"Consume."

  The remnants of Umbraxis began to swirl into the air, drawn by unseen forces as Jason felt the dark energy converge within him. A familiar notification appeared, glowing faintly before him.

  Umbraxis, the Shrouded Betrayer. Consumed.

  Options available:

  Chains of the Fallen (Epic)

  Gain ethereal chains that bind their target, drawing forth their strength. The chains will capture the souls of the slain, binding them to serve.

  Essence of the Dread Lord (Legendary)

  Can be consumed to become a Dread Lord.

  Can be used as a powerful alchemical component.

  Can be used to upgrade a skill or weapon that uses soul-based magic.

  200 Razian Coins

  Jason grimaced at the Chains of the Fallen. It was just another darker version of the same abilities he'd passed on before. Power gained by enslaving others’ souls, no matter how strong, it wasn’t a price he was willing to pay.

  His eyes settled on the second option: Essence of the Dread Lord. A legendary item. The idea of becoming a Dread Lord repulsed him, but something about the third option gave him pause. Could it enhance Maggy’s spirit-based skills? She did touch both our souls, I Imagine this could help her.

  With a nod, he selected the Essence of the Dread Lord. A vial appeared in his hand, filled with dark liquid that glowed faintly, swirling like liquid shadow. Jason looked at it for a moment before slipping it into his dimensional storage. A smile crossed his face as the next notification appeared.

  Bloodline Awakened: Blood of the Unchained.

  A bloodline forged in defiance of control, the Blood of the Unchained grants its bearers the ability to break free from all forms of restraint, both physical and mental. The more their freedom is threatened, the more savage and powerful they become.

  So that's how I gained that strength, Jason murmured. Memories flickered—his first-grade teacher scolding him for his defiance, his bosses growing frustrated with his inability to blindly follow orders. It had always been there, lurking beneath the surface. He wasn’t just stubborn.

  This power... it wasn’t just there, waiting. It had always been inside me, pushing against every rule, every chain. And now, I finally understand why.

  Jason could feel it, the raw energy of his bloodline coursing through his veins. His heart pounded, his muscles feeling more responsive than ever, his senses sharpened. Though the intensity had dimmed since the fight, it still lingered just beneath the surface, ready to unleash itself again when needed.

  Another notification blinked into existence.

  Skill Unlocked: Firestorm

  Born from the eternal flames of the Ember Peak Forge, Firestorm allows the wielder to summon searing waves of heat and fire through direct contact. The very essence of the forge courses through their body, enabling them to unleash flames so intense they warp the air itself. Skill activated through touch.

  Jason smirked. "Looks like our dead friend left us some parting gifts."

  Opening the last notification trumpets blared in Victory.

  Quest Update: Defeat the Three Bosses of the Triumverge Citadel.

  Umbraxis, the Shrouded Betrayer has been slain. Bosses remaining: 2 of 3. Days remaining 65 of 90

  Jason turned toward Maggy, a grin spreading across his face. “Hey, I got you something I think you’ll want.”

  Maggy raised an eyebrow as Jason handed her the Essence of the Dread Lord. She eyed the swirling liquid with suspicion. “I’m not drinking that.”

  Jason chuckled. “Good call. Pretty sure that’d turn you into some kind of undead nightmare.” He kicked the pile of ash that had once been Umbraxis. “But I think it can enhance one of your skills.”

  Maggy hesitated, her fingers tightening around the vial. “Enhance how?”

  Jason shrugged. “You tell me. I don’t have spirit magic, but I figured it might boost something important.”

  A notification flickered in her vision, offering a choice. She glanced up at Jason. “It’s letting me pick which skill to enhance. Spirit Bolt, Spirit Stitch, my aura… or Sacred Sanctuary.”

  Jason crossed his arms. “Spirit Bolt’s already a powerhouse. Stitch keeps me alive, but it’s solid as is. Aura? We’d have to gamble on what it’d evolve into.” He met her eyes. “I trust your gut. What’s it telling you?”

  Maggy stared at the vial, heart pounding. Her mind replayed their fights—the near-deaths, the frantic escapes, the moments she barely made a difference.

  She wasn’t enough.

  Not yet.

  A pulse of energy rippled through the vial, almost as if responding to her hesitation. She swallowed hard.

  Then, she made her choice.

  A rush of power surged through her, and the notification appeared:

  Spirit Sanctum (Evolved from Sacred Sanctuary)

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A rift to the Spirit Warden’s soul manifests, creating a sanctuary where allies can recover. Spirit-based skills are amplified, and the body and soul rejuvenate at an accelerated rate. The sanctum reflects the wielder’s resolve, growing stronger as their will deepens.

  Jason watched as the aura around her subtly shifted, becoming something more refined, more potent. Maggy exhaled, stunned.

  “I think…” she breathed, “this is going to be even more useful than we thought.”

  Jason grinned, rolling his shoulders. “See? Told you your gut was worth trusting. And if you don't mind I could use some healing my body aches something fierce.”

  Maggy approached him, but as she got closer, her smile faltered. Her eyes widened in horror as she noticed hundreds of tiny, jagged tears crisscrossing Jason’s skin, like barely-healed scars shimmering faintly in the low light. The wounds were small but unmistakably deep, as though they didn’t belong to his physical body at all.

  “What... how did this happen?” Maggy whispered, her voice tight with concern. She reached out, her fingertips lightly grazing his arm, and without thinking, she cast Spirit Stitch. Her magic flowed into him, and the bruising from the battle with Umbraxis faded instantly. But the tiny, ethereal tears remained, stubborn and unyielding.

  Maggy’s breath hitched. Her fingers trembled as she pulled away, horror flooding her veins. "Jason… these wounds—" her voice cracked, "they aren’t just on your body. They’re on your soul."

  Jason frowned, looking down at himself. He hadn’t even noticed the strange marks before, but now that Maggy pointed them out, he could feel it, the dull ache running deep inside, as though something within him was stretched too far. “What the hell...?”

  Maggy’s brow furrowed as she looked at the strange tears, her mind racing. “It’s not from Umbraxis.” She shook her head. “No... this is something else.”

  Jason blinked, his eyes narrowing. “You’re saying it’s not from the chains or that fight?”

  Maggy shook her head, her eyes fixed on the faint, ethereal tears crisscrossing his body. “No, it doesn’t make sense. These aren’t normal injuries. It’s like... it’s like your soul itself is damaged.”

  Jason took a deep breath, trying to make sense of everything. He thought back to the battle, to the surge of raw, wild strength that had coursed through him. That overwhelming power felt so natural like it had been him accepting himself.

  “I'm not sure how or why but That power—it wasn’t just there. It wasn’t waiting. It was breaking free. And now, I don’t know if I can hold it back.”

  Maggy looked at him, her brow furrowing with concern. “What are you talking about?”

  Jason hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “It’s my bloodline.”

  Maggy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Your bloodline? What do you mean?”

  He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if he could still feel the remnants of that primal power running through him. “When I fought Umbraxis, when I thought I was going to lose you... something took over. I’ve had this feeling inside me for a while now, this pressure building up, and in that fight, during the fight it broke free. It’s called the Blood of the Unchained.”

  Maggy’s confusion deepened as she listened. “Unchained?”

  Jason nodded, his expression grim. “It’s a bloodline i dont know. Some power, something deep inside me that I didn’t even know I had. I started to think something was odd after the first Harrower then after the Harbinger I Knew something was up. When it activates, it gives me this... raw, untamed strength. But it’s not just physical, I almost lost myself to it I wanted so badly to destroy the thing that bound me and threatened my something I cared about that all tactics fled my mind. Also it appears that it come at a cost.”

  Maggy’s eyes widened in horror as the realization sank in. “Your bloodline is doing this to you? It’s tearing your soul apart?”

  Jason nodded slowly. “It seems that way. If I had to guess not every time since this is the first time I've been hurt from it."

  Maggy stared at him, her face pale with shock. “Jason... why didn’t you say something before? How long have you felt this? How long have you been hurting like this?”

  “I didn’t know I had it until now. I thought something was up but never expected this.” Jason admitted, his voice thick with frustration.

  Maggy shook her head, her hand reaching out to touch one of the faint tears on his arm. “This is serious. You can’t keep using it if it’s going to keep doing this to you. If your soul breaks, Jason...”

  Jason clenched his jaw, his eyes hardening. “I know. But we’re in the middle of all this. We don’t have a choice. That power... I need it. I can’t afford to hold back right now, not with everything that’s happening.”

  Maggy’s hand lingered on his arm, her worry evident. “But you can’t keep pushing yourself like this. If your soul gets torn apart...” her voice cracking.

  “I’ll figure it out,” Jason said. “I have to. But right now, I... We need that strength. I’ll be careful, I just need to learn how to just barley tap into it."

  Maggy looked at him, her eyes filled with concern. “Jason...”

  "I’ll be careful," Jason said, though even as the words left his mouth, he wasn't sure he believed them. He needed the power. But at what cost? He swallowed the doubt and forced a grin. "One way or another, we’ll figure this out."

  Maggy nodded slowly, though the fear didn’t leave her eyes. “Just... promise me you won’t let it go too far.”

  Jason met her gaze, the tension between them thick. “I won’t. But I can’t let this power go, not now. Not when we need it.”

  Maggy stepped back, her hand dropping from his arm. She didn’t say anything, but the worry in her eyes spoke volumes. Jason knew he was playing with fire pushing himself too far. But deep down, he also knew there was no other option. He needed the power of his bloodline to survive what was coming. Even if it came with a terrible price.

  “Maybe my new skill can help heal those wounds even a little.” As she finished she cast the new skill.

  As Maggy activated the skill, the world around them rippled. A low hum resonated through the air, a vibration that wasn’t heard, but felt deep within the soul. Then, with a soft pulse, the sanctum bloomed into existence.

  Jason stepped forward, and the world around him transformed.

  The Spirit Sanctum was vast—an ethereal expanse bathed in a soft, radiant glow. The ground beneath them shimmered like polished glass, reflecting the golden sky above. A warm breeze carried the faint scent of something ancient, like the air before a storm yet untouched by rain.

  Towering trees with silver leaves stood in the distance, their branches stretching toward the light. Soft wisps of spirit energy drifted lazily through the air, whispering like distant echoes of lost memories. It was beautiful. Tranquil.

  But then, Jason saw it.

  A faint shadow at the far edge of the sanctum.

  It was subtle, like an approaching storm, but the more he focused on it, the more apparent it became. The golden glow dimmed the closer it got to the horizon, where wisps of black mist curled and flickered, as if waiting for a moment of weakness.

  The contrast was striking.

  The light was strong, overwhelming, yet it did not erase the darkness entirely. Instead, the two forces coexisted, locked in silent tension. A reflection of Maggy herself.

  Jason turned to her, but Maggy was already looking toward the shadowed horizon.

  "So this is your spirit realm?" Jason asked, his voice low.

  Maggy nodded, ringing her hands. "Yes. It's me. All of me."

  The Spirit Sanctum was a sanctuary, but it was also a battlefield—a place of recovery, but also a reflection of her struggles. The light pushed back the darkness, but the shadows lingered, whispering at the edges, waiting.

  Jason clenched his fists. He understood now. This place wasn’t just for healing. It was a representation of Maggy's growth, a promise that she would never let the darkness consume her again.

  And standing within it, Jason felt… lighter. The strange spiritual wounds across his body ached less, the tension in his soul unwinding as the sanctum’s warmth washed over him.

  Maggy turned to him, a small, knowing smile on her lips. "Told you it’d be more useful than we thought."

  "Jason let out a slow breath, the weight in his chest easing—but not disappearing. He looked at Maggy, then at the sanctum around them. The light pushed back the darkness, but the darkness never left.

  Neither did his.

  Maybe that was the truth of power. It wasn’t about winning or losing against the void inside them. It was about learning to stand in the balance.

  And as long as they stood together, the darkness would never have them.