The morning light filtered through the narrow window of the Void Inn, casting an eerie glow over the sparse room. Kael stirred first, the weight of exhaustion clinging to his limbs, but a strange sense of anticipation coursed beneath his fatigue. The city of Aethlar, hidden deep within the Abyss, should not exist, and yet here they were—alive, breathing, within its walls.
Varin stood by the window, his silhouette sharp against the soft light. His hands were clasped behind his back, but there was tension in his posture. It was clear the city unnerved him.
"Something's wrong here," Varin said, his voice low but deliberate.
Kael sat up, rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"This city shouldn't exist, at least not like this," Varin continued. "If this is an Eternal City, it means it's been here since the old wars between the Eternals and the Abyssal Lords. It shouldn't be untouched by time. No place this old should look this... normal."
Kael leaned back against the wall, his thoughts wandering. The word "Eternal" had stuck with him since they arrived, like a lingering echo in his mind. His own class, unlocked in the depths of the Ascension Tower, bore the same name—Eternal Shadowmaster and Eternal Soulbinder. The connection felt too deliberate, too pointed to be a coincidence. The power within him stirred, a dark presence that had grown stronger since entering Aethlar, as if the city itself resonated with his new abilities.
"Do you think this city has something to do with The Eternals?" Kael asked quietly.
Varin turned, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't know. But we'll find out."
They left the inn, moving through the narrow streets of the city. Aethlar's architecture was strange—sharp angles and dark stone, yet the place hummed with a kind of tranquil energy. There was no sign of the Abyssal corruption they had faced outside, the dark energy that seemed to bleed into every corner of the Abyss. Here, it felt almost... clean. Too clean.
As they walked, Kael's eyes darted around, taking in the details. The people they passed were quiet, their faces obscured by hoods or masks. But there was something off about their movements—too fluid, too synchronized, like they were all part of a single, invisible web.
"Varin," Kael muttered under his breath, "I don't like this."
"Neither do I," Varin replied, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger beneath his cloak. "Keep your guard up."
They moved towards the marketplace, hoping to blend in among the bustling crowd. Stalls lined the street, selling everything from strange herbs to intricate artifacts that glowed faintly with an otherworldly light. The air smelled of incense and burning metal, a strange combination that made Kael's senses tingle.
But it was there, in the thick of the crowd, that Kael felt it—a presence, watching him. His skin prickled, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He turned slowly, his eyes scanning the faces around him. Then, he saw it—a figure, draped in a black cloak, standing in the shadows at the edge of the market. The hooded figure was staring directly at him.
"Varin..." Kael's voice was barely a whisper, but Varin was already moving.
"I see it," Varin replied, his eyes locking onto the figure. "Stay close."
They pushed through the crowd, their movements careful but purposeful. The hooded figure didn't move, waiting as if it knew they would come. When they were only a few feet away, Kael noticed something unsettling—despite the chaos of the market around them, the air near the figure was unnaturally still. No breeze, no sound. Just silence.
"You've come," the figure said, its voice a soft rasp.
Kael tensed, hand hovering near his own dagger. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head slightly, as if amused by the question. "You are Kael Relan, the one who walks the path of shadows. Your arrival was foretold."
"Foretold?" Kael echoed, the word biting through his confusion.
The figure chuckled softly, a sound that made Kael's skin crawl. "The Calling is upon us, and your Eternal Class has drawn the attention of powers far beyond your understanding."
The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Kael's mind raced. The Calling? He had never heard of it, but the way the figure spoke, it was as though it were an inevitable event, one tied directly to him.
Varin stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Enough riddles. What is the Calling?"
The figure's hood shifted slightly, revealing only the faintest glint of eyes that gleamed with an unnatural light. "All in time, Voidstalker. The one you protect will face trials that will either elevate him to the height of his power... or destroy him."
Before Kael could respond, the figure turned and began to walk away, dissolving into the shadows of the alley. Varin made a move to follow, but Kael placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"Let him go," Kael said, his voice quiet but firm. "We got what we needed."
"And what's that?" Varin asked, his gaze still locked on the now-empty alley.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "This city... it's hiding more than just ancient history."
The Aethlar Archives were a towering structure at the heart of the city, a massive edifice built from dark stone and adorned with symbols Kael didn't recognize. The doors, heavy and ornate, creaked open as they stepped inside, revealing a cavernous space filled with shelves of ancient tomes and scrolls.
An elderly scholar greeted them, his back bent with age, but his eyes sharp and alert. "Travelers from the outside?" he asked, his voice a brittle whisper. "You've come seeking knowledge of the old wars, haven't you?"
Kael exchanged a glance with Varin before nodding. "We've heard of the Eternals and the Abyssal Lords. We need to know more."
The scholar beckoned them to follow, leading them deeper into the archives, past shelves that seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkness. Finally, they arrived at a secluded chamber where a single, massive tome lay open on a pedestal.
"These cities," the scholar began, his voice filled with reverence, "were built long ago, during the war between the Eternals and the Abyssal Lords. The Eternals wielded great power, but it came at a cost. The cities were meant to shield those who carried that power, to protect them from the Abyss."
Kael frowned. "But if the cities were meant as sanctuaries, why have they been forgotten? Why does no one speak of them?"
The scholar's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Because not all the Eternals survived. Some fell... and their cities fell with them. The Abyssal Lords were relentless, and many of the Eternal cities were lost to the darkness."
"And what of Aethlar?" Varin asked, his voice sharp. "Why is this city still here?"
The scholar's expression darkened. "Aethlar survived, yes, but it has remained hidden for a reason. The power within these walls is ancient, and with the reawakening of the Eternal Classes, that power is stirring once more."
Kael's heart quickened at the mention of the Eternal Classes. "You said the cities were meant to protect those who carried the power. Does that mean my class is tied to Aethlar?"
The scholar gave a slow, deliberate nod. "The Eternal class is not just a tool, young one. It is a responsibility. The power you wield is a double-edged blade. If you do not master it, you risk awakening forces far darker than you can imagine."
Kael swallowed hard. "What forces?"
The scholar's gaze bore into him, unblinking. "The Abyssal Warlords. Ancient beings that once fought the Eternals. They have been dormant for centuries, but with the rise of the Eternal Classes, they may stir once more."
The weight of the scholar's words pressed down on Kael, a cold knot forming in his chest. He had unlocked his Eternal Class in the Ascension Tower, but he had barely scratched the surface of its true power. Now, it seemed that power came with a cost—one he hadn't foreseen.
As the scholar's words sank in, Varin stepped forward, his voice hard. "What can we do to stop them?"
The scholar shook his head slowly. "You cannot stop what is coming. The Calling has already begun."
Kael's breath caught in his throat. The Calling—the hooded figure in the market had spoken of it, and now the scholar was confirming it. His Eternal Class had drawn the attention of something far greater than he had ever imagined.
"But be warned," the scholar added, his voice grave. "The path ahead is fraught with danger. You must either master your power... or be consumed by it."
Kael's pulse raced, his mind spinning with the implications. He had thought unlocking his Eternal Class would make him stronger, but now it seemed it had only put him at the center of an ancient conflict—a war between the Eternals and the Abyss that had been brewing for centuries.
And now, it was his responsibility to face it.
As they left the archives, Kael felt the weight of the scholar's words pressing down on him. Varin was silent, his expression grim. The city around them seemed to pulse with unseen energy, a quiet tension that stretched across the streets like an invisible web.
"What now?" Kael asked, his voice barely audible.
Varin glanced at him, his eyes hard. "Now, we prepare. The Calling is coming, and we're going to need everything we've got to survive it."
Kael nodded, but the knot in his chest tightened. He had always known there was more to his power than he understood, but now he was beginning to see the full scope of the danger ahead.
And for the first time since unlocking his Eternal Class, he wasn't sure if he was ready.