Echoes of the Forgotten

The wind howled through the ruins, carrying the whispers of unseen forces. Reinhardt stood rigid, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But Selene pressed forward, unbothered by the ominous energy seeping from the ancient archway.

"You feel it, don't you?" she murmured, pausing just before the threshold. "This place is alive with memories long buried."

Reinhardt swallowed hard, his grip on his sword tightening. "I feel something. But I don't trust it."

Selene's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Good. That means you're not a fool."

The runes on the archway pulsed, as if responding to her presence. Then, without warning, the air crackled with raw magic. The ground beneath them trembled, and a deep, guttural voice echoed from beyond the veil of shadows.

"Who dares disturb our slumber?"

Reinhardt instinctively raised his sword, his muscles coiled. But Selene merely exhaled, tilting her head as if unimpressed.

"I am Selene of the Black Sun," she announced, her voice steady. "And I seek the knowledge you guard."

A low rumble vibrated through the stone, like laughter from something ancient and cruel. "Knowledge comes at a price, child. Are you willing to pay it?"

Selene glanced at Reinhardt. "That depends. Is your price blood, power, or something more… intangible?"

There was silence, then a sudden rush of cold air that wrapped around them like unseen fingers. Reinhardt shivered as the shadows thickened, forming vague, shifting figures in the darkness.

"We require neither blood nor power," the voice mused. "Only a memory—a truth you fear to face."

Reinhardt stiffened as the world around him warped. The ruins faded, replaced by the grand halls of the Order's citadel. He saw himself—younger, naïve, kneeling before the Grand Inquisitor.

"Reinhardt," the Inquisitor's voice rang out, calm yet unyielding. "You must never question the will of the Order. Your loyalty is absolute. Hesitation leads to ruin."

The memory hit him like a blade to the chest. He remembered this moment—the day he silenced his doubts and surrendered himself to blind obedience.

Selene's voice cut through the illusion. "They never wanted you to think, only to serve."

The shadows receded, and Reinhardt gasped, snapping back to the present. His pulse pounded, sweat slicking his palms.

The unseen force chuckled darkly. "You have seen your weakness. Now… will you let it define you?"

Reinhardt met Selene's gaze, his breathing unsteady. Then, slowly, he straightened. "No. Not anymore."

The air stilled. The runes dimmed. And with a final whisper, the barrier of shadows parted, revealing a path into the unknown.

Selene smiled. "Then let's step forward, my knight. Together."