"...How do you know my name?"

For half a second, Draca’s expression didn’t change at all.

The silver fracture above the capital continued splitting across the heavens while distant screams echoed through the city below, but somehow Mason’s attention locked entirely onto the commander standing beside him.

Draca looked calm, like this question didn’t surprise him nearly as much as it should have.

Another tremor shook the balcony violently.

Guards stumbled across the stone walkway while silver light flashed overhead again.

The chained creature remained partially inside the fractured sky, massive broken restraints dragging behind it through the clouds.

But Mason barely noticed any of it now, because Draca still hadn’t answered.

Athlian stirred uneasily inside him.

’Careful.’

"Oh trust me," Mason replied internally. "I am experiencing several careful emotional disasters simultaneously."

Draca finally spoke quietly enough that the others couldn’t hear. "...Not here."

That somehow made everything worse.

Mason stared at him. "That is an incredibly suspicious answer."

"I know."

"You admit that immediately?"

Another pulse rolled through the capital before Draca could continue.

Silver shockwaves spread outward from the chained figure again, slamming into the palace barriers hard enough to crack several nearby towers.

Seraphine swore sharply near the balcony edge. "The western barrier just collapsed!"

Saleem looked spiritually exhausted already. "At this rate the entire capital will descend into panic before sunrise."

"Optimistic of you to assume sunrise still exists," Mason muttered.

Nobody appreciated the joke.

Cowards honestly.

Assura’s crimson symbols continued burning across the sky above the palace while reality distorted around them in waves.

Even he looked strained now.

Which felt deeply illegal considering the ancient nightmare man usually acted emotionally invincible.

Zereth narrowed his eyes upward toward the chained figure. "It’s getting closer."

"Wonderful," Mason replied tiredly. "Everything keeps improving tonight."

Draca’s hand briefly brushed against Mason’s wrist again before pulling away.

It’s a small movement that’s unnoticeable.

Unfortunately Athlian noticed immediately.

’You looked for his hand.’

"I absolutely did not."

’You did.’

Emotionally manipulative goddess.

Seraphine turned sharply toward the others. "We cannot remain exposed on this balcony."

"For once," Saleem added nervously, "I strongly agree."

Honestly character growth, the group finally moved back inside the war chamber while guards reinforced the surrounding corridors again.

The palace halls beyond the chamber had descended into complete chaos now.

Servants rushed between staircases carrying supplies.

Priests argued loudly near the lower sanctum entrances.

Messengers sprinted through the corridors every few minutes delivering increasingly terrible reports.

Mason collapsed back into his chair dramatically the moment they entered.

"I would like everyone to know that I officially hate destiny."

"That feeling appears mutual," Zereth responded.

Draca moved toward the central war table again while Seraphine spread updated district maps across its surface.

"The eastern civilian sectors remain stable," she reported quickly. "But the northern sanctums are failing completely."

Saleem swallowed hard. "The High Temple has begun emergency prayer rites."

Mason blinked. "...Do those actually help?"

"No," Assura answered immediately.

"...Then why are they doing them?"

"Panic traditions."

Honestly fair.

Athlian unexpectedly laughed softly inside him despite the tension.

Tiny laugh but still counted as emotional progress probably.

Draca studied the maps silently for several moments before speaking again.

"The creature remains focused on the palace."

Zereth folded his arms. "More specifically, focused on Athlian."

Dangerous wording, very dangerous wording.

Mason immediately pointed at him. "You keep saying things that worsen my emotional condition."

"You are unusually emotionally fragile."

"There’s a giant chained apocalypse outside."

"Fair."

Athlian remained tense beneath the conversation.

Mason could still feel her fear pressing constantly against the back of his thoughts now.

He lowered his voice internally. "You know what that thing is."

Silence.

Then quietly she responded. ’Not fully.’

"That answer has become deeply concerning lately."

Athlian hesitated again before continuing.

’The chains belong to Heaven.’

Mason stared blankly toward the chamber ceiling. "...You know, every answer somehow creates three worse questions."

’Sorry.’

The apology surprised him enough that he almost forgot the sky horror outside.

Draca suddenly looked toward him from across the table.

"Are you unwell my goddess?"

Mason blinked. "Emotionally? Spiritually? Cosmically? Please specify."

A faint twitch touched Draca’s mouth again.

Tiny amusement but still unfairly attractive.

Athlian immediately noticed his reaction.

’Again.’

"I need you to stop narrating my emotional collapse."

’No.’

Terrible ally.

Seraphine suddenly slammed one hand against the table sharply.

"The Coalition commanders are requesting a direct audience."

Saleem looked horrified instantly. "Now?!"

"They believe the capital is hiding something."

Mason muttered weakly, "Technically correct unfortunately."

Assura’s gaze shifted slowly toward the shattered windows.

"The fractures are destabilizing faster."

Zereth frowned slightly. "Because of the creature?"

"No."

The room quieted.

Mason immediately disliked that answer.

Draca noticed too. "Then what is causing it?"

Assura remained silent briefly before answering.

"The seal beneath the capital is responding."

Every instinct inside Mason screamed immediately.

Athlian froze. ’No.’

Mason looked around carefully. "I’m sorry, the what beneath the capital?"

Nobody answered quickly enough. Which was becoming an exhausting pattern honestly.

Another violent tremor suddenly rolled beneath the palace floor.

CRACK.

A fracture split across one of the chamber walls instantly.

Silver light leaked through the crack like glowing mist.

Several nearby guards stepped backward nervously.

Saleem looked one inconvenience away from death.

"The palace foundations are failing!"

"No," Zereth corrected quietly while staring toward the crack.

"They’re opening."

Wonderful, completely different terrible situation.

Draca immediately drew his sword.

The movement was smooth, protective and instinctive.

Mason tried very hard not to think about how reassuring that felt.

Failed immediately because Athlian noticed too. ’You trust him?.’

"I trust my survival."

’Mmhm.’

Emotionally exhausting goddess.

Seraphine stepped toward the spreading crack cautiously. "What exactly is sealed beneath the capital?"

This time Assura answered immediately.

"A prison."

Silence followed.

Mason rubbed his forehead tiredly. "At this point I genuinely miss normal political corruption."

Another metallic sound echoed upward through the palace floor, chains dragging but closer this time.

Several guards visibly paled.

Even Zereth’s shadows recoiled slightly along the walls.

Athlian’s fear surged violently inside Mason.

Fragments flashed suddenly across Mason’s thoughts again; A golden gate, chains wrapped around burning pillars,

Someone screaming, a hand covered in silver markings reaching through darkness...

The vision vanished instantly.

Mason grabbed the edge of the table hard enough to steady himself.

Draca noticed immediately. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He crossed the room without hesitation.

"What happened?"

"Fantastic question," Mason muttered weakly. "Would also love the answer."

The commander crouched slightly beside him now.

"You saw something."

Mason glanced toward the others quickly before lowering his voice. "Maybe."

Seraphine narrowed her eyes. "You’re hiding information again."

"Yes," Mason answered honestly.

Her expression flattened immediately.

"...You admit that too easily."

"I’m tired."

Fair reasoning honestly.

Outside, the chained figure roared again.

The sound slammed through the capital hard enough to shake dust from the chamber ceiling.

Temple alarms erupted louder throughout the palace.

Then suddenly...every candle inside the war chamber extinguished at once.

Darkness swallowed the room instantly.

Several guards cursed.

Saleem made a deeply distressed religious noise somewhere near the table.

Mason immediately pointed into the darkness. "Whoever screams first loses dignity."

"Nobody is competing," Seraphine snapped.

Silver light suddenly flooded through the fractured wall instead.

The crack spreading through the chamber wall widened slowly while metallic dragging sounds echoed from somewhere beneath the palace again.

Athlian sounded genuinely frightened now.

’It hears the fracture opening.’

"I need literally anyone to start explaining things properly."

Assura finally stepped forward through the dim silver glow.

"The chained creature above the capital is not the real threat."

Nobody liked that sentence, especially Mason.

"I reject that information emotionally."

"The thing beneath us is older."

Even worse.

Draca stood fully now, positioning himself subtly between Mason and the spreading crack again.

Protective instinct undefeated.

Zereth noticed too.

The mortal’s eyes lingered briefly on Draca before shifting back toward the wall.

Suspicion growing quietly again.

Another chain-dragging sound echoed

upward.

Then...a non-human voice laughed softly from beneath the palace.

Mason felt cold crawl down his spine instantly.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Then a whisper followed. "Found the doorway."

The entire chamber froze.

Saleem looked moments from collapse.

"That voice..."

Assura’s expression darkened instantly.

"The inner seal broke faster than expected."

Mason stared at him tiredly. "Could you maybe say one hopeful thing tonight?"

"No."

"Consistency is important I guess."

Another violent tremor shook the palace.

The fracture in the wall exploded wider suddenly.

Silver chains burst outward from the opening.

Guards shouted immediately.

One chain wrapped around a nearby pillar hard enough to shatter stone instantly.

Another slammed across the chamber floor.

Seraphine moved first, her spear flashed downward with divine force, knocking one chain away before it could reach the soldiers behind her.

Zereth’s shadows surged next, binding several chains against the walls temporarily.

Draca grabbed Mason instantly. "Back."

Mason stumbled backward with him while more silver chains burst upward from the spreading crack.

Athlian’s panic slammed through him hard enough to hurt. ’It’s waking up.’

"WHAT is waking up?!"

No answer...terrible timing for emotional silence honestly.

Assura raised one hand sharply as his usual crimson symbols ignited across the chamber floor in massive circles.

Reality distorted violently...the silver chains recoiled instantly like living things.

Interesting.

Apparently terrifying cosmic chains disliked Assura too.

Reasonable honestly.

But then...the chains suddenly stopped moving.

Every single one froze midair.

The room went silent.

Even Assura narrowed his eyes slightly.

And slowly...

Very slowly...one silver chain pointed directly toward Mason.

Everyone noticed.

Oops.

Mason immediately raised one finger weakly. "...Counterpoint?"

Nobody responded.

The chain twitched once.

Then another whisper echoed from beneath the palace.

Closer now and hungry.

"Open."

Athlian’s terror exploded inside him.

Pure instinctive fear. ’Mason run.’

For the first time since arriving in this world...her voice sounded genuinely desperate.

And then the floor beneath Mason cracked open.