The Sealed Gate
The weight of silence pressed down on them as the last echoes of their fall faded into the cavernous abyss. The city beneath the ruins loomed before them—its massive stone structures stretching out of the water like the bones of a long-dead civilization. The flickering blue wisps hovering in the air only made it feel even more unreal.
Liam clenched his fists. An Architect's City. The thought sent a shiver through him. This was a place of creation, a place tied to his class. But why was it hidden beneath the ruins? Why had it been sealed away?
Iris was the first to speak, her voice hushed. "Okay. I'll say it. This place is creepy as hell."
Liam barely registered her words. He was too busy staring at the symbols carved into the stone platform beneath them—the same geometric designs that had appeared in his ink during battles.
His class was connected to this place. He could feel it.
But there was something else.
A presence.
A feeling like unseen eyes watching.
Ileana unsheathed her dagger, her gaze sharp. "The figures from before. They aren't moving toward us, but they're still there. Staring."
Liam inhaled slowly, trying to suppress the unease creeping up his spine. The figures lingered in the shadows, barely visible beyond the ruins—silent, unmoving. Waiting.
Why?
Iris exhaled. "So what's the plan? Because I'm not keen on waiting around for whatever those things are to get friendly."
Liam's thoughts raced. There was only one way forward—deeper into the city.
He pointed toward the distant fortress, its massive stone doors standing tall at the heart of the ruins. "That structure… It looks important. If there are answers, they're inside."
Iris groaned. "Of course, we have to go straight to the ominous death fortress."
Liam ignored her as he took a step forward, the water rippling beneath his feet as he moved toward a partially collapsed bridge that led deeper into the ruins. The others followed, their movements careful.
The further they ventured, the heavier the air felt.
Like the city itself was watching.
---
The Gate of the Forgotten
The fortress loomed ahead, its sheer size overwhelming up close. Ancient stone walls, covered in glowing sigils, pulsed faintly as they approached. The doors stood shut, sealed by layers of intricate runes that seemed to hum with a power beyond comprehension.
Ileana ran her fingers along the surface, tracing the symbols. "This isn't just a lock," she murmured. "It's… a test."
Liam stepped closer, his fingers itching to draw. The sigils called to him.
But the moment his ink touched the door, his status window flickered to life.
[ACCESS DENIED]
[Insufficient Qualification Detected]
[Memory Access Locked]
Liam's breath caught.
"Memory access…?" he whispered.
Iris frowned. "What does that mean?"
Before he could answer, a whisper-like echo stirred through the air—not words, but impressions. A voice, ancient and distant, yet familiar.
Not yet.
Liam staggered back, heart pounding. His brush trembled in his grip.
This wasn't just a ruin.
This wasn't just a city.
It was a sanctuary of the First Architect. And it had deemed him unworthy.
---
The Figures Move
A deep, resonating rumble vibrated through the air, sending ripples through the water. The runes on the door pulsed once—brighter than before—then dimmed again. A warning.
Ileana stiffened. "Liam. The figures."
Liam turned sharply, his breath catching.
The silent watchers from before—they were moving now.
Emerging from the ruins, stepping onto the broken pathways and into the eerie glow of the floating wisps.
Their forms became clearer.
Cloaked. Hooded. Their faces are hidden beneath ornate masks.
Not monsters.
Not Hollow Sentinels.
Something else.
And they were coming.
Liam tightened his grip on his brush. They weren't ready to face what lay beyond the gate.
But they might not have a choice.
To Be Continued…