Chapter 22 — Gate of Eternum: The Descent Begins
Chapter 22 — Gate of Eternum: The Descent Begins
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The next morning came with a sky of burning gold.
Twin suns hovered above the academy's towering spires, casting sharp lines of light and shadow across the ancient marble grounds.
Cyrus stood near the edge of the courtyard, fully prepared.
His attire was different today:
Black tactical robes reinforced with dimensional fiber, lightweight but durable. Hidden compartments lined his waist, containing specialized tools, medicines, and short-range energy suppressors. His boots, custom-fitted, gave him near-silent movement.
His eyes—calm, calculating—swept across the horizon as his mind spun endless possibilities.
> The Gate of Eternum... an unregistered dungeon no one else knows.
Or rather... no one but Adrien.
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The others arrived one by one:
Ren Valerius, stretching his shoulders, cracking his knuckles as faint sparks of burning aura danced over his skin.
Selene Drakonis, calm, her smile playful as always — yet her temporal signature distorted faintly as if time shifted microscopically around her.
Vera Nocturnis, silent, her shadows curling around her boots as if anticipating danger.
Liora Valthorne, casually humming, her eyes briefly scanning everyone like invisible mental threads brushing through minds.
Seraphina Ravencourt, hands folded, radiating an unsettling serenity between life and death.
Aurora Vermillion, eyes sharp, fingers subtly bending reality with casual grace.
Iris Obscura, who arrived last, nearly unseen until she stepped out of thin air, her illusions melting away.
Shun Mercurius, twirling a blade between his fingers, his grin concealing layers of paranoia.
Daiki Stormgrave, silent rock, calm but visibly tensed.
Kaito Solarius, humming as tiny orbs of pure energy hovered behind him like loyal sentinels.
And finally — Adrien.
He stood at the front of the group like a conductor ready to orchestrate a grand symphony.
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Adrien (authoritative, yet cheerful tone):
"You're all early. That's good. The dungeon will reward discipline."
The group gathered before a large stone monument — ancient, cracked, humming softly. It was shaped like a massive ring — an incomplete portal. Strange runes flickered briefly under Adrien's hand.
The stone core began to rotate.
A swirling vortex opened slowly inside the ring — like water pouring into a black hole.
The Gate of Eternum revealed itself.
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Liora (whispering, amused):
"Beautiful... in a terrifying way."
Shun (half-joking):
"You sure this isn't going to suck us into oblivion?"
Adrien (smiling):
"Not unless you fail to synchronize your entry patterns. Step carefully."
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Cyrus kept observing.
He listened not only to words — but tone, breath, hesitation.
Even Adrien's smallest facial twitch was data for him.
> He's not nervous.
He's anticipating something.
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As the group approached the gate, Cyrus spoke for the first time that morning:
Cyrus (low, even tone):
"Let us proceed. The longer we hesitate, the more variables shift."
His words subtly shifted the group's tension.
> Always take control of momentum.
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Adrien led the synchronization wave as each member activated their dungeon mark — implanted last night during the ritual.
One by one, their signatures aligned with the gate's pulse.
Cyrus delayed his input slightly — testing the system's tolerances. The delay was minuscule — unnoticed by most. But Adrien's eye twitched, catching it.
Their gazes met briefly.
No words exchanged — only silent calculation between predators.
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The swirling vortex stabilized into a mirror-like liquid surface.
Adrien (serious tone):
"Remember — inside this dungeon, reality itself shifts. Alliances matter. Reaction time matters. Trust your instincts."
Without further delay, he stepped through the portal.
The others followed — some with eagerness, others with caution.
Cyrus was the last.
He stood before the swirling abyss, taking a controlled breath.
> A dungeon unrecorded by the Dominion Nexus itself...
Either treasure lies ahead... or extinction.
With a single step, he disappeared into the gate.
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End of Chapter 22