Kaien was called to Rhain's chambers. The walls were lined with ancient tomes and a single crystalline shard floating in a containment field.
"You knew it would happen again," Kaien said quietly.
Rhain nodded. "I did."
"Why keep me here?"
"Because you're not the first," Rhain said. "And I intend to make sure you don't become the last."
He tapped the shard. "This is a memory echo. Found near the site of the Veilfracture, centuries ago."
A scene shimmered to life. A man, eyes glowing with both sorrow and fury, unleashed black and gold Veyl in a storm of death.
"That was Veylor Saine, once the most powerful Veylbound. He believed Veyl was flawed. That emotion was a curse."
"And he had the same power as me."
"Yes. Or something close. He called it Null Veyl."
Kaien stared. "So what am I?"
"A ripple," Rhain said. "And ripples lead to waves."
—
Meanwhile, in a ruined temple far from Sanctum, cloaked figures gathered. A massive Wretch stood chained in the center, writhing with Blight.
Veylor Saine stepped forward, eyes like dying stars.
"The boy has awakened."
A masked disciple bowed. "Shall we strike?"
Veylor shook his head.
"No. Let him grow."
He smiled coldly. "The Hollow Veil feeds best on broken hope."
—
Back at Sanctum, Eira met with Lyra beneath the library tower.
"He's changing," Eira said.
Lyra looked away. "They all do."
"But if we abandon him—he could become worse than Veylor."
Lyra turned sharply. "Then we don't abandon him."
Silence passed between them.
"Besides," she added, softer now, "I think he's worth saving."