“Alive.” Jared nodded.

The words drained the color from Gwendolyn’s face.

“Aldric… is still alive? Still alive?” Her voice trembled. Her eyes locked onto Jared’s chest, as if something monstrous might tear its way out at any second.

Jared closed his eyes and carefully searched for that faint presence within him.

It was coming from the Heart of the Northern Abyss.

No—more precisely, from a wisp of remnant soul buried deep inside it.

It was incredibly weak, almost impossible to detect.