The road east from the Reliquary was long and fractured—no true paths, only scattered ruins, abandoned shrines, and lands claimed by time and wild magic. Cedric and Lynne traveled in silence, each lost in thought.
The Memory Core rested in Cedric's pack like a live ember. He could feel it—an echo of ancient voices trapped in crystal, too quiet to understand, yet heavy with purpose. They would need to find someone or something capable of unlocking it.
As they reached a sunken ravine lined with obsidian spires, the system pulsed in Cedric's mind:
> System Notification
Thread Signature Detected: Dormant – Deep Substructure
Designated Name: The Silent Vault
Status: Sealed – Thread Anchor Present
Lynne read his expression. "Another anchor?"
He nodded. "Buried deep."
They searched the ravine until they uncovered a stone disc partially buried in ash. Arcane rings circled its edge, worn down by centuries of erosion. At the center: the same weblike symbol seen in the Reliquary—this one cracked and leaking faint tendrils of shadow.
"Help me," Cedric said, gripping the edge.
Together, they heaved. The disc groaned and shifted, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness.
---
The Silent Vault was colder than any place Cedric had yet explored. The air was stale, dead. Not even insects stirred. As they stepped into a vast, domed chamber, their torches revealed intricate carvings along the walls—images of thread-weavers crafting systems, binding souls, and inscribing laws into flesh.
Lynne stared, stunned. "This… this predates even the early Church records."
Cedric studied a mural depicting two systems: one veiled in light, the other in shadow. Between them, a figure torn in half.
> System Alert: Anchor Chamber Approaching
Threat Level: Moderate–Unknown
Host Recommended Action: Prepare for Resistance
At the chamber's center was a sealed sarcophagus surrounded by seven obelisks etched in deep demonic runes. As Cedric stepped closer, one of the obelisks flared to life—green fire igniting along its surface.
The sarcophagus creaked.
A voice echoed, faint and dry like parchment. "Another bearer of the curse. Another seed awakened too early."
Cedric raised his sword. "Who are you?"
The voice chuckled. "I am not your enemy, system-child. I am your predecessor."
The lid of the sarcophagus slid aside, revealing a skeletal figure clad in blackened armor, threads of broken magic wrapped tightly around its bones. One glowing red eye flickered weakly.
"I failed to resist the overwrite," the figure rasped. "The system… consumed my mind. Made me forget. Made me serve. Until I shattered myself to escape."
Cedric tensed. "But you remember now?"
The fallen Demon Lord nodded once. "Barely. I remained here… hidden in silence. Hoping one day, the system would break—and someone like you would arrive."
He extended a brittle hand, offering a shard of his core. "Take this. With it, you'll gain access to a vault of forbidden protocols. Codes buried even the Church doesn't know."
Cedric hesitated, then took it.
> System Update: Corrupted Memory Shard Acquired
Access: Locked – Further Synchronization Required
The fallen lord coughed, bits of dust spilling from his jaw. "But beware… You are not the only one the system has touched. Another awakens soon. One who will not question it… One who will wear your face in lies."
Cedric's blood chilled.
Another system bearer?
A false Demon Lord?
He stepped back as the obelisks dimmed, and the figure slumped—its long vigil at last over.
Lynne placed a hand on Cedric's shoulder. "What now?"
He looked up, eyes hard. "We find out who the other bearer is. Before they crown him king of the ashes."