The further they ventured into the ruins, the more the atmosphere seemed to change. The oppressive weight of the air lifted slightly, but it was replaced by an eerie sense of foreboding. The stone walls grew smoother, their surfaces now inscribed with intricate runes and symbols that seemed to pulse with a faint, ethereal glow. It was as if the very walls of the city were alive, whispering secrets to those who dared to listen.
Min Joon kept his eyes on the hooded woman, whose presence was unsettling yet strangely magnetic. She walked with a purpose, her footsteps echoing in the silent chamber. Astra followed closely behind Min Joon, her hand still resting near her sword, ever vigilant. There was no mistaking that something dangerous lay ahead.
The chamber they entered was vast, the size of an open courtyard, with a high, vaulted ceiling that seemed to stretch into infinity. At its center stood a massive stone door, adorned with intricate carvings depicting what looked like a great battle between gods and beasts. The runes around the door glowed brighter as they approached, and Min Joon felt an unfamiliar tingle in his fingertips. The Eye stirred again, its power thrumming faintly in his chest.
"Are we... going in there?" Min Joon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The woman didn't answer immediately, but instead, her fingers traced the air in front of the door, as though feeling for something unseen. There was a long moment of silence, a stillness that was almost suffocating.
Finally, she spoke. "This is the Gate of Remembrance," she said, her voice soft but heavy with the weight of ancient knowledge. "It leads to the heart of the ruins, to the truth of what was lost."
Min Joon felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Truth of what was lost?" he repeated, his heart racing. "What are you talking about?"
The woman turned to face him, her dark eyes gleaming with a strange, unreadable emotion. "This place... these ruins... were not always a city of stone. It was once a kingdom, a kingdom that defied the gods. But its people were foolish, seeking power they did not understand. And in their arrogance, they brought about their own downfall."
Min Joon's mind was spinning. This was more than he had expected. A kingdom? Defying gods? It felt like the more he learned, the less he truly understood.
"I don't... understand," Min Joon muttered, stepping forward. "What does this have to do with me?"
The woman's lips curled into a faint, almost melancholic smile. "Everything, Min Joon. The Eye of Mortanis is not just a tool of destruction. It is a key—a key to the past, to the power of the old kingdom. And you... you are the last of its bloodline."
The words hit Min Joon like a thunderclap, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. "The last of its bloodline?" he repeated, his voice cracking. "What do you mean? I'm just... I'm nobody!"
The woman nodded, her expression softening. "You were nobody—until the Eye found you. You are the inheritor of a legacy, a power long buried. But with that inheritance comes a choice. You can either accept it and walk the path of the old kingdom, or you can abandon it, but know that the consequences will be far-reaching."
Min Joon took a step back, shaking his head. "I don't want this," he said, the words coming out more desperate than he intended. "I don't want to be a part of some... ancient kingdom or whatever. I just want to be normal."
The woman's eyes grew distant for a moment, as if contemplating something ancient and far beyond Min Joon's understanding. Then, she looked at him, her gaze sharp and piercing. "There is no normal for you anymore. You have already stepped into a world you cannot undo. But you have a choice: to take control of your destiny or to let it control you."
Min Joon stood there, frozen in place. The weight of her words was crushing, suffocating him with the gravity of what was happening. Was this his fate? Was he really the last of some forgotten kingdom? Could he really walk away from all of this, or was he destined to follow a path he didn't choose?
Before he could form another thought, the door in front of them rumbled. Slowly, the massive stone door began to open, revealing a dark passageway beyond. The woman stepped forward, and for the first time, Min Joon noticed something else—there was a faint glow from the passage ahead, as if it held the answers he was desperately seeking.
The woman turned back to them, her eyes sharp. "Come. The Guardian awaits."
---
The passage beyond the door was narrow, the air cold and still. As they walked deeper into the stone corridor, the faint light from ahead began to grow brighter, casting long shadows along the walls. Min Joon's heart was pounding in his chest, his mind racing with every step.
"Who's the Guardian?" Min Joon asked, his voice tense. "What does it want?"
The woman didn't respond immediately, her steps silent as she continued down the path. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Guardian is a creature of this realm, bound to protect the truths of the past. It guards the knowledge that has been sealed away for centuries. If you seek answers, you must face it."
Min Joon felt a knot tighten in his stomach. A creature? Something guarding the knowledge of this kingdom? The idea of facing it filled him with dread. But he couldn't turn back—not now. Not when he had already come this far.
As they rounded a corner, the passage opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling so high it seemed to disappear into the darkness. At the center of the room stood a massive stone pedestal, and on it, an ancient, twisted figure crouched.
The Guardian.
It was a creature unlike anything Min Joon had ever seen. Its body was made of shifting shadows and stone, its eyes glowing a sickly yellow. Its form was in constant flux, as though it was more a creature of nightmare than flesh and bone. It moved slowly, deliberately, its gaze falling on the three of them as they entered the room.
For a moment, the room was still, the air thick with anticipation. Then, in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, the Guardian spoke.
"Who dares to seek the truth?"
Min Joon's pulse quickened as he stepped forward. "I do," he said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. "I need answers. The Eye of Mortanis... what is it? And why is it tied to me?"
The Guardian's glowing eyes fixed on him, a low, rumbling laugh filling the room. "Ah, the bearer of the Eye. You seek the truth, yet you do not understand the cost of it." The creature's form shifted, its shadowy tendrils reaching toward Min Joon. "The Eye was never meant for mortal hands. It is a curse, a tool of destruction. And yet, here you are, seeking its power."
Min Joon gripped his chest, feeling the familiar thrum of the Eye beneath his skin. "I didn't choose this," he said through gritted teeth. "I didn't choose any of this."
The Guardian's laugh died away, replaced by a deep, almost pitying sigh. "No one chooses the path they walk. But you have walked this far, and now, you must face the truth. To wield the Eye is to wield fate itself. It is the power to shape worlds, to destroy them... or to save them. But that choice, young one, is not yours alone."
The words hung in the air like a weight, suffocating and impossible to ignore. The creature's eyes burned with ancient knowledge as it continued, "To unlock the truth of the Eye... you must first confront your own soul."
Min Joon's breath caught in his throat. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice strained.
The Guardian tilted its head, its form rippling like water. "You must decide who you truly are, for the Eye will show you your true self. The one hidden deep within. Only then will you understand the power you hold."
Before Min Joon could respond, the Guardian's form expanded, and the room seemed to shift, its walls closing in around him. The shadows darkened, and the world seemed to tremble.
"You have one choice, Min Joon," the Guardian said, its voice now a low, resonating growl. "Embrace your power, or be consumed by it."
The darkness closed in. The world blurred.