That wall bulged again.
Clearer this time.
The steel surface that had been rigid now looked like thin skin forced to hold something from the other side.
THUD.
No longer like knocking.
More like... a push.
Kael stared at that protruding point without blinking.
"If that succeeds in entering, what happens?"
Lyra answered quickly, almost reflexively.
"We won't have time to find out."
Adrian remained calm.
But his eyes were now focused on one point.
His pocket watch was open in his hand.
The symbols inside moved faster.
Click.
Click.
Click.
"The problem isn't just 'entering,'" he said softly.
He pointed at the wall.
"The problem is... something has found us in a place that shouldn't be found."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"Meaning?"
Adrian looked at him.
"Meaning the rules are beginning to crack."
That wall bulged once again—
and this time the shape was clear.
Something like... a finger.
Pressing from within.
Five small bumps emerged, pushing outward, like a hand trying to penetrate a thin layer of reality.
Lyra stepped back one pace.
"Impossible..."
Kael observed calmly.
"It's trying to imitate human form."
Adrian nodded slightly.
"Yes. And that's the worrying part."
Suddenly—
the wall surface cracked.
Not shattered.
Cracked like glass that produced no sound.
Thin black lines emerged, spreading slowly from that pressure point.
And from that small gap—
something came out.
Not a hand.
Not mist.
More like... black liquid.
But that liquid did not fall.
It hung.
Floated.
And slowly began forming something.
Lyra immediately raised her artifact.
The symbols on the metal circle glowed brighter than before.
"Kael, don't approach that."
Kael did not move.
His eyes remained on that thing.
The black liquid trembled.
Then—
formed lines.
Curves.
Structure.
A... face.
But that face had no eyes.
Had no nose.
Only an empty shape trying to imitate something it did not understand.
Adrian exhaled softly.
"Yes. That's bad."
Kael asked without emotion,
"What is that?"
Adrian answered honestly.
"I don't know."
Silence.
Lyra looked at him sharply.
"That's not a reassuring answer."
Adrian shrugged.
"If I knew, I would have left."
The black liquid continued forming itself.
Its face began stabilizing.
Then—
something more disturbing happened.
The "head" surface slowly turned.
And faced—
Kael.
The symbol on Kael's wrist immediately reacted.
Thin light emerged from the cracks of that mark.
Thump.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
a voice emerged.
Not in the air.
Not in the ears.
Directly within his mind.
"...you again..."
Kael froze.
Lyra immediately realized it.
"What do you hear?"
Kael did not answer.
The voice continued.
"...two marks..."
"...should not be..."
Adrian immediately looked at Kael.
"It's speaking to you?"
Kael nodded slightly.
That empty face did not move.
But the voice kept existing.
"...crack..."
"...open..."
The symbol on Kael's hand pulsed faster.
Kael finally spoke.
"Do you know what this is?"
Silence.
Several seconds.
Then—
the answer came.
"...the remainder..."
"...what did not enter..."
"...what did not exit..."
Lyra tensed.
"That's not a creature from the Veil."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
He looked at that cracked wall.
"It's something... trapped in between."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"Like this place."
Adrian answered softly.
"No."
He pointed at that black thing.
"This place is stable."
Then—
he stopped.
"...that is not."
Suddenly—
that face changed.
Its structure cracked.
Its liquid trembled violently.
As if something was trying to emerge from within it.
The voice in Kael's head became sharper.
"...too late..."
Lyra immediately said,
"We have to go now!"
Adrian closed his pocket watch.
Click.
The white rift began opening again behind them.
But—
too late.
The black liquid suddenly exploded out of the wall.
Not large.
But fast enough.
A small fragment shot—
directly toward Kael.
Lyra tried to react.
Adrian moved.
But that fragment was too fast.
It touched—
the mark on Kael's wrist.
And for a moment—
everything stopped.
Time.
Sound.
Movement.
Everything.
Then—
that symbol blazed bright.
A third crack emerged.
And for the first time...
Kael felt something different.
Not being seen.
Not being tested.
Not being marked.
But—
connected.