Malachar stood in the middle of the burning village. Flames danced around him like loyal pets. Smoke filled the sky and turned everything grey. Screams echoed from every direction. People ran, but there was nowhere to hide.Kane watched from a distance. His body was hurting. His power was almost gone. He held Seraphine’s hand tightly. She was breathing so fast while Vesper stood on his other side, her crimson eyes glowing.Malachar turned slowly. His golden eyes found Kane across the smoke. He smiled like a father who was disappointed in his son. “You opened the door for me,” Malachar said. His voice carried through the fire. “Now watch what I do with the world you gave me.” Kane felt cold fear in his stomach. He stepped forward. “Stop this,” he shouted. “These people did nothing to you.” Malachar laughed. " I have been released to rule the world.He raised one hand more dead rose from the ground. They moved toward the last houses to destroy them. There were more screams that f

Kane wanted to understand what was going on. “Let me tell you about them,” she said softly. “One by one so you understand what you are facing.” The first drawing was a boy who looked exactly like him. He stood in front of a black mirror with his hand reaching out. His eyes were full of hope. “That was the First Kane,” the old woman said. “He was a simple grave digger, just like you. When the system woke up inside him, he thought it was a blessing. He believed he could use the power to help people. To stop families from losing their loved ones forever. He grew strong quickly, he raised skeletons, fought the Church knights and met a shadow girl, fell in love. They reached the tomb together–he opened the sarcophagus because he truly believed he was doing something good for the world.” The old woman paused, her voice became sad. “He touched the black heart–Malachar came out and thanked him. The First Kane was so happy. He thought they would build a better world together, but Malachar

SERAPHINE'S POVSeraphine hit the ground hard, dust and ash flew up around her. For a moment, everything was silent except for the ringing in her ears.She pushed herself up quickly. Her hands were shaking. She looked at the empty space where Kane had been standing just seconds ago. The black hole was gone.Kane was gone.“Kane!” she screamed. Her voice tore out of her throat. She crawled forward on her knees, reaching out to the empty air like she could pull him back if she tried hard enough. “Kane! Come back! Please!” Vesper landed nearby and got up fast. She looked at the same empty spot. Her crimson eyes narrowed.“He is gone,” Vesper said quietly. “Only him. The hole took only Kane.”Seraphine let out a sound that was not quite a sob. It was deeper, she pressed her forehead to the cold ground. Her shoulders shook. “I should have held on tighter,” she whispered. “I should have held on…”Vesper moved closer. She put a steady hand on Seraphine’s back. “This is not your fault,” she

Kane stood in the middle of the big room inside the black tower. The Grey Man’s words still echoed around them. The floor shook under his feet–the walls moved like they were alive. The carvings of the nine previous Kanes seemed to watch him with sad eyes. “Welcome to your test, Tenth Kane,” the Grey Man said again. His voice was calm, but it felt heavy. “Let us see how long your love lasts.” Lily held Kane’s hand tighter. She was shaking. “What is happening?” she whispered.Kane gently pushed her behind him. “Stay close to me,” he said. “Do not let go.”The Grey Man waved his hand slowly. The air in front Of them shimmered. New images appeared on the walls—moving pictures, like memories coming to life.Kane saw the First Kane again. He watched the boy open the sarcophagus with hope in his eyes. He watched Malachar thank him, then started burning villages. He watched the First Kane break after three days when he lost the girl he loved. “You see?” the Grey Man said quietly. “He

After a while, Lily spoke again. “There is a place,” she said. “Where there's an old mirror. The other Kanes talked about it, they said it might be a way out but it asks for something in return.” Kane nodded slowly. “Then that is where we will go next but first, we rest a little. You and I need strength.” “Lily,” he said quietly, his voice low so he would not startle her. "Where can I find this mirror?” Lily lifted her head slowly. She looked up at him with those big, serious eyes. She was quiet for a long moment, as if deciding how much to say. Then she spoke. “It is not at the black tower,” she said. “The grey man wants everyone to think the answers are there but the real mirror is hidden. It is in the old ruined temple, past the dead forest. Mama told me about it once. She said it was built long ago, before Malachar won. It is a place where souls can cross between worlds, but it always asks for something important.” Kane listened carefully. He did not rush her–he wanted to und