Whispers of the forgotten

**Chapter Two: Whispers of the Forgotten**

The roar of the Eclipse Engines reverberated through the cavernous chamber, shaking the very foundation of the ancient ruins. Isolde's grip tightened around her plasma blade as the shadowy figure descended from the throne, its form shifting and flickering in the dark light of the Engines.

"You cannot stop this," the figure whispered, its voice a chilling echo in the silence. "The Engines hunger for power—power that you, of all people, cannot resist."

Isolde's heart pounded in her chest as she felt the pull of the Engines deep in her soul, an overwhelming sense of destiny that terrified her. She had always known that her bloodline was tied to the Engines, that her family had guarded their secrets for generations. But standing here, in their presence, she felt the weight of her ancestors bearing down on her.

Kane moved beside her, his blade drawn, his eyes scanning the chamber for any sign of an attack. "We need to destroy them," he said, his voice low and urgent. "If these things wake up completely, it's over."

Isolde didn't respond. She knew what Kane was saying was true, but the part of her that had always longed for answers was screaming to let the Engines show her their power. The glow of the ancient machines was intoxicating, whispering promises of knowledge, strength, and control over the dying universe.

And yet, there was darkness there too. An overwhelming hunger, a void that seemed to devour everything in its path.

The figure, still hovering above the ground, raised a hand toward Isolde. "The blood of Obsidian flows through your veins. You were born to wield the power of the Engines. Embrace it, and you will save your people. Resist, and you will fall into oblivion."

Isolde felt a sudden, sharp pain in her chest, as if the Engines were reaching out to her, pulling at her very essence. Her vision blurred, the edges of the room darkening as the power of the Eclipse Engines surged around her. She could feel their energy coursing through her, wrapping around her mind like a vice.

But she wasn't alone.

Kane's hand on her shoulder snapped her back to reality. "Isolde, don't listen to it. It's trying to control you."

She blinked, the shadows retreating from her vision. "I—I know." Her voice was weak, but steady.

The figure's laughter echoed through the chamber once again. "You cannot deny what you are. The Engines will consume everything, and through them, you will become eternal. Let the stars die, and in their place, a new darkness will rise. One that you will command."

Isolde's pulse quickened as the ancient words reverberated in her mind. She could feel the power waiting for her, just out of reach, ready to be claimed. But beneath that power, beneath the allure of immortality, there was something darker—something insidious. The Engines were alive, yes, but they were also parasites, feeding off the energy of the stars, and they would not stop until the universe itself was drained dry.

Isolde took a step forward, her blade raised. "I won't let you destroy everything."

The figure's form shifted, becoming more solid, more human-like. It was tall and cloaked in a robe of black energy, its face obscured by a hood that seemed to absorb all light. "You think you can stop me? You think you can resist the will of the Eclipse Engines?" The figure's voice was a low, rasping growl now, full of malice and ancient hatred. "You are nothing without them. Your people are nothing. The universe has already fallen. You are merely the last flame in a sea of darkness."

Isolde's hand shook as she raised her blade higher. The Engines roared again, the pulsing energy growing stronger, filling the chamber with a deafening hum.

Kane stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "This thing, whatever it is, it's been manipulating the Engines for centuries. It's trying to get inside your head, Isolde. You can't let it."

"I know," she whispered, her voice tight with fear. "But I can't destroy them without the key. And I'm the key."

Kane's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if I want to stop them, I have to use them."

Kane's grip tightened on his weapon. "That's insane. The Engines are alive—they'll consume you. You can't control them."

"Maybe not," Isolde said, her eyes hardening. "But if I don't try, there won't be anything left to save."

The figure hissed, its form writhing in the shadows. "You will fail. The Engines are not yours to control. They belong to the void, to the end of all things."

Isolde's hand trembled as she stepped closer to the Engines, the energy swirling around her like a storm. She could feel the ancient power rising within her, threatening to overwhelm her senses. The weight of her ancestors, the legacy of her bloodline—it was all tied to the Eclipse Engines. She could feel it in her bones, in her soul.

"I don't care who they belong to," Isolde said, her voice steely. "I'm ending this."

With a sharp cry, she plunged her blade into the heart of the nearest Engine. The room erupted in a flash of blinding light as the Engine screamed in protest, its power surging through the blade and into Isolde's body. She gasped as the energy coursed through her, threatening to tear her apart from the inside. Her vision blurred, the room spinning around her as the power of the Engines surged through every fiber of her being.

For a moment, she thought she was lost—that the Engines had claimed her. But then, deep within the core of her being, she felt something stir. Something ancient, something powerful. A force that had been dormant for centuries, waiting for the right moment to awaken.

And now, it was awake.

Isolde's eyes snapped open, glowing with an otherworldly light. The power of the Eclipse Engines flowed through her like a river, but this time, she was in control. The figure in the chamber shrieked in fury as the Engines began to falter, their energy unraveling under Isolde's will.

"You cannot do this!" the figure howled, its form flickering and fading. "The Engines are eternal! You will doom us all!"

"No," Isolde said, her voice calm and steady. "I'm saving us."

With a final surge of power, Isolde unleashed the full force of the Engines, directing their energy back into the void from which they had come. The chamber shook violently, the walls cracking and crumbling as the Engines screamed in protest.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over.

The chamber fell silent, the light of the Engines extinguished. The figure was gone, consumed by the void, and the ruins lay in darkness once more.

Isolde stood in the center of the chamber, her body trembling with exhaustion. Kane rushed to her side, his face a mixture of relief and fear.

"Isolde?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

She looked up at him, her eyes still glowing faintly with the remnants of the Eclipse Engines' power. "It's over," she said, her voice weak but steady. "The Engines are gone."

But as the darkness closed in around them, Isolde couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.

**To be continued…**