Kain opened his eyes.
The grey-stone waiting room materialized around him suddenly. His knees hit the floor before he realized he was back, his breath ragged, his hands trembling from the emotional impact of what he just went through.
He didn't move.
A heavy breath escaped him, shallow and cold, like mist curling from the lungs of a dying man. His entire body felt like it was carved from brittle stone—cracked, hollow, and ready to shatter.
The mories—if they could be called that—flooded in, vivid as dreams, real as scars.
'Was any of that real? Or did the relic just build worlds based off of my mories and worst subconscious fears?'
The question clawed at his mind.
The mysterious disease that had killed him in his past-life—had it been so twisted precursor to the Abyss? The way it turned bodies black, the way the infecteds' eyes burned red... Was that what had brought him here?
Moreover, after his death, had it truly spread beyond that rainforest, passed borders, and oceans, to the entire world? Did that disease really consu his ho planet like in the simulation, and did that an... it was gone?
A hollow silence filled him. He focused his mind on sothing else.
Also, was Airalai's disappearance a necessary condition for his current family to be realized? What could have changed to make so of his siblings no longer join the orphanage?
And…the simulated reality Kain least wanted to think about ca to mind.
Kain's hands curled against his knees, nails digging into flesh.
The one where he lost everything. Most of all his sense of self.
If he lost control—if the System failed for whatever reason—would he beco the monster from that vision? A creature who'd drain Bridge dry without a second thought?
He saw the blood again. Bridge's expression—shock, betrayal, horror—all reflected back at him like a cracked mirror.
His stomach twisted.
Likely sensing his internal turmoil, but not fully understanding its source, his contracts surrounded him—except for Vauleth, who up until now had still not regained consciousness.
Queen leaned her large head on his shoulder, her antennae brushing his cheek in a silent question. Aegis lood beside him, his new obsidian form radiating quiet comfort. Even Bea's presence pressed against his mind, steadying.
Chi
[Trial Complete.]
The chanical voice snapped him out of his spiral.
[Analyzing ntal integrity… complete.]
[Sanity retained: 87%. Personality divergence risk: minimal.]
[Final Verdict: Excellent.]
[Qualifies for Reward Selection.]
[Reward Available: Souvenir Selection.]
[Choose One.]
Three objects shimred into existence before him, each hovering atop a pedestal of light:
Research Portfolio – A comprehensive collection of notes and theoretical papers created by Kain throughout the various simulations.
The leather-bound to hovered slightly above its pedestal, glowing faintly at the seams. Its worn cover was scuffed, the title faded. It slled faintly of ink and age. Kain could almost hear the scratching of his own pen—countless nights spent hunched over makeshift desks, recording everything he could in the face of extinction.
Kain stared at the leather-bound tomb that had research from across his 'lives'. He rembered the scribbles, the long nights. It had taken him a lifeti to compile that—several 'lifetis' technically.
Useful. But with effort—and Bea's help to rember any faded mories—he was confident that he could replicate much of it from mory.
But mory could be unreliable, even with Bea's help, and the cost of replicating those experints would be steep…
He'd consider it if the other options sucked.
He moved on.
Pendants of the Unforgotten – A pair of intricately crafted spirit-infused pendants. When one is worn by the user, the second can instantly teleport to the wearer's side so that they can protect them. There is no distance limit, though it may be impacted by skills that block space. Can be activated once per month.
The pendants floated together, chained by matching links of polished blackened silver. Their surfaces were carved into twin teardrop shapes, one bearing a firebird motif, the other a blooming iris. Even now, they pulsed faintly, as if resonating with each other with a hidden bond.
A spike of pain went through his heart. This was from the simulation where Cherry was once again kidnapped, but he was unable to rescue her.
Mad with regret he'd used pretty much all of his money to get one of the top blacksmiths to manufacture a rare item that can bypass the distance limitations of most space-attribute equipnt.
The pair of pendants was more than tempting. After the vision of Bridge's death, the idea of a guaranteed thod of helping him during a critical mont was almost too sweet to resist. But Bridge was strong. Kain could upgrade his gear, buy him trump cards—this wasn't his only way to protect him.
Binding Balance Bracer — A bracer forged from a piece of Kain Newman's fragnted soul after his death, retaining a portion of his last semblance of lucidity during his final monts after succumbing to ntal collapse. Allows the wearer to sacrifice ntal strength to attain the power of the out-of-control Kain, alternatively, the wearer can temporarily sacrifice all of their strength to regain lucidity in the event of possession or corruption. The brace acts as the perfect balance between an out-of-control body and mind. Warning: Usage inflicts lasting ntal fatigue.
The bracer was jagged and raw, pulsing with a quiet, dark energy. It was made of a dull tal that shimred like mirror-glass under the right angle and had faint etchings of runes burned along the outer edge, so scorched into the material, others bleeding with violet light.
His hand hovered as he contemplated his selection.
"...If I ever lose myself... at least this way, I won't drag everyone down with ."
He selected the bracer.
He reached out, and the second his fingers closed around it, the relic's voice bood:
[Conditions t: Phase Two for the Trial of the &$$% Unlocked.]
'Huh?' Unfortunately, a key word seed to be censored, adding to Kain's confusion.
[Transporting Participant…]
The waiting room dissolved—but this ti, his contracts were transported with him.
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