Chapter 12: Discoveries.

Beneath the person was this shard.

Dylan took a step back, his breath catching in his throat.

Someone else had the Echo Shard before him.

The realization hit him as hard as Raze's punch…well not as hard but hard enough.

The shard, the same fragment of existence that had bonded with him, had once belonged to another. Someone who had lived here, in these ruins. Someone who had carved these stories into the walls.

Who was he?

And more importantly, what happened to him?

Dylan swallowed, suddenly feeling a weight pressing down on him. Whoever had the shard before him must have been just as lost, just as overwhelmed. But unlike him, their story was already written and completed.

And judging by the ruins surrounding him…

It didn't have a happy ending.

He clenched his fists, shaking off the anxiety. No. He wasn't going to let history repeat itself. He had power now. More than he had ever dreamed of. And if the universe wanted him to play a part in this grand cosmic drama, then fine, he'll play and win.

But he was going to do it his way.

Determined, he started moving. If there were more carvings, more clues, he needed to find them. He wandered deeper into the ruins, his heightened senses making it easier to navigate the maze-like corridors.

He ran his fingers across the markings, absorbing every detail. Some depicted battles. Others showed celestial beings shaping planets, creating life.

A particular section of the wall caught his eye. It showed a group of Chinese monks kneeling around a stone he recognized well. The Shard. The next carvings showed the monks now not so monk-y but now scientific under the supervision of that bearer of the shard working on gears, cyborgs and machines. Machines he had not even seen, infact those machines don't exist… yet.

And finally, the last part showed that man in so much pain as dark tendrils surrounded him, consuming him. The monks were all dead. And then the explosion.

Dylan frowned. Was this a warning about the shard? A prophecy? Or just history repeating itself?

His gut twisted.

This person… they maybe have fought back against the Nether Kin. Maybe they even tried to stand against Vorrak and Nyzzira's forces.

And they failed.

Dylan exhaled, stepping back. The weight of the past was pressing down on him, but he wasn't going to let it paralyze him. If anything, it made him even more determined to not end up like the last wielder.

He had to learn more.

He spent the next few hours scouring the ruins, following the carvings like breadcrumbs. Every wall told a story.

After some time, Dylan glanced up. Night was already falling.

Shadows began to stretch across the ruins, making the carvings look almost alive.

Dylan exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. Great. He had been so caught up in exploring that he hadn't even realized how much time had passed.

A part of him wanted to keep going—to keep searching until he found every last secret hidden in these walls.

But another part of him knew better.

Staying out in the open at night, in an unknown place wasn't exactly the best idea. Especially now that he had no clue what other things lurked in this place.

Dylan stretched his arms, taking in the vastness of the ruins. The place was eerily quiet except for the wind that occasionally blew through the corridors.

Well, If he was going to stay here for a while, he might as well make himself comfortable.

First things first—fire.

He gathered some scrap metal and debris from what used to be an advanced civilization and piled them up in an open area. With a thought, he extended his hand, focusing on the smallest fraction of his power. A spark flickered at his fingertips, then a thin stream of blue fire erupted, igniting the makeshift firewood.

"Okay, that's cool," he muttered to himself, watching the flames dance. "I could get used to this."

Next, food.

Hunting wasn't going to be a problem. The Echo Shard had enhanced his senses beyond anything natural. As he wandered through the ruins, he could feel life moving in the distance. Small creatures and large ones alike. He didn't need thermal gear anymore, he could sense heat directly, adjusting his body's temperature naturally against the cold desert night.

It didn't take long before he found something—a desert predator.

A Razorback Strider.

It was a desert predator he'd seen before, though never up close. Usually, they moved in packs, but this one was alone—bad luck for it. It stood on four powerful legs, its back lined with sharp, jagged spikes that could flare up when it was threatened. Its skin was a mix of sandy brown and dark stripes, letting it blend perfectly with the terrain. But the real kicker? Those teeth. The thing's mouth was filled with rows of serrated fangs, designed to rip through anything dumb enough to get caught. It was basically an evolved desert monitor lizard. Time, environment and harsh conditions had made it evolve to the dangerous creature it was now.

It sighted Dylan and wanted to make a run for its pack. Too bad for it, Dylan was faster.

A short chase later, and he was already dragging the carcass back to his campsite.

Roasting the meat was just as easy as making the fire. Within minutes, the air was thick with the scent of sizzling flesh. Dylan tore into his meal, the rich taste filling his mouth. It was surprisingly good—better than whatever synthetic garbage Basilisk had packed for him.

Once he had eaten his fill, he leaned back, resting against a smooth, metallic surface. The cool surface soothing his back

"Man, I stumbled on something really big didn't I?"

Today was eventful, very eventful.

Above him, the sky stretched infinitely, stars scattered across like little fireflies.

He watched silently as his mind raced with everything he had learned.

The Echo Shard, the Primordials, the war. He wasn't the first to wield this power. And if history had taught him anything, then power like this never stayed hidden for long.

What if someone or something was still out there, searching for it?

Dylan exhaled, letting the thought drift away.

He had time to figure it all out.

For now, he closed his eyes, letting the fire crackle beside him and the cool desert breeze blows across his face.

And before long, sleep took him.