Immortal Mythos: Bound by Void-Chapter 19: The Broken Mask

Yuki's Perspective

The wind was sharp this morning. Even with the sunlight breaking through the trees, Yuki felt cold. Not from the weather—but from the weight of what he'd heard.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"He calls me little brother..."

The words wouldn't stop echoing in his head.

Yuki sat on a flat stone just beyond the clearing, staring down at his hands. He could still feel the pulse of void energy beneath his skin—wild, hungry... controlled only by his will. Barely.

Aiko and Himari hadn't said much since that night. But he'd seen them exchange glances, both hiding something behind calm expressions.

Everyone is hiding something, he thought.

He stood up and began to move, practicing his strikes—punches, then kicks—his body slicing through the air with increasing speed. Sparks of aura crackled faintly from his limbs. The void stirred, reacting to his emotions again.

He tried to push it back.

He failed.

Crack.

A ripple shot out from his footstep, shattering the rock beneath him.

"Still unstable," came Ren's voice, calm and unbothered, as he stepped out from the trees. "You're using power without balance."

Yuki growled softly. "You said to control it. That's what I'm trying to do."

"You're trying to suppress it," Ren corrected. "Not control it. There's a difference."

Yuki turned toward him, breathing hard. "Then teach me."

But Ren didn't move. Instead, he gave him a look that was almost... regretful.

"You'll have to face him soon. The one who's been watching you. You've seen him, haven't you?"

Yuki froze. "...You know who he is?"

"I know what he is," Ren replied. "But not why he's chosen now to reveal himself."

Yuki's fists clenched. "I want answers."

"You'll get them," Ren said, his voice suddenly quiet, "when your mask finally breaks."

Yuki didn't know what he meant—but deep down, something clicked.

---

Himari's Perspective

Later that night, Himari stood beneath the moon, near a hidden shrine carved into the cliffside. The place was old—forgotten, overgrown with moss—but the energy here was potent.

She placed a hand on the altar.

"Show me," she whispered.

Blue light flickered around her, swirling with fragments of memory and spiritual echoes. A vision blinked into her mind—Yuki, in the void. The figure standing behind him, cloaked in shadows and flame, eyes sharp like a fox's.

She gritted her teeth.

"He's not just watching you. He's guiding you."

Then her vision twisted.

She saw Ren, standing in the same spot. Watching her. But in this vision, he was afraid.

Afraid of what Yuki might become.

The vision snapped.

Himari opened her eyes, breath trembling.

"...It's starting."

---

Back at the house, Aiko sat by the window, looking out into the night.

She saw Yuki sitting alone again, back turned, shoulders slumped.

She hesitated—then got up.

Tomorrow, she would tell him the rest of what she saw in the void.

Even if it hurt.

---

Chapter 30

Aiko's Perspective

The morning light bled through the curtains, but Aiko barely noticed it. Her fingers curled tightly around the hem of her sleeves as she sat across from Yuki in the quiet room. He hadn't spoken since she entered.

She could feel it in the air—the tension, the void residue clinging to him like smoke.

"Yuki," she said softly, breaking the silence. "I need to tell you what I saw."

His eyes lifted to meet hers. For a moment, they were unreadable—void and storm behind calm lids.

"I saw you in the void," Aiko continued. "Not just your power. You. A version of you I didn't recognize."

Yuki tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"You weren't lost," she said. "You ruled it. The void bent around you like it was your birthright. You didn't just control it... you embraced it. But there was something else."

She hesitated.

"There was someone standing beside you. A fox-like silhouette, tall, wrapped in flames. His face was hidden, but he whispered your name. Not in warning... but with pride."

Yuki's hands clenched. "So I was right. He's not just a hallucination."

Aiko nodded. "No. He's real. And he wants you to reach him."

Yuki stood, his aura flaring softly—enough to make the air feel heavier.

"And if I do?"

"I don't know," Aiko said honestly. "But I think... it'll change everything."

---

Ren's Perspective

Far from the house, Ren stood on the highest peak of the forest, eyes closed. He could feel the stir in the wind. Mythic energy was gathering—slowly, but surely.

"Soon," he whispered.

He opened his eyes. A flicker of movement caught his attention near the base of the cliff.

A new presence.

He vanished instantly, reappearing behind a cloaked figure who stood barefoot on the rocks.

The figure didn't flinch.

"You're early," Ren said coldly. "This isn't your time."

The figure chuckled beneath the hood. "Time is fragile. Just like masks."

Ren's eyes narrowed. "He's not ready for you yet."

"No," the figure said. "But he will be."

And in a blink—he vanished.

Ren turned back to the forest, jaw tight.

It's starting... faster than expected.

---

Yuki's Perspective

That night, he sat again outside under the stars.

Himari approached silently, stopping beside him.

"You're troubled," she said.

Yuki didn't look at her. "I think I saw who I really am."

She nodded. "Did it scare you?"

"...No," he said after a pause. "It made me feel like I've been lying to myself."

She glanced at him. "Then maybe it's time to stop lying."

He turned to her. "Do you think I'll lose control?"

Himari met his gaze, her tone calm but sharp. "Only if you keep fearing what you are."

---

If you're enjoying the ride, don't forget to leave a power stone or a comment—it really helps this grow!