed a pang of hunger gnawing at his stomach.

  A soft breath beside him caught his attention. Maggy was still asleep, curled up near the fire, her face relaxed in a rare moment of peace. Jason sat up slowly, careful not to disturb her, and stretched out the stiffness from the battle the night before.

  The embers still glowed faintly, their warmth barely cutting through the crisp morning air. Jason pulled up the store interface, scanning through the options. A simple breakfast—eggs, bacon, a small pan—appeared before him in a soft shimmer.

  He worked in silence, rekindling the fire before laying the pan over the heat. The first crack of an egg echoed through the quiet morning, followed by the rich sizzle of bacon. The scent of cooking food wafted through the air, stirring Maggy awake before Jason even had a chance to call her.

  She groaned softly, stretching her arms as she blinked away sleep. Then, she inhaled deeply and sat up almost immediately, her eyes snapping to the fire. “Holy hell… is that bacon?”

  Jason smirked as he turned the strips over. “I figured we deserved something better than dried rations.”

  Maggy’s expression was one of pure delight, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. She took a bite, closing her eyes as she let out a quiet hum of satisfaction. “You might be my favorite person right now.”

  Jason smirked, shaking his head. “So, I’ve been fighting undead for my life, but it’s the bacon that makes me your favorite person?”

  Maggy pointed at him with her fork. “Correct.”

  They ate in companionable silence, the fire crackling between them. But Jason’s mind wasn’t on the food. The words he had overheard last night still lingered, carving at the edges of his thoughts.

  He set his plate down. “Maggy…” He hesitated, searching for the right words. “About what you said last night, before I woke up.”

  Maggy froze, her fork hovering mid-air. Slowly, she lowered it, her fingers tightening around the plate. “What… what did you hear?” Her voice was quiet, hesitant.

  Jason exhaled. “You said you were weak… that when I recover, you’d leave because you didn’t want to be a burden to me.”

  Maggy froze. A flicker of panic crossed her face before she quickly looked away. Her hands tightened around the plate, her knuckles turning white. “I… I didn’t think I said that out loud.”

  Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  Jason reached over, his hand resting gently on hers. “I used to think the same thing. That I was a burden. That people were better off without me. It took me too long to realize how wrong I was—and I’m not letting you make the same mistake.”

  Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to deny it. “I don’t feel strong,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “Every fight… every time I see you throwing yourself into danger, I just—” She shook her head, swallowing hard. “I feel useless. It was my own weakness that made you relive that torture; you need to give me the only protection you had.”

  Jason’s grip on her hand tightened, grounding her. “You’ve kept me going more times than I can count. You saved me, Maggy. you saw a complete stranger get flung by a monster that obviously stronger thana you and what did you do? you dove into the fray regardless of the danger to yourself. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  She blinked rapidly, her emotions threatening to surface. “I just don’t want to hold you back.”

  Jason gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re not, if anything pushing forward, giving me more of a reason to grow. We’re in this together. And I need you here.”

  Maggy studied his face for a long moment, then let out a shaky breath. A small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “Alright. I’ll stay.”

  Jason grinned, nudging her shoulder lightly. “Good. I wasn’t planning on letting you go anyway.”

  The air between them shifted, lighter than before. They finished their breakfast, the doubts and fears that had once weighed heavy began to lift.

  After the meal, Jason leaned back, stretching his arms over his head, his body still aching from the previous night’s battle. His mind wandered briefly to the unread notifications hovering at the edge of his vision. Filled with excitement he opened the notifications to see what he'd earned.

  well of power filled 33%

  A slow warmth spread through Jason’s limbs, but it wasn’t just heat—it was something deeper, something raw. His muscles tensed, his heartbeat steadied, and when he clenched his fingers into a fist, power coiled beneath his skin, ready to surge at a moment’s notice. He exhaled sharply. This… This was Addictive.

  he opened the final notification

  Blessing of the Forgiven

  Bestowed upon those who have confronted the ghosts of their past and emerged with newfound purpose, this blessing grants the ability to sever the chains of suffering. The bearer may bring solace to the lost, granting them release from torment. Only those who have endured the depths of sorrow may wield this power with true understanding.

  Jason’s breath hitched as tears welled up—not from exhaustion or pain, but from recognition. A truth he hadn’t been ready to face until now. he wasn't to blame for the decision of another person. it was not his fault that evil had found him and his sister that day. that was a burden that was not his to carry. and with this blessing he knew that he had to help those who were trapped in the same lie. He could help them find release; the same release Sabrina had offered him.

  a smile crept onto his face. in all the years since his sister passed not once did, he expect that he'd be able to forgive himself.

  But last night, in the depths of his nightmare, he had faced it. And hearing Sabrina tell him to not let her memory crush him. Something changed in him at that moment. The guilt, once suffocating, finally loosened its grip. For the first time in years, moving forward felt possible.

  Maggy noticed the shift in his expression. “What is it?”

  Jason turned to her, his voice soft but filled with awe. “I received a blessing… the Blessing of the Forgiven. It’s... it’s hard to explain, but I think it means I can help those who are stuck in their own darkness, who can’t find their way out. I think that is what I did for those tormented souls the Harbinger collected.”

  Maggy stared into the fire, her brows furrowed. “that's well incredible." she paused for a moment considering "I don’t know if I’ll ever understand why we were chosen for this, or why this is happening.” she murmured. “But… if we’re changing, if we’re becoming something more… maybe that’s not all bad. for a blessing to help lost souls. maybe just maybe something good can come from all this.”

  Jason nodded, still processing the weight of the blessing. “Yeah... maybe. I just never imagined something like this. Honestly, I never imagined the thought of forgiving myself.”

  “You’ve earned it,” Maggy said gently. “It’s part of your journey, moving past the pain, and using what you’ve learned to help others do the same.”

  Jason smiled, feeling the truth in her words. The burden of his past would always be with him, but now it felt lighter. Not that it was gone, not entirely. But because he learned to carry the weight.

  The blessing was more than a gift, it was a responsibility. One that he was ready to embrace.

  They made their way to where the Harbinger had fallen, its dark, twisted form still radiating a faint, malevolent energy. Jason knelt beside the fallen creature, placing his hand over its remains. He steeled himself and called out,

  “Consume.”

  Harbinger Consumed.

  Chains of the Tortured (Epic)

  Call forth ethereal chains binding the souls of the broken. The more the souls suffer, the more strength they offer. Direct damage received is transferred to the souls, enhancing your strength. If the damage exceeds the souls' limit, the chains will shatter, releasing the souls.

  Staff of Eternal Sorrow (Epic)

  Forged from the remains of the Harbinger of Despair, this staff channels the lingering torment of lost souls. Twisted and gnarled, the staff is blackened as if scorched by despair, with faintly glowing spectral chains coiling around its length. Its head is adorned with a shard of translucent obsidian, pulsing with the tortured energies of those it has claimed.

  100 Razian Coins

  His eyes lingered on the Chains of the Tortured. The thought of absorbing that kind of strength—of wielding the same power that had nearly broken him—made his fingers twitch. But then he remembered the sight of those tormented souls, their eyes hollow, their suffering endless. He exhaled sharply, disgust rolling in his gut. Some power wasn’t worth the cost. The Chains of the Tortured, the Staff of Eternal Sorrow—both were forged in suffering, built on the pain of others. He felt a knot in his stomach, repulsed by the very idea of using such dark, twisted power.

  He selected the third option, choosing the 100 Razian coins. As soon as he made his choice, the sickening aura of the other options seemed to recede, leaving him with a sense of relief. Jason stood up, taking a deep, and was thankful he was strong enough to not fall into the temptation of that power.

  Maggy approached, noticing the tension in his face. "You okay?"

  Jason nodded slowly. "Yeah... I just—" He shook his head, trying to shake off the lingering unease. "I couldn’t stomach the thought of using something made from that thing."

  Maggy smiled softly, understanding. "Smart choice. We don’t need more darkness hanging over us."

  Jason glanced back at where the Harbinger had fallen, his resolve hardening. "No, we don’t,” Jason said, glancing at the sky. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he’d truly made the right choice. No chains. No ghosts. Just a path forward."