The Awakening Sigil

Chapter 36: The Awakening Sigil

The air hummed with raw energy as the monolith's glow intensified, casting eerie silver-blue light across the ruined sanctuary. Celestine stepped forward, heart pounding, the mark on her wrist burning in resonance.

Draven placed a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever is inside, it's waiting for you."

Lucien's eyes scanned the dark corners of the room, his grip on his sword unwavering. "Then let's not keep it waiting."

Celestine pressed her palm against the ancient stone. The moment her skin met the sigil, a surge of power shot through her body. The entire sanctuary trembled, dust and debris shaking loose from the ceiling. The markings on the monolith unraveled, shifting and rearranging themselves as if waking from a long slumber.

A deep, echoing voice filled the chamber—not one that could be heard, but felt, reverberating through their very bones.

Blood of the First. Bearer of the Rift.

Celestine gasped, her mind flooding with visions—of battles long past, warriors wielding the same power that coursed through her veins, their final stand against an endless abyss. The last thing she saw was a sigil, identical to the one on her wrist, but fractured, broken.

The light from the monolith dimmed, condensing into a single rune that hovered before her. Celestine hesitated before reaching out. The moment her fingers brushed against it, a shockwave burst outward, knocking Lucien and Draven back.

Celestine remained standing.

The rune seeped into her skin, merging with her mark. The moment it settled, her vision cleared—but her body felt different. Lighter. Stronger. And filled with a knowledge she hadn't possessed before.

Lucien groaned as he pushed himself up. "Celestine… what just happened?"

Draven's gaze was unreadable, but his voice was low with realization. "She's unlocked the first seal."

Celestine exhaled, steadying herself. "Then we need to find the next one."

Because now, the real war had begun.

Chapter 37: The Rift Unleashed

The air around Celestine crackled with lingering energy, the sigil on her wrist still glowing faintly. The sanctuary had fallen into an eerie silence, the dust settling after the monolith's awakening.

Then, the ground shuddered.

Lucien's sword was drawn in an instant. "That can't be good."

Draven cursed under his breath, his eyes scanning the shifting shadows around them. "We woke something up. Something that shouldn't have been disturbed."

Celestine clenched her fists, the energy within her still surging like a violent storm. The rune had given her knowledge, but it had also marked her.

And now, something was coming for her.

A chilling howl tore through the ruins, reverberating through the stone walls. The torches flickered wildly as an unnatural wind whipped through the sanctuary. Then, from the darkness beyond the monolith, they emerged.

Shadowed figures, humanoid in form but utterly wrong. Their eyes burned like molten gold, their bodies wreathed in shifting darkness. They moved without sound, their limbs unnaturally elongated, their presence suffocating.

Lucien stepped in front of Celestine, his expression set in grim determination. "Remnants."

Draven's hands curled, dark mist swirling around his fingertips. "They're drawn to the sigil's power."

Celestine took a steadying breath. "Then let's give them something to be afraid of."

The first Remnant lunged. Lucien met it mid-air, his sword cutting through its form, but instead of flesh, his blade sliced through nothingness, like striking through smoke. The creature barely flinched before retaliating, slashing at him with claws of blackened steel.

Draven unleashed a wave of dark fire, engulfing two of them at once, but they only shrieked, reforming within seconds. "They're not going down easily. We need a way to erase them."

Celestine didn't hesitate. The knowledge given to her by the rune pulsed in her mind, and with it, a single command formed on her lips.

She lifted her hand, the sigil burning bright, and spoke the words of the First.

The air ripped apart.

A pulse of energy erupted from her, consuming the nearest Remnants in a wave of searing light. The creatures let out unnatural, distorted wails as their bodies disintegrated, torn apart at the seams of reality itself.

Lucien and Draven barely had time to react before the remaining Remnants recoiled, their molten eyes flickering with something strange—fear.

Celestine's breaths came in ragged gasps as the power settled within her once more. "This power… it's the only thing that can truly destroy them."

Draven wiped blood from his lip, his gaze locked on her with something unreadable. "Then you just became their greatest threat."

Lucien sheathed his blade, stepping closer to her, his voice low. "And their number one target."

Celestine exhaled, pushing aside the exhaustion creeping into her bones. She had no time for weakness.

Because the war had just found her.

Chapter 38: A Fire Lit in the Dark

The air still sizzled with residual energy as Celestine wiped sweat from her brow. The sanctuary was eerily quiet now, the last echoes of the Remnants' distorted cries fading into nothingness.

Lucien exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Well, that was new."

Draven leaned against a fallen pillar, arms crossed, his eyes still locked on Celestine. "You didn't just destroy them. You erased them completely. No trace, no lingering essence."

Celestine let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "And yet, I feel like I barely scratched the surface of what this power actually is."

Lucien shot her a grin, though there was a shadow of worry behind his silver eyes. "Then let's make sure you figure it out before something worse than them comes knocking."

Draven scoffed. "Something worse will come knocking. That's how this works."

Celestine arched an eyebrow at him. "You're always such an optimist, Draven. It's really inspiring."

Draven smirked, pushing off the pillar. "I try."

The tension in the air lightened—only slightly, but enough that Celestine allowed herself a moment to breathe. They had won this fight, but they all knew it was just a piece of something much larger.

Lucien tapped the hilt of his sword. "So, what now? We have the first seal, but I doubt it's going to be as easy to find the next."

Celestine turned back to the monolith, running her fingers over its now-dormant surface. "The rune gave me something. Not just power, but knowledge." She closed her eyes, sifting through the fragments of memory that weren't hers but somehow belonged to her now. "There's a place… a temple hidden in the north. The second seal is there."

Draven and Lucien exchanged a glance before nodding.

"Then we move at dawn," Lucien said. "No time to waste."

Celestine sighed, exhaustion finally settling into her limbs. "Right. No time to waste." But as she turned to leave, something made her pause—something just on the edge of her senses. A whisper that wasn't quite a voice, curling in the back of her mind.

A warning.

She shook it off. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

For now, they had won the night.

Chapter 39: Shadows on the Horizon

The night stretched long, but dawn was relentless. By the time the first rays of sunlight crept over the jagged peaks surrounding the sanctuary, Celestine was already awake, staring into the dying embers of the fire.

Lucien stirred first, rubbing a hand over his face. "Did you even sleep?"

Celestine shook her head. "Didn't feel like it. Too much on my mind."

Draven sat up with a groan, stretching his arms. "And here I thought we'd get at least one night without impending doom."

Celestine gave him a flat look. "That was optimistic of you."

Draven smirked. "I live in hope."

Lucien grabbed his sword and slung it over his back. "If the next seal is in the northern temple, we need to move fast. If the Remnants found us here, they'll be watching our next steps."

Celestine stood, brushing the dirt off her cloak. "Then let's make sure they don't get ahead of us."

They broke camp quickly, the tension between them unspoken but understood. The road ahead wasn't safe, but safety had never been an option.

By midday, they reached the valley's edge. The ruins behind them felt like another lifetime ago. Before them, stretching far and wide, was the beginning of the northern expanse—an endless sea of frost-covered plains and jagged ice cliffs.

Lucien exhaled. "We're going to freeze."

Draven rolled his eyes. "You're a werewolf. You'll live."

Celestine tightened her cloak around her. She felt the weight of the sigil pulsing against her wrist. Whatever awaited them at the temple, she could feel it calling to her.

And something else was watching.

Far beyond the horizon, nestled in the shifting shadows, a figure stood motionless, golden eyes glinting in the rising sun.

Waiting.