The Masked Virtuoso-Chapter 108: Shadows of the Past

Kael’s Limitations & His True Burden

Ethan and Kael walked toward the towering castle of Solmara, its walls bathed in the golden glow of torchlight. The closer they got, the heavier the air felt.

Ethan had too many questions.

After everything he had seen—Kael’s unnatural strength, his complete control over his emotions, and the way people bowed slightly when he passed—this guy wasn’t just any soldier.

Ethan sighed. "Alright, big guy. You have the Obsidian Shard, right? How much of its power can you actually use?"

Kael remained silent.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What, is it classified information? You work for the king, not the CIA."

Kael finally answered. "1%."

Ethan stopped walking.

"...Excuse me? One percent? That’s not even worth a tutorial level."

Kael kept walking, his expression unchanging. "It is enough."

Ethan caught up, eyes narrowing. "No, it’s really not. You have a god-tier Rift artifact, and you’re telling me you can only use a fraction?"

Kael exhaled. "The more power I use, the more it takes."

Ethan frowned. "Takes?"

Kael didn’t answer.

Ethan studied him for a long moment. Then, suddenly—he understood.

Kael wasn’t just choosing to hold back.

He had no choice.

The Shard was devouring him.

Every time Kael used it, it took something in return—his life, his will, maybe even his soul.

And that’s when Ethan realized—Kael already knew how he was going to die.

The Rift had already shown him.

And yet—he kept fighting.

Ethan could’ve said something deep. Something meaningful.

But instead—he smirked. "Damn. So you’re stuck with the worst starter weapon. That’s tragic."

Kael sighed.

Ethan grinned. "If you had at least 10%, you’d be mid-tier boss level."

Kael ignored him.

Ethan studied him one last time. When the time came, Kael wouldn’t hold back.

And when that happened—who would survive?

---

– The Northern Tribes’ Camp – A Dangerous Welcome

The march through the snow-covered wilderness was silent and brutal.

Mia’s hands were bound with thick, ancient rope that dug into her wrists, cutting off circulation. The icy wind bit through her clothes, but she refused to show weakness.

Orion’s visor flickered, struggling to function after the fall. "Warning: Systems compromised. Scanning... failed."

Kieran, still shaking off the landing, grumbled. "Fantastic. We’re freezing, captured, and I have snow in places snow should never be."

Selene’s expression remained unreadable, though her silver eyes flickered with calculation. They had confiscated her weapons, but she wasn’t panicking. Not yet.

Mia exhaled sharply, glancing at their captors.

The Northern Tribes.

Unlike Solmara’s polished soldiers, these warriors were wild and brutal—cloaked in thick fur, their weapons handcrafted from bone, metal, and Rift-infused crystal. Their breath fogged in the freezing air, and yet they showed no signs of discomfort.

These weren’t just warriors.

They were hunters.

And right now, Mia and her team were the prey.

The leader of the group, a massive man with deep scars across his face, glanced at them. "Keep walking."

Kieran scoffed. "Yeah? Or what? You gonna kill us?"

The warrior chuckled. "No."

He glanced over his shoulder, smirking.

"You’re far too valuable for that."

Mia’s stomach twisted. That wasn’t a good sign.

---

Arrival at the Northern Tribes’ Main Camp

The camp was built into the base of a massive, jagged cliffside, surrounded by thick forests and frozen rivers. Unlike the structured castles of Solmara, this place was raw, untamed—its walls built from carved stone, reinforced with Rift-infused bone.

Hundreds of warriors moved through the settlement, training with massive axes, spears, and bows. Some were sparring, moving faster than any normal human should be able to.

Others were meditating around Rift-infused totems, their bodies glowing faintly with unnatural energy.

Orion’s visor, still partially functional, flickered with warnings.

> "Warning: Unknown energy signatures detected. Possible Rift contamination."

Mia narrowed her eyes. "So, they’re not just worshiping the Rift... they’re absorbing it."

Kieran muttered, "Okay, but like... how much absorbing are we talking about? Are they ’lightly experimented’ levels of crazy, or ’full-on Rift monster’ levels of crazy?"

Before anyone could answer, their captors led them toward the largest structure in the camp—a massive tent built from reinforced hide, bone, and obsidian.

And inside—

The Wraith was waiting.

---

The Chieftain – Rhogar the Wraith

The tent smelled of blood, incense, and something older.

Mia stepped forward, wrists still bound, as a massive figure loomed over a throne of obsidian and ice.

High Chieftain Rhogar.

He was nothing like the kings of Solmara.

His body was wrapped in ancient, jagged armor, reinforced with Rift-infused plating that pulsed faintly. His eyes burned with unnatural purple light, the mark of someone deeply connected to the Rift.

But it wasn’t his power that unsettled Mia.

It was the way he looked at them.

Like he had already seen this before.

His deep, rumbling voice broke the silence.

"You... are not of this world."

Mia clenched her jaw. "What gave it away?"

Rhogar smirked. "The Rift calls to you. It hums in your presence."

Mia’s heartbeat quickened.

Because she couldn’t hear anything.

Rhogar rose from his throne, stepping forward. "You do not hear it yet... but you will."

Selene, calm as ever, tilted her head. "And what exactly do you want from us?"

Rhogar’s smirk widened.

"The same thing I want from all Riftborn."

Kieran exhaled. "Ah, great. This is gonna suck, isn’t it?"

Rhogar’s glowing gaze locked onto Mia.

"We will not kill you."

His voice was calm. Certain.

"But the Rift will change you."

Mia’s stomach twisted.

This wasn’t a normal capture.

They weren’t just prisoners.

They were offerings.

---

Back to Ethan (Blissfully Unaware of His Team’s Suffering)

Ethan sighed, cracking his neck. "Alright, Kael, where are we headed now?"

Kael walked ahead, his expression unreadable. "To the King."

Ethan blinked. "Oh. Uh. That sounds... important."

Kael didn’t respond.

Ethan frowned. "So, just to clarify—he’s not gonna execute me the second I walk in, right?"

Silence.

Ethan exhaled sharply. "Kael, you’re really bad at reassuring people, you know that?"

Still, nothing.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "You know what? It’s fine. I’m used to people wanting me dead. It’s like, tradition at this point."

Meanwhile—

On the other side of the world, Ethan’s team was freezing their asses off in enemy territory, completely unaware that their fearless leader was casually strolling into a potential death sentence.

---

To Be Continued...