Betrayed Son-in-Law: System Awakening

Chapter 06

Kael sat on the cold warehouse floor with Theo asleep against his chest. The boy’s breathing was steady. Kael kept one hand on his back and stared at the two dull silver rings lying on the stone circle.

Seren crouched nearby, checking a small device in her hand. Rook stood by the broken door, watching the rain and the empty street.

“How long do we have?” Kael asked.

Seren looked at him. “The system said forty-eight hours. That means the next one will come before the second sunrise.”

Kael nodded once. He felt tired in a way that sleep could not fix. The empty space where the memory of adopting Theo used to be still ached. He knew the boy was his son. He just could no longer see the first day.

The system spoke quietly.

[New mission issued.]

[Mission: Reach the underground station beneath the old train yard before the next enemy arrives.]

[Reward: One permanent resistance to mental attacks.]

[Cost: One memory of Theo’s laughter will be erased.]

Kael closed his eyes. He could still hear Theo laughing when they played with the cat named Rook in the old house. That sound was bright and clear in his mind.

He opened his eyes and looked at the sleeping boy.

“I’ll take it when we move,” he said under his breath.

Seren stood up. “We should leave now. This place is no longer safe. The seal is only temporary. They will sense it soon.”

Kael carefully lifted Theo into his arms. The boy stirred but did not wake. Rook picked up the two rings and handed them to Kael. They felt cold and heavy again.

They left through the back of the warehouse and walked in the rain toward the old train yard on the edge of the city. No one spoke. The only sound was water hitting the ground and their footsteps.

The train yard was full of rusted cars and broken tracks. Seren led them to a metal door half-hidden behind a pile of scrap. She pulled a key from her coat and opened it. Stairs led down into darkness.

Kael’s night vision made the steps clear. They went down two levels until they reached a wide underground room with old benches and faded maps on the walls. It looked like a forgotten station.

Rook locked the door above them. Seren turned on a small lamp.

Kael set Theo on a bench and covered him with his jacket. Then he stood and faced Seren.

“Tell me everything. No more pieces. Why does Lila have a system with no cost? Who is behind her?”

Seren sat on the opposite bench. For the first time she looked tired.

“There are two kinds of systems,” she said. “Yours is called an Echo System. It gives power but takes memories as payment. It was made for people who still have something to lose. Lila’s is different. It is called a Hollow System. It gives power by hollowing out the host’s feelings. That is why her eyes look empty. She does not feel love or guilt anymore. Only the goal.”

Kael’s hands tightened. “Who gave it to her?”

“The same group that killed your father. They call themselves the Circle. They have been hunting the Elzeus bloodline for a long time. Your father sealed the door to stop them from taking what is on the other side. The rings are the only keys. When both rings and a living heir are together, the seal can be opened or closed. That is why they wanted you and Theo dead.”

Kael looked at his sleeping son. “And now they are using Lila.”

“Yes. A Hollow System host is hard to stop because they feel no fear and no pain the way we do.”

Rook spoke from the door. “Someone is moving on the street above. Not close yet, but close enough.”

Kael turned to the system.

“Take the mission cost now.”

The memory of Theo’s laughter left him. The bright sound disappeared. For a moment the underground room felt quieter than it should. Kael pressed a hand to his chest and waited until the empty feeling settled.

New strength moved through his mind like a thin wall. He could feel it waiting to block the next mental attack.

Seren watched him. “You keep paying. How many memories do you have left that still matter?”

Kael did not answer. He did not know.

He sat beside Theo and checked the rings again. They were still dull. No glow. No warmth.

A soft sound came from the stairs above.

Rook raised his hand for silence. Footsteps moved carefully down the first level.

Kael stood and moved in front of Theo. Seren and Rook took positions on both sides of the room.

The footsteps stopped outside their door.

A voice spoke through the metal. It was calm and male.

“Kael R. Vane. We know you are inside. We know you have both rings. We know the boy is with you. Open the door and we will only take the rings. Refuse, and we take everything.”

Kael’s jaw tightened. He recognized the voice.

It belonged to the man who had trained him years ago. The man who had ordered the first hit.

Dariac was alive.

And he was no longer alone.

The system flashed a red warning.

[Hostile force detected.]

[Multiple Hollow System hosts nearby.]

[New emergency mission available.]

[Mission: Protect Theo for the next ten minutes.]

[Reward: Temporary shared shield for you and the boy.]

[Cost: One memory of your mother’s voice will be erased.]

Kael looked at the door, then at his sleeping son.

He whispered the words.

“Take it.”

The soft memory of his mother’s voice saying his name disappeared. The empty space was sharp and cold.

A thin layer of light settled over Kael and Theo like invisible glass.

Outside, something heavy hit the metal door.

Dariac’s voice came again, closer now.

“Last chance, nephew. Open the door… or we break it down.”