The Zealand Guild was more than a fortress — it was a kingdom disguised as an institution.
From the outside, its walls shone with the pale glow of sanctified mana, an architectural miracle that pulsed with light even during the darkest nights. But within, the atmosphere was colder, heavier. It wasn't a guild; it was a machine built to control power.
Nathan stood before the main gates, flanked by two guards clad in cerulean armor etched with runes. The gates opened with a hiss of compressed air, releasing a faint wave of divine energy that made his skin crawl.
Selena walked beside him, her expression unreadable. "They built this place to contain monsters," she murmured, "not to welcome them."
Nathan didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the colossal structure ahead — the Sanctum Core, Zealand's central spire where the Guild Master resided. A living conduit of energy ran through its heart, connecting the entire compound like veins of light through flesh.
As they entered, a group of Hunters in sleek combat suits turned to stare. Their badges gleamed—A-rank, S-rank, veterans of countless battles. And yet, every single one of them stepped back when Nathan passed.
Whispers followed him like a plague:
"That's him."
"The one from the Abyss."
"I heard he killed a portal god."
"No… he became one."
Kael approached from the far corridor, his posture rigid but his tone steady. "Welcome to Zealand's heart. Don't touch anything unless you want the security system to vaporize you."
Nathan smirked faintly. "Wouldn't be the first time someone tried."
Kael gestured for him to follow. "Lady Arathiel wants to see you. She's… curious."
Selena glanced at Kael, her tone sharp. "Curious or cautious?"
Kael gave a thin smile. "Both. When the Abyss chooses a host, curiosity and fear become synonyms."
---
The lift ascended silently, its walls made of transparent mana glass. From above, Nathan could see the entire Zealand complex: training domes, arcane reactors, teleportation circles—each one pulsing with controlled energy.
"Impressive," Nathan said quietly.
Kael nodded. "Built after the First Rift War. Every wall, every rune, every symbol was designed to suppress entities stronger than humans."
Nathan turned his head slightly. "So that's what I am to you now. An entity."
Kael didn't answer. The silence was louder than words.
When the lift doors opened, a rush of air swept through. The Sanctum Chamber stretched before them — a circular hall lined with hovering crystals and banners of ancient victories. At its center stood Lady Arathiel, her back turned, her silver hair shimmering like liquid starlight.
"Nathan," she said softly, without looking back, "you walk like a man who has seen eternity."
He stopped a few meters away. "I've seen what eternity tries to hide."
Arathiel turned, her eyes burning with an intensity that seemed to pierce through him. "You think you've glimpsed truth. But truth without control becomes chaos."
Nathan's lips tightened. "And control without truth becomes tyranny."
A faint smile touched her lips. "Perhaps both are necessary."
She gestured toward the circle of light surrounding her. "Step into the Sanctum Field. It will analyze your mana composition. Purely protocol."
Selena frowned. "You mean containment."
Arathiel's tone didn't waver. "Semantics."
Nathan stepped forward, his boots echoing against the marble floor. The moment he entered the circle, the runes blazed alive, scanning waves rippling across his body. The air thickened as invisible threads of mana tried to dissect his core.
The system faltered almost immediately.
A shriek of static filled the chamber. The floating crystals dimmed. Several shattered.
Kael swore under his breath. "System overload! His energy's rewriting the runes—"
Arathiel raised a hand, stabilizing the field through sheer willpower. "Enough!"
The light faded. Nathan stood unharmed, his eyes glowing faintly. The shadows under his feet coiled like living serpents before retreating into silence.
Arathiel's expression had changed—no longer calm, but quietly alarmed. "You've bonded completely. The Core isn't residing in you, Nathan. You are the Core."
Selena's voice trembled. "That means—"
"Yes," Arathiel said grimly. "If his life ends, the dimensional barrier collapses."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Kael spoke finally, his voice low. "Then he's both our greatest asset… and our extinction trigger."
---
Later, Nathan was escorted to a private chamber deep within the guild complex. Despite the luxury—crystal walls, energy-controlled temperature, mana streams humming in the air—it felt like a cage.
He paced slowly, his mind burning. The whispers of the Abyss echoed faintly within him: They fear you, vessel. Fear breeds violence.
Nathan muttered under his breath, "And power breeds solitude."
He sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands. They still trembled faintly with energy. The Core was alive, restless, as if waiting.
The door hissed open. Selena entered quietly, closing it behind her.
"You shouldn't be here," Nathan said softly.
She crossed her arms. "Then arrest me."
He chuckled lightly. "You'd make a terrible prisoner."
Her tone softened. "You think they'll let you walk out of here alive?"
Nathan didn't answer. His silence was confirmation enough.
Selena took a seat beside him. "They'll test you. Push you. And when they can't control you, they'll try to eliminate you."
Nathan's gaze darkened. "Let them try."
"Don't," she said sharply. "You're not invincible, Nathan. The Core feeds on your emotions. If you lose control, it'll consume everything—this guild, the city, maybe the world."
He looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Then I'll have to learn control faster than they learn fear."
Selena smiled faintly, though sadness lingered in her eyes. "You sound like someone standing between two worlds."
"I am," he whispered. "And both are breaking."
---
That night, as silence fell over Zealand, Nathan stood near the window, overlooking the glowing skyline. The mana lights flickered across his reflection.
A soft metallic click echoed behind him.
He didn't turn. "You're not very subtle."
From the shadows, two S-rank Hunters emerged, clad in black stealth suits, their blades humming with null energy.
"Orders from the High Council," one said coldly. "You're too dangerous to live."
Nathan exhaled slowly. "Then make it quick."
They lunged.
Time seemed to stretch. Their movements blurred into streaks of light — blades aimed at his throat and heart simultaneously. But before the steel could touch him, the shadows under his feet exploded outward like liquid night.
The entire chamber dimmed. The assassins froze mid-motion, their bodies trembling as their weapons dissolved into darkness.
Nathan's voice was quiet, almost sorrowful.
"You think fear makes you strong. It only makes you blind."
He raised his hand. The shadows obeyed.
When the lights returned, the room was empty. Only silence remained.
Selena burst in moments later, eyes wide. "Nathan! What happened—"
He didn't answer. He stood there, eyes hollow, the air around him heavy with a strange stillness.
"They sent assassins," he said finally. "S-rank."
Selena's voice shook. "And you—what did you do?"
Nathan's gaze met hers, calm but distant. "I let the shadows decide."
She took a step back, horror mixing with pity. "You're losing yourself."
"Maybe," he said softly, "or maybe I'm just becoming what I was meant to be."
From the hallway, alarms began to blare. The guild's lights shifted to crimson. The security system screamed one word repeatedly across every communicator:
"CONTAINMENT BREACH."
Nathan turned toward the door, his silhouette framed against the crimson glow.
"Looks like they've finally decided," he murmured. "Let's see if they're right."
Selena reached out. "Nathan—wait—"
But he was already gone, swallowed by his own shadows, as the Zealand Guild—the strongest bastion of humanity—descended into chaos.