Chapter 11: Whispers in the Vault
—Narrated by Eli Whitmore
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The night after our duel felt heavier than any other. Even though we had won, even though I should've been resting… something kept tugging at me.
A pull. A whisper. Like something—or someone—was waiting.
I couldn't sleep.
My fingers brushed over the edge of the old map Headmaster Alaric gave me weeks ago. It had been useless back then. A relic, he said. A student's doodle. But after the Revenant… the ink shimmered when I touched it. The corner folded itself, revealing something hidden: The Ancient Vault.
Thorne sat on the windowsill of our shared study room, staring at the moonlight. His silhouette was calm, but I knew his mind never really rested.
I cleared my throat. "Thorne… I need to go somewhere. Tonight."
He didn't look surprised. "Where?"
"I think there's something under the Academy. Something calling to me."
Now he turned, brows slightly raised. "The Vault?"
"You know it?"
"It's a myth. Even the Headmaster denies it exists."
"Well," I whispered, unfolding the glowing map, "then I guess we're about to prove him wrong."
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Into the Shadows
We moved through the halls in silence. Our robes cloaked our movements, and Thorne had cast a shadow-veil spell over us. Felix would've loved to join, but this wasn't a group adventure. This was personal.
We reached the forbidden wing behind the old Observatory. It looked abandoned—dust everywhere, broken shelves, and statues covered in cobwebs.
The floor beneath the central statue had a faded sun and moon carved together—just like the one on my pendant.
I touched it.
The floor pulsed, and then—
Click. Grind.
A staircase spiraled downward, revealed from under the marble tiles. A gust of cold air rushed out, thick with secrets.
Thorne muttered, "This place reeks of forgotten magic."
I stepped forward. "Then let's remember it."
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The Archive Below
The descent felt endless. At the bottom, we found a massive door made of obsidian, inscribed with runes that flickered faintly.
In the middle was a handprint. Glowing gold.
I knew it was meant for me.
I pressed my palm against it. Warmth surged into my skin. The door slowly creaked open with a deep groan that echoed like a moan from the earth itself.
Inside was a room unlike any other I'd seen.
Books floated mid-air, chained by glowing threads. Scrolls hovered with whispers trapped between pages. A pool of mirror-water reflected not your face—but your fears.
I stepped inside, dizzy from the magic pressing on my chest.
"This place is alive," I whispered.
"More than that," Thorne said. "It remembers."
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The Book That Chose Me
One book floated slowly toward me.
Not a big one. Not ornate. Just a black leather-bound journal, stitched with red thread, humming faintly.
When I reached for it, Thorne snapped, "Don't!"
But it was too late.
The book opened on its own.
And then—I heard it.
"Eli Whitmore…"
It didn't speak out loud. It spoke inside my mind.
"Heir of the Gate Way… Keeper of the Balance… your time begins."
I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.
Visions poured into me—of gates opening across the realms, of a blazing light, of me standing at the center of it all, holding back a flood of darkness with my bare hands.
Thorne grabbed my shoulder. "Eli—snap out of it!"
I gasped, stumbling back. "It spoke to me… it knows who I am."
Thorne looked shaken. "That book is a Grimoire of the Void. Forbidden. Even touching it should've burned you."
"But it didn't."
He nodded slowly. "Because it chose you."
---
Revelations and Regrets
I sat down, still holding the book.
Inside were hand-written notes from someone called Seraphina Whitmore.
My ancestor.
I read aloud. "The Keeper shall be marked by radiant chains… but will walk the edge of shadow. One who must embrace both sides or doom the gates to fall."
Thorne looked at me, silent.
"It's me," I whispered. "I'm not just a Gate Way Keeper. I'm the link between light and dark."
He didn't argue. He just nodded, slowly. "That explains what happened during the duel. Our powers weren't just compatible—they were destined."
The book fluttered again, revealing another page.
A prophecy.
"When the Twin Eclipse rises, the Keeper must unlock the Final Gate. Only then will the realms survive the coming flood."
I looked at Thorne. "Do you think the 'flood' means… war?"
He didn't answer immediately. Then, quietly, "I think it means something worse."
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Leaving the Vault
We left the Vault without another word. The book stayed in my hand, warm like a heartbeat.
The hallway above seemed brighter when we returned—but not safer. I knew everything had changed. I wasn't just a student anymore.
I was a chosen piece in a prophecy I didn't fully understand.
And Thorne… he didn't leave my side.
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Later That Night
Back in our study room, I sat on the floor, staring at the book.
Felix came in, rubbing his eyes. "You two went on a midnight mission without me? Rude."
Thorne smirked. "It wasn't a group activity."
Felix flopped onto the couch. "Whatever. Just don't die without telling me first."
I laughed weakly. "Deal."
Before he left, Thorne paused by the door. "Get some rest, Whitmore. You'll need it."
"Thorne?" I called softly.
He turned.
"Thanks for following me… even when it didn't make sense."
He gave a rare, soft smile. "You're not just another student anymore, Eli. You're the Keeper. And I… I think I'm supposed to protect you."
The door closed behind him.
And I sat there, staring at the book, knowing that whatever was coming—
This was just the beginning.
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To be continued...