A legend

Lilia tightened her cloak as she walked through the towering stone gates of Ironveil, a town known for its neutrality in the conflicts between kingdoms.
It had been a day since she touched the cube, and Ren’s voice had become a constant whisper in her mind.
"Explore. Learn. I will guide you."
She obeyed.
A Town of Many Faces 
Ironveil was nothing like her old village.
The streets were filled with armored mercenaries, hooded figures, and merchants shouting deals. The air smelled of smoke, steel, and roasted meat from food stalls.
It was chaotic, but beneath the noise, there was an order—a rhythm that kept the town moving.
Lilia felt out of place.
She had spent her whole life in a quiet village, unaware of the vast world beyond.
Now, she was standing in the middle of it.
"Go to the marketplace."
Ren’s voice guided her once again.

The marketplace was alive with stories and gossip.
Lilia slowed her pace, pretending to admire a row of daggers while listening.
“Did you hear? The Kingless One’s Seal was found.”
Lilia froze.
“That old story? You believe that nonsense?”
“It’s no nonsense! My grandfather said he saw it! A cube floating deep in the mountains!”
Another merchant scoffed.
“Everyone knows the story. A cowardly king who became a monster. A man who could control the living like puppets. A disaster so great that the strongest warriors in history had to unite just to stop him.”
Lilia clenched her fists.
They were talking about Ren.
She kept listening.
“A single man fought against hundreds of high-ranked title users,” the storyteller continued, lowering his voice for effect. “They say entire armies fell before him like insects. He was unstoppable.”
A child whispered, “How did they stop him?”
The merchant smirked.
“They didn’t. He burned through his own life force. When his time ran out, they sealed what was left of him—deep in the mountains, hidden away so he could never return.”
Lilia’s heart pounded.
She had found that seal.
And she had freed him.
Before Lilia could leave, a hand grabbed her wrist.
She turned sharply, coming face to face with a hooded man.
His grip was firm but not painful.
“Stay away from that legend, girl.”
Lilia pulled her arm back.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The man’s gray eyes studied her.
“You reek of something dangerous. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll leave Ironveil before it’s too late.”
Then, without another word, he vanished into the crowd.
Lilia exhaled sharply.
"Ignore him," Ren's voice murmured. "There is work to be done."
She nodded.
And walked deeper into the town.

Lilia wandered through the bustling town, her steps hesitant.
The weight of Ren’s presence followed her like a shadow—silent, unseen, but always there.
She didn’t know who—or what—he really was.
Only that he was sealed for a reason.
And now… he was speaking to her.

Lilia's eyes flickered toward an old merchant’s stall.
Among the dusty relics, she noticed an engraved tablet, its surface cracked and aged.
The moment she reached for it, the merchant’s hand shot out. “Careful with that.”
Lilia met his gaze. “What is it?”
The old man hesitated, then sighed.
“You must be new here. That stone is part of an old legend.”
Lilia felt her heart pound. A legend.
She forced her voice to stay calm. “What legend?”
The merchant sat back, his eyes turning distant.
“It’s said that centuries ago, this land was nearly destroyed by a single man.”
Lilia tensed.
A single man?
The merchant continued.
“They say he was different from the rest. His title was neither strong nor weak… but something unnatural.”
Her grip on the stone tightened. This is about him.
“People feared him. They say he could control anything that breathed.”
“Control… anything?” Lilia echoed.
The merchant nodded.
“A power too dangerous to exist. So the strongest title users gathered and fought him in a battle that shook the world.”
“And then?” Lilia whispered.
The old man exhaled. “He was sealed away, buried where no one would ever find him.”

Ren’s fragmented form stood beside her, unseen by the merchant.
Lilia turned toward him, her voice a whisper. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
Ren’s expression didn’t change.
"They feared me."
His voice was cold, emotionless.
"So they buried the truth with me."
Lilia swallowed.
She had believed she had stumbled upon an old myth.
But this was real.
The world had hidden his existence.
Sealed him away.
Not because he was a monster…
But because they were afraid of what he could become.