The swirling gate of energy pulsed before him, an unknown force calling him forward.
He had faced warriors, beasts, and tests beyond reason—yet this moment felt different.
Final.
Elya stepped beside him, arms crossed. "You sure you're ready? No telling what's on the other side."
He let out a slow breath. "Was I ever ready for any of this?"
She chuckled. "Fair point."
Without another word, he stepped through.
Arrival in the Unknown
For a moment, there was nothing—only endless darkness.
Then—light exploded.
His vision blurred as he felt himself pulled through space and time, his very essence stretching beyond reality. His body disassembled and reformed, shifting between dimensions.
And then—
He landed.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a weight pressed down on him—heavier than gravity, heavier than space itself.
He gasped, barely able to stand.
Elya stumbled beside him. "What… the hell is this place?"
They were standing in a vast ruined city, towering spires cracked and crumbling, the sky above a swirling vortex of purple and gold.
And then—
The voices came.
Whispers—no, memories—flooded his mind.
Visions of ancient warriors, battles beyond the scale of worlds.
A single name echoed through the ruins.
"Vessix."
His eyes widened.
Somehow, deep in his soul, he knew—
This was not just another world.
This was the graveyard of an empire.
The Silent Watcher
Then, they felt it.
A presence.
Not hostile. Not friendly. Just… watching.
They turned—
And saw a figure standing on the ruins of a shattered throne.
A tall, slender being, cloaked in flowing silver and black robes, their face hidden beneath a veil of shifting energy.
Their voice was calm. Cold. Absolute.
"Another one has arrived."
They raised their hand—
And the ruins came to life.
Statues moved, their eyes glowing with an ancient, unreadable light.
The city itself awakened.
Elya cursed. "Oh, fantastic. Another damn test."
He clenched his fists. The Transcendent Flame flickered around him.
The silent figure spoke again.
"Tell me, traveler… do you seek power? Or do you seek truth?"
The air grew heavy.
He knew—this choice would change everything.