# Welcome to the match you’ve all been waiting for…## At my right, here he comes, the Undefeated Swordsman, The Slayer himself!!## From the left comes crowd favorite, Death!## Place your bets…..#The sound blared from microphones in the arena, mixing with the defeating cheers from the crowd. Today was the semifinal of a no-restraint the mixed style tournament ran by the boss of the knife-wielding gang from earlier.It is been 3 days already.Honestly, Kane hadn’t expected to stay this long. He had been able to gather some information but as he was about to go 'slayer mode', he felt it.The presence of a Shard.Another one here? He thought. Are we being drawn to each other?He had to stay and discover who it was.He knew that Sophia and Luthen would be thinking something happened to him. But he also knew that they wouldn’t look for him, partly because they were all still strangers to each other and partly because they had bigger fish to fry.He had to wrap this up quickly and join th

It would be humiliating if this guy did not turn out to be a Shard. Kane thought. To have to be put in this position by a regular Ability user."Y-You stood up?" His opponent said out of surprise. Kane stood taller than him, but not by much. This guy was over six feet also. He also preferred to fight bare chested, his rippling muscles contrasting with Kane's slimmer build. His battle scars were very evident."Hey! You are using an Ability right?" Kane asked through gritted teeth."Yes. I am." The other replied.Okay then. He needed to survive this and find out if this guy was a Shard. How many of us are there, though?When he set out on this mission, he was told by his master that those like him had a sign manifest either at their backs or above their heads. A different sign for each Shard. Although, his master did not know which sign for which Shard.That made it a hell of a lot harder.Kane landed an attack with his blade and drew blood from his opponent."You are strong. The stronge

The walk to the secret meeting floor of the Great Nobles in the Archive's building was taking forever.War is coming.Archduchess Klare knew that better than anyone else. She had tried to avoid it but it was no use. Voyne was playing the entire Circle like a game of chess.That man.He had knowledge that was both forbidden and supposed to be forgotten. Soul signs? Only select Nobles apart from the Great Nobles knew that it existed. For him to know that, it chilled her to think from where he could have gotten that information. He then had the audacity to demand a blanket pardon and permission to use their forces to eliminate the Shards.He was the reason she had visited the Archive the last time and now today. The last time was when he had mentioned the soul signs. She had rushed here to make sure that the Legend of the Goddess Benevolent had not been stolen. When she found it there, it was both relieving and disturbing. R

It was decided that Sophie should remain and that the boys should go.She was well connected and could inform them of any recent happenings in Rhyne. She could also protect herself, since, she was a Shard. Plus, most of their offensive power would have greater use putting a stop to Voyne. She argued this so much that Kane thought she sounded a little too eager to stay. Of course, Somen had no issue with the last point.First, he had to go see Edram. He was a little anxious as to how the boy would react. He entered the inn and was first scolded for leaving the boy unattended all this while. How would he explain that he never knew this kid before? He would look like a creep.They eventually directed him to Edram's room. The boy looked at Kane, burst into tears and ran to hug him. Kane wasn't good at emotional reassurances, so Edram cried a while. Thereafter, Kane said goodbye and left more coins for the innkeeper. He could not leave without the elder lady admonish

Mother?Sophia had to skip the Circle session. She just wasn’t herself since the conversation.When Voyne called her Mother, something woke in her. It was almost like she was used to hearing him say it.It woke some memories that she did not knew she had. Some felt a lot like they were hers while most felt…off. Like she borrowed those memories from someone else.In one of her memories, she was a child, somewhere. On some wide street, playing, holding a paper fan. There were lots of sounds, like a festival or some occasion going on.Some cloaked people approached her. With the exact same cloaks that the Soul Church adherents wore.The one in front of them knelt in front of her. He took off his hood and she looked into his eyes. She knew that face, knew those eyes.Voyne, looking exactly the same as the present day, took her hand and kissed it with a greeting.“Hail, Mother.”*******<