They called me Hollow. No beast. No bond. No future.

In a world where every sixteen-year-old is branded with a Burden and bonded to a Vault Beast, failure means death. The Trial Vaults are merciless—only the strong survive, and the Bonded thrive.

But when my branding came, nothing happened. No summon. No power. Just silence.

Everyone thought I was cursed. Weak. Fodder for the front lines.

They were half right.

Because I didn’t fail the bond. My beast never stood beside me—it was already inside me.

Now, as I’m thrown into Vault Trial 09, hunted by monsters and manipulated by factions, something ancient stirs in my blood. A secret they tried to erase. A power even the Vaults fear.

They made a mistake leaving me alive.

And now? The Hollow is hungry.

Cael Vire – The Hollow-Bonded / Beast Within


Burden: "No Soul Bond" (Public) — "Vaultseed" (True)


Personality: Quiet, watchful, bitterly sarcastic. Prone to violent thoughts he keeps leashed.


Background: Raised in the labor ghettos of Ashgrave; his mother disappeared when he was 10; father unknown.


True Nature: He doesn't have a Vault Beast—he is one. The first human to be born with a Vault core inside him.


Motivations: Survive, hide what he is, discover the truth about the Vaultseed project, and eventually control the creature within.


Flaws: Trust issues, bloodlust under stress, imposter syndrome, fear of himself


Arc: From pretending to be weak → to hiding his monstrous power → to choosing to become his own kind of monster


Burden: "Glass Mind" – her emotions become literal illusions, so she must remain calm or risk exposing secrets


Personality: Cold, fiercely intelligent, speaks in clipped logic


Background: Born into a highborn Vault family; betrayed during her first Trial, now exiled


Role: Cael's ally and reluctant mentor; may know more about Vaultseeds than she lets on


Flaws: Emotionally stunted, self-serving, hard to trust


Arc: From manipulator → to willing ally → to someone who gambles her mind for Cael's trust


Burden: "Burn Cycle" – gains immense strength but burns his body unless cooled


Personality: Loud, brash, loyal, big brother vibes


Background: Ex-miner turned Trial warrior, poor as dirt, fights to support his sick sister


Role: Tank and protector of the group, bonds early with Cael


Flaws: Too trusting, reckless, slow to sense betrayal


Arc: From brute muscle → to self-sacrificing guardian → to tragic hero or betrayer?


Burden: "Echo Pulse" – can relive the last 10 seconds around her once per day


Personality: Cheerful, sharp-tongued, acts naive but watches everything


Background: Orphan raised in Vault Orphanage 7; secretly working for unknown forces


Role: Initially friend → eventual betrayer → potential redemption arc


Flaws: Dual loyalty, fear of consequences, guilt


Arc: From spy → to loyal traitor → to someone who makes a painful choice


Burden: "Mind Leash" – can control anyone who speaks his name under fear


Personality: Charismatic tyrant, unnervingly calm, speaks like a preacher


Background: First known "Warden"—claimed he rose from nothing, truth unknown


Role: Antagonist leader of the Warden Cult; seeks Cael as either heir or sacrifice


Flaws: Obsessed with control, sees emotions as weakness


Arc: From distant legend → personal threat → final confrontation


Mother Korin – Cult leader who believes Cael is the Vault's chosen


Marshal Vire – Cael's possible father, Vault researcher gone missing


The Voice in the Vault – Speaks only to Cael; is it real or a product of the beast?


Core Characters