Shade Status:
Name: Amara Chen
Rank: Shade (Level 2)
Core Statistics:
Reaping Efficiency: 12
Soul Capacity: 6
Manifestation: 4
Essence Mastery: 9
Secondary Statistics:
Harvest Rating: 52
Essence Pool: 35
Corruption Resistance: 18
Perceptive Range: 18
Soul Inventory: 0/6
Essence Credits: 55
Abilities:
- Soul Sense (Level 1): Enhanced perception of soul structures and characteristics.
Quota Status: 0/10 souls collected (Deadline: 5 days) Required Quality: Minimum 2 Virtuous souls
Night in Gateway Hospital's Veil reflection had its own peculiar rhythm. The fluorescent lights dimmed to a ghostly pulse, and the flow of living staff thinned to scattered silhouettes passing through the gray corridors. But death, Amara was learning, kept no regular hours.
She stood in the doorway of the ICU, fingers tracing patterns in the air as she practiced activating her newly acquired Soul Sense. With each activation, streams of color briefly illuminated the monochrome world, showing the tethers connecting souls to bodies, the whispers of essence that lingered where strong emotions had imprinted on The Veil.
System Notice: Soul Sense Active Current Range: 22 meters Detection Level: Enhanced Essence Cost: 2 per minute Essence Pool Remaining: 33/35
"Quite the light show," came a voice from behind her.
Amara turned to find Selene leaning against the wall, her Collector's insignia glinting in the half-light. Unlike their previous encounters, Selene now wore what appeared to be combat gear beneath her formal uniform, crystal shards embedded along her forearms and shoulders.
"Training," Amara explained, letting her Soul Sense deactivate. "Ten souls in five days is more challenging than my first quota."
"That's the pattern," Selene agreed. "Each quota increases in difficulty. The system weeds out the weak early."
"I won't be one of the weak," Amara replied, her determination unshaken.
Selene studied her with newfound interest. "No, I don't believe you will. Our conversation at the Crossroads was interrupted. Walk with me."
They moved through the quiet corridors, passing the occasional Shade harvesting from natural deaths occurring throughout the hospital. Amara noticed how the other Reapers gave Selene a wide berth, some offering subtle nods of acknowledgment, others averting their gaze entirely.
"You have questions," Selene said finally.
"Many," Amara admitted. "Starting with why you've taken such an interest in me."
"Let's say I recognize potential when I see it." Selene's expression remained carefully neutral. "And perhaps I see something of myself in your situation. A personal stake beyond mere quota fulfillment."
"You mean Lily."
"The severed soul case. Yes." Selene glanced around before continuing. "That type of damage doesn't happen naturally. Someone with significant power and precise technique deliberately separated part of her soul."
"Why would anyone do that?" Amara asked, horror rising within her.
"That," Selene said quietly, "is what makes your sister's case so interesting to certain parties."
System Notice: Critical Information Lily's Condition: Deliberately induced Implication: Targeted action, not accident Required Investigation: Find the responsible entity
They reached a section of the hospital Amara hadn't explored before, an abandoned wing that in the Mortal Realm appeared to be under renovation. In The Veil, however, it manifested as a labyrinth of twisted corridors and rooms filled with crystallized memory fragments.
"What is this place?" Amara asked, her Soul Sense picking up strange resonance patterns embedded in the walls themselves.
"Once a psychiatric ward," Selene explained. "Decades of suffering, fear, and occasionally hope, have left their mark on The Veil here. A good place to talk without being overheard."
"By whom?"
"The walls have ears, especially in Gateway. Territorial Reapers like Vex, certainly. But also Auditors from the Soulforge, and occasionally Sentinels." Selene settled against a crystallized memory formation that pulsed with a soft amber light. "You've been noticed, Amara. Your performance, your connection to your sister, your harvest of an Innocent soul. The system will be watching you closely now."
"And that's bad?"
"It's complicated," Selene corrected. "Attention brings opportunity but also danger. The system has existed for millennia, unchanging, unyielding. Those who thrive within it rarely question its purpose."
"And you do question it," Amara deduced.
"Let me ask you something." Selene's eyes seemed to darken. "If the only way to advance quickly enough to help your sister required breaking some of the system's rules, would you do it?"
System Notice: Moral Choice Presented Orthodox Path vs. Reform Path Immediate Consequences: Unknown Long-term Impact: Significant for Character Development
Amara didn't hesitate. "Yes."
A smile flickered across Selene's face. "The Veilwalkers believe there are alternatives to the soul economy as it currently functions. Alternative methods of harvesting, alternative paths to power."
"Nyx mentioned harvesting without death," Amara recalled.
"A technique that would be considered heresy by the Shepherds," Selene confirmed. "But one that might be particularly valuable to someone in your situation."
"How does it work?"
"Not here, not now." Selene pushed away from the wall. "First, you need to prove yourself. The system's eyes are on you, so play their game for now. Complete your quota, but do it thoughtfully."
"What does that mean?"
"Observe the souls you harvest. There are patterns, connections between them. Your Soul Sense can reveal these if you look deeply enough. There's more to essence than the system tells new Shades."
System Notice: Advanced Technique Hint Soul Pattern Recognition Requirement: Soul Sense Level 2+ Current Status: 18% toward unlocking
Selene reached into her essence storage and withdrew a small crystalline object shaped like a teardrop. It pulsed with gentle blue light, seemingly alive in her palm.
"A soul fragment," she explained. "Not powerful enough to sustain you like Mira's gift, but useful nonetheless. It's attuned to locations where Veilwalkers gather. When you've completed your quota, activate it. It will guide you to people who can answer your questions about soul mending."
Amara accepted the crystal, slipping it into her essence storage. "Why help me? What do you get out of this?"
"Let's just say the Veilwalkers have their own interest in cases of soul severance," Selene replied enigmatically. "Now go, continue your harvests. I'll find you when the time is right."
With that, Selene stepped backward into the shadow of a doorway and simply vanished, her form dissolving into the darkness itself.
System Notice: Item Acquired Veilwalker Beacon (Dormant) Function: Locate hidden faction meeting points when activated Requirement: Complete current quota Note: Unauthorized item; conceal from official channels
Alone in the abandoned ward, Amara activated her Soul Sense again, scanning the area where Selene had disappeared. There was no trace of the Collector, not even the faintest essence trail. Whatever technique she had used for instantaneous travel was well beyond Amara's current understanding.
With new questions swirling in her mind, Amara made her way back to the active sections of the hospital. She had a quota to fulfill, and only five days to do it. Breaking rules could wait until she had the luxury of stability.
The pediatric ward held its own unique sorrow in The Veil. The walls shimmered with a gossamer layer of wishes and dreams, counterbalanced by undercurrents of grief and fear. Amara moved quietly through this emotional tapestry, her Soul Sense guiding her toward a room at the end of the hall.
Inside, a young girl of perhaps twelve lay surrounded by monitors, her physical form frail beneath the hospital blankets. Her soul, however, told a different story. Despite its weakened state, it pulsed with vibrant determination, threads of blue and purple light weaving complex patterns through an otherwise Neutral essence.
"Developing Virtuous tendencies," Amara murmured to herself, recognizing the signature from her previous harvests.
She settled into a corner of the room, observing without interference. According to the charts visible in the Mortal Realm, the girl was in the final stages of leukemia, treatments exhausted, time measured in hours rather than days. Her parents sat beside the bed, the mother reading aloud from a dog-eared fantasy novel while the father held his daughter's hand.
System Notice: Soul Evaluation Type: Neutral/Virtuous (Developing) Transition Status: Approaching (2-3 hours) Quality Potential: High Resistance Probability: Moderate
Amara watched the soul's pulse steadily weakening, the connections to the physical body growing more tenuous with each passing moment. Rather than immediate intervention, she settled in to wait, remembering how Michael's soul had transformed in his final moments of reconciliation with his daughter.
Hours passed. The girl's parents continued their quiet vigil, occasionally joined by hospital staff. The soul's gradual detachment proceeded without complication until a sudden spike of fear rippled through the essence, causing it to flare brightly.
The girl had awakened, her eyes wide with the awareness that often came in final moments.
"Mom," she whispered, "I'm scared."
The fear manifested in The Veil as jagged red tendrils that began anchoring the soul more firmly to the body, fighting against the natural transition process. Amara had seen this before, but now with her enhanced perception, she could see exactly how the emotional response physically affected the soul structure.
System Notice: Fear Response Detected Effect: Increased Soul Anchoring Consequence: Difficult Transition Opportunity: Soul Resonance Intervention
Without conscious decision, Amara moved closer, extending her awareness toward the frightened soul. Using her Soul Sense actively, she projected calm toward the jagged disruptions, attempting to soothe rather than sever.
It's okay to be afraid, she thought, focusing her intention into the girl's essence. You don't have to face it alone.
The girl's eyes widened slightly, as if sensing something beyond normal perception. "It feels like someone else is here," she said softly to her mother. "Someone... kind."
Amara continued her gentle resonance projection, drawing on her own memories of comfort and security. To her amazement, the red tendrils of fear began to soften, returning to the soul's natural pattern.
System Notice: Soul Resonance Success! Emotional Anchoring Reduced Soul Sense Experience: +3 New Technique Discovered: Emotional Resonance
"The light's beautiful," the girl whispered, her gaze fixing on a point in the room where, in The Veil, Amara stood. "I think... I think it's time to go."
Her parents held her hands tighter, tears streaming down their faces as they whispered words of love and permission to let go. The soul's connection to the body weakened naturally now, the transition proceeding without the jarring fear that had momentarily disrupted it.
When the final thread separated, Amara was there to receive the essence as it coalesced into a sphere of soft lavender light, the Neutral base now threaded through with distinct Virtuous patterns.
System Notice: Soul Harvested Type: Neutral/Virtuous Quality: Superior Harvest Method: Guided Transition Experience Gained: Reaping Efficiency +2
Amara stored the soul carefully, feeling its energy integrate with her own essence. The harvest had been different this time, less a taking and more a guiding. She wondered if this was what Selene had meant about harvesting thoughtfully.
"That was well done."
The voice startled her. A Reaper she didn't recognize stood in the doorway, his form bearing the insignia of an Auditor, one of the administrative officials Selene had mentioned. His appearance was impeccable, with a crystalline monocle that seemed to analyze everything it focused on.
"Few Shades bother with emotional stabilization during transition," he continued, entering the room fully. "Most simply wait for natural detachment or force the issue."
"It seemed... right," Amara replied cautiously.
"Interesting." The Auditor's monocle gleamed as it fixated on her. "Amara Chen, yes? Your file is rather distinctive for a new Shade. An Innocent soul on your first quota. Mentorship from both Cyrus and Selene, unusual in itself. And now emotional resonance techniques without formal training."
System Notice: Official Attention Entity: Soulforge Auditor Purpose: Performance Evaluation Risk Level: Moderate Recommendation: Respectful Compliance
"I'm just trying to fulfill my quota efficiently," Amara said, keeping her voice neutral.
"Indeed." The Auditor circled her slowly. "And yet your methods suggest... unconventional influences. Tell me, have you had contact with factions outside the official hierarchy?"
The question was a trap, Amara realized. Her conversations with Selene and Nyx about Veilwalkers could be considered suspicious at best, seditious at worst.
"I've been focused on learning my role and completing my assignments," she answered carefully. "The soul economy is complex, and I'm still coming to understand it."
The Auditor studied her for a long moment. "A diplomatic response. Very well. As you're aware, your quota requires ten souls, including a minimum of two with Virtuous qualities. This harvest counts toward that requirement."
He produced a small device that emitted a beam of light, scanning Amara's form. "Your progress will be monitored with particular interest, Shade Chen. The system values efficiency, but also conformity. Remember that."
With a final assessing glance, the Auditor departed, leaving Amara alone with the grieving parents in the Mortal Realm.
System Notice: Evaluation Recorded Performance Assessment: Positive but Noted Official Status: Under Observation Scrutiny Level: Elevated
One soul down, nine to go. And now with confirmation that the system was indeed watching her closely. Amara moved toward the door, already activating her Soul Sense to locate her next harvest. She would need to be more careful about when and where she met with Selene or discussed alternative paths.
She made her way to the emergency department, drawn by the erratic energy patterns that promised multiple potential harvests in quick succession. With her quota doubled and time limited, efficiency would be crucial.
The ED in The Veil appeared much as it had during her first visit, walls pulsing with residual trauma, floors occasionally transparent to reveal currents of essence flowing beneath. The ambient resonance was chaotic, making it difficult to isolate individual transitions.
Amara focused her Soul Sense more precisely, filtering out the background noise to identify specific souls approaching separation. Two potential harvests registered immediately: a car accident victim with a predominantly Neutral essence, and an elderly man with a heart attack whose soul showed significant Tainted elements.
System Notice: Multiple Harvest Opportunities Target 1: Neutral Soul, Transition Imminent Target 2: Tainted Soul, Transition Approaching Recommendation: Prioritize based on quota needs
She moved toward the car accident victim first, finding a young man with severe injuries being worked on by a trauma team. His soul hovered partially detached above his body, its gray luminescence fluctuating with each resuscitation attempt.
A familiar presence registered at the edge of her perception. Turning slightly, she saw Harvester Vex observing from the doorway, his too-sharp teeth visible in what might have been a smile.
"This one's mine, little Shade," he said, voice carrying that unsettling harmonic. "We had an agreement about traumatic transitions in this section."
Amara remembered Selene's deal with Vex after the Innocent soul incident. "I thought that only applied to the next three traumatic deaths after our... disagreement."
"And this is the third," Vex replied smoothly. "The count has been maintained. Though I'd be happy to negotiate additional territory rights, should you wish to continue hunting in my domain."
"On what terms?" Amara asked, torn between the need to fulfill her quota and the instinctive revulsion she felt toward Vex's methods.
"One premium soul from each of your quotas, delivered directly to me rather than the Soulforge," Vex proposed. "In exchange, unrestricted hunting rights in the emergency department, which, as you've noticed, offers abundant opportunities."
System Notice: Deal Offered Terms: 1 premium soul per quota Benefit: Unrestricted ED access (high yield territory) Risk: Unauthorized soul transfer (high penalty if discovered) Legality: Prohibited but common practice
"I'll need to consider it," Amara replied, unwilling to commit to such an arrangement with a Reaper she neither trusted nor respected.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Don't consider too long," Vex said, moving past her toward the transitioning soul. "Opportunity in The Veil is rarely patient."
As Vex began his harvest, using the same brutal efficiency she'd witnessed previously, Amara turned her attention to the second potential target, the elderly man with Tainted soul elements. While less ideal from a quota quality perspective, it would still count toward her total.
She approached his bed in a quieter corner of the ED. Unlike the accident victim still being actively treated, this man had been moved to a temporary holding area, doctors having done all they could for his massive heart attack. A nurse stood nearby, completing paperwork while occasionally glancing at the monitors.
The soul above him pulsed with dark red veins running through its otherwise gray structure, the Tainted elements creating a pattern Amara hadn't seen in her previous harvests. With her Soul Sense, she could detect echoes of the man's life choices, glimpses of selfishness, manipulation, and occasional cruelty that had imprinted on his essence over decades.
System Notice: Soul Analysis Type: Neutral/Tainted Quality: Standard (Low Value) Transition Status: Imminent Warning: Tainted souls may affect harvester essence
Harvesting a soul with Tainted elements posed its own risks. According to Cyrus, the corruption could potentially influence the Reaper's own essence if they weren't careful. Yet this presented an opportunity to understand a different soul type, and she needed the numbers for her quota.
The final connections between soul and body were already weakening without intervention. Amara extended her awareness, careful to maintain separation between her own essence and the Tainted elements as she prepared to receive the transitioning soul.
The separation completed naturally, the soul coalescing into a sphere darker than her previous harvests, shot through with crimson currents that seemed to pulse with their own rhythm. As Amara guided it into her essence storage, she felt a momentary dissonance, like an off-key note in an otherwise harmonious melody.
System Notice: Soul Harvested Type: Neutral/Tainted Quality: Standard Warning: Minor Corruption Exposure Effect: Corruption Resistance Tested
The soul settled into her inventory, its energy integrating with her form but leaving a subtle discomfort, like an itch just beneath the skin. Two souls collected, eight remaining for her quota. A reasonable start for her first night of harvesting.
She moved through other sections of the hospital over the next several hours, collecting three more souls of various qualities, all Neutral with minimal complications. By morning, she had harvested five of her required ten, though still needed one more Virtuous to meet the quality requirements.
System Notice: Quota Progress Collected: 5/10 souls Virtuous Requirement: 1/2 completed Time Remaining: 4 days, 8 hours Efficiency Rating: Above Average
As the hospital's day shift arrived, creating increased activity in the Mortal Realm, Amara found a quiet corner of The Veil to rest and assess her progress. The souls in her inventory pulsed with combined energy, each with its distinctive resonance signature. The Tainted elements from her ED harvest remained separate from the others, contained but persistent.
With her Soul Sense, she turned her attention inward, studying the structure of her own essence. The harvests had strengthened her form considerably since her first awakening in The Veil. Where once she had been barely substantial, now her essence had definition and depth, layers of complexity developing with each soul absorbed.
A thought occurred to her. If she could sense her own essence structure, perhaps she could also examine Lily's more carefully. With her enhanced abilities and half her quota already fulfilled, she had the luxury of time for investigation.
Lily's room remained unnaturally still in The Veil, lacking the fluid distortions that characterized most of the hospital. Amara approached her sister's bedside, activating her Soul Sense to its fullest extent despite the essence cost.
System Notice: Soul Sense (Level 1) Active Enhanced Perception Mode Range: Maximum (24 meters) Essence Cost: 3 per minute Essence Pool: 28/35 and declining
What she saw made her gasp. Lily's soul was far more damaged than she had initially realized. The severed portions weren't simply detached; they had been precisely excised, leaving behind a geometrically perfect pattern of absence. This wasn't random damage but deliberate surgery, performed with expertise and specific intent.
More disturbing still, the edges of the severed areas showed signs of modification, tiny crystalline structures that didn't match the natural pattern of human souls. Someone had not only cut away pieces of Lily's soul but had begun altering the remainder.
"Who did this to you?" Amara whispered, anger rising within her.
As if in response to her emotion, one of the crystals embedded in Lily's soul pulsed briefly, emitting a frequency that Amara's Soul Sense detected as distinctly artificial. A tracking mechanism, she realized with horror. Whoever had modified Lily's soul was monitoring her remotely.
System Notice: Anomaly Detected Foreign Element: Soul-Embedded Tracking Crystal Function: Remote Monitoring Origin: Unknown (Advanced Soul Manipulation) Warning: Detection Risk if Tampered With
Amara pulled back her perception immediately, heart racing. This was far beyond simple soul severance. Lily wasn't just injured; she was being used for some purpose Amara couldn't begin to comprehend.
"Impressive, isn't it?" came a smooth voice from the doorway. "The precision required for such work is quite extraordinary."
Amara spun around to find Harvester Thorne watching her, his form somehow more substantial than during their brief meeting at the Crossroads.
"You," she said, instinctively moving between him and Lily's bed. "Did you do this to her?"
"Not personally, no," Thorne replied, entering the room despite Amara's protective stance. "Though I've been monitoring the case with professional interest. Soul modification at this level is rare, even among the highest ranks."
"Why her? Why my sister?"
Thorne studied Lily's comatose form, his expression clinically detached. "That is the fascinating question, isn't it? Of all the billions of souls in the Mortal Realm, why this particular one? And then, by remarkable coincidence, her sister dies and develops exceptional aptitude as a Reaper."
His gaze shifted to Amara, suddenly intense. "Perhaps not coincidence at all."
System Notice: Critical Entity Insight Harvester Thorne: Knows more than revealed Connection Implied: Lily's condition and Amara's recruitment Threat Assessment: Moderate to High Intelligence Value: Extremely High
"What are you suggesting?" Amara demanded.
"That there are no accidents in the soul economy," Thorne said. "Everything has purpose, design. Your sister's condition, your death, your abilities, all pieces of a pattern you're only beginning to glimpse."
He moved closer to Lily's bed, examining the soul with what appeared to be professional admiration. "The Veilwalkers would tell you this is atrocity. The Shepherds would call it necessary procedure. The truth, as always, lies somewhere between."
"You know how to fix her," Amara said. It wasn't a question.
"I know many things," Thorne agreed. "Including that you're advancing more rapidly than any Shade in recent memory. Five souls on your first night of a new quota. Soul Sense developed without formal training. And now, conversations with representatives of competing factions."
"You've been watching me."
"Many have been watching you, Amara Chen." Thorne smiled thinly. "The question is, who will you ultimately serve? The system that created you? The rebels who would tear it down? Or your own ambition?"
System Notice: Philosophical Choice Presented Alignment Options:
- System Loyalist (Conventional Power)
- Reform Faction (Alternative Methods)
- Independent Path (High Risk/Reward) Current Tendency: Undecided
"I serve my sister's wellbeing," Amara replied firmly. "Nothing else matters."
"A refreshingly direct answer." Thorne seemed pleased. "Then allow me to be equally direct. I can help you understand what happened to your sister, perhaps even how to reverse it. But knowledge has its price."
"What do you want in exchange?"
"Something you don't yet possess but soon will," Thorne said cryptically. "We'll speak again when you've completed your quota. For now, I suggest you focus on collecting your remaining Virtuous soul. The surgical wing on the fifth floor currently houses a promising candidate."
With that, he turned to leave, pausing at the doorway. "One final observation. The tracking crystal in your sister's soul? It's tuned to essence signatures. Yours, specifically. I find that... noteworthy."
He vanished before Amara could respond, leaving her with even more questions than before.
System Notice: Quest Update Lily's Condition: Connected to Amara specifically Implication: Targeted selection, not random Advancement Path: Multiple competing options revealed
Amara looked back at her sister, the revelation about the tracking crystal adding new layers of complexity to an already confounding situation. If Thorne was right, someone had modified Lily's soul specifically because of her connection to Amara, anticipating their actions across realms and states of being.
The scale of manipulation suggested an entity with power and foresight far beyond anything Amara had encountered so far. Someone at the highest levels of the soul economy, perhaps even among the mysterious Archreapers themselves.
With renewed determination, she left Lily's room, heading toward the surgical wing Thorne had mentioned. Quota first, then answers. She would play every faction against each other if necessary, accept help from anyone offering it, all in service to her ultimate goal.
The surgical wing operated with mechanical precision in the Mortal Realm, doctors and nurses moving like choreographed dancers through complex procedures. In The Veil, this translated to unusual stability, the walls and floors maintaining consistent form where other areas fluctuated with emotional currents.
Amara moved through the corridors, her Soul Sense active despite the drain on her essence pool. The soul Thorne had mentioned was easy to locate, radiating vibrant blue light from an operating theater where surgeons worked frantically to repair a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
The patient, a middle-aged woman, hovered between life and death as the surgical team fought to stabilize her. Her soul, predominantly Virtuous with complex patterns suggesting a life of compassion and sacrifice, remained connected to her body by increasingly tenuous threads.
System Notice: Soul Evaluation Type: Virtuous (Strong) Quality: Exceptional Transition Probability: 78% Value for Quota: High Priority
Amara settled into observation, watching both the physical procedure and the soul's fluctuating response to it. The woman was losing ground despite the surgeons' efforts, her essence gradually preparing for transition.
As the final critical moment approached, Amara sensed another Reaper entering the operating theater. Not Vex this time, but a different harvester, one with the insignia of a specialized medical division. Their form was clinically precise, with appendages clearly designed for surgical soul extraction.
The newcomer noticed Amara immediately. "This ward is designated for Medical Division harvest," they stated, voice neutral but firm. "Quota fulfillment through other channels is advised."
Thorne had directed her here deliberately, Amara realized. Either as a test or a trap. "I was informed this soul was available for general harvest," she replied, feigning ignorance.
"Misinformation," the Medical Reaper said. "Perhaps deliberately so. Specialized souls are allocated by the system for optimal processing."
Amara hesitated. She needed a second Virtuous soul for her quota, and this one was ideal. Yet challenging a specialized division could create problems beyond her ability to manage.
Before she could decide, an alarm blared through The Veil, a sound distinct from any hospital monitor. The Medical Reaper stiffened, attention shifting from Amara to the outer corridor.
"Hollow Ones," they hissed. "Breach in progress."
System Notice: Alert Status Hollow Ones detected in vicinity Threat Level: High Recommendation: Immediate withdrawal or seek ally protection
The temperature in The Veil dropped precipitously, frost patterns forming along the walls as something approached from the corridor. Amara remembered her previous narrow escape from these entities, the predatory emptiness where their faces should be.
"How many?" she asked the Medical Reaper, instinctively moving into a defensive position.
"Proximity sensors indicate three, possibly four," they replied, manifesting crystalline armaments along their arms. "Unusual activity pattern. They typically avoid organized harvest zones."
The first of the Hollow Ones appeared in the doorway, its form rippling like smoke but somehow more substantial than Amara remembered. It paused, the void of its face turning first toward the Medical Reaper, then fixing on Amara with unnerving precision.
It moved with sudden, liquid speed, flowing across the operating theater directly toward her. The Medical Reaper intercepted with practiced efficiency, crystal blades slashing through the Hollow One's smoky form. The entity recoiled, its substance momentarily dispersed before reforming a few feet away.
"They're drawn to your essence signature," the Medical Reaper called to Amara. "Recent Innocent harvester?"
"Yes," Amara confirmed, backing toward another exit as two more Hollow Ones appeared behind the first.
"Explains their targeting. Get to a Sentinel outpost immediately. I'll create a diversion."
The Medical Reaper's form suddenly blazed with stored essence, creating a blinding display that momentarily disoriented the Hollow Ones. "Go now!"
System Notice: Combat Situation Allies: Medical Division Reaper (Temporary) Enemies: Hollow Ones (3+) Current Ability: Soul Sense (Non-Combat) Recommendation: Strategic Retreat
Amara didn't need to be told twice. She sprinted through the secondary exit, activating her Soul Sense to map the fastest route away from the approaching entities. The nearest Sentinel outpost was two floors down, too far to reach before the Hollow Ones caught up.
As she rounded a corner, a familiar figure stepped out of the shadows. Nyx, the Collector who had guided her through the Crossroads, now dressed in what appeared to be combat gear similar to Selene's.
"This way," Nyx urged, pointing to a maintenance access that in The Veil appeared as a shimming tear in reality. "Hollow Ones can't track through disruption fields."
Trusting her limited options, Amara followed Nyx through the tear, emerging into a space between spaces, a narrow corridor that seemed to exist between the walls of The Veil itself.
"Maintenance passages," Nyx explained as they moved swiftly through the cramped space. "Used by service entities to repair reality fluctuations. Not technically allowed for Reaper travel, but extremely useful in emergencies."
"How did you know I needed help?" Amara asked, keeping pace despite her depleted essence reserves.
"Selene has been monitoring your frequency since giving you the beacon," Nyx replied. "Standard procedure for potential recruits. Good thing too, given your tendency to attract trouble."
They emerged from the passage into an empty patient room several floors away from the surgical wing. Amara's Soul Sense confirmed no immediate presence of Hollow Ones, though her range was significantly reduced due to essence expenditure.
System Notice: Safe Zone Reached Pursuit Status: Evaded (Temporary) Essence Pool: 14/35 (Critical Low) Ability Status: Soul Sense Limited
"That's twice you Veilwalkers have saved me from those things," Amara noted, leaning against a wall to recover.
Nyx's expression sharpened. "I never said I was a Veilwalker."
"You didn't have to," Amara replied. "The maintenance passages, the combat gear, arriving exactly when needed. You're clearly not just a regular Collector."
"Perceptive," Nyx acknowledged. "Though I suggest keeping such perceptions to yourself if you want to survive long enough to help your sister."
She reached into her essence storage and withdrew a small vial containing what appeared to be distilled soul energy. "Here, essence supplement. It won't fully replenish you, but it should prevent dissolution until you can harvest again."
Amara accepted the vial cautiously. "Another unauthorized item I presume?"
"Less 'unauthorized' and more 'frowned upon,'" Nyx corrected with a hint of a smile. "The system prefers Reapers to rely solely on harvests for sustenance. Creates dependence on the quota system."
System Notice: Item Acquired Essence Supplement Function: Partial essence restoration Legality: Questionable Risk of Detection: Low
Amara uncapped the vial and consumed its contents, feeling immediate relief as the energy spread through her depleted form, restoring stability if not full capacity.
System Notice: Essence Supplement Consumed Essence Pool: 25/35 (+11) Form Stability: Restored to Safe Levels Effect Duration: 12 hours
"Thank you," Amara said, already feeling stronger. "So what happens now?"
"Now you lie low for a few hours," Nyx advised. "Hollow Ones have limited attention spans. They'll move on to easier prey. Then continue your quota, but avoid the surgical wing. The Medical Division knows you were there, and questions might be asked."
"Thorne sent me there deliberately," Amara said. "He knew it was restricted."
"Harvester Thorne playing games is nothing new," Nyx replied grimly. "He tests potential assets, evaluates their adaptability."
"He knows something about Lily," Amara pressed. "About why her soul was modified."
Nyx's expression became guarded. "If Thorne is involved with your sister's case, the situation is more complex than we initially thought. He operates with tacit approval from the highest levels, conducting 'research' that even some Archreapers find questionable."
"He mentioned a tracking crystal implanted in her soul, tuned to my essence specifically."
"That..." Nyx hesitated, clearly disturbed. "That suggests you were both targeted as part of a coordinated operation. Your death wasn't random, Amara. Your recruitment as a Reaper wasn't coincidence."
System Notice: Conspiracy Confirmation Implication: Amara's death was orchestrated Connection to Lily: Direct manipulation Quest Importance: Fundamental revelation
"Are you saying someone arranged my murder?" Amara asked, the full implications dawning on her with horror.
"It appears increasingly likely," Nyx confirmed. "The question is why, and who has the authority to orchestrate such elaborate manipulation across realms."
"Thorne mentioned we'd speak again after I complete my quota," Amara said. "He claimed he could help me understand what happened to Lily."
"Be extremely careful with any deal he offers," Nyx warned. "Thorne doesn't help anyone without extracting far more than he gives."
She moved toward the door, checking the corridor before continuing. "Complete your quota, maintain your cover, but tell Selene about the tracking crystal immediately. This changes our understanding of your situation significantly."
"And the Veilwalkers will help me? Just like that?"
"The Veilwalkers help those who help themselves," Nyx replied cryptically. "Prove your value, and doors will open. For now, focus on surviving the system's scrutiny long enough to reach a position where you can act effectively."
With that, she slipped into the corridor and was gone, leaving Amara alone with the revelation that her entire existence as a Reaper might be part of someone's larger design.
The remaining souls for Amara's quota came more easily than expected. A Virtuous transition in the hospice ward, three Neutral souls from the geriatric section, and finally, a surprisingly pure Virtuous soul from a cancer patient who passed peacefully surrounded by family.
System Notice: Quota Fulfilled! Collected: 10/10 souls Quality Requirement: 3/2 Virtuous (Exceeded) Time Remaining: 2 days, 7 hours Performance Rating: Exceptional
By the final night of her harvesting, Amara had developed a rhythm to the process, a methodology that balanced efficiency with the compassionate guidance she found more morally acceptable. Each soul was carefully observed before collection, its patterns noted, its transition eased when possible.
As she stored the final soul, completing her quota well ahead of schedule, she found herself in an observation room overlooking the hospital's main entrance. In the Mortal Realm, ambulances arrived and departed, staff changed shifts, the constant flow of life and death continuing without awareness of the parallel dimension that processed its transitions.
In The Veil, Amara could now see the larger patterns, the ebb and flow of souls throughout the building, the resonance signatures that connected related essences, the imprints left by particularly strong emotions. Her Soul Sense had developed considerably through constant use, approaching the threshold for advancement to the next level.
System Notice: Ability Near Advancement Soul Sense Level 1: 93% to Level 2 Requirements: Continued active use, essence investment Estimated Unlock: 1-2 days with regular application
A subtle warmth from her essence storage reminded her of the Veilwalker beacon Selene had given her. With her quota complete, she could now activate it as instructed. Yet her recent conversations with both Thorne and Nyx gave her pause. Multiple factions sought to use her for their own purposes, each offering partial truths while withholding critical information.
The system had created her as a Reaper, yet apparently her recruitment had been specifically engineered rather than the result of standard selection protocols. The Veilwalkers offered alternative methods and knowledge, but operated with their own agenda that might not prioritize Lily's wellbeing. Thorne clearly knew more about her sister's condition than anyone else, yet worked within a framework of manipulation and exploitation.
No clear path forward presented itself, only competing interests and partial information.
With careful concentration, Amara withdrew the crystalline beacon from her essence storage. It pulsed with gentle blue light, responding to her completed quota status.
"Time to learn more," she murmured, channeling a small amount of essence into the crystal to activate it.
The beacon hummed softly, then projected a faint luminous trail visible only to her perception. It led away from the hospital, extending into the city beyond, marking a path to the Veilwalkers' meeting place.
As Amara prepared to follow it, a notification rippled through her awareness.
System Notice: Level Up! Rank: Shade (Level 3) Core Statistics Increased New Passive Effect Unlocked: Enhanced Essence Recovery
Her quota completion had triggered an advancement, her second since awakening in The Veil. The power coursed through her essence, solidifying her form further and expanding her perception. With this development, she stood at the threshold of eligibility for full Collector assessment, assuming her next quota was fulfilled as efficiently.
Two paths now stretched before her: follow the beacon to the Veilwalkers and their alternative methods, or report to the Soulforge for official quota submission and potential acceleration through the system's ranks.
Or perhaps, Amara thought with newfound determination, she could find a way to do both, extracting what she needed from each faction while maintaining her true allegiance only to Lily's recovery.
She stepped toward the glowing trail, decision made. Knowledge first, then action. The system would still be there when she returned.
Shade Status:
Name: Amara Chen
Rank: Shade (Level 3)
Core Statistics:
Reaping Efficiency: 14 (+2)
Soul Capacity: 7 (+1)
Manifestation: 5 (+1)
Essence Mastery: 11 (+2)
Secondary Statistics:
Harvest Rating: 58 (+6)
Essence Pool: 40 (+5)
Corruption Resistance: 20 (+2)
Perceptive Range: 24 (+6)
Soul Inventory: 10/10 (Full)
Essence Credits: 55
Abilities:
- Soul Sense (Level 1): Enhanced perception of soul structures and characteristics.
- Passive: Enhanced Essence Recovery: Essence regenerates 15% faster while in The Veil.
Quota Status: 10/10 souls collected (Complete) Current Objective: Follow Veilwalker beacon Overall Goal: Heal Lily's severed soul / Uncover conspiracy behind recruitment