0034. Rebirth, Ring ,Ruin

As Nile stood on the third floor, trying to process the changes coursing through his body, the room shifted again. A low hum filled the air, and a platform began to rise from the center of the floor. The movement was smooth, almost ceremonial, and Nile instinctively turned toward it.

On the platform rested two objects: a shimmering silver ring and a thick book with a worn, unassuming cover. The energy radiating from them was unlike anything he had felt before. His breath hitched as he stepped closer, the pull toward the objects growing stronger with every step.

The ring caught his attention first. It seemed to glow faintly, and as Nile reached out to touch it, he felt a subtle resistance, as if the ring was testing him. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, the resistance vanished, and the ring grew warm in his hand. Slowly, he slipped it onto the ring finger of his left hand.

The effect was instantaneous.

A surge of knowledge flooded his mind, nearly knocking him off his feet. His vision blurred as a voice—Frost's voice—echoed faintly in his thoughts.

"This ring contains the remnants of my preparation for your revival, Nile. Approximately one billion spirit stone shells, all emptied to restore your birth imprint. While the shells are useless now, they may one day hold value if you can devise a method to recharge them. Consider it a challenge. The ring itself is bound to you and will serve as a spatial artifact for your needs. Use it wisely."

As the message faded, Nile staggered slightly, his heart pounding. One billion spirit stones. He couldn't even comprehend such a massive expenditure, all for his sake. The weight of Frost's efforts settled heavily on his shoulders, filling him with both gratitude and determination.

His gaze shifted to the book. Picking it up, he noticed the cover bore no title, only a faint shimmer of energy. Opening it, he found the pages filled with precise, flowing script. Each word seemed alive, shimmering faintly as if infused with spiritual energy.

Flipping through the first few pages, Nile realized this was no ordinary book. It was a manual—Frost's instructions for him. The opening passages were an introduction to his newfound powers, his awakened birth imprint, and guidance on cultivating his spirit. Nile's fingers brushed over the pages as if they were sacred. He didn't have time to absorb it all, but the few lines he read hinted at secrets and wisdom that could shape his future.

Before he could delve further, the ground beneath him trembled violently. A deep rumble echoed through the floor, and the walls of the chamber began to crack.

Nile's heart raced as the platform began to sink back into the ground. The building itself seemed to groan, the vibrations growing stronger with each passing second. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the entire structure felt as though it was moments away from collapse.

Clutching the book tightly and feeling the weight of the ring on his finger, Nile turned and bolted toward the exit. The air was thick with dust, and the rumbling sound grew deafening. Each step he took was accompanied by the crash of debris behind him.

Reaching the second floor, Nile's breath caught when he saw Arin standing there. The boy's face was pale, his expression tense, but the relief in his eyes was unmistakable when he saw Nile.

"You're alive," Arin said, his voice trembling slightly. "Thank the heavens."

Nile wanted to ask how Arin had gotten here, but before he could, Arin grabbed his arm. "No time for questions. We need to go. The building's going to collapse!"

Without hesitation, the two of them sprinted toward the exit. The tremors grew stronger, and the sound of falling debris echoed around them. Nile's mind raced as they ran, the weight of the manual and the ring a constant reminder of what he had just uncovered.

By the time they reached the ground floor, the building was on the verge of complete collapse. The two burst out into the open air just as the structure behind them gave way, crumbling into a massive cloud of dust and rubble.

Gasping for breath, Nile and Arin stopped a safe distance away, turning to watch as the once-mighty building was reduced to ruins. The air was thick with dust, but Nile's mind was clearer than ever.

He looked down at the ring on his hand, feeling the faint hum of energy it gave off. The manual in his grasp seemed to pulse gently, as though encouraging him to open it. But there would be time for that later.

"You're insane," Arin muttered, his voice a mix of exasperation and admiration. "What were you even doing in there?"

Nile didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the ruins, his thoughts racing. "I found something," he finally said. "Something important."

Arin raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, he sighed. "Let's just hope it was worth it. Come on, we need to get out of here before anyone comes looking."

As they walked away from the site, Nile couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The ring, the manual, his awakened birth imprint—they were pieces of a larger puzzle, one he was only beginning to understand.

But one thing was clear: his journey had taken a monumental step forward, and there was no turning back now.

As Nile and Arin walked away from the ruins, their breaths ragged and their steps heavy, the dust began to settle behind them. The night sky was clear above, but the tension in the air was palpable. Arin glanced at Nile, his expression unreadable, but his silence carried a weight of its own.

Once they were a safe distance from the collapsed building, Arin finally spoke, breaking the stillness. "You know everyone else has already gone ahead, right?"

Nile blinked, confused. "Gone ahead? Where?"

"To the Red Moon Inn," Arin replied, his tone clipped. "Jessica, Lyra, Veena, James—everyone. They thought it'd be safer to rent a place in town while we… well, while you were doing whatever it was you were doing. They'll come back tomorrow morning once the market guards have finished securing the area and handling the… aftermath."

Nile frowned, his mind struggling to process everything. "So, they just left us here?"

"They didn't exactly have a choice," Arin muttered. "You were still in that death trap of a building, and none of us could get to you without risking our necks. James decided it'd be best for them to find a safe place for the night, and Veena… she didn't want to leave, but Jessica convinced her. She said she'd come back first thing in the morning."

Nile nodded slowly, understanding the logic but still feeling a pang of unease. "And what about us?"

Arin let out a weary sigh. "That's the other thing. We've got the whole night to come up with a story. The guards are going to be crawling all over the place by morning, and they'll have questions—lots of questions. We need to convince them that this was an accident. Nothing more, nothing less."

Nile swallowed hard, the weight of Arin's words settling over him. "You think they'll believe that?"

"They'll have to," Arin said firmly. "As long as we're consistent and stick to the story, they won't have any reason to think otherwise. But we need to get it straight tonight. No contradictions, no slip-ups."

For a moment, the two stood in silence, the ruins of the building looming in the distance like a specter of what had transpired. Nile's mind raced, trying to piece together the events and the story they could tell.

Finally, Arin broke the silence again, his voice softer this time. "Look, I don't know what you found in there, and I'm not asking. But whatever it is, it better be worth all this trouble."

Nile met Arin's gaze, his expression resolute. "It is."

Arin studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Let's get moving. We've got a long night ahead of us."

As they made their way toward the Red Moon Inn, Nile felt the weight of the ring on his finger and the manual in his hands. The journey ahead was unclear, but one thing was certain—he wasn't the same person who had entered that building. And whatever challenges lay ahead, he was ready to face them.