The stairwell swallowed them.
No light. No walls. Just an endless descent spiraling into the Spire's rotted veins.
Kieran walked first, his hand glowing faintly with the mark from Veilwalker's skill. Every few steps, the air thickened—like something watching… but not with eyes.
> [New Zone: Veins of the Spire]
[Corruption Level: 67%]
[Soul Pressure: 40% and rising…]
Behind him, Aika grunted. "This place feels wrong."
"It's not a place," Thorne muttered, weapon raised. "It's a wound."
Suddenly, the stairs ended.
They emerged into a cathedral-like chamber, walls shaped from black bone and iron veins that pulsed like arteries. In the center of it all—hovering above a cracked altar—was a chained figure.
Humanoid.
Colossal.
Its body wrapped in dark plate, cracked and ancient. Its face was covered by a mask split down the center, leaking red mist. And around its chest, buried deep—
A Graveheart. A real one.
> [Boss Detected: Bound King — Varrion the Hollow Crown]
[Difficulty: Cataclysm]
A massive voice echoed through the chamber, despite the being never moving.
"You wear the Graveheart, little thief. Shall I take it back?"
The chains snapped.
And the Bound King dropped to the ground like a meteor.
---
The fight began instantly.
Varrion raised his arm and slammed it down.
The ground fractured, erupting in soul fire—ghostly blue flames that chased the group like hungry wolves. Aika rolled aside, blasting with twin sigils. Milo summoned a barrier—but it shattered instantly under a single swing.
"Kieran!" Thorne shouted. "We're not strong enough!"
Kieran stepped forward. "We don't have to be."
The mark on his hand pulsed.
> [Veilwalker's Mark: Activate — Soul Thread Cast]
[Target: Varrion]
The sigil latched to the boss's chest—and for a heartbeat, Kieran saw through its eyes.
Memories.
A shattered throne. Betrayal. A thousand soldiers kneeling before him… and then burning alive.
The pain snapped him back—but he had what he needed.
> [New Ability Unlocked: Phantom Stride]
While a target is Marked, move through shadows they cast. For every step, leave a copy behind.
Kieran vanished.
And reappeared behind Varrion—eight times in an instant—each clone slashing with spectral force.
The chains around Varrion's body lit up, glowing violently. The boss let out a roar that shook the chamber.
"You think tricks will stop a king?!"
Varrion raised his sword—a massive, two-handed slab of obsidian—and brought it down.
The explosion of soulfire knocked everyone back.
Except Kieran.
> [Catalyst Surge: Overlimit Mode]
WARNING: Prolonged use may damage host.
His veins burned silver. His eyes flickered with mirrorlight.
And the mark spread—across his arm, chest, even his face.
Kieran leapt.
His strike wasn't flashy. It didn't explode. But it was true.
His blade struck the chain at Varrion's heart.
And snapped it.
The Graveheart in Varrion's chest shattered—
And the boss howled as its body cracked apart, falling in slow motion like a crumbling statue.
---
Silence.
Aika coughed, wiping blood from her mouth. "Is it over?"
"No," Kieran whispered.
The altar where Varrion had hung now glowed.
A system prompt appeared.
> [System Override Initiated]
[You have defeated the Hollow Crown.]
[Do you claim the Throne of Ash?]
Y/N
Before he could answer—
Another voice whispered behind him.
"Careful, brother. Thrones tend to come with curses."
Kieran spun around.
And saw someone else wearing his face.
But this one… was smiling.