SECOND FRAGMENT
Ethan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his dorm room, his thoughts swirling like a storm. The day’s training had opened his mind to new possibilities—how far could his Virgo alchemy go? Could he truly rewrite the world around him like a language of existence?
His mind raced with ideas.
What if he could store rewritten materials in advance, like coding pre-set functions? What if he could apply multiple layers of modifications to a single object?
He turned onto his side, glancing at Orion, who was already in a deep sleep, his soft snores filling the room. How does he fall asleep so easily after everything? Ethan wondered, amused.
Then—a shadow moved.
A faint rustle of air.
Ethan sat up instantly, his instincts sharp.
From the window, a sleek figure leaped in, landing soundlessly on his desk. Solis.
The twin-tailed cat’s silver eyes gleamed under the moonlight. He flicked his tails, his presence heavy with purpose.
“Are you ready?”
Ethan blinked, still groggy from the remnants of his thoughts.
“Ready…? For what?” he whispered, glancing at Orion to ensure he wasn’t waking up.
Solis’s gaze remained fixed on him. “The second fragment.”
Ethan immediately snapped into full awareness. The second Fallen Sun fragment.
His heart pounded. “Wait—now? Where even is it?”
Solis tilted his head. “Far. But not out of reach.”
Ethan frowned. “Be more specific.”
“Another kingdom. By the mountain side.”
Ethan inhaled sharply. Traveling across the kingdom was one thing. But another kingdom?
He exhaled, steadying himself.
Solis stretched lazily before flicking his tail toward the floor.
A faint ripple of energy pulsed through the air, and a glowing portal shimmered into existence. The swirling gateway hummed softly, its edges crackling with power.
“Through here,” Solis said simply.
Ethan stared at it, feeling the weight of the environment before him.
He had made it this far. There was no turning back now.
He stepped forward, into the unknown.
As the portal’s swirling energy faded behind them, Ethan found himself standing at the foot of a towering mountain. The cold night air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and moss.
He turned to Solis, eyes narrowing. “Here?”
The twin-tailed cat flicked his tail once, silver eyes reflecting the faint moonlight. “Yes. The fragment is inside the mountain. Deep within the caves.”
Ethan frowned. “Then why not take me straight there?”
Solis’s gaze was steady. “This is as far as I can send you.”
A test. Again.
Ethan exhaled through his nose, already adjusting to the challenge. He activated his Leo sight, his irises glowing a faint gold as the world around him shifted.
Immediately, his vision expanded.
The darkness of the mountain was no longer a void. Faint streams of energy—like the veins of an ancient being—ran along the rocky slopes, leading up toward the peak. And there, near the summit, a glowing presence pulsed like a beating heart.
The second fragment.
Ethan clenched his fists. “It’s at the top. I need to climb.”
Solis said nothing, only watching as Ethan drew his backpack from his shoulders and reached inside.
From within, he pulled out a pair of chains.
He had come prepared. After the first ruins, he had learned.
‘The chains were useful in the last fight. I won’t be caught unprepared again.’
Gripping them firmly, he ran his aura through the metallic links, channeling the lessons he had learned from Master Orlan.
Silence.
Elasticity.
The chains pulsed faintly as he altered their properties, making them both soundless and stretchable. If he was going to climb this mountain, he would do it smartly.
With a sharp breath, Ethan whipped one of the chains upward.
The metal links extended, guided by his aura, until they latched securely into a crevice along the mountainside.
He tugged once—solid hold.
“Let’s go.”
Ethan pulled himself forward, the enchanted chains acting as his lifeline, carrying him toward the heart of the mountain where the next Fallen Sun fragment awaited.
Swinging with the chains upward, he felt something approaching.
Ethan felt it before he saw it.
A wave of cold, unnatural energy surged toward him—like a growing void in the sky.
His instincts flared.
Tensing his muscles, he gripped the chains tighter, anchoring himself midair as he twisted his head to the side. Then he saw them.
A flock of mountain eagles—twisted, corrupted.
Their bodies had elongated unnaturally, feathers sleek and oily black, as if drenched in ink. Bright-red eyes burned with eerie hunger, and their once-majestic wings now trailed tendrils of thick, black smoke, like they had been carved from living shadow.
They were coming fast.
Ethan had seconds to react.
The first eagle screeched, the sound unnatural, almost distorted. It tucked its wings in and dived toward him like a missile, talons stretched forward—aiming straight for his head.
Ethan swung to the side, barely dodging in time.
The sheer force of the attack sent a shockwave through the air, rattling the chain Ethan hung from. A fraction slower, and he would’ve been skewered.
No room for mistakes.
Two more came from above, diving in a synchronized attack.
Ethan’s Leo sight flared, and in that instant, he saw everything.
The patterns of their flight, the way their wings left trails of smoke, the precise angle of their descent.
They were fast—but predictable.
His mind worked like a machine—analyzing, adapting.
“I need control over the battlefield.”
Focusing his aura, he lashed out with his chain, wrapping it around a protruding rock above. Using it as leverage, he pulled himself upward, just as the eagles smashed into each other beneath him.
Two down—for now.
But there were more.
At least seven.
Ethan landed on a narrow ledge, just enough room for his feet to balance. He couldn’t stay in one place too long—the creatures would overwhelm him.
He exhaled sharply, eyes darting to the mountain’s terrain.
Think. Adapt. Use what you have.
His eyes flickered over a loose pile of sharp, jagged stones nearby.
Ethan whipped his chain forward, striking the pile.
His alchemy surged, rewriting the density of the stones, making them lighter but maintaining their cutting edge.
Then, with a precise, calculated pull of his chain—he sent the entire pile airborne.
The sky filled with razor-sharp projectiles.
The moment the first eagle lunged—Ethan swung his chain, directing the sharpened stones right into its path.
The creature shrieked.
The impact tore through its corrupted flesh, black liquid splattering midair as it spiraled downward, crashing against the rocks below.
The others hesitated for just a moment.
But only a moment.
Then they came all at once.
Four at once—faster than before.
Ethan’s breathing quickened. He could dodge one, maybe two—but not four.
Unless…
He shifted his weight, planted his feet firmly against the rock wall—and let go of his chain.
Falling.
Straight toward the monsters.
The corrupted eagles lunged toward him—but he wasn’t falling helplessly.
As he descended, Ethan ran his aura through his chains, making them coil and spring like living extensions of himself.
Just before colliding with the creatures, he twisted midair, using the momentum to lash both chains outward—
One wrapped around an eagle’s neck, the other caught onto another’s wing.
With a violent pull—he flipped himself upward.
The force yanked the first eagle’s head sideways, snapping its neck instantly.
The second one screeched, trying to shake him off—but Ethan tightened the chain, redirecting its movement.
Then—he leapt off its back.
As he flew through the air, he infused the elasticity property into his chain mid-swing, stretching it toward another nearby ledge.
It latched on.
With a final swing, he pulled himself back toward the mountain, landing with a heavy breath.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Three left.
His body ached, but the adrenaline kept him sharp.
One of the remaining eagles—larger than the rest, likely the leader—landed on a boulder just ahead, watching Ethan with eerie intelligence.
It spread its wings wide, releasing a cloud of thick black mist.
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
He could see the corruption pooling in the air, tendrils slithering like a living curse. If he inhaled too much of it—he’d be in trouble.
Solution?
Don’t let it spread.
Ethan whipped his chain toward the mist, running his aura through the links—rewriting their properties midair.
Instead of simply striking through the darkness—
The chains absorbed it.
Drained it.
Corrupted energy began flowing through the metal, pulled away from the air.
The large eagle staggered, its wings faltering as if suddenly weakened.
Ethan smirked. “Not so powerful without your tricks, huh?”
Taking advantage, he rushed forward—
He reinforced his boots, launching himself upward.
Then—he drove both chains downward.
The metal links coiled around the eagle’s entire body, locking it in place.
With a final burst of strength—he pulled.
The creature let out a last screech before crashing against the jagged rocks below—lifeless.
One left.
But this one didn’t attack.
Instead, it hovered in the air, watching Ethan.
Then—it turned and fled.
Ethan stood there, breathing heavily, his heart pounding against his ribs.
He didn’t chase it.
Instead, he adjusted his grip on his chains, taking a final look at the creatures he had defeated.
The corruption was still present in their bodies, pulsing faintly. A lingering darkness.
He exhaled. This wasn’t just an isolated event.
Whatever was happening in the world—it was spreading.
Solis leapt onto a nearby rock, his silver eyes reflecting the remnants of the battle. “Not bad.”
Ethan wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, giving the cat a tired smirk. “Yeah? You’re not the one who had to fight them.”
Solis’s tail flicked. “True. But you handled it. You’re learning.”
Ethan turned his gaze toward the peak.
The second fragment was still waiting for him.
And he was going to claim it.
?The Cave
The Luminous Path – Entering the Cave
Ethan stood at the mouth of the cave, staring into the suffocating darkness ahead.
He could feel it—the fragment’s presence, pulsing like a second heartbeat, calling to him. But something else stirred deep within the cave.
A thick, oppressive darkness loomed ahead, waiting, watching.
Solis stepped beside him, his twin tails swaying as his silver eyes reflected the cave’s emptiness.
“The fragment is close,” Solis murmured. “But so is the darkness.”
Ethan took a slow breath, steadying himself. He knew this wouldn’t be as simple as walking in and grabbing the fragment.
He stepped forward.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the light behind him vanished.
Ethan stopped, holding his hand in front of him. Nothing.
It was complete void, swallowing everything.
Not natural. This was different.
Even though his eyes were open, it was as if he had been swallowed by a black abyss.
A trap? No—a presence.
The air felt thick, pressing against his skin, almost like something unseen was pushing back against him.
Ethan gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, reaching for his Lion’s sight.
His chest pulsed with warmth, his heartbeat steadying.
When he opened his eyes again—the world was no longer just blackness.
Instead, it was they were writing all over.
Golden codes ran along the walls, the floor, the ceiling—glowing lines of energy carved into reality itself.
Ethan let out a slow exhale, his gaze following the intricate structures woven into the cave’s stone.
Then—he saw them.
Codes hinting at a presence of Crystals .
Hidden deep within the rock—faint, nearly invisible.
Each cluster held trapped light, suffocated by layers of darkness.
Ethan’s fingers twitched. He could change this.
Focusing his aura, he reached out—rewriting.
“Brightness. Expansion. Reflection.”
The codes of the crystals shifted under his command.
A soft glow pulsed through the cave.
Then—color erupted.
Shimmering red, blue, green, violet, and gold light burst through the cave walls. The crystals, once buried, awakened, casting a radiant glow across the space.
The entire cavern transformed, shifting from a suffocating void into a stained-glass cathedral of light.
Colors bounced off the walls, shimmering in a kaleidoscope of patterns, as if the cave itself had come alive.
Ethan smirked, admiring his work.
“Much better.”
Solis’s tail flicked as he looked around. “You do have a habit of rewriting things to your liking.”
Ethan shrugged. “I’d rather see where I’m going.”
But as he took another step forward—
The ground rumbled.
A deep, guttural sound echoed from within the cave, vibrating through the air like a warning.
Something had woken up.
Ethan’s muscles tensed.
From the depths of the glowing cavern, two large, golden eyes snapped open.
Something was coming.
?The Corrupted Beasts – Trial of the Mountain
A low growl rumbled through the cavern, vibrating against the crystal-lit walls.
Ethan stilled, his pulse steady but sharp. He could feel it—the weight of something massive staring at him from the shadows.
Then, it moved.
A blur of black shot forward.
Ethan barely had time to react before claws raked toward him, cutting through the air like razors.
He dodged left—too slow.
The creature’s strike grazed his side, ripping into his cloak.
Ethan gritted his teeth as pain flared against his ribs. Fast. It’s faster than anything I’ve fought before.
His golden eyes locked onto the beast as it emerged into the light.
A corrupted mountain lion.
Its body was twisted, its fur blackened and pulsing with dark veins. Its claws, once natural, had elongated into curved obsidian blades, and its eyes burned with hollow gold light—like it was half-alive, half-shadow.
Ethan’s grip tightened around his enchanted chain.
“You don’t look like the friendly type.”
The beast snarled, baring jagged teeth.
Then—it lunged.
Ethan reacted instantly.
He threw his chain forward, guiding it like a striking serpent.
The enchanted metal wrapped around the lion’s front leg—but before he could pull, the beast twisted midair, slamming its other paw against the ground.
A shockwave burst outward.
The force sent Ethan skidding back, his boots dragging against the rocky surface.
He coughed, stabilizing himself, but the lion was already on the move again.
Too strong. Too fast.
Ethan’s mind raced. I can’t overpower it. I need another approach.
His eyes flickered—scanning, analyzing.
What do I have?
The crystal-infused walls reflected distorted images of the cavern.
Ethan’s gaze sharpened.
That’s it.
As the lion pounced again, Ethan leapt sideways—toward the nearest crystal wall.
Instead of bracing for impact, he kicked off it, redirecting his momentum midair.
The beast’s claws tore through empty space.
Ethan twisted, throwing his chain mid-spin.
The metal wrapped around the lion’s back leg.
This time, he pulled—hard.
The sudden force yanked the beast sideways, causing it to slam against the cave wall.
Crack.
The crystals vibrated from the impact, a burst of light momentarily blinding the cavern.
Ethan didn’t hesitate.
“Expand. Harden.”
He rewrote the properties of the rock beneath him, altering the ground into reinforced stone.
Then—he ran up the wall.
The lion shook itself off, already recovering.
But Ethan was faster now.
Mid-air, he twisted his chain into a noose-like formation.
As the beast lunged one last time—Ethan dropped it.
The chain snapped around its neck.
With a final pull, he redirected its fall—straight into the sharpened spikes of a fallen crystal.
Silence.
The lion let out one last shuddering growl before its corrupted body dissolved into dark mist, vanishing into the cave’s ether.
Ethan landed, panting. One down.
Solis padded forward, his tail flicking. “Clever.”
Ethan wiped his brow. “I’m also getting tired.”
Solis’s gaze flickered toward the cavern ahead.
“Then pace yourself. Because it’s only going to get harder.”
?Depths of Darkness
Ethan didn’t have to go far before the next challenge found him.
The deeper he moved into the cave, the more suffocating the air became.
The glowing crystals dimmed. The darkness thickened, pressing down like an unseen weight.
Then—he heard them.
Multiple sets of growls.
He turned, but nothing was there.
A trick of the darkness? No. They were hiding within it.
Then—a pair of red eyes blinked open.
Then another.
And another.
Ethan’s stomach tightened. A pack.
The corrupted wolves materialized from the shadows, their fur made of black smoke, shifting and writhing unnaturally.
Their eyes gleamed like burning coals.
Solis’s fur bristled. “They’re hunting you.”
Ethan rolled his shoulders. “They can try.”
The largest wolf, standing at the front, let out a low snarl.
Then—the entire pack charged.
Ethan didn’t hesitate.
He sprinted forward.
The first wolf leapt, its jaws stretching unnaturally wide, aiming for Ethan’s throat.
Ethan ducked and twisted, swinging his chain like a whip.
Crack.
The impact slammed the wolf into the cave floor, dispersing its smoky body for a brief second.
But before Ethan could take another breath, two more wolves lunged at him.
His mind raced.
I need a way to hit them all at once.
His eyes flicked toward the walls, covered in half-buried crystals.
If I amplify the light…
He reached out, rewriting the energy inside the crystals.
“Expand. Intensify.”
Light erupted from the walls in a blinding burst.
The wolves howled in pain, their bodies flickering as the sudden brightness disrupted their shadow-formed bodies.
Ethan used that opening.
He grabbed a handful of crystal shards from the ground and rewrote their properties.
“Sharpen. Accelerate.”
Then—he threw them.
The shards flew like bullets, piercing through the weakened wolves.
Each howled before dissolving, their dark mist vanishing into nothing.
The remaining wolves hesitated, sensing the shift in the fight.
Ethan exhaled sharply, his muscles burning.
Almost done.
The alpha wolf, the largest of them all, stepped forward, its glowing red eyes locked onto Ethan.
It didn’t lunge.
Instead, it opened its jaws—
And from its mouth, darkness erupted.
Ethan barely had time to react before the black mist shot toward him.
The moment it touched him, pain seared through his body.
It was cold. Searing. Suffocating.
His vision blurred. His body froze.
He couldn’t move.
The alpha approached slowly, knowing it had him trapped.
Solis’s voice cut through the haze. “Fireborn. Use it.”
Ethan gritted his teeth.
His chest burned—not from pain, but from something deeper.
Leo’s Heart.
He focused inward, feeling the pulse of golden energy deep in his core.
Then—he let it loose.
His entire body ignited in golden script, writing itself back into reality.
The darkness around him shattered.
The wolf’s eyes widened in shock.
Ethan moved.
Faster than before, he closed the distance in an instant.
With a final strike, he slammed his chain into the wolf’s skull—rewriting its code with one last command.
“Disperse.”
The alpha wolf vanished into dust.
Silence settled over the cave.
Ethan dropped to one knee, catching his breath.
Solis walked up beside him, flicking his tail. “You’re adapting.”
Ethan chuckled breathlessly. “Yeah. But I’d rather not do that again.”
Solis turned his gaze forward.
“Then you won’t like what’s waiting for us next.”
Because at the end of the cave—the final challenge stirred.
?The Final Guardian
The cave trembled.
Ethan exhaled, steadying himself as the pressure in the air grew heavier. This was it—the last obstacle between him and the Fallen Sun’s essence.
A distant rumbling echoed through the cavern. The glow of the crystals flickered as if something massive was waking up.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. Something big.
Solis stepped forward, his twin tails flicking. “The last guardian of this place is near. Be ready.”
The ground beneath them shook.
Then—a pair of monstrous, glowing eyes opened in the darkness ahead.
A colossal, corrupted grizzly bear emerged from the depths of the cave.
Its fur was no longer natural—it had been consumed by darkness, its body a mass of shifting black tendrils. The once-mighty beast now stood as a twisted, unnatural creature, its eyes burning with gold and red light, hollow and merciless.
Its claws were no longer simple talons—they were longer, sharpened blades of pure obsidian. Every step it took cracked the stone beneath its weight.
And then—it charged.
The Battle Begins
Ethan barely dodged in time.
The bear’s claws slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave that split the cave floor.
Rocks shattered. Dust exploded into the air. Ethan rolled, keeping low, using his modified boots to absorb the impact.
But the bear was relentless.
It twisted faster than it should have been able to, its body moving in unnatural ways as if it had no bones—only shadow.
It swiped again—this time aiming straight for Ethan’s head.
Ethan threw his enchanted chain forward, wrapping it around a stalactite above.
He pulled.
His body launched upward, flipping over the beast as its claws ripped through empty air.
Landing swiftly, he retracted the chain and analyzed the situation. It’s stronger than anything I’ve fought so far. I can’t overpower it. I need a plan.
Ethan’s mind raced. Think. Use the environment. Use your training.
The bear roared, its corrupted tendrils lashing out.
Ethan dodged left, swinging his chain like a whip.
Crack.
The metal snapped against the tendrils, disrupting them for a brief second.
But that wasn’t enough.
The beast turned and swung its massive claw.
Ethan ducked low, skidding across the cave floor.
He looped his chain around its hind leg and pulled hard.
The modification to the chain’s elasticity held.
The bear stumbled—but didn’t fall.
Instead, it twisted unnaturally and counterattacked, sending a shadow-infused claw toward Ethan’s chest.
No time to dodge.
Ethan reacted instantly.
He rewrote his coat’s composition, reinforcing the fabric at the last second.
The claw connected—but didn’t tear through.
The impact still sent Ethan flying, crashing into a rock wall.
Pain flared through his ribs—but his body armor had held.
Solis watched from a safe distance, his silver eyes sharp. “It’s learning your moves.”
Ethan wiped his mouth, exhaling. “Then I’ll just have to learn faster.”
Ethan focused his Lion sight, scanning the battlefield.
The cave was still full of crystals, stalactites, and fallen rocks.
Use them.
He dashed forward, circling the beast while swinging his chain in rapid arcs.
Instead of aiming directly for the bear, he anchored his chain to the ceiling and the surrounding terrain.
Within seconds—he had created a web.
The bear charged again—but this time, Ethan yanked the chain at the right moment.
The anchored chain pulled against the environment, sending massive boulders crashing down.
Boom.
The impact buried the beast under a pile of rock and crystal.
The dust settled.
Ethan didn’t move. He knew better.
The silence was too unnatural.
Then—the rubble exploded outward.
The bear burst free, its entire form now surging with raw, unstable darkness.
Ethan’s heartbeat quickened. It’s enraged. I need one decisive strike.
Solis’s voice was calm but firm. “You know what to do.”
Ethan exhaled.
He activated his stealth modification, rewriting his cloak’s light properties.
His form vanished.
The bear roared in confusion.
Ethan moved silently, fast, weaving through the battlefield.
He was the predator now.
The beast swung wildly, sensing something but unable to see.
Ethan ran his chain through his hands, modifying it one last time—increasing its weight, sharpening its edges.
Then—he struck.
The chain wrapped around the beast’s throat.
Ethan yanked downward with all his strength, flipping onto the bear’s back, using the chain as a strangling loop.
The darkness inside the beast fought back.
But Ethan had already rewritten one last line of code.
“Purge the corruption.”
The bear let out a final, shuddering roar.
And then—its body dissolved into golden dust, leaving only its original form behind.
The corruption was gone.
Silence fell.
Ethan, panting, slowly let go of the chain.
Solis padded forward, watching as the last remnants of shadow faded into the cave’s ether.
The path was clear.
At the end of the cavern, the second Fallen Sun Fragment pulsed with radiant energy.
Ethan pushed himself up, shaking off the fatigue.
Solis nodded. “You’re improving.”
Ethan exhaled. “I have to.”
He stepped forward—toward the next piece of his destiny.
At the end of the cavern, the golden fragment hovered in the air, pulsating with power. It was mesmerizing—a piece of the past, a shard of something far greater than himself.
Ethan stepped forward, reaching out.
But before his fingers could brush the fragment, Solis leapt onto a nearby rock, his silver eyes narrowing.
“Remember what happened last time.”
Ethan froze, recalling the overwhelming energy surge from the first fragment—the way it had forced itself into his body, knocking him unconscious.
Solis flicked his twin tails. “Activate your Lion’s Heart first. Control the power before it controls you.”
Ethan nodded, steadying his breath.
He closed his eyes and focused.
His heartbeat slowed.
He directed his aura toward his chest, feeling the golden warmth stir within him.
The Leo energy awakened—a smoldering ember deep inside, expanding, strengthening.
His eyes snapped open, now flickering with a faint golden glow.
Now, he was ready.
He reached forward again, fingers grazing the fragment.
The moment Ethan touched it, the fragment pulsed.
Then—it dissolved.
The shard turned into a bright golden smoke, swirling like liquid sunlight before rushing into Ethan’s body.
The energy flooded his veins, spreading through him like wildfire.
Ethan gasped as the golden glow traced through his body—lines of power forming intricate patterns beneath his skin.
His muscles tensed. His vision blurred. His chest burned.
The energy coursed through his bloodstream, moving, shaping, stabilizing—until it settled into his heart.
It felt like… a puzzle piece locking into place.
Unlike the first fragment, which had overwhelmed him and left him unconscious—this time, he remained standing.
His body trembled, his breath coming fast, but he was still in control.
Barely.
A Step Forward
Solis watched him carefully before nodding. “You’re adapting.”
Ethan, still catching his breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Yeah… but that was intense.”
Solis hopped down, approaching him.
With a swift movement, he touched Ethan’s leg with his tail, sending a cool blue energy surging through his body.
Immediately—the exhaustion faded. The lingering strain vanished.
Ethan straightened, rolling his shoulders. He felt… whole.
Solis flicked his tail once more, and before them, a portal of swirling silver light opened.
“Ready?” the twin-tailed cat asked.
Ethan exhaled, then nodded.
“Let’s go.”
As they stepped through the portal, the cave behind them crumbled —and with it, another step in Ethan’s journey was complete.
