Kelvin leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His gaze flickered to the sky, to the moons that loomed over the Ashlands like silent sentinels. His tone was calm, but there was a weight to his words, as if he was passing down something that had cost him to learn.
"The Veil grants power after the first trial—that much is true," he said. "But the power always comes with a price. A flaw. A curse. The Veil gives with one hand… and takes with the other."
Hope stared at him, uncertain why Kelvin had decided to continue the conversation. He had gotten the basics—survive the first trial, gain power. But now, Kelvin was offering something else. More information. More truth.
And Hope wasn't the type to refuse knowledge, especially when it concerned his survival.
So he stayed quiet, listening.
"I once heard of an Awakened who gained the power to heal," Kelvin continued. "A gift that could save lives. But his flaw?"
Kelvin shook his head, a faint scoff escaping him. "He couldn't heal himself while injured."
Hope's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So he could heal others, but not himself?"
"Not exactly," Kelvin said, glancing at him. "He could heal himself. But only if he wasn't already wounded. The moment he took damage, that ability became useless."
Hope frowned. That… was a cruel joke. A power that was so close to being invaluable, but ultimately useless when it mattered most.
"That's just one example," Kelvin said. "The flaws are always different. Some are minor, barely noticeable. Others…" He exhaled. "Others can be worse than the gift itself."
Hope remained silent.
A power with a price. He had assumed there would be some kind of catch. Nothing in this world—or any world—was free. But the way Kelvin spoke of it… it wasn't just a limitation. It was a burden.
"So you're telling me," Hope finally said, "that even if I survive the trial, I could end up with a power that screws me over?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you." Kelvin's tone was blunt.
Hope clenched his jaw.
That meant no matter how strong someone became, they would always have a weakness. A flaw written into their very being by the Veil itself.
It made sense, in a way. The Veil wasn't just creating monsters—it was creating survivors. And survival wasn't about being the strongest. It was about enduring, adapting, and overcoming.
And that meant every Awakened had a chink in their armor.
"That's why you have to be careful," Kelvin said, his voice quieter now. "The moment you step into the Veil's game, you're bound by its rules. And it doesn't care if you don't like them."
Hope let out a slow breath, his mind already racing with possibilities.
He needed to survive. That much was clear. But now, he also needed to be smart. He needed to be prepared for whatever power the Veil decided to brand him with.
Because no matter what he got—no matter how strong it was—there would always be a cost.