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The splitting sound echoed through the chamber, resonating in Lian's bones as he watched the pedestal crack open like an ancient tomb. For a moment, everything stood still—the faint hum of energy in the air, the swirling dust settling like mist.
Then, from within the broken stone, a soft light began to rise. It was faint at first, barely noticeable, but it quickly grew brighter, illuminating the entire room. Lian squinted against the glow, his hand instinctively moving to shield his eyes. Whatever was inside that pedestal, it wasn't just some dusty relic from the old world—it was alive with power.
"Aeris…" Lian murmured, but his words faded as the light intensified.
Aeris stepped closer, her eyes locked on the source of the light. Her usually calm expression had shifted, her lips slightly parted as if she was in awe of what she was seeing. Lian had never seen her look like that—almost vulnerable. It made him uneasy.
"What is it?" he asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.
Aeris didn't respond at first. She moved toward the pedestal, her fingers twitching as if they longed to touch whatever lay inside. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's not just a relic. It's a source."
"A source of what?" Lian asked, his heart racing.
"Of power," Aeris said, her gaze unwavering. "Pure, undiluted power. From before the fall."
Lian felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard rumors of such things—artifacts from the old world that held incredible energy, enough to reshape reality itself. But those were just stories, told by the desperate and the mad. No one had ever actually *seen* such a thing. Until now.
"So, this is it," Lian muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. "This is what we've been looking for."
Aeris nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving the light. "Yes. And it's more than I ever imagined."
Lian took a cautious step forward, his instincts screaming at him to be careful. "Is it dangerous?"
Aeris finally tore her gaze away from the light to look at him, her expression unreadable. "Everything down here is dangerous."
"That's not an answer."
Aeris sighed, her hand hovering just above the light. "It's not dangerous if we can control it. But if it falls into the wrong hands…well, you've seen what the shadows can do. Imagine that on a much larger scale."
Lian swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. He had barely survived the shadows that plagued him—if someone else got their hands on this kind of power, the world as he knew it could be lost. No more second chances. No more survival.
"So what do we do?" Lian asked, his voice tense.
"We take it," Aeris said simply. "Before anyone else does."
Before Lian could respond, the light shifted. The energy within the pedestal began to pulse, growing stronger with each beat, like a living heartbeat. Lian felt it in his chest, each pulse vibrating through his body.
Something was waking up.
A sudden gust of wind swept through the chamber, as if the very air was reacting to the surge of energy. The walls trembled, and the symbols on the floor flared to life, casting eerie shadows across the room.
Aeris's eyes widened. "It's reacting to us."
Lian took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to flee. "What does that mean?"
Before Aeris could answer, the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Lian struggled to keep his balance as cracks spread through the floor, jagged lines that glowed with the same eerie light as the pedestal. The whole chamber felt like it was about to collapse.
"Aeris!" Lian shouted, panic rising in his chest. "What's happening?"
"It's…awakening," Aeris said, her voice strained as she struggled to maintain her composure. "It's been dormant for centuries, but now…now it knows we're here."
Lian didn't like the sound of that. "And that's a good thing?"
Aeris didn't answer. She was focused entirely on the pedestal, her fingers twitching with barely contained energy. Lian could feel it too—the pull of the light, the raw power calling out to him, whispering promises of strength, control, and freedom from the shadows that haunted him.
But it was dangerous. He knew that much.
Without warning, the light flared once again, blinding in its intensity. Lian threw his arms up to shield his eyes, but the energy washed over him, coursing through his veins like fire. His heart raced, his body trembling with the sheer force of it.
And then, just as quickly as it had begun, the light dimmed.
Lian opened his eyes, blinking against the sudden darkness. The pedestal was still there, but the glow had faded, leaving only a faint, pulsing light deep within its core. The room was still, the trembling had stopped.
But something was different.
"Aeris?" Lian called out, his voice hoarse.
There was no answer.
Lian's heart pounded in his chest as he turned, searching for her. She had been right next to him, hadn't she? But now, she was gone.
Panic surged through him. He scanned the room, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow, but there was no sign of her. The pedestal stood silent and still, the light within it flickering faintly.
"Aeris!" Lian shouted again, his voice echoing through the empty chamber.
Silence.
Lian's hands clenched into fists. She had been right there. Where could she have gone? His mind raced with possibilities—had the energy consumed her? Had she been taken by whatever force controlled the undercity?
He didn't know. But he couldn't stay here. Not alone.
Without wasting another second, Lian turned and sprinted toward the exit, his footsteps echoing in the silent chamber. Whatever had happened, he needed to find Aeris—and fast.
Because now, more than ever, the shadows were closing in.
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TO NE CONTINUED