Chapter 98: The Exiled Seer

Chapter 98: The Exiled Seer

Silvia's POV

The morning sun barely pierced through the thick gray clouds as Silvia, Dragon, Tarren, and their escort of warriors prepared to leave Skyreach Citadel. The weight of their next task pressed down on them like an unrelenting force—finding Varian, the only known survivor of the Hollow Nexus.

Silvia tightened the straps on her travel gear, her mind racing with possibilities. If Varian truly existed, why had he vanished? Had he fled in fear, or had he been silenced?

Kael stood beside her, his expression unreadable. "You should be prepared for disappointment, Silvia. Varian was last seen decades ago, and even if he still lives, he will not trust you easily."

"Then I'll give him a reason to trust me," Silvia replied, adjusting the blade at her hip. "Where do we start?"

Kael sighed and produced an aged parchment, rolling it open to reveal an old, weathered map. "He was last known to be in the Northern Wastes, an expanse of ice and ruin where even magic is unstable. If he still lives, he is hiding in the ruins of the Old Kingdom. That is where you must go."

Silvia studied the map, committing the details to memory. "Then that's where we're going."

Dragon's golden eyes narrowed. "We'll need supplies. It's a wasteland, and if what I've heard about the Wastes is true, we won't only be fighting the elements."

Tarren let out a dry chuckle. "Great. More things trying to kill us. I was starting to get bored."

Kael's gaze darkened. "It is not a journey for the weak. I would send some of my best warriors with you, but they would not survive the conditions. This is a path you must walk alone."

Silvia nodded, gripping the map tightly. "We leave within the hour."

The Journey to the Wastes

Days passed in relentless travel. The further north they went, the harsher the land became. The air grew thin, biting at their skin like daggers. The once-dense forests turned to skeletal remains, their charred husks standing like tombstones of a forgotten age.

Snow fell in slow, thick drifts, blanketing the dead land in a deceptive veil of purity. But Silvia could feel the presence of something else beneath the surface—watching. Waiting.

Dragon walked beside her, his monstrous form partially visible in the twilight of their campfire. "This land is cursed. It was once part of a great kingdom, but magic bled it dry."

Tarren shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "Great. More bad omens. We should get moving at first light. The less time we spend in this place, the better."

Silvia agreed, but as she turned toward the fire, something in the distance caught her eye—a flicker of movement in the storm.

She tensed, hand hovering over her blade. "We're not alone."

Dragon's golden gaze flashed as he sniffed the air. "Someone is watching us."

The Guardian of the Ruins

They moved cautiously through the swirling blizzard, tracking the elusive figure. Silvia's heart pounded, every instinct warning her to turn back—but she ignored them. If this was Varian, she couldn't let him slip away.

After an hour of pursuit, they reached the ruins of an old fortress. Towering spires of crumbling stone jutted into the sky like the ribs of a long-dead beast. The walls were coated in thick layers of ice, frozen over by centuries of decay.

Then, a voice rang out from the shadows.

"You should not have come here."

Silvia turned sharply, her breath catching as an imposing figure stepped into the dim light.

Varian.

He was taller than she expected, wrapped in thick furs and tattered cloaks. His face was partially hidden beneath a hood, but piercing silver eyes burned through the darkness, filled with unspoken knowledge.

Dragon tensed beside her, his claws flexing instinctively. "Varian. We've been looking for you."

Varian let out a hollow laugh. "And what makes you think I wanted to be found?"

Silvia took a cautious step forward. "Because you survived the Hollow Nexus. You're the only one who has. And we need to know how."

His gaze swept over her, calculating. "You're the Queen of Fire. The one trying to stop the war. You have no idea what you're asking."

Silvia lifted her chin. "Then tell me. Make me understand."

Varian exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the frigid air. "You want to break the cycle? You don't even know what it is."

Silvia narrowed her eyes. "Then explain it to me."

Varian turned, walking toward the ruins. "Follow me. But know this—once you hear the truth, there's no going back."

Inside the Ruins

The ruins were larger than they appeared from the outside. Varian led them through a narrow corridor, the walls etched with symbols that pulsed faintly in the dim light.

"These markings," Dragon murmured, running a clawed hand over the stone. "They're old. Older than anything I've seen before."

Varian nodded. "They are the records of those who came before. The ones who tried to break the cycle—and failed."

Silvia frowned. "Failed how?"

Varian turned to her, his silver eyes intense. "They either died in the Nexus or became something worse."

Tarren shuddered. "Fantastic. And here I thought this trip couldn't get any worse."

Varian gestured toward a set of ancient doors at the end of the hall. "What you seek lies beyond this point. But before I open them, you must ask yourself—are you truly ready to see the truth?"

Silvia inhaled deeply. "Yes."

Varian studied her for a long moment before pressing his palm against the doors. The stone groaned, parting with an eerie glow. Inside, an enormous chamber stretched before them, filled with more murals, each depicting a different war, each an echo of the same endless cycle.

At the center of the room was a massive obelisk, covered in ancient runes that pulsed like a living thing.

Varian stepped forward, his voice a whisper. "This is the key to understanding everything. The Nexus is not just a place—it is a force, an entity that binds fate itself. And if you wish to break the cycle, you must face what lies beyond this door."

Silvia clenched her fists. "Then open it."

Varian smirked. "Brave words. But let's see if you still have them once you see what's on the other side."

With that, he placed both hands on the obelisk.

The chamber erupted in blinding light.