The Burden of Remembrance

Kaelen stood in the aftermath, his breath steadying as he gazed at the spot where the guardian had fallen. The system fragment pulsed faintly in his palm, its warmth contrasting the chilling mist that lingered around him.

The battle had been more than just a fight—it had been a lesson.

This knight had once fought against corruption, only to succumb to it. Aeltharion’s echoes, the past glimpses revealed through the fragments, told of a god who had once protected this world. And yet, corruption had devoured them both.

Would he share the same fate?

"Processing system fragment… Integration beginning."

A familiar sensation washed over Kaelen as the system absorbed the fragment. His body tensed as raw energy coursed through him. His senses sharpened, his reflexes heightened, and his mind became clearer than before.

But this time, something else happened.

A new memory surfaced—not just an image, but a feeling.

Pain.

Aeltharion stood atop a battlefield, watching over countless fallen warriors. But she wasn’t victorious. She was mourning. Her divine light flickered as if dimmed by despair.

"I gave them everything," her voice echoed. "And still… they turned against me."

The vision shattered, leaving Kaelen standing in silence. He exhaled slowly, his grip tightening around his sword.

The more fragments he collected, the heavier this truth became.

"You hesitate."

The system’s voice cut through his thoughts.

"Why?"

Kaelen closed his eyes for a moment before responding. “Because I’m starting to understand.”

"Understanding is not an excuse for inaction."

Kaelen scoffed. “Didn’t say I’d stop.” He sheathed his sword and turned his gaze toward the darkened horizon.

This was only the beginning.

---

As he made his way out of the valley, Kaelen kept his senses sharp. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe this fight had gone unnoticed. The Mist Cult had eyes everywhere, and if they knew he was collecting system fragments, they wouldn’t stay in the shadows for long.

The corruption had thinned in this area after the guardian’s fall, but the land still bore its scars. Twisted trees, hollowed-out structures—signs of a world that had been fighting a losing battle for centuries.

Kaelen pressed forward. He needed to find shelter before nightfall.

That’s when he heard it.

The unmistakable sound of movement.

Not the heavy steps of a corrupted beast, but something else. More controlled.

He unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion, pivoting toward the sound. His eyes scanned the mist-covered ruins ahead.

Silence.

Then—

A blur of motion.

Kaelen barely had time to react before a dagger whistled past his cheek, embedding itself into a nearby stone. He shifted his stance, readying himself for an attack.

And then, from the shadows, a figure emerged.

A hooded figure clad in dark robes, the emblem of the Mist Cult stitched onto their chest. Their face was obscured, but their voice was sharp.

"You are becoming a problem, Kaelen."

Kaelen didn’t flinch. He had expected this.

"And you’re becoming predictable," he replied coldly.

The cultist chuckled. "You have no idea what you're truly interfering with."

Kaelen tilted his head slightly, his grip firm on his sword. “Enlighten me, then.”

The cultist sighed. "You think you’re saving this world, but you’re only accelerating its doom. Do you even understand what you’re fighting against?"

Kaelen’s gaze remained steady. “A mad god and a cult of lunatics who worship destruction.”

The cultist chuckled again, shaking their head. "Is that what you believe? You have seen the echoes, haven’t you? Aeltharion was never your enemy.”

Kaelen’s jaw tightened. He had expected them to play this angle, but hearing it from them was different.

"Lies," the system interjected, its voice unwavering.

The cultist took a step forward, unarmed yet radiating confidence. "You’re afraid. Because deep down, you feel it too. The truth hidden in those fragments… Aeltharion was betrayed. You’re fighting the wrong battle."

Kaelen didn’t move. He simply let the silence stretch between them before speaking.

"Then tell me—why does she continue to spread corruption? Why do her creations suffer?"

The cultist’s smirk faded slightly. "Because she was broken. Because this world forced her to become something she was never meant to be."

Kaelen narrowed his eyes. "And you think she can be saved?"

"We know she can."

For a moment, neither moved.

Then, the cultist extended a hand.

"Join us, Kaelen. Seek the truth, not the lies the system feeds you. The world is not as simple as good and evil."

Kaelen stared at the outstretched hand, then exhaled.

"You're right. The world isn’t simple."

The cultist’s expression shifted slightly, as if sensing an opportunity.

Kaelen took a step forward.