"Daddy!~"
The exuberant call echoed throughout the chamber as Baron, eyes shining with joy, raced towards Brandon.
His small feet thudded on the stone floor, arms outstretched, his heart set on reaching his father.
The sweet reunion didn't escape Crystal's notice.
From a distance, she observed, her face illuminating with a warm smile, a rare moment of tranquility in the heart of all the chaos.
Moments later, with a shimmer of light, Jade, Asmo, and Baph materialized beside Brandon.
Their arrival was marked by looks of wide-eyed wonder, each of them taken aback by the grandeur and mysteries of the room.
Jade, without hesitation, sprinted toward Crystal, her giggles echoing as she embraced her mother's leg in a tight hug, seeking warmth and safety in the familiar touch.
Baph, always curious, his gaze darting around the room, finally settled on Brandon and asked,
"Boss... what is this place?"
Brandon stepped forward, captivated by the floating holographic display.
His eyes scanned each tier, narrowing when he noticed two in particular.
The words [ Eclipse ] and [ Aurora ], though positioned at the bottom, pulsated with a brightness that dwarfed the others.
They seemed... beckoning.
An internal dialogue brewed as Brandon processed the intricacies of the chamber.
'Eclipse... Could it be referring to the Eclipse Phase in our interface?'
His mind raced, connecting dots,
'Are these... Tiers of power?'
A realization dawned, a theory formed, and with excitement, he mused internally,
'If my hunch is right, this chamber could be designed to aid the enlightened ones like us. A cultivation room perhaps? To help us ascend to the Aurora stage?!'
The thought reverberated in Brandon's mind, his curiosity piqued.
Drawn towards one of the golden streams, he approached cautiously, his boots making soft sounds against the stone floor.
He stretched out a pinky finger, ever so carefully immersing it in the rich, golden flow to scoop a tiny droplet of the viscous liquid.
The moment the golden droplet made contact, Brandon felt a rush, a burst of pure, untainted energy.
It was as if he had been jolted awake after a long sleep, a sensation of clarity and rejuvenation washing over him.
It started from his finger, coursing through his veins, and radiating to every cell of his being.
It was brief, but the impact was undeniable.
His eyes widened in awe, and a surprised look flitted across his face.
Quickly regaining his composure, he turned to the group, a gleam of realization in his eyes,
"This should be some sort of cultivation room from the past,"
Crystal approached one of the golden rivulets with a tentative yet determined step.
She reached out, her hand shaking slightly.
The moment her finger touched the liquid, a glow spread across her face, reflecting a complex ballet of wonder, realization, and a touch of maternal protection.
With newfound confidence and purpose, Brandon, adorned in his dark abyss ethereal armor, approached one of the stone doors lining the chamber.
He extended a hand, laying it flat against the cool, sturdy stone of the door — but nothing happened, not a shift, not a sound.
Undeterred, he pulled his hand back, holding out a finger to draw the familiar sigil that had granted them entry. After his practices outside, the movements came naturally now.
The lines flowed seamlessly, curves meeting edges, creating the intricate design with precision.
Upon completion, the door acknowledged the sigil's authenticity.
A soft, ethereal glow emanated from the carving, causing the stone slab to respond.
A deep, gravelly noise reverberated as ancient mechanisms whirred to life, the stone slab reluctantly yielding to the correctly drawn sigil.
*Rumble…* *Rumble…* *Rumble…*
As the heavy stone door retreated, a soft glow greeted them, unveiling a room that felt both sacred and pulsating with life.
All eyes widened as they took in the sight that unraveled before them, an intricate web of golden rivulets coursing through the walls in a design that defied the very laws of gravity and nature itself.
The gold wasn't just flowing; it was alive, an ever-moving tapestry of luminescent streams that traversed up the sides and across every inch of the four walls, creating an ever-changing mural of living art.
It seemed to breathe, to resonate with a heartbeat of its own as it stretched upwards, spiraling in patterns that suggested the infinite, the spiritual, the celestial.
Brandon's eyes traced the patterns, mesmerized by the elegant, harmonious flow of liquid gold, its constant motion offering an entrancing, almost hypnotic display.
It danced gracefully, creating delicate arches and intricate loops, before diving into mysterious crevices only to reemerge somewhere else, undeterred in its endless journey.
With a determined twist, Brandon tore his gaze away from the mesmerizing patterns and faced his companions.
His voice broke the hushed awe that hung in the room, decisive and commanding,
"Take a room each and absorb the energy with your vortexes!"
Brandon scanned each face, his gaze lingering a moment longer on Crystal and his newly found children.
'This is a rare opportunity to get a head start in this post-apocalyptic world. I don't know much about our mysterious awakened powers, but this looks like some sort of cultivation haven from ancient times. Make good use of it…"
The group stirred at his words, their eyes still filled with the glow from the enigmatic liquid.
Baron and Jade were standing on each side of Crystal, little hands holding onto hers with a contrast of emotions playing on their young faces.
Jade's eyes flicked upward, locking onto her mother with a hesitant yet trusting gaze.
Beside her, Baron exhibited no such reservations, his youthful enthusiasm evident as he let go of Crystal's hand and raced towards a chamber next to Brandon's, the sparkle of adventure in his eyes undimmed.
Brandon's voice, gentle yet firm, broke through his thoughts.
"Don't worry kids. Think of it like a game. Just imagine you're drawing in all the air around you. Keep going until you see a change on your interface, from [ Eclipse Phase ] to [ Aurora Phase ]."
Crystal knelt down, gently cupping Jade's face as she assured with a warm and confident smile,
"Don't worry, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy will be right here with you."
Her words, soft yet firm, seemed to provide the little girl with a newfound courage.
Soon, the space became a hive of activity as everyone dispersed, entering the chambers that beckoned them with promises of untapped potentials and deeper connections to the energies pulsating within the walls.
Finally alone, Brandon allowed his eyes to sweep across the mystical chamber once more.
The liquid gold called to him, whispering secrets of power and evolution, urging him to become more, to reach higher.
With a sense of reverence mixed with determination, he settled down at the very heart of the room, ready to embrace the guidance of the ancient energies, to forge a path into the unknown phases of his own potential.