Chapter 5: Ashes and Echoes
The library's dust still clung to Eylin's cloak as he stepped back into the streets. Night had fallen, though in Myrrus Undone, night was little more than a darker shade of ruin. The sky glowed faintly red, cracks spider‑webbing across its surface like wounds that refused to heal. Lanterns flickered weakly, their light swallowed by smoke.
Eylin pulled his hood tighter, clutching the sigils Mercy had stamped for his missions. Seventy bronze worth of work. Enough to keep him fed, enough to keep him moving. But not enough to silence the whispers.
Glitch. Cursed. Pathetic.
He clenched his fists, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin. The itch returned, crawling up his arms. He forced it down, muttering under his breath.
"Not now. Not here."
The first mission was simple: repair Maylin's heating system. Her house sat at the edge of the district, walls patched with scrap metal, roof sagging under the weight of soot. She greeted him with weary eyes, clutching a child to her chest.
"You're the mage?" she asked, voice skeptical.
"Something like that," Eylin replied, forcing a grin.
She led him inside. The air was cold, breath misting in the dim light. The heating glyph embedded in the wall flickered weakly, sparks sputtering from fractured lines.
Eylin knelt, pulling out his notebook. He sketched quickly, muttering.
"IGNIS core… anchor to surface… modifier bleed for slow spread…"
He pressed his palm to the glyph, channeling mana. The lines glowed, stuttered, then flared. Heat spread slowly, filling the room with warmth. The child giggled, reaching out to touch the glowing wall.
Maylin's eyes softened.
"Thank you."
Eylin nodded, hiding the tremor in his hands. The glyph had glitched, just for a moment, before stabilizing. He exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.
The second mission was harder. Jack's house, deeper in the ruins, needed light.
The building was half‑collapsed, roof caved in, walls leaning precariously. Jack, a grizzled man with scars across his face, greeted him with a grunt.
"Fix it fast. I don't trust rogues."
Eylin ignored the jab, stepping inside. The light glyph embedded in the ceiling was shattered, lines fractured beyond recognition. He pulled out his notebook again, flipping to the LUX section.
"Core sigil LUX… concept visibility… modifier spiral for stability… anchor object point…"
He sketched the glyph into the air, mana strands glowing faintly. The lines formed, flickered, then snapped into place. A steady glow filled the room, illuminating the cracked walls.
Jack squinted, muttering.
"Not bad… for a glitch."
Eylin's jaw tightened. He wanted to snap back, but the glow in his veins pulsed, warning him. He forced a smile instead.
"Light's fixed. That'll be forty‑five bronze."
Jack tossed him a pouch, muttering curses. Eylin pocketed it, turning away before the itch in his arms grew unbearable.
Outside, the streets were alive with whispers. News spread fast in Myrrus Undone, faster than mana storms, faster than fire.
"Did you hear? The glitch fixed Maylin's heat."
"Jack's light too. Maybe he's not cursed after all."
"Or maybe he's dangerous. Glitches don't last."
Eylin pulled his hood tighter, ignoring the voices. He headed toward the marketplace, coins clinking in his pouch. Seventy bronze earned. Enough for food, enough for supplies. Enough to keep moving.
But not enough to silence the curse.
The itch returned, stronger this time. His veins glowed blue, lines tracing patterns beneath his skin. He ducked into an alley, pressing against the wall, breathing hard.
"Please… not now…"
The glyphs flickered in his mind, fractured lines stuttering, chains snapping. He clenched his fists, forcing the mana down. Sweat dripped from his forehead, breath ragged.
A voice echoed in his mind.
You are cursed. You are glitched. You will never control it.
He slammed his fist against the wall, teeth clenched.
"No. I'll hack it. I'll rewrite it. I'll win."
The marketplace was alive when he returned. Merchants shouted, hawkers waved, hunters displayed trophies. Coins clinked, deals were struck, laughter echoed.
Eylin moved through the crowd, eyes scanning. He spotted Mercy at her desk, sapphire eyes glowing faintly. She caught his gaze, smirked, and waved him over.
"Well, look who survived," she said, voice teasing.
"Heat and light. Not bad for a rogue."
Eylin dropped the coins onto her desk.
"Seventy bronze. Missions complete."
Mercy counted quickly, nodding.
"Not bad. But you're still glitching, aren't you?"
Eylin's jaw tightened.
"Doesn't matter. I get the job done."
Mercy leaned closer, eyes glowing.
"Maybe. But glitches don't last. Sooner or later, the system eats you alive."
Eylin met her gaze, defiance burning.
"Then I'll eat it first."
Night deepened. The marketplace quieted, lanterns flickering weakly. Eylin sat alone at a corner table, notebook open, pen scratching. He sketched glyphs, muttered incantations, tested lines. Each attempt glitched, fractured, stuttered.
He clenched his fists, veins glowing faintly. The itch returned, crawling up his arms. He forced it down, muttering.
"Not tonight. Tonight, I learn."
The library's words echoed in his mind.
Core sigil. Modifier ring. Anchor.
He sketched again, lines jagged but determined.
"YUN for restraint… vines for medium… GRAV for anchor…"
The glyph flickered, stuttered, then held. Chains erupted, lashing toward the wall. They bound tightly, holding firm.
Eylin exhaled, relief washing over him.
"Finally."
But the glyph glitched again, lines fracturing, chains snapping. Sparks hissed, fading into the air.
Eylin slammed his fist against the table, teeth clenched.
"Damn it!"
Mercy watched from across the hall, eyes glowing faintly. She sighed, scribbling another note. She blew softly, and the paper folded into a butterfly, fluttering toward Eylin.
He frowned, feeling the tug in his pocket. He pulled out the note, unfolding it.
Glitches are not curses. They are cracks. And cracks can be widened.
Eylin stared, heart pounding. He looked up, meeting Mercy's gaze. She smirked, eyes glowing.
For the first time, hope flickered.