Soren woke up on the diagnostic platform.
Again.
He was getting very tired of waking up on magical furniture.
Kael was sitting beside him, arms crossed, expression calm but strained.
Lira hovered nearby, hands clasped, worry radiating off her like soft frost.
Aldric leaned against a pillar, looking like he was waiting for Soren to faint again just so he could say "pathetic."
The fox sat on Soren's chest, glowing faintly, chirping in soft reassurance.
Soren groaned. "I hate this place."
Kael exhaled. "You fainted."
"I KNOW."
Lira leaned closer. "Are you in pain?"
"I'M IN EMOTIONAL PAIN."
Aldric muttered, "Good."
Soren threw a crystal at him. "STOP TALKING."
The symbol on Soren's chest pulsed.
Softly.
Slowly.
Like a heartbeat that wasn't his.
Soren screamed. "NO. NO PULSING. PULSING MEANS IT'S AWAKE."
Kael steadied him. "Soren. Breathe."
"I CAN'T. I'M SHARING MY BODY WITH A COSMIC EYEBALL."
The Instructors Arrive (Soren Suffers Immediately)
The doors opened.
Seraphine entered first, phoenix blazing on her arm.
Veylan followed, nightmare‑wolf at his side.
Arcturus entered last, cloak billowing like a storm cloud.
Soren squeaked. "Please don't kill me."
Arcturus blinked. "We are not going to kill you."
"Please don't let me explode."
"That is the goal."
"Please don't let the eye talk to me again."
Arcturus paused.
Soren screamed. "WHY DID YOU PAUSE."
Seraphine stepped forward. "Vale. We need to ask you some questions."
Soren clutched the fox. "I DON'T WANT QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS LEAD TO ANSWERS. ANSWERS LEAD TO TRAUMA."
Veylan crossed his arms. "You are already traumatised."
Soren pointed at him. "YOU'RE NOT HELPING."
The Entity Speaks (Because Of Course It Does)
The symbol pulsed again.
Harder.
The crystals dimmed.
The runes flickered.
Soren screamed. "NO. NO. STOP. I'M NOT READY. I'M NEVER READY."
Kael grabbed his arm. "Soren—focus."
"I CAN'T. I'M HAVING A SUPERNATURAL PANIC ATTACK."
The fox hopped onto his shoulder, tails glowing fiercely.
The air thickened.
The projection above Soren flickered back to life.
The swirling red‑and‑white energy appeared.
The eye opened.
Soren screamed. "NO. NO EYE. GO AWAY. I'M NOT HOME."
The eye pulsed.
A voice echoed through Soren's mind.
"You hear me."
Soren screamed. "UNFORTUNATELY."
Kael tensed. "What is it saying?"
Soren clutched his head. "HE'S TALKING. HE'S TALKING AGAIN. WHY IS HE TALKING."
Lira whispered, "What does he want?"
Soren swallowed. "He said… 'You hear me.'"
Aldric muttered, "Obviously."
Soren threw another crystal at him. "STOP TALKING."
The voice deepened.
"You carry me."
Soren screamed. "I KNOW. I DIDN'T ASK TO."
"You woke me."
"I DID NOT. YOU WOKE YOURSELF."
"You touched me."
"I PANICKED."
"You are mine."
Soren screamed louder. "NO I'M NOT. I BELONG TO ME. AND MY FOX. AND MAYBE KAEL A LITTLE BIT. BUT NOT YOU."
The eye pulsed.
The voice shifted.
"Name."
Soren blinked. "Name?"
Kael leaned closer. "Soren. What is it saying?"
"He said… 'Name.'"
Lira whispered, "He wants you to ask his name."
Soren screamed. "WHY WOULD I DO THAT. WHY WOULD I INVITE MORE TRAUMA."
Aldric shrugged. "Might as well."
Soren threw a third crystal at him. "STOP TALKING."
The fox nudged Soren's cheek.
Soren inhaled.
Exhaled.
Then whispered:
"…What is your name?"
Silence.
The projection darkened.
The eye narrowed.
The voice echoed:
"My name… is Rhyxos."
Soren froze.
Kael stiffened.
Lira gasped.
Aldric muttered, "That sounds evil."
Soren screamed. "I KNEW IT. I KNEW HE WAS EVIL. HE HAS AN EVIL NAME. WHY DOES HE HAVE AN EVIL NAME."
Arcturus stepped forward. "Vale. Repeat it."
Soren swallowed. "Rhyxos."
Seraphine's eyes widened. "That's impossible."
Veylan snarled. "He should not exist."
Soren screamed. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE SHOULD NOT EXIST."
Arcturus answered quietly:
"Rhyxos is not a corruption entity."
Soren blinked. "He's not?"
Arcturus shook his head.
"He is something far older."
Soren screamed. "OLDER THAN WHAT."
Arcturus answered:
"Older than the forest."
Soren screamed louder. "OLDER THAN THE FOREST?! WHY IS SOMETHING OLDER THAN THE FOREST IN MY CHEST."
The fox chirped.
The symbol pulsed again.
And the voice whispered:
"We are not done."
Soren fainted.
Again.
Kael caught him.
Again.
Aldric rolled his eyes. "Pathetic."
Lira sighed. "Expected."
The fox curled up on Soren's chest and chirped.
And the entire Hall of Resonance watched the boy who accidentally became the vessel for an ancient entity with a name — and a purpose.