Ch(16):-Echoes of the forgotten

The Nexus was still, its once-chaotic battlefield now eerily silent. Ryuusuke and Kaito stood amidst the rubble, their breaths steadying as the remnants of the Wraith's energy faded into the void. The sky above, now restored, shimmered with faint reflections of countless worlds, their fates still hanging by a thread.

But the silence didn't last long.

A low hum vibrated through the air, growing louder with each passing moment. The ground beneath them began to glow faintly, intricate symbols etching themselves into the stone. These runes pulsed with an ominous light, and Ryuusuke could feel the energy they carried—a warning, or perhaps a curse.

"What now?" Kaito muttered, gripping his blades tighter.

Ryuusuke scanned the area, his gaze narrowing. "It's not over. Something—or someone—is watching us."

Before Kaito could respond, the air around them shimmered. From the center of the glowing runes, a figure began to materialize. It was cloaked in flowing robes that seemed to shift between solid and incorporeal, its face obscured by a mask of dark metal. The figure radiated an unsettling calm, its presence both commanding and suffocating.

"Ryuusuke of Earth," the figure spoke, its voice layered as though it spoke from multiple dimensions at once. "You have disrupted the Nexus. You have shattered a balance older than time itself."

Kaito stepped forward, pointing one of his blades at the newcomer. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The figure turned its head slightly toward Kaito, as if acknowledging his presence for the first time. "I am the Keeper of Echoes," it said. "A guardian of the forgotten, a watcher of the eternal Cycle."

Ryuusuke's grip on his sword tightened. "Another guardian," he muttered. "Why am I not surprised?"

The Keeper tilted its head. "You misunderstand, mortal. I am not your enemy—nor am I your ally. My purpose is to ensure that the echoes of the past do not consume the present. And yet, you have brought chaos to this realm. The Nexus trembles under your touch."

Kaito scoffed. "We just saved this place from that freak of a Wraith. Maybe a 'thank you' would be nice."

The Keeper ignored him, its gaze fixed on Ryuusuke. "Do you know what you have done, Harbinger of Change? The Wraith was but one thread in a tapestry you cannot yet comprehend. By severing it, you have set in motion events that cannot be undone."

Ryuusuke met the Keeper's gaze, unflinching. "The Nexus was already broken. The Cycle isn't balance—it's a prison. And I'm done playing by its rules."

The Keeper was silent for a moment, the runes on the ground flickering as if responding to its thoughts. Finally, it spoke. "Very well. If you wish to defy the Cycle, then you must face its consequences. The echoes of those who came before you—the Forgotten Ones—will rise."

At the Keeper's words, the ground began to crack. From the fissures emerged shadowy figures, their forms barely distinguishable but unmistakably humanoid. Each one carried an aura of despair, their faces obscured but their presence heavy with grief and rage.

Kaito swore under his breath. "This just keeps getting better."

"These are the Forgotten," the Keeper said. "Warriors, leaders, and tyrants who sought to challenge the Cycle, as you now do. Their defiance led them here, to the Nexus, where their souls were bound for eternity. Now, they will test your resolve."

Ryuusuke raised his sword, his aura flaring once more. "If they're here to stop me, they'll fail—just like the Wraith did."

The first of the shadowy figures lunged forward, wielding a massive blade wreathed in dark flames. Ryuusuke met the attack head-on, their weapons colliding with a deafening crash. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, but Ryuusuke held his ground.

More figures joined the fray, each one wielding unique powers and techniques. One unleashed a torrent of ice, freezing the ground around them, while another summoned chains of light that sought to bind Ryuusuke's movements.

Kaito leapt into action, his twin blades dancing as he intercepted an attacker. "These guys are stronger than they look!" he shouted, slashing through a chain of light before it could reach Ryuusuke.

Ryuusuke didn't respond, his focus entirely on the battle. He could feel the weight of the Forgotten pressing down on him, their combined strength unlike anything he had faced before. But with each strike, he pushed back, his power growing with every clash.

"You're not just fighting us," Ryuusuke said through gritted teeth, his sword glowing brighter with every swing. "You're fighting for a system that's already falling apart."

One of the shadows hesitated, its form flickering for a moment as if Ryuusuke's words had reached some distant part of its mind. But before it could react, the Keeper's voice echoed once more.

"Enough."

With a wave of its hand, the Keeper summoned a surge of energy that forced the Forgotten to retreat. The battlefield was silent once more, save for the crackling of residual energy in the air.

The Keeper stepped forward, its gaze unreadable. "You are stronger than I anticipated, Ryuusuke. But strength alone will not save you. The Forgotten will rise again, as will greater challenges. You have chosen a path fraught with peril, and there will be no turning back."

Ryuusuke lowered his sword, his expression calm but determined. "I don't care how many challenges come my way. I'll break this Cycle, no matter what it takes."

The Keeper was silent for a long moment before turning away. "Very well, Harbinger. But know this: every action you take ripples through the multiverse. The echoes of your defiance will not go unanswered."

As the Keeper disappeared, the runes on the ground faded, leaving Ryuusuke and Kaito alone once more.

Kaito sheathed his blades, exhaling heavily. "That was intense. What's the plan now?"

Ryuusuke glanced at the sky, where the faint reflections of countless worlds still shimmered. "We keep moving. If the Keeper's right, we're only just getting started."

With that, the two warriors began their journey once more, the weight of the multiverse pressing down on their shoulders but their resolve stronger than ever.