12 Whispers of the Forgotten

Mina sat at the edge of her bed, staring at the small metallic disk resting on her palm. The faint, spiraling pattern seemed almost alive, as though it were mocking her for not understanding its secrets. Adrian's words from earlier echoed in her mind: "We'll stop it. Whatever it takes."

But how could they stop something they barely understood?

The System had been silent for hours, offering no new hints or updates, and the stillness was starting to unnerve her. The faint glow of the Stability Meter in the corner of her vision was a grim reminder of how precarious their situation had become.

"System, analyze the artifact."

She'd tried the command earlier with no success, but she was desperate enough to try again.

"Processing request... Artifact identified: Catalyst Node. Function: Unknown. Warning: High interference detected."

Mina frowned. A Catalyst Node? What did that even mean? And interference—interference from what?

A knock at the door broke her concentration.

"Mina?" Adrian's voice was soft but insistent.

"Come in," she said, quickly slipping the disk into her pocket.

Adrian stepped inside, his presence filling the small room. His expression was guarded, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—concern, maybe, or uncertainty.

"I didn't mean to disturb you," he said, closing the door behind him. "But I thought you'd want to know—Regan's scholars found something."

Mina stood, her heart racing. "What did they find?"

Adrian hesitated, as though unsure how much to say. Finally, he reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of parchment, handing it to her.

Unfolding it, Mina saw a crude map drawn in dark ink. At its center was the same spiraling symbol, marked over a spot deep in the forest outside the kingdom's borders.

"They believe this is the source," Adrian said. "The place where the attackers may be gathering—or where this symbol originates."

Mina's grip tightened on the parchment. The map pulsed faintly in her hand, and a new System notification appeared in her vision.

"System Alert: Main Quest Updated—'Shadows of the Spiral.' Objective: Investigate the location marked on the Catalyst Map. Completion Reward: Stability +5%, Narrative Fragment."

"We have to go there," Mina said without hesitation.

Adrian nodded. "I thought you'd say that. I've already arranged for a small party to leave at first light."

---

The next morning, the group set out under the cover of dawn. Adrian led the way, his sword glinting in the soft morning light. Mina followed close behind, clutching the Catalyst Node in one hand and the map in the other. Two of Adrian's most trusted guards flanked them, their eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger.

The forest was dense, its towering trees casting long shadows over the narrow path. The air was thick with the scent of moss and damp earth, and the only sounds were the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant calls of birds.

Mina couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Her gaze darted to the shadows between the trees, her imagination conjuring shapes where there were none.

"Stay close," Adrian said, his voice low.

"I am," Mina replied, though she didn't feel as confident as she sounded.

Hours passed as they wound deeper into the forest, the trees growing thicker and the air colder with each step. The map in Mina's hand seemed to hum faintly, guiding them forward even when the path became difficult to discern.

---

By midday, they reached a clearing where the remains of a stone structure jutted out from the ground like broken teeth. The spiraling symbol was carved into the largest stone, its grooves filled with an eerie, glowing substance.

"This is it," Adrian said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mina stepped forward, her heart pounding. The Catalyst Node in her pocket grew warm, almost burning against her skin.

"System Alert: Catalyst Node Reacting. Stability -2%."

"What's happening?" she murmured, clutching the Node tightly.

Adrian looked at her, his expression sharp. "What do you mean?"

Before she could answer, the ground beneath them began to tremble. A low, guttural sound echoed through the clearing, sending chills down Mina's spine.

"Get back!" Adrian shouted, drawing his sword.

The stones in the clearing began to shift, glowing brighter as they rearranged themselves into a towering, humanoid shape. The air crackled with energy, and Mina felt the System buzz in her mind.

"System Alert: Entity Identified—'Guardian of the Forgotten.' Threat Level: High. Recommended Action: Neutralize or Evade."

The creature let out a deafening roar, its glowing eyes locking onto the group.

"What is that thing?" one of the guards shouted, raising his shield.

"A guardian," Mina said, her voice trembling. "It's protecting something—something we need."

Adrian didn't hesitate. "Then we take it down."

---

The battle was fierce and chaotic, the guardian's massive stone limbs crashing down with earth-shaking force. Adrian moved like a whirlwind, his sword flashing as he dodged and struck with precision.

Mina stood back, clutching the Catalyst Node and the map, her mind racing. She couldn't fight, but she could think. The System had to be guiding her for a reason.

"System Alert: Weak Point Identified. Use Catalyst Node to Disable Guardian."

Taking a deep breath, Mina stepped forward. "Adrian! Keep it distracted!"

Adrian glanced at her, his eyes widening in alarm. "Mina, stay back!"

"I know what I'm doing," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure that was true.

She sprinted toward the guardian, the Node in her hand glowing brighter with each step. The creature turned its gaze to her, raising a massive arm to strike.

"Now!" Mina shouted, hurling the Catalyst Node at the glowing spiral on the creature's chest.

The Node struck with a blinding flash of light, and the guardian froze, its limbs locking in place. A deep rumble echoed through the clearing as the creature crumbled, its massive form collapsing into a pile of inert stone.

---

The silence that followed was deafening. Mina stood in the center of the clearing, her chest heaving as she stared at the remains of the guardian.

Adrian approached her, his sword still drawn. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," Mina said, though her legs felt like they might give out at any moment.

The System buzzed again, and a new notification appeared.

"Quest Complete: Shadows of the Spiral. Stability +5%. Narrative Fragment Recovered."

The ground where the guardian had stood began to shift, revealing a hidden chamber beneath the rubble.

"What now?" Adrian asked, his voice quiet.

Mina looked at him, then back at the opening in the ground. "Now we find out what it was protecting."