“Okay.” She reached for the book, half-expected him to pull it away, to stop her, but he didn’t. Her fingers brushed the worn cover. “What does severing your half entail?”
The Hunter moved closer and Elara's heart thumped an extra beat. He didn’t say anything at first, just opened the book, his fingers flipping through the brittle pages until he landed somewhere in the middle.
He dipped his head as if to say'go on'and Elara scooted closer, reading.
The act of severing an Echoing Seal is no less treacherous than the creation of one. Unlike the initial application of the seal, which involves carefully weaving layers of resonance to suppress ethereal power, the act of breaking such a seal is far less precise and considerably more hazardous. To understand the inherent risks, one must first comprehend the nature of the Echoing Seal itself—a construct that reflects and restrains power through harmonic resonance, tethering the energy not only to the self but to the binder’s will.
An Echoing Seal functions as a constant, echoing suppression—a feedback loop of ethereal energy that mirrors and dampens the bound power’s natural state. Over time, this resonance becomes deeply ingrained, almost symbiotic in nature, making its removal akin to tearing apart the very fabric of one’s soul. Severing the seal, therefore, is not merely the destruction of a bond but the destabilization of an intricate system designed to regulate and control volatile energy.
The primary danger in breaking such a seal lies in the unpredictability of the power it contains. Power, once constrained, does not dissipate; rather, it accumulates, often in unpredictable ways. Upon the removal of an Echoing Seal, this repressed energy may not return to its prior, dormant state but instead may surge uncontrollably. The power, having been forcibly muted for an extended period, can manifest violently, presenting a significant risk of cognitive, emotional, and even physical destabilization. The consequences of such a release may range from the fragmentation of the wielder’sconsciousness to a complete dissolution of their ethereal cohesion.
Elara couldn't take it anymore. With a sharp snap, she slammed the book shut, the sound echoing through the room. “Isn't there an easier way to get us both killed?” She threw him an exaggerated glance, pretending to peer under his cloak. “Why not just pull out that shiny weapon of yours and slit our throats now? It’d save us a lot of trouble.”
"Keep going."
Elara huffed, rolling her eyes, but she flipped the book open again.
Nevertheless, while fraught with danger, the severance of an Echoing Seal is not without potential success. The key to this process lies in resonance—specifically, in matching the frequency of the captive power. A practitioner seeking to sever the seal must first attune themselves to the ethereal signature of the bound power, identifying the exact moment when the resonance between the power and the seal is at its most fragile. At this point, with sufficient precision, the seal may be broken without catastrophic consequences. However, the margin for error is exceedingly narrow, and failure to act swiftly can result in the uncontrolled release of energy.
It is important to emphasize that even successful severance carries inherent risks. The power, once unbound, may not return to a manageable form. In many cases, it becomes erratic, difficult to wield, and may fundamentally alter the nature of the individual from whom it has been released. Moreover, the psychological toll of such an experience cannot be overstated. The sudden reintegration of previously suppressed energy can lead to profound disorientation, hallucinations, and a distorted sense of self.
Her laugh rang out, brittle and edged with something close to hysteria. “Was reading the rest of it supposed to make me feel better?”
“It should,"” he replied coolly, his eyes never leaving hers. “The Binding Sigil can be undone.”
Undone. The word pulsed in her mind like a heartbeat. She dragged a hand through her unruly curls, trying to steady herself. “Yes,” she whispered, “but not withoutconsiderablerisk.”
He raised a brow. “Since when have you shied away from a challenge?”
Elara crossed her arms. “Since 'significantrisk of cognitive, emotional, and even physical destabilization' became part of the equation. And it doesn't make sense,” she continued, words tumbling out in a rush. “When I was with Dom—" She caught herself, biting down on the name. “When I was withthem—the people you took me away from—they just cut the seal off Dario.”
The Hunter shook his head. “It doesn't work like that. They must have been misled.” He tapped the ancient tome. “This copy ofTranscendental Bondsis likely the last of its kind. The rest were destroyed at the beginning of the war.”
Elara narrowed her eyes. “And Osin just handed it to you?”
“I told you. He trusts me.”
“Funny,” she muttered, “because I don't.”
He met her gaze, unflinching. “You don't need to trust me. Trust thefacts.” His chin jerked toward the book. “This isn't rumor or legend. It's the original text—the truth.”
She almost snorted. He spoke with such conviction as if the truth wasn’t just some shapeless thing people twisted to fit their stories.
“Even if this is the last copy,” Elara said slowly, “and even if what you’re saying is true—what makes you think it’ll work for me?”
“Because you’re different,” he replied, something flickering in his eyes. “And so am I.”
Different. The word lingered. Heavy. Loaded. It pressed against her chest, filling the space with a thousand unspoken questions she wasn’t sure how to put into words. Her gaze drifted back to him, searching his face for something—anything—that could explain what he wasn’t saying.
“Why help me?”
“I told you, it will dampen theDraoth Caraand?—”
“Maybe that's true,” she cut him off, her gaze piercing. “But it's not the full truth.”
He went still. Not a muscle moved, not a breath out of place. But she felt it—the way his pulse seemed to quicken beneath the surface. He kept his expression neutral, but there was something sharp beneath it, something coiled tight and dangerous. His story didn’t add up. Sure, it had to annoy him that she could squeeze his pulse with a mere thought, twist his nerves whenever she wished. A glaring weakness for someone like him. But that wasn’t all. It couldn’t be.
“You deceived your lord,” she continued, stepping closer. “You claimed he trusts you, yet here you stand, exploiting that trust to work behind his back. All to sever the thread between us—a thread I still do not fully understand.” Her gaze hardened. “This is treason. The very thing you denounced when it involved Fenlin, when it concerned the Script Keepers. And now you commit it yourself. Why not bring this matter to Osin himself? You are his most loyal, are you not? Surely, he would aid you. And yet, you hide it. Why?”
