chapter 71

Rose stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the dialogue choice presented to her. The tension in the room between her and Sylus was palpable—even through a screen. He stood before her, his crimson eyes glowing faintly, a flicker of something unreadable flashing across his face.

The game had transitioned them into what was called The Shattered Chambers, a sector Sylus claimed had been lost to time and abandoned after an internal war.

"Why are we here?" Rose's character asked, her voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

Sylus tilted his head, the corner of his mouth curling into a half-smile. "Because this place holds secrets that even I am bound to protect."

A chill ran through her spine. The deeper she dove into the game, the more she realized how complex Sylus's character was. He wasn't just a leader or a brooding mystery—he carried a burden she was only beginning to glimpse.

The dimly lit corridor stretched out before them, filled with cracked walls and broken statues, their faces eroded with time. Rose guided her character forward, her pulse quickening with each step. Sylus walked beside her, his posture relaxed, but his gaze darted sharply around them, like a predator anticipating danger.

Suddenly, the screen flickered. A glitch? The music distorted, and for a moment, everything froze.

"What—" Rose began to say, but her character stopped mid-motion as a low growl echoed from the depths of the chamber.

Sylus reacted instantly, his voice cutting through the eerie silence. "Stay close to me." His tone was sharp, commanding, and left no room for argument.

She obeyed, moving her character closer to his. The growling grew louder, reverberating through the chamber walls. Out of the shadows emerged what the game labeled as Umbrix Wraiths. Their forms were grotesque, half-visible and oozing an inky blackness that seemed to defy gravity.

Sylus drew his weapon—a sleek, black blade with glowing red veins running through it. "They shouldn't be here. The Umbrix Circle has no jurisdiction in these chambers."

Rose's stomach tightened. So, this wasn't just an ordinary mission; this was tied to the game's deeper lore, the mysterious faction she'd heard whispers about in earlier stages.

The battle began. Sylus moved with a deadly grace, his strikes clean and efficient, cutting down the wraiths with precision. Rose struggled to keep up, her character barely dodging the creatures' attacks.

"Focus, Rose," Sylus's voice came through sharply.

She blinked, startled. His tone carried an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. It almost felt… personal.

The fight ended as quickly as it began, leaving the chamber eerily quiet once more. Sylus sheathed his weapon, his expression grim. "They've been tracking us."

"Why? What do they want?" Rose's character asked.

Sylus hesitated, his eyes meeting hers for a fraction longer than necessary. "They think you're my weakness."

The words hit her like a physical blow. She opened her mouth to respond, but the screen shifted, and a new objective appeared:

"Explore the hidden vault."

Sylus led the way deeper into the chamber, his movements slower now, more cautious. They arrived at a massive door adorned with intricate carvings of stars and serpents.

"Help me open this," he instructed.

Rose complied, her fingers tapping quickly to solve the puzzle mechanism. The door groaned as it slid open, revealing a small, dimly lit room. In the center was a pedestal, and on it rested a single piece of parchment, aged and fragile.

Sylus froze, his usual composure cracking just slightly.

"What is it?" Rose's character asked, stepping closer.

Sylus reached for the parchment but hesitated. "This… wasn't supposed to be here."

The screen zoomed in on the parchment as Sylus unfolded it. The words were written in a strange, flowing script that the game translated automatically.

"To Eylus, the Unyielding Flame. Do not let her fall again."

Sylus's hands clenched around the parchment, his jaw tightening.

"Who's Eylus?" Rose asked aloud, her real voice trembling slightly.

Sylus didn't answer, but his in-game avatar turned toward hers, his eyes glowing brighter than before.

"You shouldn't have seen this," he said quietly.

The screen flickered again, and a new notification popped up:

"Mission Complete: Secrets of the Shattered Chambers. New information unlocked in the Game Lore tab."

Rose's heart raced as the game returned them to a safe zone. Sylus didn't say another word, but his expression lingered in her mind long after she exited the game.

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