The Forgotten Oath

The moment Aria crossed the threshold into the new chamber, an eerie silence descended upon the group. The air was thick with unseen energy, humming with power that sent shivers down her spine. Unlike the grand hall of the Beacon, this space was enclosed—walls of smooth obsidian curved inward, giving the unsettling impression of standing inside a massive sphere.

At the chamber's center, a pedestal stood, nearly identical to the one that had held the Beacon of Lumina. But instead of a glowing artifact, an ethereal flame flickered above it—silver and blue, twisting and shifting as if alive.

Lyric's breath hitched. "That… that's a Memory Flame."

Quinn turned to her. "You've seen one before?"

"In old texts, yes. But I never thought they actually existed." Lyric's voice was hushed, as if speaking too loudly might disturb whatever slumbered here. "They're relics left behind by the first Seekers. Flames that store echoes of the past."

Finn crossed his arms. "Great. More cryptic messages from dead people. Because that always ends well."

Kael ignored him and turned to Aria. "What do you think?"

Aria barely heard him. The flame was calling to her. Not with words, but with something deeper—a pull in her very soul, just like the Beacon had.

She took a step forward, then another, until she was standing directly before the pedestal.

Then, without hesitation, she reached out.

The moment her fingertips brushed the cold fire, the world shifted.

A gust of wind howled through the chamber as the flame surged upward, expanding until it enveloped them all. Shadows stretched and twisted, coalescing into the form of a man standing before them.

He was tall, clad in robes of deep blue and silver. His face was obscured by the shifting light, but his voice was steady, solemn.

"To those who would call themselves Seekers… if you stand here now, then the Balance is already in peril."

Aria's breath caught in her throat as the figure continued.

"This is the last message of Elyndor Veyl, First Seeker of the Lumina Order. I leave these words as a warning, for the truth has been lost to time."

A sharp intake of breath beside her—Lyric's.

Aria barely noticed. Her heart had stilled at the name. Veyl.

The same surname as Dorian.

The figure—Elyndor—spoke on, oblivious to their stunned expressions.

"The Seekers were never meant to be warriors of war, nor were the Wardens meant to be keepers of chains. We were once one, guardians of knowledge and Balance alike. But fear divided us. Power corrupted our purpose. And so, the Wardens turned to control, while the Seekers turned to rebellion. In doing so, we shattered what was never meant to be broken."

The flame pulsed. Images flickered in its depths—of ancient warriors, of light clashing against shadow, of cities crumbling beneath unseen forces.

Elyndor's voice grew heavier.

"The Balance is not a force to be wielded. It is a truth to be understood. And until one arises who can see beyond the war, beyond the lies, this cycle of destruction will never end."

Silence fell. The flame dimmed.

Aria's heart pounded. She could barely process what she had just heard.

The Seekers and the Wardens… they had once been one?

Kael exhaled slowly. "That changes everything."

Lyric's hands were clenched into fists. "If this is true… then everything the Wardens have told us, everything the Seekers have believed, has been a lie."

Finn ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, okay, that's fantastic. Except we don't exactly have an easy way to convince the world that their entire history is wrong."

Quinn's jaw was tight. "Which means someone must have intentionally buried the truth."

Aria remained silent, her mind spinning. Elyndor's words echoed in her head.

"Until one arises who can see beyond the war…"

Slowly, she looked down at her hands.

The Beacon of Lumina had led her here. The Memory Flame had spoken its warning to her.

What if she was the one meant to understand the truth?

What if she was meant to fix what had been broken?

The thought sent a chill through her.

Before she could voice it, the chamber rumbled. The flame flared, and the walls trembled as a deep, unseen force stirred.

Lyric paled. "I don't think we're alone in here."

From the darkness, figures emerged. Not living beings, but wraith-like apparitions clad in spectral armor—guardians of the past, awakened by the disturbance. Their eyes glowed an eerie silver, swords of pure energy forming in their hands.

Kael's grip tightened on his weapon. "Of course there's a fight. There's always a fight."

The spectral warriors did not attack immediately. Instead, one stepped forward, its voice a hollow whisper.

"You have heard the Oath. Now, prove your worth."

Aria barely had time to react before the first wraith lunged.

Kael blocked its strike, his enchanted blade clashing against its spectral sword with a burst of energy. Finn darted to the side, already muttering healing spells under his breath.

Quinn unleashed a barrage of magical force, but the wraiths barely flinched.

"Not working," he gritted out.

Lyric's eyes darted over the glowing runes in the chamber. "We're in a trial! We need to prove we understand the Oath!"

Aria dodged a sweeping strike, her mind racing. Not a fight. A trial.

Think, Aria. What did Elyndor say?

"The Balance is not a force to be wielded. It is a truth to be understood."

Understanding. That was the key.

Aria took a deep breath, then, instead of raising her weapon—she dropped it.

Kael shouted, "Aria—?!"

She ignored him and took a single step toward the wraiths. "We don't need to fight you."

The lead wraith hesitated, its silver eyes flickering.

Aria's voice was steady. "You said we had to prove our worth. But the Seekers weren't meant for war. And Balance isn't about control. It's about understanding."

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then—

The spectral warriors slowly lowered their weapons.

The lead wraith inclined its head.

"You understand."

The chamber pulsed with energy, and then—just as suddenly as they had appeared—the wraiths dissolved into shimmering light.

Aria exhaled, her legs almost giving out beneath her.

Kael was at her side in an instant. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

She managed a breathless smile. "Not today."

Lyric was still staring at the now-empty space where the wraiths had stood. "That was either incredibly reckless or incredibly brilliant."

Finn wiped sweat from his brow. "Well, I for one am glad we didn't have to fight all of them. I was not in the mood to get stabbed by ghost swords."

Quinn gave Aria a considering look. "You were meant to find this place."

Aria swallowed. She didn't know what to make of that yet.

But one thing was clear.

The truth had been hidden for centuries.

And now, they were the only ones who knew.

She had no idea what came next.

But she was going to find out.

No matter what it took.