Chapter 4: The Forgotten Truth

The steps spiraled down forever.

Lucien and Selene descended into the hidden chamber beneath the Royal Archives, their footsteps echoing faintly in the tight stone corridor. Dust clung to the walls like old secrets, and strange runes glowed faintly on the ceiling—wards from a different era.

Lucien had seen places like this before.

In his past life.

Right before they accused him of heresy.

Selene walked ahead of him, lantern in hand. She seemed calm, but her fingers tightened on the handle every few seconds. Lucien noticed.

"You sure this place is safe?" he asked.

"No," she replied without looking back. "But it's necessary."

They reached the bottom at last. A circular room opened up before them, filled with crystal tablets floating in midair, each etched with glowing runes. At the center of the chamber was a pedestal—on it, a dusty old book, sealed with chains and a divine crest Lucien didn't recognize.

Selene walked toward it.

"This is The Gospel of Reversal," she said quietly. "It was sealed by the church over a century ago. Only High Priestesses are allowed to access it."

Lucien stepped beside her. "You mean… it's a banned prophecy?"

"No," Selene said. "Worse. It's a true one."

She placed her hand on the seal. The chains dissolved into mist, and the book opened slowly, revealing ancient pages that shimmered faintly with golden ink.

Lucien leaned in and read.

---

> In the age of false light, a hero will rise not to save the world… but to consume it.

He will wear the smile of a savior and carry a blade blessed by gods.

But in truth, his soul will be bound by corruption.

Only the Outcast—marked by stars, scorned by fate—can destroy him.

---

Lucien's jaw clenched.

So it was true. The hero… the very man who led the people, worshiped by millions—wasn't a savior.

He was a monster in golden armor.

Selene watched him carefully. "Cedric Dawnbringer was the 'chosen one'—but he twisted fate to suit his will. I was ten when I saw him destroy an entire village… because they rejected his miracle."

Lucien turned away from the book, fists clenched.

"I was executed because of him."

Selene blinked. "You were…"

Lucien met her eyes. The mark on his hand shimmered faintly, casting starlight across the chamber.

"I'm not from this time, Selene. I died five years ago… and the goddess brought me back."

Her breath caught.

"You were the villain, weren't you? The one Cedric killed during the Holy Trials…"

Lucien gave a bitter smile. "Yeah. Turns out, being framed for a crime against the church is a pretty solid death sentence."

Selene stepped closer, reaching for his hand. She touched the mark gently.

"I believe you."

That caught him off guard.

He stared at her, unsure whether to laugh or be suspicious. "Just like that?"

"You're here. That book is real. And your aura… it doesn't lie. You're not corrupted. You're tethered."

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Tethered?"

"To me."

The room went still.

"What?" he asked slowly.

Selene stepped back, face a little flushed. "I didn't mean it romantically—well, not yet—I mean—" She cleared her throat. "The Threadbearer. That's me. I carry the thread of fate that binds all divine prophecy. It pulls toward you like… a magnet."

Lucien blinked.

"So basically… fate ships us?"

Selene covered her face. "You're impossible."

---

> System Update: Divine Thread Link Established.

Threadbearer: Selene Mooncrest.

Passive Bonus: +15% mana recovery near Selene. Shared vision available in combat.

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "We get combat bonuses for being near each other. That's not suspicious at all."

Selene looked flustered. "It's a holy connection."

"Uh huh."

She smacked him lightly on the arm with the lantern.

---

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from above.

The ceiling trembled. Dust fell like snow.

> Alert: Divine Sensor Triggered. You've been discovered.

"Damn," Lucien muttered. "That was fast."

Selene's face went pale. "They must've traced the seal breaking. We need to move."

They ran up the stairs, Lucien casting Phase Step to phase through the heavier doors. Outside, the Archive was no longer quiet.

A team of armored soldiers waited at the entrance—Radiant Knights in white and gold, led by a woman with short crimson hair and blade-slim eyes.

"I knew it," she said, smiling like a wolf. "The villain lives."

Lucien recognized her.

Lady Iria Velhart—First Lance of the Hero.

She was the one who pinned him during his execution.

Lucien's eyes darkened.

Selene whispered, "We can't fight all of them."

"I'm not planning to."

Lucien reached into his cloak—and threw a rune crystal onto the ground.

It exploded in blinding light.

"Run!" he grabbed Selene's hand and leapt through a broken stained-glass window. They crashed into the street below, rolled across the cobblestone, and bolted through the alleyways of Astradel.

Behind them, alarms rang. The city began to wake.

---

Somewhere in the chaos, atop the palace walls…

Cedric watched the smoke rise from the archives.

His golden eyes narrowed.

"So it begins."