Grey leaned back against the rough stone wall of the cavern, arms crossed, his golden eyes steady as they followed Elsa's movements. The faint glow of the crystals embedded in the walls reflected off her fiery red hair, giving her an almost ethereal appearance. Her piercing blue eyes darted to him occasionally, as if gauging his every breath.
She crouched near the small fire she'd conjured, her hands moving with the confidence of someone who always knew exactly what she was doing. Even in this dim, oppressive cavern, she looked unnervingly composed, like she belonged here.
"You're healing well," Elsa said suddenly, her voice light but laced with something darker, something Grey couldn't quite place.
He didn't respond, keeping his expression neutral. If she expected gratitude, she was going to be disappointed. He didn't trust her—not now, not ever. Elsa wasn't the kind of person who saved others out of the goodness of her heart. She always had a reason, and that reason was never simple.
For a while, neither of them spoke. Then, Elsa reached into her storage ring. Her movements were smooth, almost too smooth, and Grey felt the first flicker of unease. He didn't show it, though. His face remained blank, his golden eyes unreadable, even as she pulled out an object that made his breath catch for just a second.
"...!?"
"Do you know what this is?" she asked, holding up a glowing fragment.
Grey's gaze narrowed as he studied the object. The rune—a fragment of condensed power, imbued with ancient energy—radiated an aura that made the air around it feel heavier. He had seen runes before, but this one was different. Its radiance dwarfed the faint glow of his own storage rune.
"A rune?" Grey said flatly, concealing his surprise.
Elsa's lips curled into a faint smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Not just any rune." Her fingers traced the glowing lines etched into its surface. "This is a Lesser Rare Rank Rune. Strong enough to make even someone like you a little less pathetic."
There it was again—that cutting tone, sharp enough to sting. Grey's jaw tightened, but he kept his composure. Reacting would only give her the satisfaction she sought.
"You know the hierarchy of runes, don't you? Let me refresh your memory," she said, her tone shifting to something almost conversational.
Grey remained silent, though her words felt more like a taunt than an explanation.
"At the very top, we have Ancient Runes—relics from a bygone era," Elsa began, her voice tinged with reverence. "They're almost mythical. Even I've never seen one, so I can't say what kind of power they hold. Below them are Legendary Runes, treasures fought over by families and guilds. Rare Runes like this one come next—valuable, but not world-altering."
Her fingers traced the rune in her hand as she continued. "Then there are Foundational Runes, commonly used by awakened individuals for basic utility. Your little storage rune, for instance." She cast a sly glance at the faintly glowing mark on Grey's wrist. "Below that, you have the Broken Runes—pieces of shattered power, unstable but still useful for the desperate."
She paused, letting the words hang in the air before adding, "And then, there are the lesser-known categories—Corrupted Runes, Void Runes. But those aren't worth discussing… unless you're planning on self-destruction."
Grey's eyes flickered for a fraction of a second.
Corrupted Runes? Void Runes? he thought, the unfamiliar terms stirring unease within him. This was new, something even the original Grey—the body's previous owner—hadn't uncovered in his studies of runes.
Elsa, oblivious to his thoughts, pressed on.
"And runes," she said sharply, her gaze settling on the faint mark on Grey's wrist, "aren't meant for the weak. Without mana, Grey, you're lucky you survived carving even a storage rune. Do you know why it was so easy for me to defeat you?"
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Mana. The gap between us isn't just skill or experience. It's power. Pure, unrelenting power. Even a five-year-old with awakened mana could crush an experienced veteran."
Her words were precise, cutting deep, but Grey's face remained unreadable. She wasn't wrong, but he refused to let her see how much her words stung.
"And yet," Elsa continued, her voice softening as she held up the rune, "there are ways to narrow that gap. Opportunities… if you're willing to risk everything."
Grey's golden eyes locked onto hers, his voice calm. "Why are you giving this to me?"
Elsa's smile turned cold. She stepped closer, her presence suffocating as she leaned down, brushing his chin with her fingers.
"Because your life belongs to me now," she said softly, her voice dripping with possession. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, Grey, you were mine."
Grey's breath hitched involuntarily, a chill creeping down his spine as her words sank in. Despite his usual composure, he couldn't suppress the subtle unease that gripped him.
Elsa stepped back, tossing the rune onto the ground between them. "This rune is rare. If I sold it, I could buy a town—or more. But I'm giving it to you. So, you should be grateful to your big sister for this gift."
For a moment, her demeanor shifted. The same woman who moments ago exuded terrifying obsession now acted like a playful child, puffing out her chest and pouting slightly.
Grey remained silent, his mind racing. Her unpredictability only made her more dangerous.
"Think carefully about your choices, little brother," she said, her tone shifting once again. Without waiting for a response, she turned and strode toward the cavern's exit.
As her footsteps faded, Grey's attention returned to the rune. Its glow reflected in his golden eyes as he crouched and picked it up. The instant his fingers brushed its surface, raw energy surged through him, searing and wild.
His breath hitched, his muscles tensed, but he forced himself to remain still. He snapped the rune in half, the fragments dissolving into shimmering motes that disappeared into his skin.
The pain was immediate and all-consuming. Grey's body arched involuntarily as waves of agony tore through him. It felt as though his very being was being unraveled and stitched back together, piece by piece.
Sweat dripped down his face, his breaths ragged but controlled. No matter how intense the pain, he refused to cry out. He wouldn't give Elsa—or anyone else—the satisfaction.
Sweat dripped down his face, his breaths ragged but controlled. No matter how intense the pain, he refused to cry out. He wouldn't give Elsa—or anyone else—the satisfaction.
But as the rune's power fused with his body, one thing became painfully clear—it was beyond anything he could endure.
The burning heat clawed at his insides, tearing through muscle and bone alike. His jaw tightened, veins bulging against his skin as he fought to stay silent.
"Ghh—!"
A strangled sound escaped, but he swallowed it down, teeth grinding.
Then came the breaking point.
"ARRRGH!"
His scream ripped through the cavern, raw and primal, reverberating off the stone walls like a thunderclap.
His vision swam, the world spinning into chaos as his body convulsed uncontrollably.