The Void Heart Devourer

Chapter 6: The Shattered Crystal

CRACK... CRACK...

Cracks spread across the surface of the Awakening Crystal. The blue glow that had illuminated the Holy Hall for thousands of years slowly faded, replaced by a dark shimmer that caused the room's temperature to plummet. No one dared to speak. Even the Patriarchs stared at the altar with tense expressions.

"Akseli!" the Altar Guardian shouted. "Let go!"

"I’m trying!" Akseli replied, his face pale with pain. "My hands won't move!"

The Altar Guardian immediately raised his staff. White light enveloped the altar, attempting to sever the connection between Akseli and the Awakening Crystal.

But before the light could touch the crystal...

BOOM!

A massive explosion shook the entire Holy Hall.

A shockwave swept in all directions. The participants standing closest were thrown back, while dust and stone shards filled the air. The elders rushed to form an Aether barrier to protect the spectator stands from the impact.

"Everyone, back!" one of the elders barked.

The crowd scattered. The onceorderly hall descended into chaos in an instant.

Amidst the billowing dust, a sound made everyone’s heart stop.

CRASH!

The sound of shattering crystal.

Immediate silence enveloped the hall.

As the dust began to clear, all eyes turned to the altar. The Awakening Crystal, which had stood firm for millennia, now lay in hundreds of pieces. The fragments scattered across the altar floor, their light dying out one by one.

"No..."

An elder stepped back.

"The Awakening Crystal..."

"...shattered?"

No one answered.

Even the Altar Guardian stood frozen, staring at the sacred artifact that was now nothing more than debris.

On the other side of the altar, Akseli’s palms finally pulled free. His body gave out, and he collapsed to his knees. He gasped for air, his ears still ringing with the echo of the ancient voice that had spoken inside his head.

"Not yet your time..."

The voice slowly faded.

Akseli clutched his head. "What... what actually happened?"

He was completely lost.

Whispers began to rise from all directions.

"He destroyed the Awakening Crystal."

"It's impossible for anyone to do that."

"I saw black light come out of the crystal."

"No... it looked like it came from his body."

Shortly after, the Altar Guardian climbed onto the altar. He ignored Akseli entirely, his attention fixed solely on the fragments scattered on the floor.

Carefully, he picked up a single piece.

The whole hall held its breath.

The Altar Guardian closed his eyes and channeled a sliver of Aether into the shard.

No reaction.

He tried once more.

Still nothing.

His brow furrowed deeply.

"Strange..."

Patriarch Draven stood up from his seat.

"What happened?"

The Altar Guardian picked up another fragment and examined it the same way. After a moment, his expression turned grave.

"There is nothing..."

"Not even a trace of Aether."

That statement made the Patriarchs look at one another.

"That's impossible," Patriarch Kallio said. "The crystal stores celestial energy. How could it be empty?"

"See for yourself."

The Altar Guardian tossed a fragment to Patriarch Draven.

The man caught it and funneled a bit of energy into the crystal. Seconds later, his face changed.

"It’s true..."

"I can't feel anything."

Patriarch Laakso picked up another shard.

The result was the same.

Empty.

Completely empty.

Silence returned to the hall.

No one could accept the reality. The Awakening Crystal had been used for thousands of years and was believed to be inexhaustible. Yet today, all the Aether within it had vanished without a trace.

Patriarch Laakso slowly raised his head.

His gaze locked onto Akseli.

"That boy."

Everyone instinctively followed his gaze.

"The crystal was fine before he touched it."

"As soon as he stepped onto the altar..."

"...everything changed."

Whispers filled the hall again.

"Maybe he really is a jinx."

"I said it from the beginning."

"There's no way this is a coincidence."

Amidst the growing accusations, Patriarch Vainio finally stood up. His face remained calm, but the aura radiating from his body forced those around him to take several steps back.

"There is no proof yet."

His voice echoed throughout the hall.

"No one has the right to blame my son before the cause is known."

Patriarch Laakso snorted.

"Proof?"

He pointed to the ruined altar.

"The entire hall saw it."

"Is that not enough?"

"That is merely speculation."

Patriarch Vainio stared him down without flinching.

"If you want to accuse someone, bring proof first."

The atmosphere heated up.

Several elders prepared themselves in case the two Patriarchs clashed.

However, the Altar Guardian suddenly raised a hand.

"Enough."

All attention turned to him.

The old man was still holding the crystal shard. His expression was filled with bewilderment, as if he had just realized something far more terrifying.

"This crystal..."

He took a deep breath.

"...wasn't destroyed."

Everyone fell silent.

"Then?"

The Altar Guardian looked at the altar covered in shards.

"There are no signs of impact."

"No signs of an attack."

"No internal explosion."

He slowly squeezed the crystal shard.

"This crystal lost all the Aether that sustained its existence."

"That is why it shattered."

The next sentence made the entire Holy Hall freeze.

"It means..."

"...someone absorbed all the energy of the Awakening Crystal."

And for the second time that day...

all eyes turned back to Akseli Vainio.

The mood in the Holy Hall turned ominous. No one looked at Akseli as the disabled youth worthy of ridicule anymore. Now, they backed away, as if his very presence brought catastrophe.

"He absorbed the Aether of the Awakening Crystal."

"That’s impossible for a human to do."

"Then... what is he exactly?"

Whispers filled the hall. Even the participants who had been the loudest to mock Akseli now chose silence. No one dared to look at him for too long.

Akseli slowly stood up. His breathing was still unstable, and his head felt heavy from the strange voice that kept echoing in his mind.

"Father..."

His gaze sought out Patriarch Vainio.

"I didn't do anything."

Patriarch Vainio watched his son for a moment before turning his gaze back to the Altar Guardian. "Is there a way to prove that my son is the cause of all this?"

The Altar Guardian shook his head slowly. "No. I can only be certain of one thing: all the Aether inside the Awakening Crystal has vanished."

That sentence caused the faces of the Patriarchs to turn serious.

Patriarch Draven stepped forward. "In that case, the boy must be detained. At least until the High Council completes an investigation."

"I agree," added Patriarch Kallio. "We don't know what danger is hidden within him."

Before Patriarch Vainio could respond, Patriarch Laakso spoke first, his gaze sharp on Akseli.

"I don't think we need to wait for an investigation. The sacred artifact was destroyed because of him. That is reason enough."

Edrik smirked with satisfaction.

"Finally, someone is speaking the truth."

"Akseli is a disaster."

Several other participants chimed in.

"Drive him out of Elarion!"

"If he's left alive, who knows what else will be destroyed."

Their voices grew louder. Accusations came from all directions, while Akseli merely clenched his fists. He wanted to defend himself, but even he did not understand what had actually happened.

The commotion suddenly stopped when a soft voice was heard.

"Father."

Everyone turned.

Eveliina stepped out from the Laakso Clan's line. Her face was calm, but the look in her eyes was completely different. There was no longer any pity. Only contempt remained.

"I said it from the beginning," she said softly, "a man without an Aether Heart has no business being on that altar."

Akseli looked at the girl who had been his fiancée.

"Eveliina..."

"Do not call my name."

Her voice was cold.

"Our engagement only exists on paper. And as of today... I no longer acknowledge it."

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone knew what that meant.

Akseli took a slow breath.

"So... this is your decision?"

Eveliina nodded without hesitation.

"I could never marry someone who doesn't even have an Aether Heart. A husband should be his wife's pride, not a laughingstock for all of Elarion."

There was no anger in her voice. It was precisely that calmness that made every word feel far more painful.

Edrik chuckled.

"Miss Eveliina has finally voiced what everyone was thinking."

He looked at Akseli with a mocking smile.

"Face it. You were never worthy of standing beside the daughter of the Laakso Clan."

Several other young men laughed along.

But Akseli did not retaliate. He simply looked at Eveliina for a long moment, as if ensuring there was no more doubt on her face.

"I understand."

That brief answer left Eveliina slightly stunned.

She thought Akseli would beg. Or get angry. But the young man looked so calm, as if their engagement had ended long before today.

Akseli exhaled a long breath.

"If that is your decision... I accept it."

There was no regret in his voice. No hatred either. Only a calmness that was difficult to fathom.

Edrik clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"That's it? I thought you'd cry."

Akseli glanced at him briefly.

"Not every loss is worth mourning."

The smile on Edrik’s face instantly froze.

On the other hand, Eveliina felt a tightness in her chest. For some reason, she didn't feel the victory she had craved. There was a strange feeling she couldn't explain, but she quickly brushed it aside.

Before the atmosphere could turn heated again...

BOOM!

The entire Holy Hall vibrated once more.

This time, it didn't come from the altar, but from the sky above the Holy City. Everyone instinctively looked up. Beyond the crystal dome, the onceclear sky had turned pitch black. The clouds swirled into a giant vortex, punctuated by red lightning that struck incessantly.

The Altar Guardian’s eyes widened.

"That... is impossible."

An elder ran in, his face pale.

"Report! The Holy City's protective barrier is reacting on its own! The entire ancient formation is active without an order!"

The atmosphere turned chaotic. The Patriarchs exchanged looks. No one understood why a formation that had been dormant for thousands of years had suddenly awakened... right after the Awakening Crystal was destroyed.

Meanwhile, deep beneath the Holy Hall, in an ancient chamber sealed since the Era of the Gods, a pair of eyes slowly opened.

"...I have finally..."

"...felt your presence."