"To be honest," Kael said, his voice steady, "I didn't set out to save either of you. I just couldn't let anything happen to my sister. If the Aetherwarden had unleashed his domain, she wouldn't have been able to withstand it."
Eudoxia smiled softly, and for some reason, Kael felt something tighten in his chest at the sight.
"But in the end, you did save us," she said. "If you hadn't intervened, my brother…" Her voice wavered as she glanced at Morvaine, her silver eyes shadowed with unspoken emotion.
Morvaine placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before speaking. "I was ready to use my last resort," he admitted. "Like you, I couldn't stand the thought of losing my sister."
He exhaled, his gaze steady. "But that skill would have cost me my life—I was already at my limit."
Eudoxia stepped closer to Kael, her movements deliberate and graceful. Kael instinctively straightened, watching her closely. With a flick of her wrist, a dagger materialized in front of them, shimmering in the dim light.
"Please, savior," she said softly, "accept this dagger as a token of our gratitude. There's no reward that could truly match what you've done for us. But I see you're an assassin type, and I recently acquired this after defeating a Void Reaver." Her silver eyes met his, earnest and filled with respect.
Kael hesitated only for a moment before reaching out to take the dagger. As his fingers brushed the cold hilt, a chime echoed through his system.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]
You have obtained the Void Dagger!
Weapon Type: Dagger (Legendary)
Obtained from: Void Reaver
Description:
Forged from otherworldly black metal, the Void Dagger hums with an eerie energy. Its blade cuts through both material and magical defenses, leaving a chilling resonance with each strike. However, with each use, its power grows—and so does its corruption, slowly twisting the wielder's mind.
Effect:
- Void Piercing: Deals massive damage to both physical and magical defenses.
- Corruption (Passive): Prolonged use may slowly deteriorate the user's sanity.
0-20%: No effect
21-40%: Hallucinations begin
41-60%: Vision distortion
61-80%: Impaired judgment
81-100%: Full madness, causing random teleports and shadow manifestations.
- Void's Embrace (Ultimate): Double damage for 10 seconds. (Once per day, increases corruption by 10%)
- Binding: The Void Dagger attunes to its wielder, growing stronger with each moment spent in the dark.
Warning: The Void's power is not easily controlled. Tread carefully.
Kael stared at the weapon in his hand, feeling the strange hum of its energy as if the dagger itself was alive, waiting for him to wield it. The weight of its potential settled heavily in his mind.
This was no ordinary weapon—its power came at a dangerous cost.
Eudoxia watched him carefully, her expression unreadable. "I understand the risks," she said, her tone serious. "But it's yours now, savior, and I hope it serves you well. Just remember… the Void always demands a price."
Kael nodded slowly, his fingers tightening around the hilt. The temptation of the dagger's power was undeniable—but so were its dangers. He would have to tread carefully with this one.
Kael glanced at Eudoxia, his expression earnest. "Please, don't call me 'Savior.' It doesn't sit right with me. Just call me Kael. That's enough for me to accept your gratitude." He paused for a moment before continuing, "And the dagger… I'll accept it, with thanks."
As soon as he finished speaking, another system alert chimed in, echoing through his mind.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]
You have collected a full set of the Void Reaper Shadow Set.
Bonus Set Effect:
Dispel all negative effects of the Void Dagger.
A smile tugged at the corners of Kael's lips as he read the message. The tension he'd been holding onto seemed to ease, the dangerous allure of the dagger now tempered by its newfound balance. With the set complete, its corruption effect no longer affected him—at least for now.
Kael's gaze returned to Eudoxia, the dagger now in his hand, its eerie hum not quite so unsettling. "I suppose fate's playing its part after all," he muttered, half to himself.
Eudoxia's smile widened when Kael accepted their gift, and for a moment, the sight of it took Kael completely off guard. His breath hitched, and before he could stop himself, the words slipped out.
"You have a beautiful smile… it's mesmerizing."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kael's face flushed a deep crimson. Why did I say that? His mind raced in embarrassment, and his ears burned with the heat of it. He couldn't believe he'd let something so… personal slip out.
Eudoxia blinked, momentarily caught off guard. A soft pink flush spread across her cheeks, and Kael immediately wished for the ground to swallow him whole.
Morvaine, noticing the shy exchange between the two, couldn't help but smile inwardly. His lips curled up slightly as he cleared his throat, breaking the tension.
"Ahem, Kael," he said, his voice deliberately light to shift the mood. "You mentioned you had some monster cores to sell. Are you still interested in proceeding with that?"
Kael snapped back to reality, almost having forgotten the purpose of their meeting. He quickly nodded, still flustered. "Yes, of course. Here they are."
With a slight flick of his wrist, the cores materialized from his system's inventory, five of them floating in the air in front of him.
Morvaine approached, his sharp eyes scanning each core with careful precision. After a moment, he nodded in satisfaction.
"The levels and purity are as expected. We'll accept these items for auction." His voice turned businesslike as he continued, "The Ascension Auction Exchange will take a 10% commission from the sales."
Kael nodded in agreement, grateful to have things back on track. "Understood. When can I expect the payment?"
"The next auction will be in three days," Morvaine explained. "Once it ends, you'll receive the payment immediately."
As the conversation shifted back to business, Kael's sister Lira, who had been quietly watching the interaction, couldn't help but notice her brother's embarrassed state earlier.
She gave him a sly, knowing smile, her lips curling into a playful grin. A soft chuckle escaped her as she leaned in just enough to whisper, "She's beautiful, isn't she? I can see why you'd like her. I think she's lovely too."
Kael, still flustered, shot her a quick look, feeling his face heat up even more under her teasing gaze.
Lira's amusement was clear, and Kael couldn't help but feel both mortified and strangely relieved by her reaction. At least she wasn't making a big deal out of it.
"Alright," he muttered, trying to get back to the conversation. "Three days. Got it."
Lira's smile lingered, her eyes glinting with a teasing warmth as she watched him. The moment had passed, but Kael couldn't help but feel a sense of sibling affection in her quiet support.