The moon hung low over the ruined city. Lisa had gone to sleep, resting after hours of intense training. But Ethan couldn’t sleep. His mind was too full—thoughts of battle, of power, of what came next.

  So, he stood alone, sharpening his greatsword under the dim glow of a flickering streetmp.

  Then, the air shifted. A cold presence wrapped around him like silk.

  "You really never rest, do you?"

  Ethan’s grip tightened on his sword. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

  "Reyna," he muttered.

  A soft chuckle. "Miss me?"

  Ethan sighed and finally turned. She was standing there, leaning against a broken pilr. Dressed in the same crimson attire, her golden eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.

  "You only show up when you want something," Ethan said, running his fingers along the bde of his sword. "So? What is it this time?"

  Reyna smiled, stepping closer. "Oh, don’t be so cold. I only came to talk. And drink a little, of course."

  Ethan scowled. "Tch. Make it quick."

  She dashed so quickly Ethan just noticed when he felt an weird feeling in his neck.

  "Why the neck?" He asked, Ethan could fell her hands securing him in pce and her body pressing against him.

  "It's richer in the neck." She said before pouting and continuing. " But you must want to know why I had chosen you? It's pretty simple, first you have an unique ability, most people have something called personal ability, but you have an unique one."

  "Blood of the one's who have unique abilities are delicious and more nutritive to Crimson ascendents." She said before sliding her finger in his jaw.

  "Stop, and what your want besides my blood?" Ethan asked, he was trying his best to appear nonchant. But the feeling when she drinks from his blood is really good.

  She spoke of gods, of other worlds, of the Great War that would soon arrive.

  Ethan learned that Patrons like Reyna were not supposed to be here yet. The System was accelerating things.

  “What exactly is this Great War?” Ethan had asked her one night, rubbing his sore shoulder after a particurly brutal training session.

  Reyna sat on a ruined pilr, legs crossed, golden eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

  “A game,” she said simply. “A cruel, messy game where countless champions fight for power, for survival, for the favor of the gods.”

  Ethan frowned. “And why are we in it?”

  Reyna chuckled. “Because this world is valuable.” She gestured toward the city around them. “Earth is merging with another world. That means resources, territories, and power ripe for the taking. The gods see it as a battlefield, and the System? It’s just their way of setting the rules.”

  Ethan tightened his grip on his sword.

  "Then I'll fight. I'll grow stronger and make sure no one takes this world from us."

  Reyna's smile faded slightly. She stared at him, unreadable for a long moment.

  "No," she said. "You won't."

  Ethan blinked. "What?"

  "You can fight," Reyna said, her voice lower now, almost a whisper. "You can get stronger. You can win battles. But you can’t kill."

  Ethan stared at her, dumbfounded.

  "You're joking."

  Her gaze didn’t waver. "I’m not."

  Ethan took a step forward. "I thought you wanted me to be strong. You just said that the war is coming, that—"

  "The war isn’t about who kills the most, Ethan," Reyna interrupted. "It's about survival. Influence. Power."

  She leaned in slightly, her golden eyes locking onto his.

  "Killing your enemies will make you feared," she said softly. "But controlling them? That will make you unstoppable."

  Ethan clenched his jaw. "What if they try to kill me?"

  Reyna shrugged. "Defend yourself. Cripple them. Humiliate them. Break them. But don't kill unless you have no choice. The gods are watching, Ethan. And they love warriors. But leaders? They worship them."

  Ethan exhaled, feeling the weight of her words. He hated it. He hated the idea of holding back.

  But Reyna had never misled him before.

  He sighed. "Fine. I'll try it your way."

  Reyna smirked. "Good boy."

  She reached out and patted his cheek mockingly.

  Ethan swatted her hand away, gring. "Tch. Annoying."

  Reyna only ughed, her form fading into mist once more.

  “Get some rest, my little champion,” her voice whispered in his ear. “Things are about to get interesting.”

  And then, she was gone.

  Ethan stood there alone, staring into the empty streets.

  He had a bad feeling about what was coming next.

  "She's getting more comfortable each time, I don't doubt the next time she might chain me." As he thought a cold chill occurred and his neck crawled.