SPIRITBINDER: The Boy Without A Mark
Chapter 50: Unlocked

Chapter 50: Unlocked

Morvane sat alone, tears staining his face as he tried to understand what had happened. He had been pierced through the heart by Drace. His blood had spilled out, his life had been slipping away. And yet, here he was—alive. But the questions still gnawed at him. How?

His mind reeled with confusion as the image of Drace’s lifeless body and his last words echoed in his mind.

Suddenly, from the shadows, a voice broke through his thoughts.

"Haha, so you’re still wondering, aren’t you?" Drevon’s voice rang out, unmistakable in its wicked amusement. "It’s me."

Morvane shot to his feet, his gaze narrowing in disbelief. "What? Why did you do this?"

Drevon’s eyes gleamed from the darkness, his form now emerging as he grinned. "I avenged you, Morvane. He killed you, so I made sure he paid for it. You’re welcome."

Morvane’s chest tightened. He didn’t understand. He was alive, yet his mind felt like it was unraveling. The line between reality and the nightmare he was caught in was blurring.

"I didn’t ask for this," Morvane whispered, the weight of the words pressing down on him. "I didn’t want him dead. I... I never wanted any of this."

Drevon chuckled darkly, his form taking a step closer to Morvane. "Of course you didn’t. But sometimes the world has a funny way of making choices for you. You’re alive, aren’t you? I gave you that second chance. I avenged you. Now we both have a purpose."

The chilling realization settled in. Drevon wasn’t just an observer. He was the one who had made it all happen, controlling everything in the shadows.

"You’re mine now," Drevon continued, his grin widening. "Don’t forget that. And don’t think you can undo what I’ve done. You’re stronger now—my strength, not yours. But I’ll be the one to decide what comes next."

Morvane’s heart pounded as the true horror of his situation dawned on him. He was no longer in control. Whatever power he had now, it was no longer his. It belonged to Drevon.

Morvane stood in silence, his mind still swirling in confusion, his tears streaking down his face. He couldn’t grasp the reality of it—everything he knew, everything he was fighting for, had turned into something else entirely.

Drevon, seeing the turmoil in Morvane’s eyes, tried to calm him with a wicked grin. "You know, what happened to him is just right. Drace created chaos wherever he went. You tried to change the direction he was leading to, but he refused. He was beyond saving."

Morvane’s breath hitched, but his voice cracked as he spoke. "But he had a chance... he could’ve changed." His voice trembled, torn between guilt and confusion. "And now... I... I don’t know what to think. Why did you make me—"

Drevon interrupted, his tone shifting from mocking to serious, though it carried a cold edge. "Enough of this nonsense. I’ve been watching you fight him, and you still have a lot to learn." He paused, his smile widening. "You know what? I could’ve killed him myself, but I needed to let your body do it because I have a purpose for that."

Morvane’s heart sank. "What... what purpose? To make me a murderer?"

Drevon laughed, dark amusement dancing in his eyes. "No, no, I didn’t make you kill him just to turn you into a murderer."

Morvane’s eyes burned with confusion. "Then what was the point?"

Drevon’s grin grew even wider, and he spoke with a sinister certainty. "I made you kill him because I wanted you to learn about your power."

Morvane’s breath caught in his throat. "My power...?"

"Remember your shadow beast?" Drevon continued, his voice low and deliberate. "When it eats spirits, it gains their abilities, which then turn into power gems that you can absorb. But there’s more!"

"A book from the royal library of King Medas says something very important. When a spiritbinder—which you are—kills, their power doesn’t fade. If a spiritbinder kills someone, they can directly take their spirit and its power, fully controlling it. Unlike the power gems, which fade in time, the power of the person you kill becomes yours. It’s permanent."

Morvane felt his knees weaken, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "Wait... you’re telling me... his power could be mine?"

Drevon’s smile widened, his voice dripping with malice and satisfaction. "Exactly. You can steal his power now, fully. The power from Drace? It can be yours, Morvane. All of it. His abilities, his strength... it’s all under your control now."

Morvane staggered backward, as if the ground beneath him was no longer stable. His mind raced, overwhelmed by the gravity of Drevon’s words. "So... that’s why you made me do it? So I could... learn to steal magic?" His voice faltered with disbelief.

Drevon stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of accomplishment. "That’s right. You’re no longer just a spiritbinder. You’re something more. Now you can truly control your fate."

Morvane’s hands clenched, and he could feel the power surge within him. It was there, pulsing, waiting for him to command it. The power he’d stolen from Drace—it was his. But the weight of it all, the responsibility, the dark path that came with it, was more than he could bear.

He collapsed to his knees, burying his face in his hands. "What have I become?"

Drevon watched him for a moment, his expression unreadable. "What you become is entirely up to you, Morvane. But remember, you’re not the same anymore. You have a purpose now—just don’t forget who gave you that purpose."

Morvane remained silent, the weight of his new reality pressing down on him, suffocating him.

Morvane still knelt on the cold ground, his heart heavy with confusion and grief. Drevon’s words had struck deep, but it was only now, in the aftermath, that Morvane truly understood the depth of what had transpired. His power surged within him, but it felt like a curse.

Then, as he struggled to gather his thoughts, a voice echoed through the air. "Stop acting like that, you still haven’t gained the power of manifestation yet."

Morvane’s head snapped up, startled. "Wait for Drace’s spirit to come out. He’ll come out anytime soon," Drevon said, his tone smug as always.

Morvane’s eyes widened in confusion. "What?"

And just as the words left his mouth, something stirred. From the lifeless body of Drace, a ghostly figure ascended. It was him—Drace, his spirit now free. The spirit of Drace looked towards Morvane, a knowing smile on his face.

"So you were the chosen one?" Drace asked softly, his voice carrying a weight that Morvane couldn’t escape.

Tears began to well up in Morvane’s eyes as he looked at Drace. "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I killed you. Now, I will take away your power?" His voice cracked, guilt and regret flooding his chest.

Drace’s spirit shook its head, his smile never faltering. "It’s alright. I had it coming. I let my brokenness turn me evil. It’s great that you needed me. I could’ve ended more lives if it weren’t for you and your demon. I have no regrets."

Morvane fell silent, his heart torn between grief and confusion. But then, Drevon’s voice broke through, laced with malice. "You know that once you absorb his power, his spirit will fully be yours too! That means Drace will never reincarnate."

Morvane’s eyes widened in horror. "What? I could never do that...!"

Drace’s spirit seemed to glow with peace as he spoke again. "It’s okay. With what I’ve done, I don’t deserve to be reincarnated." His eyes softened. "Morvane. I’m at peace about me dying."

Without hesitation, Drace’s spirit reached out, and in an instant, it touched Morvane. The light that enveloped them both was blinding, and Morvane’s body began to glow, absorbing Drace’s essence.

Drevon watched with delight, his twisted grin widening. "Yoo-hoo!" he cheered, as the light pulsed brighter.

The spirit of Drace dissipated, leaving nothing behind but the weight of Morvane’s sorrow. His body was now filled with the power of Drace—power that came with a price. Drace was gone forever, absorbed into Morvane’s being.

Morvane crumpled to the ground, his sobs wracking his body. "I didn’t want this," he whispered. "Although Drace killed me and hurt so many people, I know it was because he was broken, confused..." His words trailed off as the burden of it all sank in.

He stood, wiping his eyes, his voice barely above a whisper. "First, I was tasked to go back in time and kill Hiraya... now, I’ve killed someone?"

The realization hit him harder than any physical blow. "What am I really? Am I meant to be evil?"

"What did you say?" the voice asked, calm but commanding.

Morvane spun around, startled. There, standing behind him, was Medas. The ruler of Ketamran, his face full of concern and confusion. His eyes pointing sharply at Morvane’s face, trying to gauge the depth of what had just transpired.

Medas’s tone was confused as he continued, "You were tasked to do what?!"