Chapter 102: Pre TUNA with Kiran
Eren pulled his clothes on with deliberate movements, his muscles still humming with the aftereffects of the ritual. Seven remained on the stone slab, her dark eyes following him with that same calculating intensity she’d shown throughout their encounter. Neither spoke as he fastened the last of his garments and made his way to the door.
"Remember what I said, Veilwalker," Seven finally called after him, her voice carrying clearly across the chamber. "When this is all over, your head is mine."
He didn’t turn back, simply pulled the heavy door open and stepped into the corridor. To his mild surprise, Kiran was nowhere to be seen. The hallway stretched empty in both directions, the only sound the distant drip of water somewhere in the shadows.
Eren began walking, letting his feet carry him through the winding passageways of the palace. His mind was elsewhere, processing the implications of what had just transpired.
’Seven commands decay,’ he thought, recalling the viscous liquid she had prepared for the ritual. ’Entropy. The breaking down of all things. And kiada planning on sealing the nexus points...’
The weight of what Kaida was planning settled more firmly upon his shoulders. If she succeeded—if the nexus points were sealed—elemental powers would fade from the world. The very foundations of society across the kingdoms would crumble.
His thoughts turned to Viva, worry gnawing at him. ’Where are they keeping her? Is she truly safe as Kiran claimed?’ The memory of her silver hair splayed across stone, her eyes closed in unconsciousness, flashed through his mind. He quickened his pace.
The corridors seemed to shift around him, leading him deeper into the heart of the palace. Stone walls gave way to darker materials—obsidian, perhaps, or something less natural. Veins of luminescent minerals pulsed beneath the surface, casting eerie, shifting shadows that seemed to follow him. The air grew heavier, charged with unseen energies that made the fine hairs on his arms stand on end.
At several junctions, he hesitated, unsure which path to take, only to feel an almost imperceptible current guiding him forward—as if the palace itself were directing his steps. Whether by design or by chance, he found himself approaching a grand archway carved with intricate symbols that pulsed with faint, unsettling light. Two guards stood at attention on either side, their faces obscured by ornate masks that resembled twisted animal features—one a fox, the other a raven.
Beyond the archway, he could see a vast circular chamber. Its ceiling arched high overhead, disappearing into shadows that the scattered light from braziers couldn’t penetrate. The floor was inlaid with a massive mosaic depicting the five elemental forces intertwined in an eternal dance—or perhaps an eternal struggle. In its center sat Kaida upon an elevated throne of polished obsidian. Her fingers tapped a rhythmic pattern on the armrest, her eyes fixed on something he couldn’t see from his position.
Eren drew a deep breath and stepped forward. The guards immediately crossed their spears before him, blocking his path.