The next day, the duo stumbled upon a small village plagued by corrupted Shades. Seren insisted on helping, despite Kael's protests. They learned that the Council had been conducting experiments, deliberately corrupting people's Echoes to study the transformation process.
Kael's ability to absorb corrupted Echoes made him invaluable, but it came at a cost. Each absorbed Echo left a scar on his soul, and the darkness within him grew stronger.
In one confrontation, Kael lost control of his power, momentarily transforming into a monstrous form resembling a Shade. Seren pulled him back, her phoenix Echo unleashing a burst of emerald flames that purified the surrounding corruption.