Marcus stared at the pink hand, his expression a mix of disbelief and unease. It hovered motionlessly next to me as I sat in the chair, its unnatural stillness doing little to ease the tension in the room. Two hours had passed since we first encountered it, and in all that time, it hadn't done anything. No sudden movements, no attacks—nothing. Its passive nature was almost more unsettling than if it had been aggressive. Something about it felt wrong in a way I couldn't describe, and I was pretty sure I'd passed out when I first saw it. That gap in my memory left me on edge, as if something important had happened while I was unconscious.
"So this is the effect of a Soul Fragment? Weird." Dominic's voice cut through the silence. He stood nearby, arms crossed, staring intently at the hand. His expression was analytical, his tone calm, but there was an underlying tension in the way his eyes narrowed.
Elias spoke next, his voice steady but serious. "If a Soul Fragment was found there, then that means the cave we originally entered wasn't an average cavern. Instead, a Collapse Site."
Soul Fragments. Collapse Sites. The terms swirled in my mind, familiar but distant. Where had I heard them before? I closed my eyes and tried to focus, to pull the fragments of memory together. Soul Fragments… Collapse Sites… The words tugged at something buried deep in my thoughts.
Then it hit me. Avelyn. She had mentioned Soul Fragments before, hadn't she? My eyes darted toward the hand, unease clawing at me. Could this be her doing? Was this hand her gift? Could this be… Immaculate Dominion?
'Correct,' Avelyn whispered in my mind.
Yes, of course, I was correct. Wait.
"AVELYN!!" I yelled, standing abruptly. The chair toppled to the floor behind me, but I didn't care. My mind raced as I tried to comprehend what was happening. She was in my head. Speaking. Why? How? I clenched my fists, my breathing uneven as I struggled to piece it all together.
The sound of the chair hitting the floor must have startled the others because they all turned to look at me. Their expressions were tense, wary. I realized too late how unhinged I must have seemed—shouting out of nowhere, panic written all over my face.
"Ah—sorry." I forced the words out, raising a hand in apology. "Could you guys leave? I need some time to myself."
They exchanged glances but didn't argue. One by one, they filed out of the room, leaving me alone with the hand and my thoughts.
'P-Please don't shout again,' Avelyn's voice spoke again, quieter this time. 'I didn't want to startle you.'
"Enough about that! W-What are you doing in my head? There's a lot wrong here! Explain this." My voice was sharp, louder than I intended. To anyone still lingering outside, I probably sounded completely insane.
'You don't have to shout or speak aloud! I can hear your thoughts perfectly fine, so please!' Avelyn's voice chimed in, soft yet tinged with an almost pleading tone.
I bristled. "Then get the hell out of my thoughts! Who invited you?"
'I-I'm in your mind, so I can't just not listen. That's like opening your eyes and not wanting to see,' she replied, her tone faltering for a moment before steadying with her explanation.
I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. "…Fine. Now answer my question. Why the hell are you in my thoughts? And what is this hand?" I motioned toward the pink, hovering appendage with a glare.
'I'm in your head because you're using my direct power from my hand. That hand is Immaculate Dominion, the Soul Fragment ability. Please be nice to it.' Her voice carried a mix of sincerity and caution.
Her hand? So this thing was actually hers? My eyes narrowed as I studied it more closely. Despite its quite dominating appearance, it hung silently in the air, almost harmless. Almost.
'Let me explain,' Avelyn continued, her voice now calmer. 'You will meet people like yourself—chosen by… Ahem.'
She trailed off abruptly. Huh? Was she just not going to tell me?
'But they won't have the influence I have over your ability,' she added quickly, glossing over the unfinished thought. 'Immaculate Dominion is basically… well, me! But not exactly. Do you understand?'
I blinked, caught off guard by the complexity of her explanation. "…What if I say yes?"
'I'll know you're lying. Shame on you.' There was a light, playful giggle in her tone, though it didn't entirely alleviate the tension in the air. 'Don't worry, you'll find out soon! I believe in you… Go, Lumian.'
"Stop that." I spoke aloud, groaning as I rubbed my temple. My thoughts felt tangled, and her cheerful demeanor wasn't helping. "Ughhh… This is too much. I wanna sleep."
Without waiting for a response, I let my body fall back onto the bed, the mattress creaking softly under the sudden weight. My eyes fixated on the ceiling for a moment before growing heavy, exhaustion creeping in from the overwhelming events of the day.
"Avelyn?" I mumbled, my voice softer now, almost a whisper.
'Yes, Lumian?' Her reply came quickly, gentle and patient.
"Tomorrow… Could you teach me better control of this? No… over you?" My gaze flicked toward the hand one last time before my eyelids began to droop. If there were others like me out there, chosen by Soul Fragments, then I needed to be prepared. I needed to understand this power—and her.
Avelyn giggled again, the sound light and teasing. If I could see her face, I was sure she'd be wearing the most smug grin imaginable. 'As you wish.'
As the words echoed in my mind, the pink hand shimmered briefly before fading from view, its presence retreating into the corners of my consciousness. My body sank deeper into the bed, my breathing steadying as the weight of the day finally pulled me under.
Her voice lingered in my thoughts as I drifted into sleep, a soft reassurance wrapped in mystery. For now, at least, I could rest.
.
..
…
Silas and the others watched in absolute awe as the hand seemingly materialized from thin air, its pink hue glowing faintly against the dull backdrop of their surroundings. Its presence was overwhelming, not in a way that struck fear, but with an almost comforting authority. Oddly enough, their unease dissipated the longer they gazed at it, replaced by a subtle warmth. "Hehehe… Awesome, aren't I!?" Lumian's voice broke the silence, his tone dripping with pride as he strutted in a small circle, clearly reveling in their reactions.
"This here," he continued, his arm sweeping toward the hand that hovered beside him, motionless yet imposing, "is Immaculate Dominion! My Soul Fragment ability!" His voice rose slightly, his declaration punctuated by his outstretched finger pointing dramatically at the floating appendage.
Ronan raised his hand, his casual demeanor contrasting Lumian's theatrical energy. Lumian immediately pointed at him, a self-satisfied grin plastered on his face. "Yes? Are you going to praise me? Save it for after the show." He grinned wider, seemingly drunk on his own pride and ego, clearly assuming the response would only fuel his growing vanity.
"Uh… not exactly." Ronan's voice was calm, his body rocking back and forth lazily. "What does it do? It's just kinda there… how boring."
The grin on Lumian's face didn't falter, but the faint bulge of a vein on his forehead betrayed his irritation. "Boring?" His voice sharpened as he repeated the word, his tone now dripping with indignation. "Boring? Boring! I'll show you boring, brat!"
Without warning, Lumian turned sharply and raised his hand toward the sky. Silas, Warren, and Ronan's eyes followed instinctively, tracking his gesture. Above them, the rocks and debris that had been launched into the air when Immaculate Dominion was summoned began to fall—not in a natural descent, but in a deliberate, threatening manner, aimed directly at Lumian.
Yet Lumian didn't falter. He smiled as the rocks rained down, his hands calmly stretching toward them. Immaculate Dominion moved with blinding speed, shooting forward and swatting the projectiles away with incredible force. The rocks became nothing more than faint specks on the horizon as they were flung into the distance.
As if the world itself was against him, branches and twigs from the forest floor began to rise, propelled by the gusts of wind that had suddenly picked up. They flew toward Lumian in a chaotic flurry. But he moved effortlessly, dodging some with precise steps and using Immaculate Dominion to crush others into harmless fragments.
Silas, his eyes narrowed in concentration, studied the hand closely. A faint, almost imperceptible aura seemed to be pulled from each object Immaculate Dominion touched. Whenever the aura was drawn, the object would stop mid-motion, as if drained of some vital energy.
"You've finally noticed, huh?" Lumian's voice broke Silas's concentration. He wore a dumb, self-satisfied smile, his confidence radiating as Immaculate Dominion hovered obediently at his side. "In more detail, Immaculate Dominion purifies any impurities of this world! By simply having it activated, you feel better. Isn't that right?"
The group exchanged glances, each silently acknowledging the subtle truth in his words. Their moods had noticeably improved since the hand had appeared. It wasn't overwhelming, but there was an undeniable clarity, a lightness in the air that hadn't been there before.
"I said that Immaculate Dominion negates most impurities, yes? But that comes with a massive flaw." Lumian's tone shifted slightly, though the grin remained. "My bad luck increases substantially. With this active, most impure things are naturally repelled or negated, but they're also pulled toward me. I'm like a magnet for misfortune with this thing running."
As if to prove his point, Lumian began walking back toward the group, his hands casually shoved into his pockets. Before he made it two steps, his foot caught on an uneven patch of ground, and he fell forward, landing flat on his stomach with a dull thud.
Immaculate Dominion moved swiftly, its smooth, precise motion almost unsettling, as it reached down to help him back to his feet. The others couldn't help but stare, both amused and slightly unnerved by how the hand seemed to act on its own, yet entirely in sync with Lumian.
"Now, Ronan," Lumian said, brushing the dirt off his coat as he regained his composure. His pride was bruised but far from shattered. He pointed dramatically at the boy, his grin sharpening. "How's that? Still boring?"
Ronan, still rocking back and forth with the same nonchalant air, tilted his head. "Hmm… nah. But you do kinda sound like a corrupt leader when you explain it. 'Immaculate Dominion purifies any impurities of this world!'" He mimicked Lumian's earlier tone, adding a slightly exaggerated edge to it. "It's seriously creepy."
The vein in Lumian's forehead twitched again, but he kept his smile intact, though it looked far more strained now. The others exchanged subtle glances, stifling their laughter as Lumian's ego battled against Ronan's brutally honest critique.
As the lighthearted banter between Lumian and Ronan continued, Silas found himself lost in thought. The presence of Immaculate Dominion stirred something deep within him—a feeling of familiarity that he couldn't quite place. The way the hand moved, the subtle energy it exuded, and even the strange warmth it brought to the group… it all felt too connected, too purposeful. Silas couldn't shake the thought that this was more than just an odd ability. It felt like a step—perhaps the first—toward unraveling something far greater, something that tied them all together in ways they didn't yet understand.
"When are we leaving for Cinderhaven?" Warren's calm voice broke through Silas's musings and the ongoing banter between Lumian and Ronan. "We should head there quickly and get back before it gets too cold."
Lumian turned to him, his grin still lingering. "We leave in about an hour. I wanted to make sure everyone's rested and ready. It's only about another hour to get there anyway."
As Lumian spoke, the sound of footsteps came from the side of the lodge, drawing their attention. An average-height man with short, slightly disheveled hair emerged from the corner, his pace steady. He carried himself with the confidence of someone who was no stranger to the area. "I heard from Marcus that you visited, planning on going to Cinderhaven. Didn't think it was true! It's been months since I last saw you."
Lumian's eyes lit up at the sight of him, his grin widening as he strode over to the man. "Dominic!" Lumian called out, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. Without hesitation, the two clasped hands, their firm handshake echoing sharply in the still air.
"Man, I thought you kicked the bucket," Lumian said with a smug grin.
Dominic chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Not even close. Marcus, though… he's definitely getting closer," he muttered, attempting—and failing—to keep his voice down.
The handshake ended, and Lumian gestured toward the group with a wide sweep of his arm. "Let's see… Silas is the guy with the long hair and green eyes, Warren is the guy with the brown skin and spongy hair, and Ronan is the pale kid with equally pale hair!" His voice was as casual as it was energetic, each introduction punctuated by a gesture toward the person in question.
Dominic nodded in acknowledgment, offering them a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Dominic." He shifted the bag he was carrying—filled with rice and fresh vegetables—before speaking again. "I actually just got back from Cinderhaven. Would you guys like a quick meal? Before you head out on your journey and all."
Ronan immediately perked up, practically hopping off the box he had been sitting on, his excitement evident. Silas and Warren followed behind, their movements more measured but no less appreciative. Together, they headed into the lodge, the prospect of a meal breaking through the weariness of the day.