The appearance of Ethan, now ethereal rather than holographic, momentarily stunned Kael. His form flickered, more luminous and less rigid than before, like a ghost caught between worlds. Kael's curiosity got the better of him, and he instinctively reached out to touch Ethan, but his hand passed through the glowing form, feeling nothing but a slight chill.
"Ethan, you..." Kael's voice trailed off, trying to process the transformation.
Ethan chuckled softly. "At least I'm no longer just a hologram," he said with a smirk, his usual stoic demeanor cracking for once.
Kael blinked, taken aback by the light-heartedness. This was a side of Ethan he had never seen before. Up until now, Ethan had always seemed ancient, distant—more of a guide, a guardian of sorts, than anything resembling a companion.
Still, the change did nothing to quell the mystery of the altar. Its dark stone surface shimmered faintly with a mix of runes, and even after ascending from the ruins, it pulsed with an energy that felt disturbingly familiar to Kael's Rebirth Core.
"I feel a connection to this altar," Ethan mused, his gaze locking onto the intricate runes. "It's like... part of me is tied to its power. But why?"
Before Kael could respond, a bright purple light exploded on the horizon, far from where they stood. It was blinding—vivid against the darkness of the Abyss-ravaged land. The light came from the Abyssal Planes, where Andrew, Sena, and Kamal were supposed to destroy the second Abyssal Anchor.
Oslo's face turned grim, his hand reflexively tightening around the hilt of his weapon. "That's where Andrew and the others are," he muttered, his body instinctively dropping into a combat-ready stance.
Before anyone could act on the sudden panic, a system notification chimed in Kael's mind.
System Alert: Abyssal Anchors destroyed.
Kael's shoulders slumped with relief. "We did it," he murmured, barely believing the words. Natharak—and Erendath itself—was safe, at least for now. He quickly shared the good news with the others, and Oslo and Jermain exchanged looks of disbelief and then quiet celebration.
"We need to regroup," Varin said, his voice cutting through the momentary calm. "Once we're sure everything here is settled, we'll head back to see how the others fared."
Kael nodded, ready to move, when a small, familiar figure suddenly appeared beside him—Limo, his system guide. The fuzzy creature gave Ethan a half-amused, half-surprised look. "Whoa! Didn't see you there!" Limo quipped, clearly thrown off by Ethan's new form.
"Limo," Kael greeted, shaking his head at the guide's antics. "Explain later. We need to regroup."
"Well, that's part of the reason I'm here!" Limo responded, his wide eyes blinking innocently. "But also... about the altar."
Kael frowned, pausing mid-step. "What do you mean?"
Limo shuffled awkwardly. "The system's detected something... interesting about this altar. You can take it with you."
Kael's eyes widened. "Take it with me? How is that even possible?"
"That's what I was about to tell you before your guide here showed up," Ethan interjected with a wry grin.
Jermain, overhearing, dashed over. "This is huge, Kael! If we can take this altar to Arthur, he can figure out what it is! We won't have to leave it here to risk being found again."
Kael still wasn't sure what was happening. He gave Limo a look, one that said, explain.
Limo awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Ah, right, right! So, you have this thing called 'virtual space,' where you can store objects of significant power. All you have to do is command the system to absorb the altar, and it'll be stored safely."
Kael blinked, deadpan. "Virtual space?"
Limo gave an apologetic chuckle. "Oops, must've slipped my mind before…"
With a long, drawn-out sigh, Kael did as he was told. "System, absorb the altar into virtual space."
With a shimmering hum, the dark altar, still pulsating with energy, began to shrink before everyone's eyes. It collapsed inward, reduced to a small, floating sphere of energy, before disappearing into Kael's inventory. Just like that, the overwhelming aura vanished, leaving only a faint trace of its existence behind.
Back at Natharak's stronghold, the team gathered around a large round table, a holographic projection of the altar hovering in its center. Reduced in size but still impressive, its dark surface and glowing runes seemed to demand answers none of them could give.
"What do you think this thing is?" Andrew asked, his arms crossed over his chest. His tone was less skeptical and more cautious—a rare tone for the normally brash Veil member.
"I think it's a portal," Oslo said flatly, his eyes never leaving the altar. "We destroyed both Abyssal Anchors, but this... it feels like something else. We need Arthur to confirm, though. Dimensional stuff is his specialty."
Everyone turned to Kael. The altar, by rights, was now his—his connection to it had been undeniable.
Kael felt Ethan stirring within his mind. I'm good. Ask Arthur about the Ruins of Ardorr. Ethan suggested. This altar has power older than even the Ascension System. We need to know what it is and how it connects to the Rebirth Core.
Kael hesitated, but then nodded. "Let's take this to Arthur."
Andrew immediately retrieved a crystal orb, similar to the one Evans had used before. Within seconds, the team was enveloped in a brilliant light, transported to a white space that existed beyond time and reality.
But when the light faded, Arthur was not there to greet them.
Instead, standing before them was a figure neither Kael nor Varin had ever seen. Tall and imposing, the man had long, silver hair that shimmered like moonlight and eyes as cold and distant as the night sky. A silver headband adorned his brow, and his presence seemed both near and impossibly far away.
The others froze, instantly recognizing him.
The silver-haired man approached, his gaze locked onto Kael. His eyes narrowed slightly as if seeing through Kael's very soul. He stopped just in front of him, looking him over with an intensity that made Kael's skin crawl.
Finally, the Eternal spoke, his voice low and filled with an ancient power. "Kael Relan."
Kael straightened, unsure of what was coming next.
"Excellent," the Eternal said, a small, satisfied smile creeping across his lips. "You are exactly what the elder prophesized."
Kael's heart skipped a beat. "Prophesized? What do you mean?"
The Eternal's silver eyes bore into him. "I am Natharak, the Eternal Guardian of this city," he said, his voice heavy with significance. "And you, Kael Relan, are the key to an ancient prophecy. The prophecy that foretold the return of Ascendants and the one who would awaken powers beyond the stars."
Kael swallowed, the weight of the words crashing down on him like a tidal wave. He had always felt his power was unique, but to be part of some grand, cosmic prophecy? That was something else entirely.
Natharak's eyes gleamed as he continued. "I've sensed that you found it. The altar you've taken... it is not just a portal. It is a gateway."
Kael felt the world shift beneath him as Natharak's words settled in. His mind raced with questions, doubts, and the overwhelming realization that everything he thought he knew about his power—about the Rebirth Core—was only the tip of an iceberg.
A portal? A gateway? To what?