Chapter 20: The Veil of Shadows

Alex moved cautiously toward the shadowy figure lurking along the perimeter of the chamber. Every instinct screamed at him to tread carefully—this presence was no ordinary threat. The flickering bioluminescent fungi along the walls barely illuminated the figure, revealing only a vague silhouette shifting with unnatural grace.

Lena tightened her grip on her blade, her eyes locked on the movement. Darren stood like a coiled spring, ready to lunge at the first sign of aggression. Marik, kneeling by the stone door, whispered quick calculations under his breath, tracing the runes with his fingers, trying to decipher their meaning.

The tension in the chamber thickened, as if the air itself recognized the significance of the moment. Alex exhaled slowly and activated Gale Striders, allowing the subtle aura-enhanced technique to soften his steps as he approached.

Then, the figure moved.

A blur of motion—faster than Alex had anticipated. The figure weaved through the darkness, slipping behind an ancient pillar. In that split second, Alex caught a glimpse of a long, tattered cloak, its edges frayed and marked with symbols unfamiliar to him.

"Show yourself," Alex called, keeping his voice steady. "We know you're not a mindless beast. If you meant to attack, you would have already."

Silence.

Then—a whisper. A voice like wind through cracked stone.

"You… are not of them."

Alex frowned, glancing at Lena, who gave him a subtle nod. Darren flexed his fists.

The figure stepped into the dim light, revealing more of its form. It was humanoid, but unnervingly gaunt. The tattered cloak barely concealed the being's thin, wiry frame. Beneath its hood, a faint glow pulsed from where eyes should have been—an eerie blue light that shifted with unnatural intelligence.

"I am a Watcher," it rasped. "A guardian of the Forgotten Pact. And you, intruders, stand at the threshold of a sealed fate."

Marik, still studying the runes, suddenly stiffened. His voice carried an edge of urgency. "Alex… this seal doesn't just lock something inside. It's keeping something out."

The Watcher tilted its head slightly, the glow of its eyes narrowing. "Clever one."

Lena stepped forward, blade still at the ready. "What is this place? And what is this 'Forgotten Pact'?"

The Watcher turned its eerie gaze toward the towering stone door. "This is the Vault of Oblivion. Within it lies not a treasure, but a burden. A remnant of the Abyssal War—one of the last artifacts tied to the Exiled Sovereign."

The words sent a shiver down Alex's spine. The Exiled Sovereign—a name whispered only in the deepest corners of history, tied to an entity whose power had once rivaled the rulers of the Shattered Era. A being so dangerous that even the Zenith Accord had erased its legacy from most records.

Marik exhaled sharply. "If that's true… opening this door could unleash something beyond our control."

Darren's fists clenched. "Then why is this trial even happening? Why would the academy send us here if it's this dangerous?"

The Watcher let out a dry, hollow laugh. "You assume your masters know everything. But mortals are creatures of arrogance. They play with forces they do not comprehend."

A tense silence followed.

Alex felt the Seed of Ascension pulse within him. It responded to this place, to the Watcher, to the very air of the Vault. The pull was undeniable. Whatever lay beyond that door was meant for him.

"We don't have time to argue," Alex finally said. "If this artifact is a threat, we need to understand it. If the academy set this trial, they must believe it's something we can handle."

The Watcher's gaze bore into him. "You walk a dangerous path, Ascendant."

Alex's breath caught. "What did you call me?"

The Watcher took a slow step back. "Your seed has begun to stir. You are not like the others. If you breach this seal… your fate will change forever."

Lena exchanged glances with the team, uncertainty clouding her usually sharp gaze. "Alex, this—this might be bigger than just a trial."

Alex clenched his fists. The weight of his choices pressed down on him. Open the vault and face whatever was inside? Or walk away, knowing that something ancient and powerful still lurked beyond?

He looked at the team. He looked at the Watcher.

Then, with resolve hardening in his chest, he turned to Marik.

"Break the seal."

A flicker of surprise crossed the Watcher's glowing eyes before it let out a quiet, knowing sigh.

"…So be it."

With that, the runes began to shift, their light growing brighter, as ancient mechanisms creaked to life.

The Vault of Oblivion was about to open.