Alastor opened his eyes, finding himself adrift in a boundless void of darkness. "So, I died," he whispered to himself, the words heavy yet hollow.
The fragmented memory of his final moments flickered in his mind—his body moving against his will, the human Lancer standing above him, and then the sudden end. But as the void pressed in, those thoughts gave way to something deeper, something far more painful.
For as long as he could remember, Alastor's life had been shaped by suffering. Growing up on the streets of Cypria, he and his family had faced constant discrimination. As Shades, they were deemed unwelcome—unworthy. Food was scarce, and he was always hungry, doing everything he could to provide for his two younger siblings and their ailing mother.
He turned to stealing, though it brought little relief. Each time he was caught, he was beaten nearly to death. The scars on his body were reminders of a world that never wanted him.
Then, one night, his life was shattered beyond repair. Bounty hunters broke into their home, their laughter filling the air like a sinister melody. His siblings and mother were slaughtered in front of him, their blood soaking the floor. He alone was spared, only to be taken captive by a noble who saw him not as a person, but as property.
The command collar was engraved into his flesh, chaining him to a life of torment. As a rare Shade, he became a prized possession in the black market. The noble used him for twisted entertainment, forcing him to perform degrading shows for their guests. Day after day, Alastor endured the humiliation, powerless to fight back, his hatred festering in the depths of his soul.
One day, however, Alastor had miraculously managed to escape. At the time, he hadn't stopped to wonder why it had been so easy or why his owner hadn't used the command collar to bring him back. Now, with hindsight, it was painfully clear.
After fleeing, he had collapsed from exhaustion on the outskirts of the city. When he awoke, it was to the sight of a Shade—a kind woman who tended to his wounds and offered him food. She took him to others like them, hidden deep in the forest. For the first time in years, Alastor felt a spark of happiness, a fleeting sense of belonging.
But it wasn't meant to last. Unbeknownst to him, he was a ticking time bomb. The command collar he wore wasn't just a tool of control; it was also a tracker. It responded to the presence of nearby Shades, betraying their locations to his former captors.
One day, without warning, bounty hunters descended on their sanctuary, capturing or killing his new family. Alastor's heart broke as he watched history repeat itself, powerless to stop it. Worse yet, it happened again and again, the collar always erasing his memories afterward so he wouldn't realize his role in the tragedy.
As he drifted in the void now, the weight of those betrayals crushed him. He felt glad, in a twisted way, that he had died. It was an end to the pain, to the cycle of harm he had unwillingly caused. He whispered silent apologies to every life he had destroyed, ready to accept whatever punishment awaited him.
But then, a light broke through the darkness. It grew brighter, engulfing the endless void in a warm, blinding glow.
When Alastor opened his eyes, he was no longer floating in the abyss. He was lying on the ground, surrounded by Kanto, Remus, and Lancer.
Lancer had tears in his eyes.
Let us back up a bit. When Lancer had used Molecular Collapse on Alastor, he had finally managed to reach level 2. Through Essence Assimilation, he acquired one of Alastor's skills: Soul Command. That explained why he had been immobilized earlier—Alastor had unknowingly used that very skill against him.
The system then offered a new possibility. [Would you like to use Soul Command in conjunction with Architect's Dominion to absorb the subject Alastor's soul and reconstruct his body?]
Lancer didn't hesitate. Do it, he said, and the process began. Numbers appeared in his mind like cascading code, and then the memories came. They hit him like a tidal wave, drowning him in Alastor's past—the torment, the loss, the betrayal. Every ounce of Alastor's pain was laid bare before him, and Lancer was overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it all.
When the process was complete, Alastor lay before him, whole once again. Lancer knelt, tears streaming down his face, and gently told him, "It's fine now." He reached out, helping Alastor to his feet, his voice trembling with emotion.
Turning to Kanto and Remus, Alastor began to apologize, his guilt evident. Kanto placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him mid-sentence. "You have nothing to apologize for," he said with quiet conviction.
Remus nodded in agreement. "We all know who the real enemy is. You did what you had to do."
Finally, Alastor spoke, his voice shaking. "I'm sorry—for everything."
Lancer met his gaze and shook his head. "I saw it all. None of this was your fault. If anything, you were just another victim." His expression darkened as he turned his attention to the battlefield. "The ones at fault are people like him."
He pointed toward the enemy Kanto had been fighting. The man was now bound by glowing red chains, struggling futilely against their grip.
Kanto removed the chains covering the man's mouth. The instant they were gone, he erupted into a tirade. "Let me go, dammit! Do you know who I am?! You'll regret this!"
Lancer stepped forward, his gaze cold and unwavering. "You have no right to talk like that," he said, his voice low but laced with anger. "People like you treat lives like they're nothing. It doesn't matter if they're Shade or human—life isn't something you treat so casually."
The man sneered and started to rant again, but the chain shot back over his mouth, silencing him.
"I've heard enough," Kanto said flatly. His eyes narrowed. "Tell me who sent you." With a flick of his hand, he removed the gag again.
The man smirked defiantly. "I'm not telling you shit."
"Have it your way," Kanto said, stepping back. "He's all yours."
Lancer advanced, his presence suffocating. The man's bravado crumbled as he realized what was coming. Panic flooded his eyes. "Wait—please! Spare me! I-I can tell you things! Don't kill me!"
But Lancer had already made his decision. His hand glowed with a vibrant blue light. Without hesitation, a concentrated beam shot forth, striking the man. He disintegrated into shimmering particles of energy, his final scream cut short.
This time, however, Lancer felt something different. Thanks to Alastor's skill, he absorbed not only the man's energy but also his soul. The rush of power was immense, but the weight of another life added to his burden.
They returned to the village victorious amidst acheers from the others.
The next morning, the chief gathered them and announced, "Now that the threat is gone, we no longer have to keep moving. The humans will never find us here again."
Another round of cheers erupted from the gathered Shades.
Lancer had discussed things with Kanto the previous night, and they both agreed—the best course of action was to form a united front against any future threats. Lancer approached the chief, who had long known about the attack on his village. The chief listened intently and, with a smile, accepted the proposal without hesitation.
However, one issue remained. Shades were sensitive to light, which was why they lived deep within the dark forest.
"We can't survive long outside of this place," one of the elders said.
Lancer stepped forward, confident. "Leave it to me."
He turned to the crowd of Shades. "I'm going to fix your light problem."
Last night's battle had pushed him to level 2, evolving his skills. Molecular Reconstruction and Molecular Collapse had transformed into Atomic Reconstruction and Atomic Collapse.
The system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Confirmed: Using Atomic Reconstruction.]
Lancer raised his hand, and a blue light enveloped the Shades. Numbers and symbols swirled in front of him like an intricate web of code, shifting and aligning until everything clicked into place.
In moments, it was done.
"It's finished," Lancer announced.
The Shades exchanged skeptical glances. To prove it, Lancer activated Atomic Collapse, absorbing their homes into particles of light.
"If you're ready," he said, " let's start heading out."