16.The Truth of Past and Present

The air in the dungeon crackled with unseen energy as Adrian and his companions took cautious steps forward. The encounter with Abyss had shaken them, but the path to truth lay ahead. There was no turning back now.

A long corridor stretched before them, lined with ancient glyphs that pulsed with an eerie glow. The deeper they went, the stronger the pull of something immense—something that connected them all to this place. Adrian's heart pounded in his chest as fragmented memories fought to surface.

Seraphina's gaze flickered toward him. "This place… It's not just testing us. It's drawing out our pasts, forcing us to relive what we once were."

Lila nodded, gripping her sword. "Then we embrace it. If we are to move forward, we must face everything."

A soft hum echoed through the chamber, and a blinding light erupted from the runes. The moment it touched them, a force pulled them under. The world around them dissolved into a swirling abyss of memories.

Adrian found himself standing in a grand hall adorned with golden banners. Warriors and nobles surrounded him, their gazes filled with reverence. He turned, catching sight of a woman with fiery red hair, clad in silver armor—his wife from his past life. The name escaped his lips before he could think. "Selene…"

Her eyes shimmered with love and sorrow. "Adrian, you promised us… You promised to return."

The memory shattered, pulling him into another. This time, he stood in a tranquil garden, a beautiful elven woman weaving flowers into a crown. She placed it on his head, giggling. "You may be the mightiest warrior, but you are still my fool, Adrian."

He gasped. "Elysia…"

One by one, the memories came. A fierce warrior with dark hair, a gentle mage with eyes like the ocean, a mischievous fox-eared girl laughing as she stole his food. More than ten women—each of them his wives in his past life. He had loved them all, and they had loved him in return.

But then came the darkest memory.

The betrayal.

A council chamber. Accusations. The ones he once called brothers turning against him. He saw himself fall, weakened, as a blade pierced his heart. His wives, desperately fighting, but unable to reach him in time. And then… darkness.

A voice whispered. They took everything from you. And yet, you returned.

The vision faded, and Adrian gasped for breath, collapsing to his knees. He wasn't the only one. Maya clutched her head, Seraphina's body trembled, and Lila's eyes glistened with unshed tears. They had all remembered.

Maya whispered, "We were there. We fought with you… We were your wives, Adrian."

Lila placed a hand on his chest. "And we were torn apart."

Seraphina exhaled sharply. "If we are here together again, it is not by chance."

The dungeon responded to their acceptance. The ground beneath them shifted, revealing an ancient pedestal. Upon it rested the amulet they had sought all along—its surface pulsating with golden energy.

A familiar voice echoed through the chamber. "You are finally worthy."

The Abyss materialized before them, but its form flickered. The shadows melted away, revealing a translucent woman—an ethereal spirit clad in ceremonial robes. Her eyes locked onto Adrian's with an unmistakable warmth.

He knew her. From his past life. "You… You were at the ancient site… You were the guardian."

She smiled softly. "Yes. I was bound to this amulet long ago, sealed within it, waiting for you to return. When you fell, your blood activated my slumber. I waited, Adrian. I waited for you to reclaim what was lost."

Adrian's heart clenched. "Who… Who were you to me?"

Her expression softened. "Everything."

Tears threatened to fall from Adrian's eyes, but he steadied himself. The past was now part of him, and so was the present. He turned to his companions—his wives, his warriors, his family.

"We are together again," he said, his voice unwavering. "This time, no one will take us from each other."

The spirit nodded. "Then take the amulet. And reclaim your destiny."

As Adrian reached out, the amulet pulsed with light. The moment his fingers touched it, a surge of power coursed through him, reawakening the strength he once wielded. A new journey awaited them—but this time, they would face it together.

And this time, they would not fall.