Nobody spoke for several seconds.

The war chamber remained completely still beneath the dim candlelight while Assura’s words settled over everyone like a death sentence.

Heaven has started looking for the human soul.

Mason’s first instinct was denial.

His second instinct was running.

Unfortunately, both instincts were becoming increasingly impractical.

Saleem looked visibly pale now. "Human... soul?"

Assura’s ancient gaze remained fixed on Mason. "The Tribunal confirmed foreign resonance during the battlefield incident."

Mason resisted the urge to glare at Draca for accidentally saying his name earlier.

Technically not his fault.

Emotionally still irritating.

Seraphine slowly crossed her arms tighter.

"Foreign resonance?"

Dangerous phrase, very dangerous phrase.

Athlian immediately stirred anxiously inside him. ’Careful.’

"Oh trust me," Mason muttered internally, "I’m extremely aware that my life is one bad sentence away from collapse."

Unfortunately, Zereth heard that muttering.

His silver eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Collapse?"

Mason smiled immediately. "Metaphorical collapse."

"That sounded very literal."

"Everything sounds literal lately."

Draca remained silent beside him, but Mason could feel the commander watching him more closely now.

Assura finally moved from the shadows completely, crimson light fading beneath his robes as reality reluctantly stabilized around him.

Honestly unsettling behavior.

The ancient being looked around the chamber calmly.

"Heaven is adapting faster than expected."

Saleem swallowed hard. "Expected by who?"

Assura looked mildly amused. "Not you."

Mason pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Can everybody in this world please stop speaking like cursed prophecies?"

"No," Assura replied immediately.

Fair enough.

Seraphine stepped forward carefully. "If Heaven searches for this ’human soul,’ what exactly happens when they find it?"

Silence followed.

Athlian went completely still inside Mason.

That alone answered enough.

Mason crossed his arms tightly.

"Wonderful. Terrifying silence. My favorite response."

Assura’s expression lost its faint amusement.

"The Tribunal does not tolerate contamination between worlds."

The chamber temperature somehow felt colder after that sentence.

Zereth frowned slightly. "...Between worlds?"

Oops.

Mason’s heartbeat spiked instantly.

Assura glanced toward Zereth briefly.

Then calmly said, "Curiosity becomes dangerous tonight, immortal."

Zereth did not back down.

Most people instinctively feared Assura.

Zereth merely looked irritated. "I dislike incomplete information,"he replied coolly.

Athlian suddenly sounded nervous. ’He’s smarter than he pretends.’

"Fantastic," Mason thought dryly. "Exactly what I needed."

Draca finally spoke. "What does Heaven know already?"

The question cut directly through the tension.

Assura’s attention shifted toward him slowly.

"They know enough to search," he answered. "Not enough to understand."

Mason exhaled quietly.

Okay, he’s still survivable...maybe hopefully.

Seraphine frowned. "You speak as though this soul is hidden inside the kingdom itself."

Everybody became very interested in the table suddenly.

Including Mason, especially Mason.

Assura noticed...of course he did.

Ancient cosmic entities apparently missed nothing.

"The kingdom shelters many dangerous things," he said calmly.

Technically true, not helpful but it’s true.

Saleem looked deeply stressed now.

"Should we inform the High Temple?"

"No," Mason answered immediately.

The speed of the response made everyone look at him.

Including Athlian.

He recovered quickly.

"Panic spreads faster than armies," he said calmly. "If priests hear Heaven is hunting unknown souls, this city implodes before sunrise."

That... was actually reasonable.

Draca nodded slightly in agreement.

Seraphine still looked suspicious though, she seemed professionally suspicious.

Zereth, meanwhile, had gone unusually quiet.

That worried Mason far more.

Immortals thinking silently always felt dangerous.

Athlian noticed too. ’He’s observing patterns.’

"Yes," Mason replied internally. "Because my suffering never ends."

Assura suddenly looked toward the chamber ceiling.

"The fractures widen."

A distant rumble echoed faintly overhead.

Everyone tensed immediately.

Mason looked upward instinctively.

"...Please tell me Heaven isn’t descending again."

"No," Assura replied calmly.

Pause.

"Not yet."

"That ’not yet’ is emotionally devastating."

Athlian almost laughed despite the tension.

Draca moved closer toward Mason subtly, protective instinct again.

It happened so naturally now that even Mason barely questioned it anymore.

Which honestly felt like its own problem.

Zereth definitely noticed.

His expression sharpened faintly.

Mason absolutely hated being trapped between emotionally intense immortals.

Seraphine suddenly looked toward Assura again.

"You know far too much about Heaven."

The room quieted slightly, because of her question is very dangerous

Assura’s ancient gaze settled on her.

"For someone mortal," he replied softly, "your courage borders on recklessness."

Seraphine did not flinch. "My people are already dying."

That answer shifted the atmosphere instantly. Less confrontation, more honesty.

Mason noticed Assura studying her carefully now.

Then unexpectedly...

"She reminds me of someone," Assura murmured.

Athlian reacted sharply inside Mason.

Mason frowned internally. "Who?"

Athlian hesitated.

Then quietly...she responded.

’Her brother.’

Oh, Interesting...very interesting.

Before Mason could ask more, Seraphine spoke again.

"If Heaven searches the kingdom, then the Coalition army should reinforce the outer sanctums immediately."

Draca shook his head once. "That exposes your soldiers directly to celestial descent

zones."

"And doing nothing exposes civilians."

"We cannot fight Heaven conventionally."

"Then we adapt unconventionally."

The argument began instantly.

Military strategy.

Political tension.

Mutual frustration.

Mason listened for about thirty seconds before mentally checking out.

Athlian noticed immediately. ’You stopped paying attention.’

"Because they’re debating tactics against cosmic judgment."

’Fair.’

Mason leaned against the table tiredly.

Honestly, he missed normal problems like bills,traffic,Internet outages.

Instead he now managed divine warfare while sharing a body with an emotionally unstable goddess.

Truly catastrophic career development.

Zereth suddenly spoke again. "What exactly happened on the battlefield?"

The chamber quieted instantly.

Ah, there it was.

The dangerous question.

Draca’s expression tightened subtly.

Saleem looked nervous again.

Assura simply observed.

Mason smiled carefully. "Several terrible things simultaneously."

"That is not an answer."

"It’s the most accurate answer available."

Zereth stepped closer slowly. "The Tribunal reacted to you specifically."

Athlian stiffened.

Mason shrugged casually. "I’m literally a goddess."

"No," Zereth said quietly with a dangerous tone.

"You are Athlian. But lately..."

He stopped...studying him carefully.

Mason’s survival instincts screamed instantly.

Athlian sounded tense now. ’Do not push him away too hard.’

"What? Why?"

’Because he’ll investigate harder.’

Wonderful...wmotionally manipulative immortals required strategic management now apparently.

Mason forced a tired sigh instead. "Zereth, Heaven descended from the sky today. I genuinely do not have energy for mysterious observations."

To his surprise...that actually worked.

Slightly though.

Zereth’s expression softened a fraction.

"You’re exhausted."

"Yes," Mason replied immediately.

"Emotionally, spiritually and cosmically."

"...Cosmically?"

"Long day."

Draca quietly hid what might have been amusement.

Seraphine suddenly looked toward the chamber windows.

"The city is still awake."

Everyone followed her gaze.

The capital glowed beneath the night sky.

Candlelights flickered across rooftops while temple bells echoed faintly in distant districts.

Nobody trusted sleep tonight.

Mason rubbed his eyes tiredly. "What’s the current casualty report?"

Saleem immediately checked several scrolls.

"Minimal from direct conflict. Most injuries came from divine pressure during the descent."

Draca’s expression darkened slightly.

"Several soldiers remain unconscious."

Athlian stirred uneasily. ’Heaven’s presence damages mortal minds if exposure lasts too long.’

Mason stared blankly for a moment.

"...You people seriously normalized eldritch warfare."

"No," Athlian replied softly.

And somehow that answer felt sad.

Silence settled briefly again.

Then suddenly...a loud crash echoed from somewhere outside the chamber.

Everyone turned immediately.

A guard stumbled through the doors looking horrified.

"My Goddess!"

Mason pointed instantly. "Why does everybody announce disasters exactly like that?"

"Northern relic vault breach!"

The chamber froze.

Athlian reacted instantly with fear.

Mason felt it hard enough to tighten his chest.

"...Athlian?"

Her voice lowered sharply. ’One of the relics activated.’

"Oh good," Mason muttered. "I was worried because tonight was lacking problems, which is unusual...."

Draca moved immediately. "How many guards?"

"Six stationed," the soldier answered quickly. "Three unconscious."

Zereth’s eyes narrowed. "Attack?"

The guard hesitated. "...No."

That answer somehow felt worse.

Seraphine frowned. "Then what happened?"

The guard swallowed hard. "The relic opened by itself." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Silence crushed the room again.

Athlian’s emotions became dangerously unstable.

Mason felt fragmented images flicker briefly through their shared consciousness;

Silver halls, screaming, broken wings, a door covered in golden light.

Then pain...sharp enough to make him flinch physically.

Draca noticed immediately. "Mason?"

Oops, everyone looked at him again because of the strange name he called the goddess.

Mason recovered instantly. "Headache."

Nobody believed that.

Assura watched him carefully now.

Then the ancient being spoke softly.

"Which relic?"

The guard looked visibly uncomfortable.

"...The Mirror of Veyru."

Athlian went completely silent, no emotions or any reaction.

That terrified Mason instantly.

"Athlian?" he called

Still nothing...she remained so still, which screams danger

Oh no.

Draca stepped closer immediately after noticing his expression.

"You’re pale."

"I’m having an extremely bad evening."

Zereth looked sharply toward the guard.

"That relic was sealed centuries ago."

"Yes, Lord Zereth."

"Why?"

Nobody answered.

Saleem looked horrified.

Seraphine is confused.

Draca alert.

Assura is thoughtful.

Mason is increasingly concerned.

Finally Zereth spoke quietly. "...Because it reveals the truth."

Oh absolutely not.

Mason pointed immediately. "No mirrors.

We’re banning magical mirrors permanently."

Nobody laughed.

Cowards again.

Athlian finally returned weakly inside his thoughts.

’Mason...’ Her voice sounded shaken.

That alone scared him more than Heaven.

"What does the mirror do?"

Silence followed.

Then reluctantly she responded.

’It reflects the soul beneath divine identity.’

Mason felt cold horror crawl down his spine.

Absolutely catastrophic.

Assura’s expression sharpened instantly.

"The relic cannot be allowed near the Tribunal."

"No kidding," Mason replied immediately.

Draca looked between them slowly now.

Seraphine frowned deeply. "What exactly is happening here?"

Excellent question honestly.

Mason wished he knew how to answer it.

Instead he straightened quickly. "We secure the relic first."

Draca nodded immediately. "Agreed."

Zereth was still watching Mason carefully.

Far too carefully.

Athlian noticed too. ’He suspects something.’

"Yes," Mason replied internally. "Because my life is terrible."

Assura suddenly spoke again. "The mirror did not activate randomly."

Everyone looked toward him.

The ancient being’s expression had

become unreadable again.

"It responded to resonance."

Oh no.

No no no.

Mason understood immediately.

The relic reacted to him.

Honestly unclear at this point.

Seraphine noticed his expression instantly.

"...You know something."

He smiled tightly. "I know many unfortunate things lately."

"That was not reassuring."

"Nothing about tonight is reassuring."

Draca stepped beside him quietly.

Mason hated how much that helped.

Athlian noticed too as warm amusement touched her emotions briefly.

’You moved closer to him.’

"I moved closer to emotional stability."

’Same thing.’

Absolutely not discussing that internally right now.

Saleem suddenly looked near collapse.

"My Goddess... if the relic activates publicly..."

"We contain it," Mason interrupted immediately.

"And if we can’t?"

Nobody answered because everybody already understood the problem.

A relic capable of revealing souls during a celestial investigation?

It is an absolute disaster.

Assura looked toward Mason again.

"The mirror already sensed you once."

Mason blinked. "Once?"

The ancient being nodded slowly. "Long ago."

The chamber went silent again.

Athlian’s emotions jolted sharply.

Mason felt confusion immediately.

"...What?"

Assura’s crimson eyes remained fixed on him.

"Not all fractures began recently."

That sentence landed wrong instantly.

Fragments from the Judgment Gate flashed through Mason’s thoughts again.

You were not the first fracture.

Cold realization spread slowly through him.

"No," he said carefully. "We are not doing mysterious ancient history right now."

Assura almost smiled. "Denial remains your most human trait."

"I’m preserving my sanity."

"A temporary strategy."

Draca suddenly spoke. "We move now."

Practical as always.

Honestly appreciated.

The commander looked toward the others calmly.

"Commander Seraphine, secure the outer corridor. Saleem, evacuate lower priests from the vault district. Zereth..."

Zereth raised an eyebrow. "You’re giving me orders now?"

"Yes."

Silence followed.

Then unexpectedly...Zereth smiled slightly.

"Very well, Commander."

Mason stared between them. "...Why was that weirdly attractive?"

Athlian laughed immediately. ’Your standards worsen daily.’

"Your former lovers are emotionally exhausting."

’You’re enjoying this.’

"I absolutely am not."

The group moved quickly through the palace corridors afterward.

Guards cleared paths ahead of them while distant temple bells continued echoing across the sleepless capital.

The atmosphere felt wrong now.

As though the city itself knew something terrible was approaching.

Mason walked beside Draca in tense silence for several minutes before finally muttering...

"Hypothetically speaking."

Draca glanced toward him immediately.

"That phrase never ends well."

"If someone accidentally became involved in catastrophic divine nonsense beyond their control..."

"That already describes you."

"Rude. But fair."

Draca’s expression softened faintly.

"Continue."

Mason hesitated.

"...How far would your loyalty go?"

Draca did not answer immediately.

The corridor candlelights flickered softly as soldiers passed around them.

Finally he spoke quietly. "You already know the answer."

A very dangerous answer, emotionally dangerous.

Mason looked away quickly.

Athlian warmed softly inside him. ’He means it.’

"Yes," Mason thought weakly. "That’s the problem."

Before Draca could say more...a scream echoed from somewhere ahead.

Everyone froze instantly.

Another scream followed.

Then shattered glass.

The relic vault.

Draca’s sword cleared its sheath immediately.

Seraphine grabbed her spear.

Zereth’s shadows darkened along the corridor walls.

And Assura simply smiled faintly.

Which somehow terrified Mason most of all.

The vault doors ahead stood wide open now.

Silver light poured outward across the stone floor, not bright but very reflective.

Moving like liquid mirrors across the corridor.

Several unconscious guards lay scattered nearby.

And floating directly in the center of the vault... a massive silver mirror pulsed softly with divine light.

Its surface rippled unnaturally, like water waiting to speak.

Athlian’s fear slammed into Mason instantly.

’Do not let it see you.’

Too late because the mirror already had.

The silver surface shifted slowly.

Then reflected not Athlian’s face...but Mason’s.

And behind the reflection...another pair of golden eyes opened suddenly inside the mirror itself.

Watching him and smiling.

Then the mirror spoke in Athlian’s voice.

"Found you."