Beast Evolution Forge

'wait, what do you mean?'

[Ever since we got in the tower, I have felt something off but I couldn't quite understand what. But after you entered that fracture, small bits of memories started coming back. Why do you think others find it hard to clear fractures but you did it relatively easily? ]

'you don't mean-'

[Yes, you are the creator of the fractures. You created them to keep that thing inside a long time ago but it seems the seals are weakening.]

'What exactly is sealed in there?'

[its nothing big, just your other half?]

"what!?" He stood up shouting and the girls looked at him confused. "Oh, sorry, something just came to mind. " He sat down and acted normal, taking a sip from his cap while the girls smiled and went back to studying the notes.

'what do you mean my other half.'

[I don't know anything past that, my memory is foggy. I am confused how you are not remembering anything anyone ever since that time in the forest.]

'yeah, its strange, like they are being blocked or something.'

[There has to be something disturbing them, we just have to find it. Could be that Alexander?]

'The holy guy? Thinking about him makes me angry for some reason.'

[As you should but for now, let's focus on the fractures.]

'by the way, how many floors does the tower have?'

[Last time we were in here I think there were like 500? I don't know, this place is always changing.]

'500 fucking floors? Holy shit.'

[Don't worry, we didn't climb all of them last time either. The tower's structure isn't entirely physical - it's more like layers of reality stacked on top of each other.]

He rubbed his temples, feeling the beginning of a headache. The girls were still examining the researcher's notes, unaware of the stress consuming him.

"Master, look at this," Wren said, pointing to a small diagram in the corner of one page. "These symbols match the ones we saw in the fracture."

He leaned over to see. "You're right. Good catch."

The diagram showed a circle of symbols with lines connecting them to a central point - not unlike the silver threads he has been seeing.

"I think I'm starting to understand," he said quietly. "These fractures aren't random breaks in reality. They're more like... pressure valves."

Ada looked up. "Pressure valves?"

"Yes. Something powerful is trying to push through from the other side. The fractures appear at weak points, releasing some of that pressure before it can cause a complete breach."

He carefully avoided mentioning his apparent role in creating them. The girls didn't need to know that part yet - not until he understood it better himself.

[Good. They don't need to know everything right now. It would only confuse them.]

'Or put them in more danger.'

"So what's the Hollow Throne?" Jia asked.

"I think..." he hesitated, measuring his words. "I think it's where the containment began. The place where something was sealed away."

Regina tilted her head. "Something or someone?"

The question hung in the air, uncomfortably accurate.

[She's perceptive. Be careful what you reveal.]

'I know. I'm not planning to tell them everything until I understand it myself.'

He looked at the girls - his companions who had faithfully followed him through danger after danger. Were they somehow caught up in this because of him? The thought troubled him deeply.

"Master?" Ruby's voice broke through his thoughts. "You look worried."

He forced a smile. "Just trying to piece it all together."

'I can't lose them too...I can't...'

"So what do we do now?" Wren asked. "If we can't trust the guild..."

"We need more information," he decided. "And we need to be careful who we share it with."

"Where do we even start?" Ada asked.

He stared at the map they have been examining, his mind racing. The pattern of fractures surrounding the central point – the Hollow Throne – was unmistakable now that he knew what to look for.

"Actually," he said slowly, "I think I know someone who might help us make sense of this. Someone outside the guild structure."

"Who?" Ruby's ears perked up, her tail giving a curious swish.

"Someone..." He wasn't entirely sure where this memory had come from, but it felt right. "She specializes in dimensional anomalies and ancient sealing techniques. If anyone would know about these fractures without direct ties to whatever's manipulating the guild, it would be her."

[You actually remember something? how?]

'I dont know, it just came to mind. It's the best lead we have too and if I really did create these fractures, maybe she helped me. Either way, I need answers that aren't filtered through tower propaganda.'

"Where do we find this person?" Regina asked, her practical nature showing through.

"A small village to the east," he replied. "About two days' journey if we move quickly. We should leave town as discreetly as possible."

Wren looked troubled. "Won't people notice if we don't report back to the guild? What if they send someone after us?"

"Why, its not like its just a mission, no big deal... I hope."

"We could say the fracture was more dangerous than expected," Jia suggested. "That we're still investigating unusual energy readings in the area."

"Not bad," he nodded approvingly. "It's close enough to the truth without revealing our real concerns."

Ruby's stomach growled loudly, interrupting the serious conversation. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry! Thinking makes me hungry."

Despite the tension, everyone laughed. This was the Ruby they knew – always ready with unexpected comic relief.

"Let's get supplies first," he said, rising from his chair. "Food, water, and anything else we might need for the journey. We'll split up to attract less attention. Meet at the east gate in one hour."

---

The eastern road was less traveled than the main highways, winding through dense forests and rolling hills. By dusk, they had put considerable distance between themselves and the town, finding a sheltered clearing to make camp.

As the girls prepared their simple dinner, he sat apart, still learning about this new power. He extended his palm and concentrated, watching as wisps of silver light danced between his fingers.

[You're getting better at controlling it.]

'It feels natural somehow. Like I've done this before.'

[Because you have. Many times.]

He closed his fist, extinguishing the light. 'How much of myself am I missing? How long was I... whoever I was before?'

[Longer than you'd believe. But those memories will return in time. Especially as we get closer to the Hollow Throne.]

The thought made him uneasy. What kind of person had he been? What had driven him to create a sealing system so complex that it spanned reality itself?

"Master?" Wren approached cautiously, holding out a bowl of stew. "I brought you your food."

He accepted the bowl with a grateful nod. "Thanks. How are you holding up with all this?"

She sat beside him, tucking her knees up to her chest. "It's a lot to process. Yesterday we were just completing our first fracture mission. Now we're running from the guild and chasing ancient secrets." She paused, studying his face. "And something's changed in you too." Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

"What do you mean?"

"You seem... older somehow. Like you're carrying something heavy." Her perceptive gaze made him uncomfortable. "Is it because of the core you absorbed?"

He considered deflecting the question but decided against it. Wren deserved at least partial honesty.

"The core unlocked something in me," he admitted. "Memories, abilities... I'm not entirely sure yet. But I feel connected to these fractures in a way I can't fully explain."

"Connected how?"

He hesitated. "Like I understand their purpose. They're not random corruption events – they're part of a system."

"A system you created?" Wren asked quietly.

The question struck him like a physical blow. He stared at her, food forgotten in his hands. "What makes you say that?"

"Just a feeling," she replied, her eyes never leaving his. "And the way you reacted when you looked at that map. Like you recognized something you designed yourself."

[She's definitely your kid. Too smart for her own good.]

'Or maybe exactly smart enough.'

"Wren," he said carefully, "there are things I don't fully understand myself yet. But you're right that there's more to this than I've shared. I promise when I have answers, you'll be the first to know."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with this compromise. "Just don't shut us out, okay? Whatever this is, whatever you're remembering... we're with you. We don't care about your past or any of that."

The simple declaration of loyalty touched him deeply. "I know. And that means more than you can imagine."

After dinner, while the others prepared for sleep, he returned to studying the researcher's notes. One page in particular caught his attention – a detailed drawing of what appeared to be the Hollow Throne itself.

The throne was massive, carved from some black substance that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Strange symbols covered its surface, and at its center was an empty space shaped like a human figure – but with proportions that seemed slightly wrong.

A notation beside the drawing read: "The seal requires both halves to remain stable. One to sit upon the throne, one to guard the outer realms. The separation cannot hold forever."

[That's why the fractures are appearing more frequently. The separation is weakening.]

'And my other half is trying to break free?'

[Or return to you. Two halves of the same whole will always seek reunion.]

'But why separate in the first place? What purpose could that possibly serve?'

The voice was silent for a long moment before answering. [Some burdens are too heavy for a single consciousness to bear. Some powers too dangerous to exist in one vessel.]

His gaze returned to the drawing of the throne. Now that he looked closer, the empty space at its center seemed to be reaching out, as if yearning for something just beyond its grasp.

'What happens if we reunite?'

[That depends on which half becomes dominant, I suppose. The guardian or the prisoner.]

The implications chilled him. 'And which am I?'

[That's the real question, isn't it?]