Raven led him through the large hall into a smaller corridor.

Numerous glowing azure lanterns illuminated the hallway.

The walls were made of roughly cut stone blocks that seemed to have weathered with age.

It resembled an ancient palace from a bygone era.

The ghostly lanterns themselves did not burn with flames but were lit by a strange crystal that Morgan had never seen before, though he suspected it was related to the forgotten Bretnar civilization.

This part of the stronghold was shrouded in darkness and descended underground.

After several turns, a set of dark obsidian stairs brought them to a unique part of the stronghold.

Glowing runes were inscribed on the walls with the lanterns, but of course, these were only visible to Morgan.

Despite seeing them, he couldn’t begin to guess just what they were meant to do, at least at first glance.

"How did you know this was here?" He quietly asked, looking around curiously.

Raven shrugged.

"Valerius showed me once before."

The part of the stronghold that was reserved for the Lord of Moreus when he stayed at the wall.

They walked for a while, eventually arriving outside a large room.

Raven hesitated, staring at the large set of double doors for a while before hesitantly knocking.

The large doors swung open on their own, admitting them inside.

The atmosphere inside the room was vastly different from the dark, shady corridors they’d traversed to reach this part of the stronghold.

For a brief moment, Morgan felt a slight sense of disorientation.

"What is this..."

Inside, a short young man stood with his arms clasped behind his back next to an impossibly large window.

The man in question silently stood with his eyes drawn to something outside the window, his somber reflection staring back at him through the glass.

He wore a simple white tunic and dark pants with leather boots to match.

Despite his seemingly simple appearance, he had a peculiar presence about him, the air shifting eerily around him.

It was almost as though everything was slightly distorted in his presence.

Morgan’s eyes widened slightly once he gained his bearings once more.

"Sunlight?"

The pale light of the morning slowly filtered into the room through the large window.

It should have been impossible, considering that they’d passed underground to get to this particular obscure part of the stronghold, unless, of course, the runes that they’d encountered earlier had something to do with it.

When they entered, Valerius turned to them.

His strange golden eyes stared at them, seemingly boring through them. It was almost as though he could peer into their very souls.

" Morgan," he spoke.

For a while, he simply scrutinized him almost as though he was searching for something.

Valerius. You summoned me."

The young man smiled and motioned for both of them to sit.

After a few moments, he spoke.

"I’ve been informed that you managed to make contact with the World outside the realm between."

His lips curled into a faint smile. With someone from Earth."

Morgan remained expressionless, staring impassively.

Raven shot him a fierce look, a slight frown appearing on her face.

"Is that true?"

Morgan gave her a casual nod.

"Yeah."

Valerius chuckled, shaking his head.

" You’re certainly full of surprises. "

He paused, adopting a stern expression. A split second later, he was standing in front of Morgan.

Morgan barely flinched, raising an eyebrow.

Raven moved back a bit, startled by the inhuman speed.

"How did you do it?" He whispered, his smile widening dangerously.

Morgan stared at him impassively for a few moments,s then shrugged nonchalantly.

" I have no idea. I thought you would. I thought it was Lord Velagrew’s power, was it not?

Valerius held his gaze for a few moments, then turned around.

After a while, he whispered.

" No, it wasn’t."

He turned, his smile back in place.

"However, Lord Velagrew has expressed an interest in your power. Particularly, the Void World power that you wield. Your VoidABRewards are so rare after all. The Raven stared ahead impassively. If ABR was hearing about this for the first time, it didn’t show.

"The perfect poker face..."Morgan thought, gently flexing his hand. She was definitely going to bombard him with a lot of questions later.

"So," Valerius queried," have you experienced any changes, any improvement in your condition? From what I can tell, you’ve recovered well and regained your health.

Morgan shook his head.

"The fight took more of me than I thought. My powers and my Void walkers have been strangely unresponsive since then."

Valerius stared at him for a few moments, then nodded.

"I guess, it can’t be helped then. Come with me."

"Training?"

Valerius shook his head.

"No. We’ll be doing something different this time. I’ve already informed Sye that you won’t be joining him for your training sessions today. Instead, the three of us will be taking a trip."

Morgan frowned slightly, then nodded.

"Right...."

Valerius smiled brightly, clapping his hands.

"Good, and get anything you think you’ll need and meet me at the gates in an hour."

Valerius quietly watched the two youths take their leave, then sighed, turning to the large window once more.

" How truly curious..."

It was an unprecedented feat. Bordering on impossible, but there was no denying it.

From the shadows behind, a bewitching young woman emerges,d hovering through the air.

Her beautiful, ul slender figure was enshrouded in a long, ghostly dress that fluidly shifted around with an eerie grace.

Her long blonde hair floated through the air, trailing behind her in mesmerizing locks that touched the floor.

She slowly drew behind him,m wrapping her arms around him in an intimate embrace.

" What’s the matter, Val? Lately, you’ve been very distracted. Is it that boy perhaps?"

Valerius gently caressed her hand, shaking his head slightly.

"I’m not sure anymore. That boy and girl are the first humans to have made it into the realm between in centuries. "

His expression soured, his golden eyes narrowing with a frown.

"I do not know how that bodes for us. But still, the Lord needs him. That’s all that matters."

He stared at the dark distant mountain in the distance, the place where they would be going.

******

It didn’t take long for Raven to bombard him with questions.

They still passed through the same unsettling maze they’d used to get to the distant chamber of the Lord of Moreus.

From mostly assumptions, Morgan contemplated that the runes worked akin to the ones in Azaroth, somehow stretching and distorting the space to make room for the vast chamber. That also explained the weird sense of vertigo and disorientation he’d experienced earlier.

"You did what?!"

Morgan chuckled at her reaction, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

"I had a dream, one that turned out to be all too real."

He explained in detail what had transpired, and by the time he was through, they’d reached his home.

"I’m not exactly sure of how it happened myself. I thought it was something that the Lord of the Realm Between had orchestrated, but it seems she did it all on her own.

Don’t worry, I asked her to tell your father that you’re safe. Sort of anyway."

Raven visibly relaxed. It was almost as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

After a few moments, she let out an awkward cough.

" If you don’t mind me asking, what was this Void walker stuff he was talking about?"

Morgan shrugged nonchalantly.

"It’s an ability of mine. One that’s quite rare,e apparently. I don’t understand how it works myself, if so bedside, nothing much that I can tell you about it."

He moved to his bedside, dropping down to one knee on the floor and reaching under the bed.

After shifting sound, he found a purchase on a large dusty box.

He dragged the parcel out slowly, the scraping sound echoing in the empty room.

He stared at it for a few moments before slowly opening it.

Within it, nestled in the dark velvet, lay two twin blades, each sheathed in exquisitely crafted scabbards.

Even in the dim light, the blades that had a peculiar gleam to them emanating ethereapower andch sthatat they felt alive.

Raven stared at the blades. I wonder, nd something akin to reverence.

Eventually, ly she let out a wondrous sigh. They’re beautiful, snapping, nodding, delicately hefting each of the blades before snapping them to his back.

"Yes, they’re quite beautiful."

He’d missed the familiar eight of the Blo Reaper blades on his back, but now, Valerius had provided him with the perfect occasion.

He carefully slid the box under the bed, then rose to his feet. Are you sure there’s nothing you’ll need?"

Raven displayed the bracelet she wore.

With a gentle flick, two insidious long blades slid into view.

"I’m ready to go."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

A moment later, the door slid open.

Morgan threw the newcomer a curious look, his gaze landing on the parcel in his hand.

"Severus, what brings you here?"

The tall man smiled, revealing unusually sharp, pointed teeth.

"I’m just delivering a gift from Lord Valerius. "