The sun rose behind a curtain of silver mist. The sky looked peaceful, but Harvie's heart was not.
He sat on the edge of a carriage, eyes half-closed. Edna sat beside him, arms crossed, watching the road.
Rivenfold.
That name had always appeared deep in the game's lore—an old city for scholars, warriors, and Seal research. Now, it was real. Too real.
Harvie looked down at his hand. He still remembered the system's message:
> [SEAL 1 Awakened – Memory Threshold at 15%. Partial Sync Unlocked.]
And behind that, the image of Edna—burned, broken, dying in his arms again and again.
He clenched his fist. "I won't let it happen again."
"Say something?" Edna asked, raising a brow.
Harvie gave a tired smile. "Just talking to myself."
Edna frowned. "You do that a lot."
The carriage wheels creaked as the gates of Rivenfold came into view. It was a massive city, carved into a canyon of stone and glass. Floating platforms carried people across levels. Soldiers and students walked side by side. Magic buzzed in the air.
As they passed through the gates, a group of robed officials stopped them.
"State your names."
Edna stepped forward. "Edna Caelburn. Elite Rank. Flame Division."
The guards bowed slightly.
"And him?" one asked, pointing to Harvie.
Harvie opened his mouth—but Edna answered first.
"He's with me. A Seal-bearer."
Murmurs spread. The guards' eyes widened.
One guard whispered, "That's the Mirrored Anomaly…"
Harvie stayed quiet. He felt a pressure around his chest. People were already afraid of him. And now that word—Seal-bearer—would make it worse.
They were led to a large hall made of shining crystal. There, a tall man with white robes waited.
"Welcome to Rivenfold," he said with a kind smile. "I am Rector Yulan. We've been expecting you."
Harvie felt something shift inside him.
Yulan's eyes stayed on Harvie longer than needed.
"We will study the Seal. Don't worry, boy. We just want to understand you."
Edna took a step closer to Harvie. "He's not a lab rat."
"Of course not," Yulan said with a chuckle. "Still, he will need a watcher. Someone strong. Trusted."
He turned to Edna.
"You, Edna Caelburn, are hereby promoted to Elite Watcher of the Seal. You will stay by his side."
Edna's eyes widened. "What?"
Yulan's smile deepened. "Protect him. Guide him. And if he loses control… end him."
Harvie's blood ran cold.
Edna looked at him with silent shock. She didn't say yes. She didn't say no.
But she didn't walk away either.