Chapter 24: The Forbidden Gate

Kaelan continued staring at the glowing symbol on the ground. His heart pounded, as if his body knew something his mind had yet to understand.

Anya and Zero approached him, their breaths still ragged from the battle earlier.

"What is that?" Anya asked, her voice laced with caution.

Zero crouched down, examining the symbol with sharp eyes.

"This is not just a symbol," he murmured. "It's a seal."

Kaelan looked at him in confusion. "A seal? For what?"

Zero took a deep breath, his eyes glinting.

"A door. One that has been hidden from this world all along."

Anya squinted, studying the symbol more closely. And then, her expression shifted drastically.

"I've seen this before..."

Kaelan and Zero turned to her.

"Where?" Kaelan asked quickly.

Anya bit her lip. "In my dreams... or maybe in my memories?"

Her voice was hesitant, as if something was trying to surface in her mind but remained unclear.

Before they could discuss it further—

The ground began to tremble.

—

The Return of the Enforcers

From the fractured sky, a bright white light shone down. A humming sound filled the air, its frequency so intense it nearly ruptured their eardrums.

Anya immediately grabbed Kaelan and Zero, pulling them away from the symbol.

"They're back!"

Above them, dozens of glowing figures began to appear.

Kaelan swallowed hard. If they had struggled against just a few Enforcers before, how would they stand a chance against this many?

"They won't let us open this door," Zero said quietly.

"Then we have to open it before they stop us," Kaelan countered.

Anya glanced between them and nodded.

Without wasting any time, they moved.

—

The Hidden Door

Kaelan knelt in front of the seal, placing both palms on it. The moment he touched it, a surge of memories crashed into him.

He saw another world.

He saw a place he had never been to but felt strangely familiar.

He saw a man with white hair standing before a massive door identical to the seal in front of him.

"Kaelan, you must open it."

The man's voice echoed in his mind.

"But what's inside?" Kaelan asked.

The man gave a small smile. "Something that can change this world forever."

"And if I open it?"

The man nodded. "Then you will finally discover who you truly are."

—

A Battle Between Time

When Kaelan snapped back to reality, the Enforcers had already attacked.

Anya and Zero rushed forward, engaging them in battle.

Zero raised his hands, creating an energy barrier to block the incoming onslaught.

Anya activated her magic, manipulating shadows and time to slow their enemies down.

But there were too many of them.

One Enforcer broke through Zero's defenses and lunged directly at Kaelan.

"KAELAN, LOOK OUT!"

Kaelan turned, but too late.

The Enforcer's hand was inches from his face—

And then, something inside him awakened.

Time slowed.

Kaelan could see everything in perfect clarity. The attack heading toward him. The energy swirling in the air. The heartbeats of Anya and Zero.

Then, he raised his hand.

In an instant, the Enforcer's attack vanished into thin air.

The Enforcer's eyes widened in shock.

"Impossible... that power—"

But he didn't get to finish his sentence because a sudden invisible force blasted him backward.

"He has awakened...!"

—

The Door Opens, Secrets Unveiled

Kaelan stared at his own hands.

He had no idea what he had just done.

But he knew one thing—he couldn't delay this any longer.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed both hands against the seal.

At that moment, a brilliant light erupted from the ground.

The Enforcers stumbled, pushed back by the sudden surge of energy.

Anya and Zero shielded themselves from the waves of power radiating from the seal.

And then, the door began to open.

—

The World Beyond the Door

When the door fully opened, they saw something they never expected.

Beyond it lay an entirely different world.

The sky was a deep violet, filled with strange glowing stars.

The ground was covered in shimmering crystals.

And at the center, a massive floating city hovered in the air.

Kaelan's breath hitched.

Anya and Zero stood frozen.

Even the Enforcers looked afraid.

Kaelan took a step forward.

As he crossed into the portal, a voice echoed in his ears.

"Welcome back, True Heir."

And in that moment, everything changed.