The air in Lord Ardorr's crystal throne room was eerily still, like the moment before a storm unleashes its fury. His crystal throne shimmered under the pale light, casting an ethereal glow around him, illuminating the endless void of the celestial palace. His form, tall and broad, seemed to merge with the crystal itself, his presence both commanding and otherworldly.
He had been waiting for this moment for eons.
A servant, cloaked in silvery robes that trailed like whispers on the floor, rushed into the hall, breaking the serene silence. His breath came out in ragged gasps as he approached the towering figure. "Lord Ardorr," the servant managed, dropping to one knee in respect. "The altar on Erendath... it has activated."
Lord Ardorr's lips curled into a small smile, his golden eyes gleaming with something close to triumph. "Master," he whispered softly, the weight of centuries of longing carried in that single word. "I've finally found you."
For a moment, he closed his eyes, savoring the victory that had eluded him for so long. The altar's activation was more than just a signal; it was a beacon calling to him across dimensions. His fingers drummed lightly on the armrest of the throne, a slow, calculated rhythm. The time had come.
"Locate the altar's whereabouts," Lord Ardorr commanded, his voice now sharp and authoritative. "And summon the Ascents. Erendath is calling for them once again. Find him."
The servant nodded swiftly and disappeared from sight. Ardorr stood from his throne, his towering figure casting long shadows in the light of the crystal palace. His thoughts, however, were far from the present. They were of the Ascents, the Celestial Guardians who had once transcended the heavens themselves, beings so powerful they had predated even the Eternals. The altar's awakening meant only one thing—the long-forgotten legends were resurfacing, and with them, the return of a power that could reshape the universe itself.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Natharak's Eternal City, Kael stood before the shimmering, holographic image of the altar they had brought back. The more he stared at it, the more unsettling its presence became. The altar pulsed faintly with an unknown energy, an energy Kael was beginning to recognize as connected to his Rebirth Core. But its true nature eluded him.
He turned to Natharak, the Eternal Guardian of Natharak, who stood beside him. "You said this altar is a gateway?" Kael asked, still struggling to wrap his mind around the concept.
Natharak, tall and draped in ancient silver armor, nodded slowly. His face was as unreadable as ever, but his deep eyes betrayed a hint of uncertainty. "It is speculated to be. I'm not entirely familiar with the ruins of Ardorr myself," he admitted. "But what I do know is this: Before the place was known as the Ruins of Ardorr, it was called the Holy Land of Ardorr. The people who once dwelled there... they were known as the Ascents."
"The Ascents?" Kael echoed, his brow furrowing. The name sounded ancient, almost like a whisper from a forgotten age.
"Yes," Natharak replied. "The Ascents were Celestial Guardians, beings of immense power—power beyond even that of the Eternals. They had the ability to break the limits of the heavens, surpassing even the most powerful of us. They existed long before the Eternals were created. It's believed the altar was once a tool of the Ascents, perhaps a portal to another world."
"Another world?" Kael's voice was a mixture of disbelief and intrigue. The concept of other dimensions wasn't new to him, but this... this was something far deeper, far older than anything he had encountered.
Natharak nodded gravely. "The Ascents vanished long before the Eternals came into being. Where they went or why they disappeared is a mystery, even to us. But this altar, Kael... this altar may hold the key to discovering what became of them."
Kael fell silent, his mind racing. If the Ascents were so powerful, then what connection did they have to the Rebirth Core? And if the altar truly was a gateway to another dimension, what would it mean for him and his companions?
Before he could voice his thoughts, Ethan appeared in his mind, his ethereal presence flickering like a star in the void. "Kael," Ethan said, his tone thoughtful. "I think there's more to this than we're realizing. There's something about the Ascents that feels... familiar. And I don't believe it's a coincidence that your Rebirth Core is connected to all this."
Kael clenched his fists, a strange mix of excitement and fear swirling in his chest. Ethan was right. The timing, the connection to his powers—it was all too perfectly aligned to be mere chance. But what did it all mean?
"We need answers," Kael murmured under his breath. "And fast."
Natharak studied him for a moment, as if sensing the storm of thoughts brewing inside Kael. "Arthur will know more," he said at last. "As an Eternal DimenShaper, his knowledge of portals and dimensions surpasses all others. You must speak with him."
Natharak raised his hand, and in an instant, the world around them dissolved into light. Kael felt the familiar rush of transportation magic, the sensation of weightlessness and disorientation. When the light faded, he and Varin found themselves standing in the core of Aethlar City, the heart of Erendath's Eternal Guardians.
The Aethlar City's core was a dazzling contrast to the shadowed halls of Natharak. Here, smooth, gleaming surfaces of shimmering silver intertwined with crystal formations, each pulsing with a quiet, restrained power. A glistening dome overhead bathed the area in a soft, ethereal glow. It was modern, sleek, and entirely different from Natharak city's core—a testament to Arthur's unmatched control over the fabric of reality.
And there he was, standing at the center of it all. Arthur, one of the Eternals.
He stood tall, his ash-blonde hair swept back in a meticulously styled manner, the stark contrast to his sharp, piercing blue eyes that seemed to assess everything around him. He wore a designer business suit—a look so modern that Kael often forgot the man was one of the ancient protectors of Erendath. His tailored jacket hung elegantly over his frame, giving him an air of sophistication that didn't quite match the seriousness of his responsibilities.
Kael and Varin explained what had transpired—the destruction of the Abyssal Anchors, the altar they had uncovered, and the strange connection to Kael's Rebirth Core.
When Arthur laid eyes on the altar, his expression shifted from curiosity to something darker. "Are you telling me that your Rebirth Core activated this?" Arthur asked, his voice low and tense.
Kael nodded. "Yes. And Ethan believes the power of the Rebirth Core may be the key to understanding it."
Arthur remained silent for a long moment, his gaze locked on the altar. Finally, he spoke, his voice grim. "When Ethan was 'reborn' through the Rebirth Core, it wasn't just Aethlar's power that sustained him. We needed something ancient, something that could bind his soul to the Ascension system. That relic... came from the Ruins of Ardorr."
Kael felt a chill run down his spine. "The Ruins of Ardorr?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "What relic?"
Arthur turned to face him, his eyes hard with the weight of the revelation. "The Rebirth Core itself. It's not just a manifestation of Ascension. It's a relic of the Ascents, a power that existed long before the Eternals. You hold in your hands the key to a forgotten legacy, Kael."
Kael's mind spun, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place, though the image was still incomplete. The Rebirth Core, the Ascents, the altar—they were all connected in ways he couldn't yet fully grasp. And if the Ascents were truly as powerful as Natharak said, what role did they play in the grand design of Erendath? More importantly, why had they disappeared?
Before Kael could ask any further questions, Ethan's voice cut through his thoughts. "Kael, I sense something," he said, urgency creeping into his tone. "Something is coming."
Arthur's gaze sharpened. "You need to leave. Now. Whatever the altar has awakened, it's drawing attention, and not just from allies."
"The Ascents are not the only ones who remember this power," Arthur said, his voice grim. "Prepare yourselves."
Kael's grip tightened on his weapon as the dark forces surged toward them. The altar had awakened something far greater than any of them had anticipated, and now, the fight for Erendath's future was only beginning.