Chapter 13: The sealed truth

The Sealed Truth

Kael stood before the massive stone door, his grip on Solmara tightening as its runes pulsed in rhythm with the markings on the ancient walls. The chamber's eerie glow bathed everything in a cold, blue light, making the air feel heavier—charged with unseen power.

Seraphine moved beside him, studying the engravings with narrowed eyes. "This place… it's not just old. It feels untouched."

Kael nodded. "Like it's been waiting."

He traced his fingers along the carvings, his skin tingling at the contact. The same sigil on Solmara was etched into the door's center, encircled by cryptic symbols.

A thought gripped him. What if this is why I was drawn here?

The wraith's words echoed in his mind: Solmara belongs to the true heir. And you… are not him.

Kael clenched his jaw. He had spent his life surviving, fighting for scraps in a world that never gave him answers. But now, standing here, he was finally close to something real.

Something that could define who he truly was.

Seraphine exhaled sharply. "There's magic woven into this door. We won't be able to force it open."

Kael glanced at Solmara. "Then maybe this will."

He raised the sword, aligning the blade's hilt with the sigil on the door. The moment the two symbols met—

A deep vibration rumbled through the chamber.

The runes along the walls flared to life. The door shuddered. Dust and centuries-old stone trembled as the magic unlocked.

Seraphine stepped back. "Kael—"

A pulse of blue light exploded outward.

Kael staggered as energy surged through his veins. **Visions clawed into his mind—**a battlefield drenched in blood, a warrior clad in obsidian armor, and a prophecy whispered through time.

Then—

A name.

One that sent chills through his soul.

"Eryndor."

Kael gasped as the energy receded. The door, once sealed by ancient power, creaked open.

Beyond it, a dark corridor stretched into the unknown.

Seraphine's voice was sharp. "Kael, what just happened?"

Kael swallowed hard, his heart still hammering. "I don't know."

But he did.

The name still echoed in his mind. Eryndor.

He had never heard it before. And yet, it felt like it had always been a part of him.

Seraphine studied him carefully. "You sure you want to go in there?"

Kael let out a slow breath. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. But he had come too far to turn back.

He stepped forward. "We don't have a choice."

And together, they crossed the threshold.

The Forgotten Chamber

The corridor stretched deep beneath the temple, winding downward in a spiral. The deeper they went, the colder it became. Their breaths misted in the air.

The walls were lined with glowing inscriptions, their symbols shifting as though alive.

Kael's pulse quickened. "This writing… It's the same as what was on Solmara."

Seraphine ran her fingers along the runes. "This isn't just an ancient tomb. It's a vault."

Kael's grip on his sword tightened. A vault meant something had been sealed away.

And whatever it was—he was walking straight to it.

A faint whisper drifted through the passage.

Kael froze. "Did you hear that?"

Seraphine went still. Her golden eyes flicked to the darkness ahead. "We're not alone."

Kael stepped forward cautiously, his boots barely making a sound against the smooth stone. The whispering grew louder, curling around them like unseen fingers.

"The blade awakens…"

Kael's breath caught.

The voice was not his own. It was ancient, woven with power—a presence that had been waiting in the dark.

Then, the corridor opened into a vast chamber.

Kael and Seraphine stepped inside—and what they saw stole the air from their lungs.

At the heart of the room stood a massive stone pedestal. Suspended above it was a dark, pulsating crystal—one that bled raw energy into the air.

And beneath it—

A body.

Encased in ancient armor, the figure lay unmoving. Its black plate gleamed beneath the eerie blue light, the sigil of Solmara etched onto the chest piece.

Kael's entire body went rigid.

It was him.

The warrior from his visions.

Seraphine's whisper was barely audible. "The Lost Guardian."

Kael stepped closer. His heart pounded with every movement. The energy from the crystal throbbed in his veins, calling to him like a forgotten melody.

He reached a trembling hand toward the figure.

The moment his fingers brushed the armor—

The body's eyes snapped open.

Kael stumbled back as an unseen force blasted through the chamber.

The warrior rose.

His movements were slow, deliberate. The crystal above him darkened, its glow intensifying.

Then, his gaze met Kael's.

It was like looking into a storm.

His voice was deep, resonant. "You have come at last."

Kael swallowed hard. "Who are you?"

The warrior stepped forward, his presence towering. "I am Eryndor."

Kael's breath hitched. The name from his vision.

Eryndor studied him. "And you… are not ready."

Before Kael could react, Eryndor raised a hand.

Dark energy erupted from his palm—and the chamber shattered.

The Trial of the Guardian

Pain exploded through Kael's body as he was hurled backward. He hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop as dust and energy raged through the chamber.

Seraphine landed beside him with a pained grunt. "What the hell was that?!"

Kael pushed himself up, his mind racing. Eryndor wasn't just a lost warrior—he was still alive. Or at least… something close to it.

The ancient Guardian strode forward, his black armor gleaming in the dim light. Power radiated from him, suffocating in its intensity.

"You seek the truth," Eryndor said. "But truth is earned."

Kael barely had time to react before Eryndor attacked.

The warrior moved with unnatural speed, his blade a blur of shadow and steel.

Kael barely raised Solmara in time to block the first strike. The force sent him skidding back, pain jolting through his arms.

Eryndor did not pause. He struck again, and again—each blow heavier, sharper, like a storm unrelenting.

Kael's breath came hard and fast. He had fought many men. But this was different.

Eryndor wasn't fighting him to kill. He was testing him.

Kael gritted his teeth. Then I'll prove myself.

He shifted his stance, letting the weight of Solmara guide him. As Eryndor swung again, Kael sidestepped, twisting into a counterstrike.

Their blades clashed. Sparks flew.

For a moment, Kael thought he had gained the upper hand.

Then—

Eryndor's eyes flared.

Dark energy surged from his body, engulfing Kael in raw power.

Kael cried out as the force lifted him off his feet—

And slammed him into darkness.